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Are the gospels reliable?

The below article is a repost of Dr. David Farnell. Read the original article here)

The answer to this question is an unqualified, firm YES!  The gospels are the very unique treasure bequeathed as an enduring testimony from the first-century church to the rest of mankind leaving an unfailing historical record that God loved the whole world and demonstrated His love by sending his Son to save mankind from alienation to Him (John 3:16-18).  The four canonical Gospels—Matthew, Luke, Mark, and John—are unique historical accounts set apart from ancient history writing. No historical ancient account is like them or comparable.  How so? Today, classical scholars recognize ancient historians of the past, especially during the Greek and Greek era, often admitted to writing history that they were not eyewitnesses to events that they reported (Thucydides, Plutarch).[i]  None of them were truly accurate in details that they reported. Indeed, they even acknowledge that in the writing of their records they invented speeches of main characters, created out of thin air things about characters they wrote about to make these people larger than life.  No ancient human historian can ever measure up to the record that the Gospel writers left as a witness to Jesus’s life as they were empowered by God’s “Spirit of Truth.”

The Testimony of the Very Early Church as tothe Reliability of the Canonical Gospels

Many factors affirm the absolute reliability of the Gospels. At the outset, one must know that the consistent testimony of the early church in the beginning centuries of its existence stands as a firm, inviolable witness to the absolute truthfulness, accuracy, and reliability of the twenty-seven books of the New Testament, especially the four Gospels of Matthew, Luke, Mark, and John.  Importantly, the testimony of the early church stands in direct contradiction to the negative, modern criticism of the Gospels that developed so much later in the eighteenth century to the twenty-first century.  What can we learn when we examine these early church records? Those who lived closest to the time of Jesus knew with certainty of the assuredness of the Gospel record.  What can we learn from this early Christian testimony?

First, the four canonical Gospels, Matthew, Luke, Mark, and John were unanimously affirmed by the earliest orthodox or “catholic” Christian communities throughout the Roman Empire, wherever Christianity had spread, as thoroughly investigated, wholly undisputed, and never doubted in any manner.[1]  The first great church historian, Eusebius (ca. AD 260-341), as well as many other very early church fathers, leave us a thrilling record about the genuineness Gospels from which the church derives its information.  Eusebius called the four canonical Gospels “the holy four Gospels” that were never once doubted by anyone whatsoever in the orthodox church as coming from the Apostles whose names they bore.[2] The early fathers knew that the Gospel of Matthew was written by Levi the tax collector,3 that Mark, the companion and interpreter of Peter, took Peter’s preaching and made it into the Gospel that bears Marks name, that Luke, Paul’s personal traveling companion as seen in the “we” sections of Acts (e.g Acts16:10-18; ), composed a two-part series known as Luke-Acts (Luke 1:1-4)[4]; and John the Apostle wrote the Gospel that bears his name. [5] Eusebius tells us that an unbroken chain of custody in the early church, just like modern legal forensics, consisting of orthodox bishops throughout the entire Roman world, from the AD first to the fourth centuries, affirmed these four Gospels, and only these four Gospels, as genuinely from the men whose names they bore.

Second, from the earliest times (AD 125), these Gospels, while anonymous in their text, actually bore titles on all their manuscripts, “The Gospel according to Matthew,” “the Gospel According to Mark,” “The Gospel According to Luke,” “the Gospel According to John.”  No other names ever appeared on any manuscripts.  From the earliest beginnings, the orthodox church was very, very careful to guard these four Gospels as the only true witnesses to Jesus’s life.  They firmly rejected all other gospels as false, so that the anonymous nature of these four Gospels are actually a strong testimony to whose names they bear. The earliest fathers authoritatively quoted these four Gospels, demonstrating their unwavering belief in the full trustworthiness and accuracy of these four Gospel records of Jesus’s life.  About these four gospels, the early church knew with certainty that they were written testimonies by the first-century disciples of Jesus whose names were attached to them.

Third, the early fathers even left a clear record even of the chronological order in which they were written.  Clement of Alexandria (AD 150-215) wrote that the Gospels with genealogies (Matthew and Luke) were written before the Gospels without (Mark and John).[6] They tell us always without fail that Matthew wrote first.  Moreover, Irenaeus tells us that John the Apostle wrote his Gospel last.  So, the chronological order of the Gospels is Matthew wrote, then Luke, then Mark, and finally John wrote his testimony.[7]

Finally, and most importantly, the summary impact of the certain testimony of the early church as they testified to the canonical Gospels cannot be overstated.  Matthew, Luke, Mark, John were written either by direct apostolic eyewitnesses (Matthew, John) or based on apostolic eyewitness testimony (Mark—based on Peter’s preaching and Luke [Luke 1:1-4) based on interviewing eyewitnesses and as a companion of Paul [Acts]).  When any Christian reads these four Gospels, they are literally “sitting at the feet” of Jesus, as well as listening to eyewitness reports of men and women who knew him directly, intimately, accompanying Him from his birth (Matt 1-3; Luke 1-3) through his ministry (Matt 4-27; Luke 3-23; Mark 1-15; John 1-19) to his resurrection and ascension to heaven (Matt 28; Luke 24; Mark 16; John 20-21; Acts 1).

The Testimony of the Gospels Themselves as to Their Reliability

When the Gospels are examined, one can readily see the eyewitness elements in them that affirm their reliability.  Luke says that he interviewed many eyewitnesses of Jesus life.  One must read the opening four verses of Luke that indicates his reliance on eyewitness accounts,

Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the things that have been accomplished among us, 2 just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word have delivered them to us, 3 it seemed good to me also, having followed all things closely for some time past, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, 4 that you may have certainty concerning the things you have been taught. Luke 1:1-4 ESV

From Luke, Christians can learn how “carefully” the gospel writers “investigated” Jesus life “from the beginning” based on direct “eyewitnesses” of His life.  In Acts, Luke even accompanied Paul on his missionary journeys as the “we sections” (see above) indicate.  Luke, being a physician, would most likely have been a very good researcher and conducted a careful investigation due to his medical training.  Matthew, being a trained-tax collector and, of necessity, a keeper of records would have been well-qualified by profession to be the first selected to testify of the promised Jewish Messiah.

In John, we learn that John has amazing information about things that went on in Jesus’s life.  He is mindful of the minutest details regarding the person, time, number, place that could only come from direct, eyewitness experience.  He knows the very hour “(the 10th hour—John 1:39) that Jesus’s disciples accompanied Him to his house.  He knew when Judas slipped out of the last supper with Jesus (John 13:16).  John even remembers how many fish they caught when Jesus, after His resurrection, told them to cast their nets into the sea of Galilee (“153”!—John 21:11).  He knew the very thoughts and feelings of the apostles (2:11, 17, 22; 4:27; 6:19, 60; 12:16; 13:22, 28; 20:9; 21:12).  He knows his fishing partner, Peter, will die when Jesus told them in a personal conversation with Peter and John (John 1:18). Throughout his gospel and writings, John uses “we” many times to tell of his personal witness to the life of Jesus (for example, John 1:14—“we have seen His glory” 1 John 1:1-3—“from the beginning,” “we have heard”; “we have seen with our eyes”; “we have looked upon”; “have touched with our hands”).  He speaks of “testimony” or “witness” over and over again throughout his Gospel to let the reader know they are directly seeing Jesus’s life when they read the Gospel (For example, John 19:35).

John’s descriptive details of the Gospel events are as one who walked with Jesus in the land, He is acquainted with Jewish feasts such as Passover (2:13, 23; 6:4; 11:55; 12:1; 18:28); Tabernacles (5:1?; 7:2); Feast of Dedication (Hanukkah—10:22); He is acquainted with Jewish customs such as arranging of the water pots (2:1-10); burial customs of the Jews (11:38, 44, 19:40); he knew well the feeling between the Jews and the Samaritans (4:9). He knew the minutest geographical details, such as He that Jacob’s well is deep (4:11; he distinguishes Bethany (1/2 mile east of Jerusalem) from Bethany beyond the Jordan (21 miles east of Jerusalem) (1:28; 11:18).

We learn from the Gospels that Peter and John, along with James, were the three closest disciples of Jesus, being especially privileged to see directly many things that were amazing (For example, Matt 17:1-1 where Jesus was transformed into glorious light; Luke 8:51).  We learn from Acts that all the Apostles had seen not only Jesus’ ministry from the beginning of John’s interaction with Jesus to the very day that Jesus was resurrected and ascended to Heaven (Acts 1:21-22).  In 2 Peter 1:16, Christians learn that Peter boldly proclaimed his role as an eyewitness, “For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. 17 For when he received honor and glory from God the Father, and the voice was borne to him by the Majestic Glory, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.” Often ancient historians of the Greco-Roman tradition were prone to the invention of “tales” or “myths” about a major character whom they wrote a “Life” about, but Peter firmly distances himself from such ancient practices in the writing of “histories” declaring the eyewitness status of those who produced the Gospels.

The Testimony of Jesus Christ as to the Certain Reliability of The Eyewitnesses Who Wrote the Gospels

The accuracy and reliability of the Gospels are, most importantly, anchored to the certainty of the promises of Jesus himself to those men who were eyewitnesses of His life and teachings.  In John 14:26, Jesus promised the Gospel writers, “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.” From this verse, we learn that the writers of the Gospels would have Spirit of God-empowered, energized minds that would bring everything that Jesus taught and did to their minds.  In John 16, Jesus promised,

“When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. 14 He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. 15 All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you. John 16:13-15

Here are direct promises from Jesus that what the Gospel writers proclaimed in their eyewitness testimony would not be merely based on their on human memories but they would have a miraculous ability to remember “all things” and “all the truth.”  While human memories might be faulty, the power of God guided, controlled, governed these eyewitnesses in their composition of Matthew, Luke, Mark, and John.  Indeed, because God’s Spirit is “the Spirit of Truth” (John 16:13; 1 John 4:6), the Gospels are the four historical documents that stand uniquely as eyewitness accounts that may be considered inerrant as well as reliable. 

