The UnSafe Bible

I come from an Asian background, so I’m sure you can imagine when Americans walk into my home how interested they are in the culture that I was raised in. The things my parents did were very different than my American friends’ parents. But there wasn’t a way that was better or worse; it was just different. Today, Pastor Ken says that in Paul’s day, they tried to understand the culture they were in before teaching the Gospel. You must know your context to share the Gospel with others effectively!

Have you ever driven down a road and hit a closed road, even though that’s the road your GPS said to go down? What do you do in that moment? Well, I would guess that you would find a new way to get to your destination! In today’s message, Pastor Ken says when the enemy tries to stop you from sharing the Gospel, you must find another way. I mean, look at Paul, he was imprisoned, but that didn’t deter him from sharing the good news of Jesus. He chose to write letters! What an example to follow!

When I go to the doctor’s office, I can feel skeptical about what they’re sharing with me. Even if I know it’s good for me, I get scared that they’re just trying to sell me something I don’t need! It’s funny because my father’s a doctor, so you would think that I would trust them more, but I don’t. Today, Pastor Ken says non-believers rarely want to hear what you have to say about the Gospel. They would rather live their life than hear you out, but don’t lose hope. Keep running after them because Christ runs after you.

Have you ever had a conversation with someone and realized halfway through that they didn’t care about what you said because they had their own agenda? Those conversations frustrate me because it seems like I can’t share my side without being interrupted! Today, Pastor Ken says, sometimes people will start a Gospel conversation with you to share their doctrines and not care what you say. You must remind yourself that it’s not you, but the Holy Spirit in you that God uses to share His truths.

It would be strange if a basketball coach didn’t just coach the team but also played during a game with his players. You would question what was happening and if the coach was guiding his team! In today’s message, Pastor Ken says you are both a shepherd and a sheep in the kingdom of God. You shepherd those around you to be more like Jesus, but you also live under God’s authority and need guidance from Him every day. It’s a strange dichotomy, but it makes sense in the kingdom of God.

It’s said that you’re the sum of your three closest friends. But what’s interesting about that is that you can have friends who push you away from God or ones who bring you near. You can’t be afraid to stand up for the gospel, even if your friends aren’t. In today’s message, Pastor Ken says you must be vulnerable and transparent when it comes to sharing the Gospel with others. God’s Word is offensive, but in a good way. It pushes people to be more like Jesus and to live a way that’s honoring to Him!

The sports teams that win championships usually have an identity and use it to unify their players to achieve their goal. It’s their unity that allows them to do things that other teams can’t. Today, Pastor Ken says you can’t get distracted by the things around you! The Gospel must be the driving force for your ministry! If you keep that at the forefront of your mind when making decisions, you’ll find that the ways the enemy tries to tear you down will seem small compared to the goal of sharing Jesus with everyone.

Have you ever driven a broken car before? It’s the worst… You start to question if you’re safe, and all the lights start to light up across your dashboard. Everything in the car has a purpose, and if anything doesn’t work correctly, there’s a chance you’re ruining the longevity of the vehicle. Today, Pastor Ken says if you’re a follower of Jesus, you’ll want to serve the church because of the gifts God’s given you. You’re vital to the health of your church! God’s given you a unique gift; use it to its fullest potential!

In football, it takes a whole team to win. They must be unified and together so they can play as a unit. It would be strange if we saw one player alone against eleven others. They would most definitely lose! Today, Pastor Ken says the only way we can fulfill the great commission is with the Holy Spirit. He’s your teammate and wants to help you bring others to Christ. There’s nothing you can do without it! You must lean on the Holy Spirit’s guidance and wisdom as you share the Gospel with others.

In Marvel’s Avengers movies, there’s one substance that is stronger than anything else. It’s called vibranium. With this element, machinery and weapons become more powerful than anything in this world. Whoever controls it has immense power. Today, Pastor Ken says, when you’re a Christian, people will persecute you. Like Vibranium, God’s Word has power; you must use it appropriately and purposefully. Don’t use it out of context, but rather use it to correct people if they have the wrong context of a passage.