Proclaiming God's Holiness—Together

Today on Renewing Your Mind. You just can't do this alone. You need champions or partners who will join you, and you can't just look at partners for what they can do for us.

But when you invite people to become part of the mission. This gives them an opportunity to count to participate in the building of the kingdom of God will commit a special edition of Renewing Your Mind by moving the lab and am pleased to be joined by our president and CEO Chris Larson then that we want you, our listeners to know just how much we value, especially those of you become ministry partners, you're probably listening today because you value God's word and you want to hear it taught people. Dr. RC Sproul began this program in 1994 as an expanded outreach of his ministry to proclaim, teach, and defend the holiness of God in all its fullness to as many people as possible so Chris's we begin this program.

We want our listeners to know that we do not take them for granted that at all because it really is a privilege and an honor to bring God's word to you, our dear listeners wherever you happen to be. Whether you listening to this off of the radio station or if you've downloaded a podcast or streaming it on Renewing Your Mind.org and to know that just day in and day out. This broadcast is seeking to help you to understand God's word. Better to apply to your life really to the ultimate end that you would live a life that is faithful and that is glorifying to our Lord and were grateful for the way that the Lord has allowed Renewing Your Mind to grow beginning like you said Lee back in 1994. It has really surpassed anything that we could've imagined. In terms of its reach and it really continues to be one of the primary ways that people are discovering the ministry of Dr. scroll, and really the whole teaching fellowship of looking or ministries. This remarkable outreach that exists to publish and broadcast and gather God's people together around God's word and seeking to help equip another generation of faithful Christian disciples right alongside of the broadcast.

When it began in 1994 was another program because the ministry needed the wherewithal financially to be able to get onto many different radio stations. It was a Herculean task and an enormous expense to be able to get to that place and so we launch the ministry partnership program that really helped our broadcasting efforts to go to the next level. Such a great response came from our listeners that RC began to champion ministry partners really as the ministries backbone and that has continued on. Even to this day. In fact, let's listen to RC talking just a few years ago about the importance of ministry partners are partners are those people who have joined us. By being regular donors and what I mean vibrator donors is that their monthly donors and anybody that's in a nonprofit organization. The ministry knows the fluctuations that go during the calendar year that in April, for example, when people craft their income to actually donations drop down in the stuff that made your fixed expenses and any ministry you will note that sort of thing. And so what any ministry relies on is that stable, solid base of support of people who give every month and they're the ones who make it possible for this outreach and the ministry has been able to take some significant steps forward in terms of expanding this broadcast with Renewing Your Mind.

It continues to be our most requested teaching that we have to offer, but were also able to expand into other broadcasts and podcasts as well and to take this teaching into multiple languages. Now with our Spanish broadcast of rental condo to mentee the Spanish version of Renewing Your Mind. And the Lord has used the broadcast ministry of Renewing Your Mind to. I hope help you are listeners and your family and your church to become more enriched in your understanding of God's word but also as a means to share what God is doing in your own life through the teaching of God's word that you would receive through Renewing Your Mind.

And again it is a beautiful family that is come together to support this broadcast among many different things that leader ministries does around the world as we head into 2021. We certainly have plans for an even greater outreach and that's why we would so humbly ask that you consider becoming a ministry partner you can call us at 800-435-4343 one of our colleagues will be glad to answer any questions about the program that you may have a you can also go online to Renewing Your Mind.org/partner I've been amazed over the years to see the response of God's people as legionnaire has brought different ministry opportunities in front of them and they've really stepped up to help us to take advantage of new opportunities of service to be able to get God's word to more people around the world. Whether that's through broadcasting or our published materials and taking all of this together were really united in that family context and ministry partners are those who share a ministry vision to extend their own reach and being able to share this teaching with others in their own sphere of influence, but also to have that kingdom mindset in obedience to the great commission to teach and to train and to disciple the nations so consider becoming a ministry partner through a monthly sustaining gift. We have some other benefits that come alongside of you to encourage you and equip you and your family… And RC explain some of the rationale for gathering together this very special dear group of people called ministry partners along the way early on in our ministry.

I had a dear friend come alongside of us and joined our board over 30 years ago whose name is Archie Parrish and really know him when he was the international director of evangelism explosion and for many years.

The director of serve international in his kingdom focused prayer program that goes through the churches in our country marches a great friend and he's the one who said to me. RC said you just can't do this alone.

You need what he called champions or partners who will join a citizen and you can't just look at partners for what they can do for us.