As Hebrews 6:18 reminds, “it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us. Since the Gospels record our hope in Jesus, they give us the promised strong encouragement. Since the Gospels rest for their foundation in the nature of God Himself, the Gospels are not only reliable, they originated and are sustained in their certainty by the Living God Himself.  Moreover, not even the most cunning, non-human intelligence created in the history of the Universe (known under many names as “Satan,” the Adversary”; Lucifer the “god of light” or the “illumined one”; the “Devil”) has never been able to defeat or destroy God’s Word though he has often tried, nor will he ever able to do so.  In the thousands of years since God’s written Word existed, from Moses to Jesus, the most cunning human intellects controlled by the adversary, Satan, who constantly arrays themselves with vile hatred against the Word, have never been able, nor ever will be able, been, to defeat God’s Word.  Why?   The Gospels demonstrate the supernatural intelligence of the Living God himself who is actively sustaining his Word from all who dare try. Why? The Gospels rest foundationally on the character of God Himself.  Although copies of the Gospels have been destroyed, the Gospels are still here in abundance.  God’s Apostles were killed who wrote them; their record of the Gospels are still here.

Finally, one promise of Jesus deserves special mention in this discussion.  Jesus gave an amazing promise to His followers in Matthew 24:35 about the record of His mission on earth, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away.”  The earth and all of its records will one day be gone, but not Jesus’s Words.  While mere human accounts might decay and disappear, the Gospels are a unique genre; nothing is like them in human history, for their existence stands on a central promise of Jesus as well as the unfailing power of the Spirit of God, the Spirit of Truth Himself.  No ancient record is comparable to them.  Are the Gospels reliable? Most assuredly they are because God promises His people that they are empowered by His Spirit of Truth (Heb 4:12)!

 

You may read all of Dr. Farnell’s Defending Inerrancy articles here, watch his lectures here, and download his book The Jesus Quest for free here!

Bibliography

Holden, Joseph M., Ed., The Harvest Handbook of Apologetics. Eugene, OR: Harvest House, 2018. This article was adapted from Chapter 19 (“Are the Gospel Accounts Reliable?”) by F. David Farnell in https://defendinginerrancy.com/hha-review/The Harvest Handbook of Apologetics.

Bruce, F.F. The New Testament Documents Are They Reliable? Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1981.

_________. The Defense of the Gospel in the New Testament. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1959.

Dungan, David L. Constantine’s Bible. Minneapolis, MN: Fortress, 2007.

Eusebius Ecclesiastical History, vol. I. Loeb Series. Translated by Kirsopp Lake. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University, 1926.

Eusebius Ecclesiastical History, vol. II. Loeb Series. Translated by J. E. L. Oulton. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University, 1926.

Farnell, F. David, Gen. Ed. Vital Issues in the Inerrancy Debate. Eugene, OR: Wipf & Stock, 2016.

Geisler, Norman L. Ed. Explaining Biblical Inerrancy: Official Commentary on the International Council of Biblical Inerrancy Statements. Matthews, NC: Bastion, 2013 (1980, 1983).

Geisler, Norman L. Preserving Orthodoxy: Maintaining Continuity with the Historic Christian Faith on Scripture. Matthews, NC: Bastion, 2017.

Geisler, Norman L. and F. David Farnell. The Jesus Quest: The Danger from Within. Maitland, FL: Xulon, 2014.

Geisler, Norman L. and William E. Nix. A General Introduction to the Bible. Chicago, IL: Moody, 1986.

Lindsell, Harold. The Battle for the Bible. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1976.

_____________. The Bible in the Balance. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1979.

Linnemann, Eta. Historical Criticism of the Bible Methodology or Ideology? Reflections of a Bultmannian Turned Evangelical. Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel, 1990.

Thomas, Robert L. and F. David Farnell. The Jesus Crisis. Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel, 1998. Torrey, R. A. The Fundamentals. 4 vols. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker, 1972.

 

End Notes

[1] Eusebius Ecclesiastical History 6:14.5-7.

[2] Eusebius Ecclesiastical History 6.14.7.

[3] Read the thrilling account of David Laird Dungan’s Chapter 5, “Eusebius’s Defense of Catholic Scripture,” in Constantine’s Bible (Minneapolis: Fortress, 2007) 54-93.

[[4] Eusebius Ecclesiastical History 3.25.1.

[5] Eusebius Ecclesiastical History 3.36.15-16

[6] For example, Irenaeus Against Heresies 3.1.

[7] For example, Irenaeus Against Heresies 2.22.5; 3.1.1.

[8] For example, see Thucidydes comments on his writing of history in History of the Peloponnesian War, 1.22.1. Charles Fornara lamented that ancient historians “invented speeches” and “unintentional perjury” into their works.  Charles William Fornara, The Nature of History in Ancient Greece and Rome (Berkley and Los Angeles, CA: University of California, 1983), 167-68. Another example is Plutarch who displays imperfect understanding and faulty memory (“historically inaccurate” and “sacrificing the truth” many times in works; see Christopher Pelling, Plutarch and History Eighteen Studies [London: Gerald Duckworth, 2002], 156.

]]>

Are the gospels reliable?

The below article is a repost of Dr. David Farnell. Read the original article here)

The answer to this question is an unqualified, firm YES!  The gospels are the very unique treasure bequeathed as an enduring testimony from the first-century church to the rest of mankind leaving an unfailing historical record that God loved the whole world and demonstrated His love by sending his Son to save mankind from alienation to Him (John 3:16-18).  The four canonical Gospels—Matthew, Luke, Mark, and John—are unique historical accounts set apart from ancient history writing. No historical ancient account is like them or comparable.  How so? Today, classical scholars recognize ancient historians of the past, especially during the Greek and Greek era, often admitted to writing history that they were not eyewitnesses to events that they reported (Thucydides, Plutarch).[i]  None of them were truly accurate in details that they reported. Indeed, they even acknowledge that in the writing of their records they invented speeches of main characters, created out of thin air things about characters they wrote about to make these people larger than life.  No ancient human historian can ever measure up to the record that the Gospel writers left as a witness to Jesus’s life as they were empowered by God’s “Spirit of Truth.”

The Testimony of the Very Early Church as tothe Reliability of the Canonical Gospels

Many factors affirm the absolute reliability of the Gospels. At the outset, one must know that the consistent testimony of the early church in the beginning centuries of its existence stands as a firm, inviolable witness to the absolute truthfulness, accuracy, and reliability of the twenty-seven books of the New Testament, especially the four Gospels of Matthew, Luke, Mark, and John.  Importantly, the testimony of the early church stands in direct contradiction to the negative, modern criticism of the Gospels that developed so much later in the eighteenth century to the twenty-first century.  What can we learn when we examine these early church records? Those who lived closest to the time of Jesus knew with certainty of the assuredness of the Gospel record.  What can we learn from this early Christian testimony?

First, the four canonical Gospels, Matthew, Luke, Mark, and John were unanimously affirmed by the earliest orthodox or “catholic” Christian communities throughout the Roman Empire, wherever Christianity had spread, as thoroughly investigated, wholly undisputed, and never doubted in any manner.[1]  The first great church historian, Eusebius (ca. AD 260-341), as well as many other very early church fathers, leave us a thrilling record about the genuineness Gospels from which the church derives its information.  Eusebius called the four canonical Gospels “the holy four Gospels” that were never once doubted by anyone whatsoever in the orthodox church as coming from the Apostles whose names they bore.[2] The early fathers knew that the Gospel of Matthew was written by Levi the tax collector,3 that Mark, the companion and interpreter of Peter, took Peter’s preaching and made it into the Gospel that bears Marks name, that Luke, Paul’s personal traveling companion as seen in the “we” sections of Acts (e.g Acts16:10-18; ), composed a two-part series known as Luke-Acts (Luke 1:1-4)[4]; and John the Apostle wrote the Gospel that bears his name. [5] Eusebius tells us that an unbroken chain of custody in the early church, just like modern legal forensics, consisting of orthodox bishops throughout the entire Roman world, from the AD first to the fourth centuries, affirmed these four Gospels, and only these four Gospels, as genuinely from the men whose names they bore.

Second, from the earliest times (AD 125), these Gospels, while anonymous in their text, actually bore titles on all their manuscripts, “The Gospel according to Matthew,” “the Gospel According to Mark,” “The Gospel According to Luke,” “the Gospel According to John.”  No other names ever appeared on any manuscripts.  From the earliest beginnings, the orthodox church was very, very careful to guard these four Gospels as the only true witnesses to Jesus’s life.  They firmly rejected all other gospels as false, so that the anonymous nature of these four Gospels are actually a strong testimony to whose names they bear. The earliest fathers authoritatively quoted these four Gospels, demonstrating their unwavering belief in the full trustworthiness and accuracy of these four Gospel records of Jesus’s life.  About these four gospels, the early church knew with certainty that they were written testimonies by the first-century disciples of Jesus whose names were attached to them.

Third, the early fathers even left a clear record even of the chronological order in which they were written.  Clement of Alexandria (AD 150-215) wrote that the Gospels with genealogies (Matthew and Luke) were written before the Gospels without (Mark and John).[6] They tell us always without fail that Matthew wrote first.  Moreover, Irenaeus tells us that John the Apostle wrote his Gospel last.  So, the chronological order of the Gospels is Matthew wrote, then Luke, then Mark, and finally John wrote his testimony.[7]

Finally, and most importantly, the summary impact of the certain testimony of the early church as they testified to the canonical Gospels cannot be overstated.  Matthew, Luke, Mark, John were written either by direct apostolic eyewitnesses (Matthew, John) or based on apostolic eyewitness testimony (Mark—based on Peter’s preaching and Luke [Luke 1:1-4) based on interviewing eyewitnesses and as a companion of Paul [Acts]).  When any Christian reads these four Gospels, they are literally “sitting at the feet” of Jesus, as well as listening to eyewitness reports of men and women who knew him directly, intimately, accompanying Him from his birth (Matt 1-3; Luke 1-3) through his ministry (Matt 4-27; Luke 3-23; Mark 1-15; John 1-19) to his resurrection and ascension to heaven (Matt 28; Luke 24; Mark 16; John 20-21; Acts 1).

