Thank God for Tom Ascol
Tom Ascol is an amazing man of God, and I barely know him. He is the pastor of Grace Baptist Church in Cape Coral, FL, and the executive director of Founders Ministries, an organization dedicated to the recovery of historic Baptist principles and the reformation of Southern Baptist churches. Tom studies hard, preaches often, blogs regularly, and loves his family - all for the glory of God.
I am thanking God today for a few specific things I have learned from Tom's writing and preaching ministry:
1. Being faithful to the Word of God is more important than anything else.
Tom has taken a lot, I mean, if you read his blog and follow his ministry, a LOT, of flak over the years because of his convictions in the Bible. He continues to persevere in love and humility despite being publicly wronged more than any minister I can think of.
2. Preaching should be Bible-built, Christ-focused, clear, and devotional.
Some of the best sermons I've ever heard are a few he preached at a Founder's Conference a few years back. (sidenote - if you haven't checked out the Founder's Ministry and their conferences, do it! God will feed your soul!)
3. Perseverance in controversy is necessary, difficult, and possible by the grace of God.
Tom keeps hammering away at the same issues - the doctrines of grace, the necessity of regenerate church membership, integrity in the SBC, repentance - year after year after year. He may never see the fruit of his labors, but I praise God for them. The Lord is surely using Tom's hard work to stoke new fire in His church.
4. Humility must be cultivated.
I'm sure Tom doesn't feel humble - I'm sure he would tell you that pride is one of his biggest struggles - but I also know that he works to cultivate humility in everything he does. In the way he writes and preaches, the way he handles his family and church, the way he responds to controversy, the way he approaches other leaders, even down the way he quickly responds to my emails, it is clear that God is working humility into this elder's life. It is a joy to see.
Well, I don't know him that well, but I follow his writing fairly well and his preaching somewhat. I am so thankful to God for Tom Ascol.
I am thanking God today for a few specific things I have learned from Tom's writing and preaching ministry:
1. Being faithful to the Word of God is more important than anything else.
Tom has taken a lot, I mean, if you read his blog and follow his ministry, a LOT, of flak over the years because of his convictions in the Bible. He continues to persevere in love and humility despite being publicly wronged more than any minister I can think of.
2. Preaching should be Bible-built, Christ-focused, clear, and devotional.
Some of the best sermons I've ever heard are a few he preached at a Founder's Conference a few years back. (sidenote - if you haven't checked out the Founder's Ministry and their conferences, do it! God will feed your soul!)
3. Perseverance in controversy is necessary, difficult, and possible by the grace of God.
Tom keeps hammering away at the same issues - the doctrines of grace, the necessity of regenerate church membership, integrity in the SBC, repentance - year after year after year. He may never see the fruit of his labors, but I praise God for them. The Lord is surely using Tom's hard work to stoke new fire in His church.
4. Humility must be cultivated.
I'm sure Tom doesn't feel humble - I'm sure he would tell you that pride is one of his biggest struggles - but I also know that he works to cultivate humility in everything he does. In the way he writes and preaches, the way he handles his family and church, the way he responds to controversy, the way he approaches other leaders, even down the way he quickly responds to my emails, it is clear that God is working humility into this elder's life. It is a joy to see.
Well, I don't know him that well, but I follow his writing fairly well and his preaching somewhat. I am so thankful to God for Tom Ascol.
Labels: God, manhood, ministry, thankfulness
posted by B Treece at 8:44 AM
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