But when you invite people to become part of the mission. Those people who many cases don't have an outlet for full-time ministry there in the work world every day or their homemakers or whatever. And this gives them an opportunity to count to participate in the building of the kingdom of God and you know I also when we started radio somebody told me I don't know if this is true, but they said for every hundred people that listen to your radio program on a regular basis. Only one will become a supporter I don't know if that's true for our program or not – very discouraging to hear that but I guess a lot of folks who say you know that they benefit from these opportunities never think about what it takes to put it on the other hand, just yesterday, just yesterday I got one of the sweetest look and left results are sometimes are nasty, we get sweet.

What I got a letter from an 81-year-old lady in England not in London but in the countryside of England and they have this video station over in England that I guess was, while in the call of the God channel but somehow they got a hold of our duster glory series and they broadcast that into England and this woman wrote in her letter she said I'm 81 years old in the world I live in today is a world I'm not familiar with the values the lifestyles the things that I experienced in reading the newspaper and in my community just foreign to me sent and then I turn on the television and I watched this duster glory series, and I felt like I was home I was home were the things that I cherish the things that I love being articulate initially conversations and live a friend of 79 years old man who lives in some Remote Pl. in England that still has the opportunity to listen to this channel and she said, and he never misses these programs and thus and I were talking about that Mrs. think of this. I said I can't believe it. When I first became a Christian I came home and I wanted to talk to my friends and I wanted to tell him everything I could about Jesus and nobody wanted to listen and now we have people listening in Africa and Ukraine in England and because of these partners who make it possible that I just I just wish every partner that we had would get another person and list another person in a double that impacted that we can have in the world is this fantastic.

You know, Chris.

The amazing thing about that is that RC recorded that several years ago and you think about how the technology now has allowed leader ministries to expand our outreach 10 times more that's exactly right. In fact, just in this past year. Legionnaire has been able to reach more than 25 million people around the world. But let's put that in the great context of the fact that the planet is approaching 8 billion souls, and so while we certainly celebrate the progress of this ministry and reaching so many people that the high watermark for us. We recognize there is so much more work to be done and another thing that RC would say I just loved how he united this mission mindedness with the financial stewardship as we sought to enlist more people to do this work and more effective and efficient ways.

He had the saying if someone gives to the ministry hundred dollars we can do hundred dollars of ministry. We can never do hundred and one dollars of ministry, meaning that we will be faithful in steward by God's grace. What is been entrusted to us and we will make that dollar stretch as far as we possibly can. But what we can never do is more than what has been entrusted to us and so it's this beautiful reciprocity of this ministry mindedness of what legionnaire ministries is seeking to do in proclaiming teaching and defending God's holiness in all its fullness, but seeking to do that to as many people as possible, reaching 25 million people a year is remarkable for us. That significant growth even over last year, but we know that there is so much more work to be done so were investing in new ways that we can reach more people through technology were publishing more literature were translating into more languages we had Bible study groups in the tens of thousands growing up around the planet.

People are downloading our resources off our website in the hundreds of thousands just listen to some of these dear ministry partners explain why they chose to support legionnaire will be a messy apartment. I felt like I was getting so much fun.Aussies Pro-Am and so much easier every day.

This some kind of way that I can get back to his ministry and I found out about being a ministry partner, something small, $25 a month you know that impact malignant ministry to where they can help you know Mr. the word of God that that's a small thing to do, the league and in because I really want to pull back into the ministry I getting so much if this ministry has been a blessing you like and spend me it deserves your support.

I mean it. The amount of resources that legionnaire puts out to encourage my faith is a no-brainer.

I mean they partner with me long before I partner them. One of my daily returning this is to get up and scream Renewing Your Mind on my phone and on the clarity of his teaching and not pulling any punches and giving me the reformed faith. This is of such great value that I want to continue and I am excited that it is having now such an international influence. My contribution is modest and I've only been giving for five or six year but to hear of people who have been supporting this ministry for more than 20 years is just amazing testimony to God's faithfulness to me. It was like going to seminary, but on your phone for free like to get such breadth and depth of knowledge of the beauty and glory of the gospel and in the entire world of theology at your fingertips is revolutionary and have solid doctrinal, biblical, Orthodox, historic reformed teaching through that means it's without a doubt God is blessed in my life.

Those are just a few of our ministry partners and II think you can hear just in their tone just how grateful they are for the faithful teaching that they hear here on Renewing Your Mind as well is through our other resources.