The Testimony of the Gospels Themselves as to Their Reliability

When the Gospels are examined, one can readily see the eyewitness elements in them that affirm their reliability.  Luke says that he interviewed many eyewitnesses of Jesus life.  One must read the opening four verses of Luke that indicates his reliance on eyewitness accounts,

Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the things that have been accomplished among us, 2 just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word have delivered them to us, 3 it seemed good to me also, having followed all things closely for some time past, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, 4 that you may have certainty concerning the things you have been taught. Luke 1:1-4 ESV

From Luke, Christians can learn how “carefully” the gospel writers “investigated” Jesus life “from the beginning” based on direct “eyewitnesses” of His life.  In Acts, Luke even accompanied Paul on his missionary journeys as the “we sections” (see above) indicate.  Luke, being a physician, would most likely have been a very good researcher and conducted a careful investigation due to his medical training.  Matthew, being a trained-tax collector and, of necessity, a keeper of records would have been well-qualified by profession to be the first selected to testify of the promised Jewish Messiah.

In John, we learn that John has amazing information about things that went on in Jesus’s life.  He is mindful of the minutest details regarding the person, time, number, place that could only come from direct, eyewitness experience.  He knows the very hour “(the 10th hour—John 1:39) that Jesus’s disciples accompanied Him to his house.  He knew when Judas slipped out of the last supper with Jesus (John 13:16).  John even remembers how many fish they caught when Jesus, after His resurrection, told them to cast their nets into the sea of Galilee (“153”!—John 21:11).  He knew the very thoughts and feelings of the apostles (2:11, 17, 22; 4:27; 6:19, 60; 12:16; 13:22, 28; 20:9; 21:12).  He knows his fishing partner, Peter, will die when Jesus told them in a personal conversation with Peter and John (John 1:18). Throughout his gospel and writings, John uses “we” many times to tell of his personal witness to the life of Jesus (for example, John 1:14—“we have seen His glory” 1 John 1:1-3—“from the beginning,” “we have heard”; “we have seen with our eyes”; “we have looked upon”; “have touched with our hands”).  He speaks of “testimony” or “witness” over and over again throughout his Gospel to let the reader know they are directly seeing Jesus’s life when they read the Gospel (For example, John 19:35).

John’s descriptive details of the Gospel events are as one who walked with Jesus in the land, He is acquainted with Jewish feasts such as Passover (2:13, 23; 6:4; 11:55; 12:1; 18:28); Tabernacles (5:1?; 7:2); Feast of Dedication (Hanukkah—10:22); He is acquainted with Jewish customs such as arranging of the water pots (2:1-10); burial customs of the Jews (11:38, 44, 19:40); he knew well the feeling between the Jews and the Samaritans (4:9). He knew the minutest geographical details, such as He that Jacob’s well is deep (4:11; he distinguishes Bethany (1/2 mile east of Jerusalem) from Bethany beyond the Jordan (21 miles east of Jerusalem) (1:28; 11:18).

We learn from the Gospels that Peter and John, along with James, were the three closest disciples of Jesus, being especially privileged to see directly many things that were amazing (For example, Matt 17:1-1 where Jesus was transformed into glorious light; Luke 8:51).  We learn from Acts that all the Apostles had seen not only Jesus’ ministry from the beginning of John’s interaction with Jesus to the very day that Jesus was resurrected and ascended to Heaven (Acts 1:21-22).  In 2 Peter 1:16, Christians learn that Peter boldly proclaimed his role as an eyewitness, “For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. 17 For when he received honor and glory from God the Father, and the voice was borne to him by the Majestic Glory, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.” Often ancient historians of the Greco-Roman tradition were prone to the invention of “tales” or “myths” about a major character whom they wrote a “Life” about, but Peter firmly distances himself from such ancient practices in the writing of “histories” declaring the eyewitness status of those who produced the Gospels.

The Testimony of Jesus Christ as to the Certain Reliability of The Eyewitnesses Who Wrote the Gospels

The accuracy and reliability of the Gospels are, most importantly, anchored to the certainty of the promises of Jesus himself to those men who were eyewitnesses of His life and teachings.  In John 14:26, Jesus promised the Gospel writers, “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.” From this verse, we learn that the writers of the Gospels would have Spirit of God-empowered, energized minds that would bring everything that Jesus taught and did to their minds.  In John 16, Jesus promised,

“When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. 14 He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. 15 All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you. John 16:13-15

Here are direct promises from Jesus that what the Gospel writers proclaimed in their eyewitness testimony would not be merely based on their on human memories but they would have a miraculous ability to remember “all things” and “all the truth.”  While human memories might be faulty, the power of God guided, controlled, governed these eyewitnesses in their composition of Matthew, Luke, Mark, and John.  Indeed, because God’s Spirit is “the Spirit of Truth” (John 16:13; 1 John 4:6), the Gospels are the four historical documents that stand uniquely as eyewitness accounts that may be considered inerrant as well as reliable. 

As Hebrews 6:18 reminds, “it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us. Since the Gospels record our hope in Jesus, they give us the promised strong encouragement. Since the Gospels rest for their foundation in the nature of God Himself, the Gospels are not only reliable, they originated and are sustained in their certainty by the Living God Himself.  Moreover, not even the most cunning, non-human intelligence created in the history of the Universe (known under many names as “Satan,” the Adversary”; Lucifer the “god of light” or the “illumined one”; the “Devil”) has never been able to defeat or destroy God’s Word though he has often tried, nor will he ever able to do so.  In the thousands of years since God’s written Word existed, from Moses to Jesus, the most cunning human intellects controlled by the adversary, Satan, who constantly arrays themselves with vile hatred against the Word, have never been able, nor ever will be able, been, to defeat God’s Word.  Why?   The Gospels demonstrate the supernatural intelligence of the Living God himself who is actively sustaining his Word from all who dare try. Why? The Gospels rest foundationally on the character of God Himself.  Although copies of the Gospels have been destroyed, the Gospels are still here in abundance.  God’s Apostles were killed who wrote them; their record of the Gospels are still here.

Finally, one promise of Jesus deserves special mention in this discussion.  Jesus gave an amazing promise to His followers in Matthew 24:35 about the record of His mission on earth, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away.”  The earth and all of its records will one day be gone, but not Jesus’s Words.  While mere human accounts might decay and disappear, the Gospels are a unique genre; nothing is like them in human history, for their existence stands on a central promise of Jesus as well as the unfailing power of the Spirit of God, the Spirit of Truth Himself.  No ancient record is comparable to them.  Are the Gospels reliable? Most assuredly they are because God promises His people that they are empowered by His Spirit of Truth (Heb 4:12)!

 

You may read all of Dr. Farnell’s Defending Inerrancy articles here, watch his lectures here, and download his book The Jesus Quest for free here!

Bibliography

Holden, Joseph M., Ed., The Harvest Handbook of Apologetics. Eugene, OR: Harvest House, 2018. This article was adapted from Chapter 19 (“Are the Gospel Accounts Reliable?”) by F. David Farnell in https://defendinginerrancy.com/hha-review/The Harvest Handbook of Apologetics.

Bruce, F.F. The New Testament Documents Are They Reliable? Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1981.

_________. The Defense of the Gospel in the New Testament. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1959.

Dungan, David L. Constantine’s Bible. Minneapolis, MN: Fortress, 2007.

Eusebius Ecclesiastical History, vol. I. Loeb Series. Translated by Kirsopp Lake. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University, 1926.

Eusebius Ecclesiastical History, vol. II. Loeb Series. Translated by J. E. L. Oulton. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University, 1926.

Farnell, F. David, Gen. Ed. Vital Issues in the Inerrancy Debate. Eugene, OR: Wipf & Stock, 2016.

Geisler, Norman L. Ed. Explaining Biblical Inerrancy: Official Commentary on the International Council of Biblical Inerrancy Statements. Matthews, NC: Bastion, 2013 (1980, 1983).

Geisler, Norman L. Preserving Orthodoxy: Maintaining Continuity with the Historic Christian Faith on Scripture. Matthews, NC: Bastion, 2017.

Geisler, Norman L. and F. David Farnell. The Jesus Quest: The Danger from Within. Maitland, FL: Xulon, 2014.

Geisler, Norman L. and William E. Nix. A General Introduction to the Bible. Chicago, IL: Moody, 1986.

Lindsell, Harold. The Battle for the Bible. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1976.

_____________. The Bible in the Balance. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1979.

Linnemann, Eta. Historical Criticism of the Bible Methodology or Ideology? Reflections of a Bultmannian Turned Evangelical. Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel, 1990.

Thomas, Robert L. and F. David Farnell. The Jesus Crisis. Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel, 1998. Torrey, R. A. The Fundamentals. 4 vols. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker, 1972.

 

End Notes

[1] Eusebius Ecclesiastical History 6:14.5-7.

[2] Eusebius Ecclesiastical History 6.14.7.

[3] Read the thrilling account of David Laird Dungan’s Chapter 5, “Eusebius’s Defense of Catholic Scripture,” in Constantine’s Bible (Minneapolis: Fortress, 2007) 54-93.

[[4] Eusebius Ecclesiastical History 3.25.1.

[5] Eusebius Ecclesiastical History 3.36.15-16

[6] For example, Irenaeus Against Heresies 3.1.

[7] For example, Irenaeus Against Heresies 2.22.5; 3.1.1.

[8] For example, see Thucidydes comments on his writing of history in History of the Peloponnesian War, 1.22.1. Charles Fornara lamented that ancient historians “invented speeches” and “unintentional perjury” into their works.  Charles William Fornara, The Nature of History in Ancient Greece and Rome (Berkley and Los Angeles, CA: University of California, 1983), 167-68. Another example is Plutarch who displays imperfect understanding and faulty memory (“historically inaccurate” and “sacrificing the truth” many times in works; see Christopher Pelling, Plutarch and History Eighteen Studies [London: Gerald Duckworth, 2002], 156.

