One More Sholar Tribute

One more tribute for the Sholars. This time for Mrs. Sholar. 

In a day and time when families live under tremendous pressure to have two incomes, I thank God for faithful women who can and who choose to give their full-time to doing God's kingdom work for their husbands and children. Athena, with all of your many talents, it speaks volumes that you have chosen the path less traveled to be at home for your dear children and husband. God has smiled upon your kingdom sacrifice. You have "done well." I pray that our God will multiply your example and continue to work through you to raise up generations of God-fearing Sholars. In words much more articulate than I could say, you exemplify the wisdom of God of which Piper speaks. 

This video originally appears on Desiring God and is called "Is it OK for mothers to work full-time outside of the home?" by John Piper.

A Tribute to Pastor Victor G. Sholar

As LACBC prepares for a tearful farewell to my friend and our beloved Pastor Vic, I thought it well to publicly publish a tribute to him. 

I often marvel at how much Jesus loves His bride—the church. The gifts He lavishes upon her are simply amazing. Today, I reminisce about a special gift of grace He gave to LACBC on July 1^st 2004 in the form of a young preacher named Victor Sholar and beautiful wife Athena and two sons Jonathan (6) and Josiah (2). From the earliest days in my ministry, I have always enjoyed working with young ministers who needed grooming and experience. This case, however, was different. When Victor preached his first sermon at LACBC, it was quite obvious that God had sent us a special gift of His grace. Young he was, and experience he needed, but as far as preaching goes, the young preacher didn’t need any grooming. God had abundantly supplied him with extraordinary ability as a herald for His bride. And for six fleeting years, LACBC held our collective breath wondering when God, who showered us with this rare gift, would move him to another part of His vineyard as a greater blessing for His bride. Today almost six years to the day later, God has called our beloved preacher to Main Street Baptist Church in Kentucky. And as we yield to our Lord’s will we do so with joy for Main Street, sadness that we will greatly miss all of the Sholars, excitement for Pastor Victor and a sigh from the words of poet, Lord Alfred Tennyson, “Tis better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all.” Pastor Victor, Athena, and boys, you’ll always be on our hearts and in our prayers.

If you have been blessed by Victor or Athena's ministry, we encourage you to come out and hear his parting sermon and participate in our after service tribute to him and Athena. We'll have plenty of tissues available. For service times and directions click here LACBC. 

How Should Churches Respond to Pastors' Porn Problems?

I've just been asked to write a chapter in an upcoming free e-book by Covenant Eyes that answers the question, "Is it a disqualifying sin if a pastor struggles with pornography?" In other words, would he no longer be above reproach? If yes "why," and if no "why not." And what should the church do and what should he do if he struggles with this sin? Love to get some feedback especially if your church has a stated porn policy for its leaders. The book comes out in the fall. If you respond to this post, I'll try to make sure I tell you how to get a copy when it becomes available. It will be loaded with great resources for the church.

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The Treasure Principle by Randy Alcorn Review

God is good, and He has richly blessed all of His children. The challenge for us is to make sure that we are being a blessing with the blessings that God has entrusted to us. In these hard economic times facing the church, we all need a little encouragement to make sure that we are giving by faith and giving faithfully. Desiring to give generously is good so long as we actually do give as generously as we can. Alcorn reminds the reader that this is what the Bible teaches, "just as the readiness to desire it, so there may be also the completion of it by your ability," 2 Cor 8:11. Yet this is exactly where we all need a little help and encouragement, and Randy Alcorn in his The Treasure Principle gives not a little but a lot. So if you need a little motivation to give, let Randy Alcorn show you Jesus' "treasure principle." He explains that everything that we store up on earth, we'll lose, and everything we invest in Christ's kingdom will accrue for us a thousand-fold dividend that we can enjoy for eternity. The church needs more wise investors who give to bless and not to store up treasures on earth. I strongly recommend the wise biblical counsel of Alcorn’s simple to read and life-transformational book as he unlocks Jesus' “treasure principle.” May God bless us free us from the snare of materialism and raise up more saints who have a passion to meet needs now and who have an eye fixed on future glory.