]]> A New Day and New Life https://www.gcb.church/blog/post/a-new-day-and-new-life https://www.gcb.church/blog/post/a-new-day-and-new-life#comments Sat, 27 Sep 2025 15:15:23 -0400 https://www.gcb.church/blog/post/a-new-day-and-new-life Here's a few more and better pictures from yesterday 

e6a614b9-34d5-4294-8bc2-de6d4d463f05

c8a1f971-6c03-4973-b99a-7a5fd2c31c817c1f3e08-ebfb-4e3a-8267-e7cd46bd7fa4

74eaa823-4619-4e9f-8c30-f2fc007ca424

The last one is the men in Didier's churches, but with better lighting than what I posted yesterday.

Today (Saturday) I got to visit church 5, the new church plant that meets in this outside "hangar" and is led by Pastor Judex. His wife Claudine is the one who made the African shirts we received in above pictures.

IMG_3218

IMG_3220

Saturday we also visited the clinic to meet with Doctor Bill (not to be confused with Dr. Phil we clarified). We met to discuss ways to legally protect the clinic and expand its operations with an overseeing doctor who has a general practice and more years of experience and knows how to work with partners and insurance. Right now the clinic has a small pharmacy and laboratory where they can test for and treat malaria and typhoid and some malnutrition and common diseases. With a few hundred more a month they may be able to expand and improve their operations and they hope to be able to purchase an ultrasound / sonagram machine (about $2000 but may need to upgrade their solar panels as well). The onsite doctor's specialty is labor and delivery and Didier said most days of the week they have at least one delivery. Today there were twins born and their custom is to do loud dancing and singing with drums for the father of twins and then they dump baby powder all over him. Quite an experience and then they started singing to the white man.

View recent photos

IMG_3198

Dr. Bill is the one next to me above. Then when we got home tonight we got to see another new life, a baby born just yesterday and the mom traveled from a ways away by public transport to have Didier pray God's blessing on this new life. The proud grandpa was one of the pastors of his churches (Modeste).

IMG_3279

The mother of the newborn didn't look like she had just given birth and Didier commented that African women are very strong. He said with one of their children Annie gave birth at 4 AM and checked herself out of the hospital 9 hours later and was cooking that night and everything back to normal.

It was a wonderful day to spend some time having fun playing with the orphanage children, and especially to see these new lives, and to see renewed spiritual lives this week. Praying for a blessed Lord's day tomorrow

]]> Here's a few more and better pictures from yesterday 

e6a614b9-34d5-4294-8bc2-de6d4d463f05

c8a1f971-6c03-4973-b99a-7a5fd2c31c817c1f3e08-ebfb-4e3a-8267-e7cd46bd7fa4

74eaa823-4619-4e9f-8c30-f2fc007ca424

The last one is the men in Didier's churches, but with better lighting than what I posted yesterday.

Today (Saturday) I got to visit church 5, the new church plant that meets in this outside "hangar" and is led by Pastor Judex. His wife Claudine is the one who made the African shirts we received in above pictures.

IMG_3218

IMG_3220

Saturday we also visited the clinic to meet with Doctor Bill (not to be confused with Dr. Phil we clarified). We met to discuss ways to legally protect the clinic and expand its operations with an overseeing doctor who has a general practice and more years of experience and knows how to work with partners and insurance. Right now the clinic has a small pharmacy and laboratory where they can test for and treat malaria and typhoid and some malnutrition and common diseases. With a few hundred more a month they may be able to expand and improve their operations and they hope to be able to purchase an ultrasound / sonagram machine (about $2000 but may need to upgrade their solar panels as well). The onsite doctor's specialty is labor and delivery and Didier said most days of the week they have at least one delivery. Today there were twins born and their custom is to do loud dancing and singing with drums for the father of twins and then they dump baby powder all over him. Quite an experience and then they started singing to the white man.

View recent photos

IMG_3198

Dr. Bill is the one next to me above. Then when we got home tonight we got to see another new life, a baby born just yesterday and the mom traveled from a ways away by public transport to have Didier pray God's blessing on this new life. The proud grandpa was one of the pastors of his churches (Modeste).

IMG_3279

The mother of the newborn didn't look like she had just given birth and Didier commented that African women are very strong. He said with one of their children Annie gave birth at 4 AM and checked herself out of the hospital 9 hours later and was cooking that night and everything back to normal.

It was a wonderful day to spend some time having fun playing with the orphanage children, and especially to see these new lives, and to see renewed spiritual lives this week. Praying for a blessed Lord's day tomorrow

]]> Congo Conference Recap and Blessings https://www.gcb.church/blog/post/congo-conference-recap-and-blessings https://www.gcb.church/blog/post/congo-conference-recap-and-blessings#comments Fri, 26 Sep 2025 14:22:13 -0400 https://www.gcb.church/blog/post/congo-conference-recap-and-blessings Our conference in Congo concluded Friday with the biggest group we had all week, 94 in attendance. Some of them came for the first time. The fellowship was sweet and the singing was even sweeter. Above are the 20 men who are part of the 5 churches planted by Didier, including the 5 preachers and other men who serve the churches in various ways. We met at a wedding venue that was provided by the donation of a very generous friend of the ministry so we were able to be in a very nice and comfortable place altogether.

 

Thursday we spent the day on humility (from Mark 10:43-45) then on expositional preaching. Colossians 4 was the case study we walked through and I tried to encourage the men in an interactive way how they can preach expositorily through books of the Bible even if their only resource is a Study Bible. Many of them do topical preaching from week to week but I encouraged them to try to put into practice what they learned by preaching through Colossians section-by-section, or other passages using exegetical study methods.

Today we also shared other free resources online in French which they may not be aware of to help them with their study without having to buy books (which is practically impossible here for the most part). There are free French eBooks by Ligonier ministries, MacArthur sermons, Gospel Coalition resources, and free Bible commentaries online by Jean Calvin, Charley Spurgeon, Matthieu Henry, Jean Trapp, etc. Also Ken Sande's The PeaceMaker is available online for free in French (reference below). Didier will share these hyperlinks on WhatsApp to all the men, and I pray they will bear fruit in all their churches.

Friday Tyler spoke first on deliverance and spiritual warfare, which is a big topic here, and I got questions afterwards about whether we should cast demons out when people are sick and whether the promises at the end of Mark 16 are for today (short answer is no,  today if we get snakebites we should go to the hospital, not take that as a promise for us, but we can pray for healing like James 5 says and the key is faith, not what we do with our hands towards the sick person). That gives you an idea of the context here where dealing with sin for believers is often done by a deliverance ministry, casting out the demon of lust, anger, etc.

I spoke today on fighting temptation in areas of sexuality and anger and it seemed to resonate with many

Tyler ended the conference speaking on biblical reconciliation, using the PeaceMaker principles that we covered in our church conference in February on that topic. A lot of good Q&A came from this that we pray will bear fruit in real-life situations needing these principles applied.

Some praises:

- One mother there invited her whole family to come after she heard the teaching on Colossians 3

- Another older sister in Christ there was so appreciative and wanted to hold our hands for this pictureIMG_3071

- One wife there came who had been estranged from her husband for over a year and she seemed to be open to the Word of God and was warmly welcomed and greeted by friends she used to go to church with. We pray the teaching on humility and selfishness and reconciliation will be at work in her and her family.

- A network of churches that have had a conflict for over 14 years were convicted and committed to try to resolve that conflict as it's been too long, and to try to put the reconciliation conflict into practice and to restore unity in a difficult situation with roots going back to misunderstandings with a mission who is no longer there. Didier is in touch with them to see if they'd like some private counsel before we leave to see what we can do to help, and is on standby to see if we might meet with them a couple hours tomorrow.

It is so encouraging to see people not only sit through 20 hours of teaching, but so hungry and thirsty for more, and wanting to put it into practice right away.

It was a blessed day of pictures, pictures, and more pictures. The first is of all the pastors present today and the second is of their wives.

IMG_3092

IMG_3098

IMG_3074

 

Tomorrow we hope to get pictures of all the orphans together for the weekend as some of them are away working or at school during the week. Thank you who have been praying - God has answered and more!

 

]]> Our conference in Congo concluded Friday with the biggest group we had all week, 94 in attendance. Some of them came for the first time. The fellowship was sweet and the singing was even sweeter. Above are the 20 men who are part of the 5 churches planted by Didier, including the 5 preachers and other men who serve the churches in various ways. We met at a wedding venue that was provided by the donation of a very generous friend of the ministry so we were able to be in a very nice and comfortable place altogether.

 

Thursday we spent the day on humility (from Mark 10:43-45) then on expositional preaching. Colossians 4 was the case study we walked through and I tried to encourage the men in an interactive way how they can preach expositorily through books of the Bible even if their only resource is a Study Bible. Many of them do topical preaching from week to week but I encouraged them to try to put into practice what they learned by preaching through Colossians section-by-section, or other passages using exegetical study methods.

Today we also shared other free resources online in French which they may not be aware of to help them with their study without having to buy books (which is practically impossible here for the most part). There are free French eBooks by Ligonier ministries, MacArthur sermons, Gospel Coalition resources, and free Bible commentaries online by Jean Calvin, Charley Spurgeon, Matthieu Henry, Jean Trapp, etc. Also Ken Sande's The PeaceMaker is available online for free in French (reference below). Didier will share these hyperlinks on WhatsApp to all the men, and I pray they will bear fruit in all their churches.

Friday Tyler spoke first on deliverance and spiritual warfare, which is a big topic here, and I got questions afterwards about whether we should cast demons out when people are sick and whether the promises at the end of Mark 16 are for today (short answer is no,  today if we get snakebites we should go to the hospital, not take that as a promise for us, but we can pray for healing like James 5 says and the key is faith, not what we do with our hands towards the sick person). That gives you an idea of the context here where dealing with sin for believers is often done by a deliverance ministry, casting out the demon of lust, anger, etc.

I spoke today on fighting temptation in areas of sexuality and anger and it seemed to resonate with many

Tyler ended the conference speaking on biblical reconciliation, using the PeaceMaker principles that we covered in our church conference in February on that topic. A lot of good Q&A came from this that we pray will bear fruit in real-life situations needing these principles applied.

Some praises:

- One mother there invited her whole family to come after she heard the teaching on Colossians 3

- Another older sister in Christ there was so appreciative and wanted to hold our hands for this pictureIMG_3071

- One wife there came who had been estranged from her husband for over a year and she seemed to be open to the Word of God and was warmly welcomed and greeted by friends she used to go to church with. We pray the teaching on humility and selfishness and reconciliation will be at work in her and her family.

- A network of churches that have had a conflict for over 14 years were convicted and committed to try to resolve that conflict as it's been too long, and to try to put the reconciliation conflict into practice and to restore unity in a difficult situation with roots going back to misunderstandings with a mission who is no longer there. Didier is in touch with them to see if they'd like some private counsel before we leave to see what we can do to help, and is on standby to see if we might meet with them a couple hours tomorrow.

It is so encouraging to see people not only sit through 20 hours of teaching, but so hungry and thirsty for more, and wanting to put it into practice right away.

It was a blessed day of pictures, pictures, and more pictures. The first is of all the pastors present today and the second is of their wives.

IMG_3092

IMG_3098

IMG_3074

 

Tomorrow we hope to get pictures of all the orphans together for the weekend as some of them are away working or at school during the week. Thank you who have been praying - God has answered and more!

 

]]> A small video montage of a big day Wednesday https://www.gcb.church/blog/post/a-small-video-montage-of-a-big-day-wednesday https://www.gcb.church/blog/post/a-small-video-montage-of-a-big-day-wednesday#comments Wed, 24 Sep 2025 01:26:00 -0400 https://www.gcb.church/blog/post/a-small-video-montage-of-a-big-day-wednesday One of our joys each evening is to spend time with these adorable and fun kids from Didier's orphange.

IMG_2998

Wednesday was a full day full of blessings at the conference. We taught through Colossians 3 on our new life in Christ, how the gospel helps us put off sin and put on Christlike virtues, and the Christian family and the Christian view of work. Tomorrow instead of us teaching Colossians 4, we will make it a case study in the notes and book we're presenting on expositional preaching, and walk through how to prepare to preach it step by step like the rungs of a ladder. We are praying to come across with humility and sensitivity to the needs of the audience and to God's Spirit, and with flexibility to discern what would be the best use of time.

They say a picture says many words, and a video says many more. Here are some clips put together by one of the talented young pastors in one of Didier's churches to give a better sense of our time today.

 

]]> One of our joys each evening is to spend time with these adorable and fun kids from Didier's orphange.

IMG_2998

Wednesday was a full day full of blessings at the conference. We taught through Colossians 3 on our new life in Christ, how the gospel helps us put off sin and put on Christlike virtues, and the Christian family and the Christian view of work. Tomorrow instead of us teaching Colossians 4, we will make it a case study in the notes and book we're presenting on expositional preaching, and walk through how to prepare to preach it step by step like the rungs of a ladder. We are praying to come across with humility and sensitivity to the needs of the audience and to God's Spirit, and with flexibility to discern what would be the best use of time.

They say a picture says many words, and a video says many more. Here are some clips put together by one of the talented young pastors in one of Didier's churches to give a better sense of our time today.

 

]]> Welcoming God’s Word at the Conference https://www.gcb.church/blog/post/welcoming-god-s-word-at-the-conference https://www.gcb.church/blog/post/welcoming-god-s-word-at-the-conference#comments Tue, 23 Sep 2025 15:27:51 -0400 https://www.gcb.church/blog/post/welcoming-god-s-word-at-the-conference Romans 15:7 says "welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God."

This is what we've been experiencing in Congo, and it should motivate us in America to welcome others as we have been welcomed, to the glory of God. We praise Him for continued answered prayers and for this living lesson before us in these people who we came to teach, but also have much to learn from.

IMG_3010

Monday morning they literally rolled the red carpet out for us at the place where they hosted the conference.

IMG_2953

It was a visual for what we were about to experience with wonderful people welcoming us and welcoming God's Word with joy. The warm hospitality and honoring of us as guests was humbling and heart-warming. Men and women greeted us with smiles and thanks for coming and many wanted pictures with us.

IMG_3007

One of the pastors had to leave his home at 6 AM to get there by 9 AM. The first session began with special music from Didier’s daughters and another gifted singer from Kitumaini. On the break a group of pastors spontaneously (with permission from Didier) stood up to sing about Jesus as the rock and how when He is high, everything else will be alright (or something like that).

 

Tyler surprised us all in his teaching when he quoted Romans 8:28-29 in French from memory - and there was a rousing response.

Monday’s opening message was on the supremacy of Christ in all things as an introduction to Colossians. Tyler then spoke on the sufficiency of Christ in soul care, how Christ and His Word is enough to save and to change people. Didier said it was a very impactful point that we can help people with the Bible and we can change. Even if our problems don’t change, we can be changed by the Word to be more like Christ in our problems. Between the 2 of us we taught most of Colossians 1 on Monday. I think about half of the 60-70 attendees are pastors, and it is really good that their wives and other servants take part.

IMG_3026

On Tuesday I picked up where we left off with Colossians 1:25-29 on expository preaching and exalting Jesus, focusing on the phrases ‘to fully proclaim the word’ and ‘we proclaim Him’. Then Tyler gave a very helpful exposition of chapter 2:1-5 and my task was to teach through 2:6-23. The men are so responsive and hungry, and it is feeding my soul as much as I hope to feed theirs. With schedules and traffic our teaching time is 9:00-1:00 each day with a brief Q&A followed by a lunch fellowship so we head out around 2:00. The mamas there need hours to prepare dinner, another humbling reality with the amazing meals Mama Annie cooks for us each night.

 

Didier said one of the women was so blessed today that she asked Didier if she could bring all her children Wednesday. Tomorrow we will teach Colossians 3 which begins with a focus on heaven, and we will give all attendees an abridged version of Randy Alcorn’s book in French. We hope to cover chapter 3 into chapter 4, then on Thursday we will focus on preaching and will give all preachers present a book by David Helm on Expositional Preaching (9Marks series). On Friday we will focus on counseling (sexual sin, anger, deliverance, and reconciliation). Please keep praying for the next 3 days that our teaching and the books that Tyler brought will bear fruit long beyond our time. 

 

 

 

]]> Romans 15:7 says "welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God."

This is what we've been experiencing in Congo, and it should motivate us in America to welcome others as we have been welcomed, to the glory of God. We praise Him for continued answered prayers and for this living lesson before us in these people who we came to teach, but also have much to learn from.

IMG_3010

Monday morning they literally rolled the red carpet out for us at the place where they hosted the conference.

IMG_2953

It was a visual for what we were about to experience with wonderful people welcoming us and welcoming God's Word with joy. The warm hospitality and honoring of us as guests was humbling and heart-warming. Men and women greeted us with smiles and thanks for coming and many wanted pictures with us.

IMG_3007

One of the pastors had to leave his home at 6 AM to get there by 9 AM. The first session began with special music from Didier’s daughters and another gifted singer from Kitumaini. On the break a group of pastors spontaneously (with permission from Didier) stood up to sing about Jesus as the rock and how when He is high, everything else will be alright (or something like that).

 

Tyler surprised us all in his teaching when he quoted Romans 8:28-29 in French from memory - and there was a rousing response.

Monday’s opening message was on the supremacy of Christ in all things as an introduction to Colossians. Tyler then spoke on the sufficiency of Christ in soul care, how Christ and His Word is enough to save and to change people. Didier said it was a very impactful point that we can help people with the Bible and we can change. Even if our problems don’t change, we can be changed by the Word to be more like Christ in our problems. Between the 2 of us we taught most of Colossians 1 on Monday. I think about half of the 60-70 attendees are pastors, and it is really good that their wives and other servants take part.

IMG_3026

On Tuesday I picked up where we left off with Colossians 1:25-29 on expository preaching and exalting Jesus, focusing on the phrases ‘to fully proclaim the word’ and ‘we proclaim Him’. Then Tyler gave a very helpful exposition of chapter 2:1-5 and my task was to teach through 2:6-23. The men are so responsive and hungry, and it is feeding my soul as much as I hope to feed theirs. With schedules and traffic our teaching time is 9:00-1:00 each day with a brief Q&A followed by a lunch fellowship so we head out around 2:00. The mamas there need hours to prepare dinner, another humbling reality with the amazing meals Mama Annie cooks for us each night.

 

Didier said one of the women was so blessed today that she asked Didier if she could bring all her children Wednesday. Tomorrow we will teach Colossians 3 which begins with a focus on heaven, and we will give all attendees an abridged version of Randy Alcorn’s book in French. We hope to cover chapter 3 into chapter 4, then on Thursday we will focus on preaching and will give all preachers present a book by David Helm on Expositional Preaching (9Marks series). On Friday we will focus on counseling (sexual sin, anger, deliverance, and reconciliation). Please keep praying for the next 3 days that our teaching and the books that Tyler brought will bear fruit long beyond our time. 

 

 

 

]]> A Lord’s Day from a long ways away https://www.gcb.church/blog/post/a-lord-s-day-from-a-long-ways-away https://www.gcb.church/blog/post/a-lord-s-day-from-a-long-ways-away#comments Sun, 21 Sep 2025 14:13:23 -0400 https://www.gcb.church/blog/post/a-lord-s-day-from-a-long-ways-away  

This morning Tyler and I preached at 2 of the 5 churches planted by Pastor Didier. I recognized many of the faces from this "Church 1" when I was there in 2018, and also saw new faces and many new babies and little ones that are so cute. Here is the congregation waving to you and saying "bonjour" and "jambo" in Swahili. I told them I came to minister but they really ministered to me by their beautiful singing that brought tears to my eyes.

The voices and volume of a relatively small number and place was overwhelming and to see such joy from such suffering people was incredibly good to my soul. The first song they sang was in French but I recognized the tune, "Humble thyself in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up..." It is so humbling to be with these brothers and sisters who are so humble and thankful and prayerful, and I'm humbled and convicted of my lack of prayer and thankfulness in comparison.

I have much to learn from Didier and how he relates to the Lord and His people, and his example in his family and community and team. For those who have prayed, thank you and prayers were answered as Didier said it was a very good word to encourage God's people. Then we spent much of the afternoon and evening in fellowship with fellow pastors and others training for ministry and talked more about the plans for the week-long conference.  

 

Here is how I introduced the message:

This morning we will look at John 14 at some truths that changed my life.

It was this month 14 years ago that I was first visiting DRC (Sept 2011).

I was helping my friends to adopt when I met a very special boy.

We chose to adopt him and name him Matteus, which mean “gift of God.”

His middle name is Samuel like the boy dedicated to the Lord in the Bible.

We had a young son who had died so when I had a chance to adopt, I cried.

When Matteus was brought to the orphanage, and I left him for the first time, he was crying and I was told he later asked ‘where’s Papa Phil?’ I remember writing that I think I cried harder, but this time it was tears of joy.

In Swahili, interpreters explained to the 19-month-old that this man holding him would be his new father and that he had to leave but would come back.

I’m not sure how much he understood, but he knew a moto car was coming to pick him up and he loved being in a moto car. 

What could you say at a time like that, walking away from the orphanage and seeing a crying sad face that doesn't want to be left again? The only thing I could think of to say was the words of our text, Jn 14:18:

         I will not leave you as orphans…I will come to you. Yet a little while …

Didier helped me tell him I will come to you in Swahili, ‘meta kuya ten.’ It would be a little while before he would see me, but I did come to him again

-       I learned a little bit more “kuya, una penda kulala, kuyamba, apana kurea.” One day he called me “papa wangu”

-       Now our son in America is learning to drive a motocar, he loves it

-       More importantly he’s talking about baptism to follow Jesus as Lord

-       He was adopted into our family but more important is God adopting us into His family.

-       A loving human father is good but our heavenly Father is far better

I'm giving this illustration on a human level to help understand spiritually what Jesus is about to do in this context as He goes to die so we will not be orphans but redeemed adopted sons (Ephesians 1:4-7, Romans 8, Galatians 4:4-7).

This is why Jesus came and what He’s doing in John 14. READ v. 18-23

This truth has changed our home, it’s changed my life, and it can yours, too.

Jesus promises they would see Him again, and He also promises a new life in that verse.

In v. 20 the father and son are in union that can never be broken.

There is an intimacy in v. 21 in the wonderful love of the Father. v. 23 is a promise that the Father will make a new home with the Son with believers

For me, I already had an American son when I adopted a Congolese son.

God already had His Son Jesus but He chose to adopt and treat us as sons.

The same love for His natural Son He shows on His children He brings.

In this context the disciples learned Jesus was leaving so they were sad.

When I was leaving Matteus the first time, he was also very sad.

A little while later, just weeks later, I came with my wife, his new mom, to bring our new son to his new brother and new sisters and new family and new church family and new country and new citizenship in his new life and a new identity, new language, in a new home and whole new world.

Like v. 23 we came to him and made our home with him. Physically and visibly earthly adoption pictures spiritually a far greater reality and family, adoption into God’s family:

1.     God’s adoption

2.     God’s affection

3.     Our application

Cliff notes on the rest: I then talked about how in the upper room Jesus said He would call them His friends instead of slaves (chapter 15), which is amazing - putting all believers on par with Abraham who had that rare title "friend of God." But the Lord goes farther in not treating as orphans - He calls His followers brothers (20:17). He died to redeem and adopt them and relate to them as brothers at the very moment they weren't acting like brothers, He's not ashamed to call them brothers despite their shameful sin. And grace upon grace, if we are sons we are heirs with Christ, sharing His inheritance (Galatians 4, Romans 8). So I urged God's people to live like a child of the King who is our brother. And in Congo they say "Alleluia, amen"

 

 

]]>  

This morning Tyler and I preached at 2 of the 5 churches planted by Pastor Didier. I recognized many of the faces from this "Church 1" when I was there in 2018, and also saw new faces and many new babies and little ones that are so cute. Here is the congregation waving to you and saying "bonjour" and "jambo" in Swahili. I told them I came to minister but they really ministered to me by their beautiful singing that brought tears to my eyes.

The voices and volume of a relatively small number and place was overwhelming and to see such joy from such suffering people was incredibly good to my soul. The first song they sang was in French but I recognized the tune, "Humble thyself in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up..." It is so humbling to be with these brothers and sisters who are so humble and thankful and prayerful, and I'm humbled and convicted of my lack of prayer and thankfulness in comparison.

I have much to learn from Didier and how he relates to the Lord and His people, and his example in his family and community and team. For those who have prayed, thank you and prayers were answered as Didier said it was a very good word to encourage God's people. Then we spent much of the afternoon and evening in fellowship with fellow pastors and others training for ministry and talked more about the plans for the week-long conference.  

 

Here is how I introduced the message:

This morning we will look at John 14 at some truths that changed my life.

It was this month 14 years ago that I was first visiting DRC (Sept 2011).

I was helping my friends to adopt when I met a very special boy.

We chose to adopt him and name him Matteus, which mean “gift of God.”

His middle name is Samuel like the boy dedicated to the Lord in the Bible.

We had a young son who had died so when I had a chance to adopt, I cried.

When Matteus was brought to the orphanage, and I left him for the first time, he was crying and I was told he later asked ‘where’s Papa Phil?’ I remember writing that I think I cried harder, but this time it was tears of joy.

In Swahili, interpreters explained to the 19-month-old that this man holding him would be his new father and that he had to leave but would come back.

I’m not sure how much he understood, but he knew a moto car was coming to pick him up and he loved being in a moto car. 

What could you say at a time like that, walking away from the orphanage and seeing a crying sad face that doesn't want to be left again? The only thing I could think of to say was the words of our text, Jn 14:18:

         I will not leave you as orphans…I will come to you. Yet a little while …

Didier helped me tell him I will come to you in Swahili, ‘meta kuya ten.’ It would be a little while before he would see me, but I did come to him again

-       I learned a little bit more “kuya, una penda kulala, kuyamba, apana kurea.” One day he called me “papa wangu”

-       Now our son in America is learning to drive a motocar, he loves it

-       More importantly he’s talking about baptism to follow Jesus as Lord

-       He was adopted into our family but more important is God adopting us into His family.

-       A loving human father is good but our heavenly Father is far better

I'm giving this illustration on a human level to help understand spiritually what Jesus is about to do in this context as He goes to die so we will not be orphans but redeemed adopted sons (Ephesians 1:4-7, Romans 8, Galatians 4:4-7).

This is why Jesus came and what He’s doing in John 14. READ v. 18-23

This truth has changed our home, it’s changed my life, and it can yours, too.

Jesus promises they would see Him again, and He also promises a new life in that verse.

In v. 20 the father and son are in union that can never be broken.

There is an intimacy in v. 21 in the wonderful love of the Father. v. 23 is a promise that the Father will make a new home with the Son with believers

For me, I already had an American son when I adopted a Congolese son.

God already had His Son Jesus but He chose to adopt and treat us as sons.

The same love for His natural Son He shows on His children He brings.

In this context the disciples learned Jesus was leaving so they were sad.

When I was leaving Matteus the first time, he was also very sad.

A little while later, just weeks later, I came with my wife, his new mom, to bring our new son to his new brother and new sisters and new family and new church family and new country and new citizenship in his new life and a new identity, new language, in a new home and whole new world.

Like v. 23 we came to him and made our home with him. Physically and visibly earthly adoption pictures spiritually a far greater reality and family, adoption into God’s family:

1.     God’s adoption

2.     God’s affection

3.     Our application

Cliff notes on the rest: I then talked about how in the upper room Jesus said He would call them His friends instead of slaves (chapter 15), which is amazing - putting all believers on par with Abraham who had that rare title "friend of God." But the Lord goes farther in not treating as orphans - He calls His followers brothers (20:17). He died to redeem and adopt them and relate to them as brothers at the very moment they weren't acting like brothers, He's not ashamed to call them brothers despite their shameful sin. And grace upon grace, if we are sons we are heirs with Christ, sharing His inheritance (Galatians 4, Romans 8). So I urged God's people to live like a child of the King who is our brother. And in Congo they say "Alleluia, amen"

 

 

]]> Back to Africa - the first weekend https://www.gcb.church/blog/post/back-to-africa-the-first-weekend https://www.gcb.church/blog/post/back-to-africa-the-first-weekend#comments Sat, 20 Sep 2025 10:12:23 -0400 https://www.gcb.church/blog/post/back-to-africa-the-first-weekend We are back in Africa and thankful all the gifts and books made it from California to Congo. I couldn't find the luggage claim tags so there was a bit of drama at the airport, but in God's providence I had taken a picture of them with me before we left, which we were able to use as proof they were ours, praise God.

IMG_2855IMG_2872

We arrived at the orphanage Friday afternoon and were blessed with their wonderful hospitality, delicious Congolese food, and a great guest house. That evening we joined their Kitumaini orphanage family worship time with the children where they were enthralled by the children's Bible story that goes from the garden to the cross and presents biblical theology with beautiful illustrations. They don't have children's resources for teaching here and were captivated by it and curious to witness a white man able to read French so well (not me:)

IMG_2875

Saturday morning we met with the core group of men at Didier's 5 church plants, who along with their wives will attend the Bible teaching conference. Some are elders/pastors and leaders in training and others are deacons or men working for the church building, and some involved in ministering to women and children and youth. They are all so sweet and so serious about the Lord and eager for next week and it was special to hear them sing as the Africans do.

 

Then we went to visit the clinic run by the mission, which is on the far part of town, so we had to drive through the poorest and roughest area of the city. The desperation and darkness was evident but the love of Christ on display through this Christian clinic outreach was also very clearly seen. The doctor and delivery room are pictured below and the clinic also helps with the most common health conditions and employs some of the faithful young adults from Didier's orphanage who have aged out of the orphan system.

IMG_2893IMG_2894IMG_2895

We also visited the hospital and nursing school where some of the older orphans have attended to help provide themselves a possible future. Lastly we visited the Christian school where Didier's children and the orphans attend. The principal will attend the conference next week and generously provided a significant sum for us to be able to rent a place to do the conference. It's a great school from what we can tell where "Jesus is Lord" (as the sign says in French).

IMG_2930

If you are reading this by Saturday evening California time, please pray for myself and Tyler as we preach in 2 different churches tomorrow, and pray Christ's people will be built up and encouraged. The below picture is us with Didier and his wife Annie, their daughter Annita on the far left, and Patience (Ahmed) who will be the interpreter for Tyler. Merci beaucoup

b9eaa40b-35d7-40c6-934a-1b41184117f9

 

]]> We are back in Africa and thankful all the gifts and books made it from California to Congo. I couldn't find the luggage claim tags so there was a bit of drama at the airport, but in God's providence I had taken a picture of them with me before we left, which we were able to use as proof they were ours, praise God.

IMG_2855IMG_2872

We arrived at the orphanage Friday afternoon and were blessed with their wonderful hospitality, delicious Congolese food, and a great guest house. That evening we joined their Kitumaini orphanage family worship time with the children where they were enthralled by the children's Bible story that goes from the garden to the cross and presents biblical theology with beautiful illustrations. They don't have children's resources for teaching here and were captivated by it and curious to witness a white man able to read French so well (not me:)

IMG_2875

Saturday morning we met with the core group of men at Didier's 5 church plants, who along with their wives will attend the Bible teaching conference. Some are elders/pastors and leaders in training and others are deacons or men working for the church building, and some involved in ministering to women and children and youth. They are all so sweet and so serious about the Lord and eager for next week and it was special to hear them sing as the Africans do.

 

Then we went to visit the clinic run by the mission, which is on the far part of town, so we had to drive through the poorest and roughest area of the city. The desperation and darkness was evident but the love of Christ on display through this Christian clinic outreach was also very clearly seen. The doctor and delivery room are pictured below and the clinic also helps with the most common health conditions and employs some of the faithful young adults from Didier's orphanage who have aged out of the orphan system.

IMG_2893IMG_2894IMG_2895

We also visited the hospital and nursing school where some of the older orphans have attended to help provide themselves a possible future. Lastly we visited the Christian school where Didier's children and the orphans attend. The principal will attend the conference next week and generously provided a significant sum for us to be able to rent a place to do the conference. It's a great school from what we can tell where "Jesus is Lord" (as the sign says in French).

IMG_2930

If you are reading this by Saturday evening California time, please pray for myself and Tyler as we preach in 2 different churches tomorrow, and pray Christ's people will be built up and encouraged. The below picture is us with Didier and his wife Annie, their daughter Annita on the far left, and Patience (Ahmed) who will be the interpreter for Tyler. Merci beaucoup

b9eaa40b-35d7-40c6-934a-1b41184117f9

 

]]> How We Prayed The Sunday After Charlie Kirk Was Assassinated https://www.gcb.church/blog/post/how-we-prayed-the-sunday-after-charlie-kirk-was-assassinated https://www.gcb.church/blog/post/how-we-prayed-the-sunday-after-charlie-kirk-was-assassinated#comments Fri, 19 Sep 2025 20:56:30 -0400 https://www.gcb.church/blog/post/how-we-prayed-the-sunday-after-charlie-kirk-was-assassinated How we prayed the Sunday after Charlie Kirk was assissanated

"We want to especially pray for the Kirk family this day as I know you have been. But let's pray together now. 

Our Lord God, your word tells us in Psalm 46 that you are our refuge and strength. You are a very present help in trouble. And that is what we need, Lord, with troubles overseas, with wars and rumors of wars, with violence in schools, with young children and on subways, in our own land. 

Lord as we have seen so much evil and so much instability, and Lord we need that stabilizing truth anytime the life of any one of your precious image bearers is lost.

We continue to pray – as we have been as pastors of this church, and as people of this church –  for the Kirk family. We weep, and we think of Erica Kirk who shared that very scripture the very day her husband was murdered. And we pray for her and her two little children that you would be their very present help and strength in unspeakable trouble. That you would help them to be able to find refuge in you and even refuge from the media in this world. You promise to be close to the brokenhearted and to be the defender and the protector of the widow and the fatherless. 

So Lord, we entrust them to your promises. Be with their pastor Rob and their church family this very day, this very hour. And as that Psalm says, even as the world shakes or even as the world changes, your people do not need to fear because the Lord of hosts is with us. The God of Jacob is our stronghold. Lord, be that mighty fortress so that your people and especially Erica experiences verse three as your people of old when it says “God is in the midst of her. She will not be shaken. God will help her when morning dawns”. Help her, Lord. 

We pray for those who are also hurting and who have witnessed such an evil and vile murder of such an outspoken Christ follower. I pray especially for this younger generation that he had such an impact on and what man intended for evil that you would intend and bring about good as you do and for young men in particular to rise up for the Lord. 

We pray this would truly be a turning point for campuses and across the culture for Christ that continues the life mission of this life that from our perspective was cut too short. 

We pray that your gospel would be even more vocal and viral as it all already has been in these days and that we would be in each of our ways emboldened to speak for and to live in light of eternity and what matters.

We pray for justice for murderers. And even if that means the end of their life, we pray for saving grace before the end as you did for David and Paul and a multitude of murderers at heart. Guard from hate, Lord. Heal from hurt, Lord. And we thank you that death is not the last word. That Jesus defeats death in his gospel. Even as Charlie proclaimed, we pray for our world as we look forward to the day of Psalm 46 when violence will cease to the ends of the earth. And until then, help us to be still and know that you are God and you will be exalted in the earth. We know that's true globally and locally. 

And we pray for those in Israel and Ukraine and Congo who are at times and in many places facing great difficulty in their own context. Lord, we pray for our own state that needs you [...] and we pray also for our own community in our church that you would help us to shine your gospel to our dark world. Help us now, Lord, as we lift up your word and lift up our voices in song that you would lift up your Son as the Lord of hosts and the stronghold and the mighty fortress who is with us. We pray this in the name of Jesus, in the name of the God of Jacob. Amen."

]]> How we prayed the Sunday after Charlie Kirk was assissanated

"We want to especially pray for the Kirk family this day as I know you have been. But let's pray together now. 

Our Lord God, your word tells us in Psalm 46 that you are our refuge and strength. You are a very present help in trouble. And that is what we need, Lord, with troubles overseas, with wars and rumors of wars, with violence in schools, with young children and on subways, in our own land. 

Lord as we have seen so much evil and so much instability, and Lord we need that stabilizing truth anytime the life of any one of your precious image bearers is lost.

We continue to pray – as we have been as pastors of this church, and as people of this church –  for the Kirk family. We weep, and we think of Erica Kirk who shared that very scripture the very day her husband was murdered. And we pray for her and her two little children that you would be their very present help and strength in unspeakable trouble. That you would help them to be able to find refuge in you and even refuge from the media in this world. You promise to be close to the brokenhearted and to be the defender and the protector of the widow and the fatherless. 

So Lord, we entrust them to your promises. Be with their pastor Rob and their church family this very day, this very hour. And as that Psalm says, even as the world shakes or even as the world changes, your people do not need to fear because the Lord of hosts is with us. The God of Jacob is our stronghold. Lord, be that mighty fortress so that your people and especially Erica experiences verse three as your people of old when it says “God is in the midst of her. She will not be shaken. God will help her when morning dawns”. Help her, Lord. 

We pray for those who are also hurting and who have witnessed such an evil and vile murder of such an outspoken Christ follower. I pray especially for this younger generation that he had such an impact on and what man intended for evil that you would intend and bring about good as you do and for young men in particular to rise up for the Lord. 

We pray this would truly be a turning point for campuses and across the culture for Christ that continues the life mission of this life that from our perspective was cut too short. 

We pray that your gospel would be even more vocal and viral as it all already has been in these days and that we would be in each of our ways emboldened to speak for and to live in light of eternity and what matters.

We pray for justice for murderers. And even if that means the end of their life, we pray for saving grace before the end as you did for David and Paul and a multitude of murderers at heart. Guard from hate, Lord. Heal from hurt, Lord. And we thank you that death is not the last word. That Jesus defeats death in his gospel. Even as Charlie proclaimed, we pray for our world as we look forward to the day of Psalm 46 when violence will cease to the ends of the earth. And until then, help us to be still and know that you are God and you will be exalted in the earth. We know that's true globally and locally. 

And we pray for those in Israel and Ukraine and Congo who are at times and in many places facing great difficulty in their own context. Lord, we pray for our own state that needs you [...] and we pray also for our own community in our church that you would help us to shine your gospel to our dark world. Help us now, Lord, as we lift up your word and lift up our voices in song that you would lift up your Son as the Lord of hosts and the stronghold and the mighty fortress who is with us. We pray this in the name of Jesus, in the name of the God of Jacob. Amen."

]]> How to pray for and follow the Congo mission trip https://www.gcb.church/blog/post/how-to-pray-for-and-follow-the-congo-mission-trip https://www.gcb.church/blog/post/how-to-pray-for-and-follow-the-congo-mission-trip#comments Thu, 11 Sep 2025 21:00:00 -0400 https://www.gcb.church/blog/post/how-to-pray-for-and-follow-the-congo-mission-trip UPDATE: Sept 19, 2025  

Thank you for your prayers as we have landed in Africa and have one more connection to our final destination (just 8 hours left of our 34 hour trip, 26 hours of flights). As I write this from Ethiopia, it was good to remind myself of how much scripture says about God’s heart and plan for Ethiopians and Africans. As you pray for God’s continued work, may these passages stir our hearts for the nations, and also for those from other nations that come to our own land.

As the wings of our plane rose from the East Coast to cross the Atlantic, I was reminded of the words of a song by the Getty’s I’m adapting for our team and time: “Jesus draw us ever nearer … May this journey bring a blessing, may we rise on wings of faith.” The song speaks of going “through the storm” and I’m reminded that my first ever flight to Africa was storm delayed. The song says we follow though we’re worn, and the 13+ hour flight from DC to Ethiopia has made us already worn before our last leg to DR Congo, but the journey has already brought a blessing (actually multiple blessings):- getting upgraded seats to an exit row, a travel mercy to be sure for my physical long legs on this journey’s long legs in our itinerary 

- I am also thankful for the blessing of having Tyler on this trip for the fellowship, which has already made a much more enjoyable journey than past trips when I traveled alone

- Another blessing and answer to prayer is that there was no problem with the 11 checked bags/boxes with gifts for the orphans and pastors training. 

Please continue to pray for no problems as we arrive in DRC (Friday early afternoon, about 3 AM California time). Tyler and I will both be teaching Sunday morning, then our all-day conferences begin Monday. Please keep Tyler’s wife Savannah especially in prayer as she holds down the fort with 2 little kids missing their daddy for the next 12 days. Please pray for Jaime also as next week she’ll be out of a kitchen into October with a significant remodel project and a number of things on her plate to coordinate in my absence.

Above all, pray that Jesus would draw us ever nearer, to Him, to each other, and to our brothers and sisters in Congo. They are going through many trials, but as the song says, Christ has treasures in the trials that we pray form in us as we treasure Christ more and leave them at His throne. We pray especially to be able to bring a blessing to these Congolese believers as they see friends come all the round the world to teach them and bring gifts (2018 was the last training like this).

“May this journey bring a blessing, may we rise on wings of faith …”

----------------------------------

Dear church family,

I am so thankful for many of you who have asked about and are already praying for my upcoming trip to Congo with Tyler Fine (picture of him and his wife Savannah with me and my wife Jaime)

We fly out from Sacramento on Wednesday September 17 and arrive back in town on Tuesday September 30.

Please pray for:
- All the preparation we need to make spiritually for teaching and logistically before I go and using our time well with busy days before we go
- For Tyler's wife Savannah and their 2 little boys who will miss they daddy, and for my wife Jaime and our 2 big boys with a very busy season of life at our house (Jaime teaching and we're in the middle of remodeling our kitchen for a few weeks and our girls are both away at school :)
- Pray for travel mercies, including no delays with all the connecting flights (34 hours total travel time from Sacramento) and good health would be a blessing we haven't always enjoyed and would appreciate prayers for
- Pray for the men and their wives (30-60) who we will be teaching on the supremacy and sufficiency of Christ and His word for preaching and counseling and going verse by verse through Colossians the week of 9/22-26. Also pray for Tyler and I who still need to put many hours into our notes for that before that time

Here is a blog that recaps the last time I went and has some contexts and pictures and Lord-willing I will be sharing more blogs soon here.

]]> UPDATE: Sept 19, 2025  

Thank you for your prayers as we have landed in Africa and have one more connection to our final destination (just 8 hours left of our 34 hour trip, 26 hours of flights). As I write this from Ethiopia, it was good to remind myself of how much scripture says about God’s heart and plan for Ethiopians and Africans. As you pray for God’s continued work, may these passages stir our hearts for the nations, and also for those from other nations that come to our own land.

As the wings of our plane rose from the East Coast to cross the Atlantic, I was reminded of the words of a song by the Getty’s I’m adapting for our team and time: “Jesus draw us ever nearer … May this journey bring a blessing, may we rise on wings of faith.” The song speaks of going “through the storm” and I’m reminded that my first ever flight to Africa was storm delayed. The song says we follow though we’re worn, and the 13+ hour flight from DC to Ethiopia has made us already worn before our last leg to DR Congo, but the journey has already brought a blessing (actually multiple blessings):- getting upgraded seats to an exit row, a travel mercy to be sure for my physical long legs on this journey’s long legs in our itinerary 

- I am also thankful for the blessing of having Tyler on this trip for the fellowship, which has already made a much more enjoyable journey than past trips when I traveled alone

- Another blessing and answer to prayer is that there was no problem with the 11 checked bags/boxes with gifts for the orphans and pastors training. 

Please continue to pray for no problems as we arrive in DRC (Friday early afternoon, about 3 AM California time). Tyler and I will both be teaching Sunday morning, then our all-day conferences begin Monday. Please keep Tyler’s wife Savannah especially in prayer as she holds down the fort with 2 little kids missing their daddy for the next 12 days. Please pray for Jaime also as next week she’ll be out of a kitchen into October with a significant remodel project and a number of things on her plate to coordinate in my absence.

Above all, pray that Jesus would draw us ever nearer, to Him, to each other, and to our brothers and sisters in Congo. They are going through many trials, but as the song says, Christ has treasures in the trials that we pray form in us as we treasure Christ more and leave them at His throne. We pray especially to be able to bring a blessing to these Congolese believers as they see friends come all the round the world to teach them and bring gifts (2018 was the last training like this).

“May this journey bring a blessing, may we rise on wings of faith …”

----------------------------------

Dear church family,

I am so thankful for many of you who have asked about and are already praying for my upcoming trip to Congo with Tyler Fine (picture of him and his wife Savannah with me and my wife Jaime)

We fly out from Sacramento on Wednesday September 17 and arrive back in town on Tuesday September 30.

Please pray for:
- All the preparation we need to make spiritually for teaching and logistically before I go and using our time well with busy days before we go
- For Tyler's wife Savannah and their 2 little boys who will miss they daddy, and for my wife Jaime and our 2 big boys with a very busy season of life at our house (Jaime teaching and we're in the middle of remodeling our kitchen for a few weeks and our girls are both away at school :)
- Pray for travel mercies, including no delays with all the connecting flights (34 hours total travel time from Sacramento) and good health would be a blessing we haven't always enjoyed and would appreciate prayers for
- Pray for the men and their wives (30-60) who we will be teaching on the supremacy and sufficiency of Christ and His word for preaching and counseling and going verse by verse through Colossians the week of 9/22-26. Also pray for Tyler and I who still need to put many hours into our notes for that before that time

Here is a blog that recaps the last time I went and has some contexts and pictures and Lord-willing I will be sharing more blogs soon here.

]]> Pastor's Prayer Requests https://www.gcb.church/blog/post/pastors-prayer-requests https://www.gcb.church/blog/post/pastors-prayer-requests#comments Sun, 27 Apr 2025 21:03:50 -0400 https://www.gcb.church/blog/post/pastors-prayer-requests Humility - that we would be constantly fighting personal pride and cultivating humility, and striving to spread a high view of God and low view of self. 

Dependence upon God - that our prayer life would increase and deepen, and that we would prevail with God to give men faith and repentance so that we can prevail with men to believe and repent! 

Compassion - that we would be sensitive to and sincerely troubled by what troubles you, and have discernment to deal with real issues rather than symptoms, and courage to speak the truth in love. 

Balance - that we would have God’s grace to balance time and care to our wives and families, as well as the vital shepherding of this church family, and that our lives and teaching would never be imbalanced, as “the holy Bible is wholly taught.”  

Patience and Wisdom - that we would have much of God’s wisdom to guide our every step in leading this precious flock, and that we would have patience with those who disagree, as we grow together. 

Pure Motives - that we would be motivated by the prospect of the glory of Christ and not our self-interests. 

Diligence & Hard Work - that we would discipline ourselves for painstaking labors and hours deep in study, because God’s Word deserves it and God’s people need meat to grow. 

Doctrinal Stability - that we would stand unwaveringly on sound theological truth, with discernment to avoid frivolous discussions, needless debates, and unprofitable controversies that veil the beauty of Christ. 

Meekness Towards Men - that we would have such confidence in the sufficiency of Scripture that we need not be quarrelsome or harsh. 

Zeal - that the truth would affect our souls first before we ever present it to You and that our passion will be genuine and contagious. 

Clarity and Power of Teaching - that we would have the Spirit’s empowering to make clear the supremacy of God’s glory by the exposition of His word, with accurate application toward life-transformation. 

Reverence - that we would refuse to patronize sinners through entertainment but rather that I would preach under the judicial gaze of a holy and awe-inspiring God. 

 (Originally from Richard Baxter) 


 Apart from Christ, we can do nothing, but with the prayers of you faithful friends, let’s see what GOD will do!

]]> Humility - that we would be constantly fighting personal pride and cultivating humility, and striving to spread a high view of God and low view of self. 

Dependence upon God - that our prayer life would increase and deepen, and that we would prevail with God to give men faith and repentance so that we can prevail with men to believe and repent! 

Compassion - that we would be sensitive to and sincerely troubled by what troubles you, and have discernment to deal with real issues rather than symptoms, and courage to speak the truth in love. 

Balance - that we would have God’s grace to balance time and care to our wives and families, as well as the vital shepherding of this church family, and that our lives and teaching would never be imbalanced, as “the holy Bible is wholly taught.”  

Patience and Wisdom - that we would have much of God’s wisdom to guide our every step in leading this precious flock, and that we would have patience with those who disagree, as we grow together. 

Pure Motives - that we would be motivated by the prospect of the glory of Christ and not our self-interests. 

Diligence & Hard Work - that we would discipline ourselves for painstaking labors and hours deep in study, because God’s Word deserves it and God’s people need meat to grow. 

Doctrinal Stability - that we would stand unwaveringly on sound theological truth, with discernment to avoid frivolous discussions, needless debates, and unprofitable controversies that veil the beauty of Christ. 

Meekness Towards Men - that we would have such confidence in the sufficiency of Scripture that we need not be quarrelsome or harsh. 

Zeal - that the truth would affect our souls first before we ever present it to You and that our passion will be genuine and contagious. 

Clarity and Power of Teaching - that we would have the Spirit’s empowering to make clear the supremacy of God’s glory by the exposition of His word, with accurate application toward life-transformation. 

Reverence - that we would refuse to patronize sinners through entertainment but rather that I would preach under the judicial gaze of a holy and awe-inspiring God. 

 (Originally from Richard Baxter) 


 Apart from Christ, we can do nothing, but with the prayers of you faithful friends, let’s see what GOD will do!

]]>