So again we want you are ministry partners are listening to us today to know just how grateful we are for your partnership with us and if you're listening and would like to become a ministry partner would you contact us today. Our phone number again is 800-435-4343. You can also reach us online@renewingyourmind.org/partner and every month you'll receive table talk magazine. You will also receive other free resources discounts to our vents and invitations to other special events or partners really are our best students. More than that they make this ministry possible. It's hard to overstate just how critical you are ministry partners are to our outreach. Later ministries Chris I was just thinking to how grateful we are for ministry partners who have stayed alongside us over the last 12 months because they have been challenging months haven't really has been a tumultuous time for God's people around the world and yet it's in this time that God has sent his word abroad. It is brought comfort to those who have been afflicted and dealing with many kinds of tragedies and setbacks.

But it's also been God's word that is gone forth with power confronting the unbelief that is rampant in this world and we really see a conflict with the encroaching storms of secularism and how it is coming against the church with many churches who have been unable to meet. We know that they have been using legionnaire resources to help disciple their people, even in this time of broken and disjointed fellowship, and we want to continue to be there and press forward into a new year of ministry it's significant that were at this threshold of turning 50 as a ministry.

Many people may think of that is middle-age are so but to me it seems that were almost like teenagers with such room to grow and we have had so much support and encouragement, and we know so many people out there are praying for this ministry to move forward that we don't want to hold back. This is a ministry partnership. I think of Paul writing to the Philippians or he just rejoices in the partnership that he had with that church in the Fellowship of the gospel and it's really advancing the gospel around the world and it's the amazing generosity of people like you are listeners. The God is used to propel legionnaire forward and it every new year of ministry, including art upcoming 50th year of ministry.

Chris we are so grateful for five decades of ministry but what does the next 50 years look like well I know that RC desired for looking or ministries to be in the middle of a worldwide resurgence of interest in biblical Christianity and that is happening today and he wanted legionnaire to grow into expand. If we are faithful and so faithfulness is job number one for a Christian ministry because we must be faithful to the Lord and to his word and to be faithful in remembering that we are not the church but we are here to serve the church and build up the church and equip the church and that is exactly what are ministry partners have enabled us to do to really take the next step forward in equipping growing Christians around the world helping them to stand firm for the gospel and the truth of God's word. Millions of people in 42 languages now look to legionnaire as their theological lifeline and here in this Christmas season. It is our most important giving season of the year because it sets us up to be able to take some significant ministry steps forward in the next year every year that goes by we are growing and we need generous support to respond to the great theological need that exists so many people think that we can solve the worlds problems.

Through this political solution or through this social reform program know the world needs the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.

The world needs to know who God is and that is exactly what Ligon or ministries exist to do so I would ask you, are listeners. If this program has been of any help to you. Would love to hear from you with the gift of support here at year-end. Or if you would consider becoming a sustaining ministry partner helping us to respond to new fields of outreach and great commission opportunities. We are grateful for the support of thousands and we could always use one more dear ministry partner to propel us forward to join us as a ministry partner under scholarship that the toll-free number 800-435-4343. You can also go online to Renewing Your Mind.org/partner, and as I mentioned earlier, when you do become a ministry partner you receive a copy of table talk magazine each month. You'll also receive exclusive messages just for our ministry partners discounts to look at your events and invitations to special events. So again, thank you for your continued support to this ministry and again if you would like to become a ministry partner. We would love to have you come alongside us again that phone number is 800-435-4343 or visit Renewing Your Mind.org/partner was we close today. I'd like for you to hear from someone who has benefited greatly from Wegener's outreach. His name is Jerry and he's learned that you can trust God even in the most difficult of circumstances. I remember laying there and I said I think I'm dying in my son. He told me that he said no you said you are dying. I was born in Providence, Rhode Island. My father was a World War II veteran and my mother raised four children while he was at war. And then I came my only life I worked as a shoeshine boy paperboy anything to you sense I met my wife in high school and when the kids were young we weren't going to church. So what we should give them some sense of what they can choose later. So we went to a small church and then we went to a Unitarian church and it had no talk of God, then we started attending the Presbyterian Church and we came to know Christ. The van in June of actually June 13, 2013 we had a tornado some straight-line means here and we had gone out to the street to see an oak tree that was blocking the road and we came back into the yard. We had about 20 trees down ourselves.

My daughter and my wife called the tree service and they can come out three weeks of just too much work as I decide I have to clean this up because with branches hung up on the pressure in the grandkids wanting the claims always fallen trees as I have to think so. I started cleaning it up and it was going well then this particular time.

March said you want have lunch. I set one wintry take care of and so she was next door my daughters and they had gone to the basement if they were doing something down there so I cut this tree and it was leaning and under some pressure and usually the pressure will bind one way or the other will this particular person came and shot the tree back and I've never seen why I didn't see it when it happened. I heard my legs and then was a staccato fashion. I guess the temple I just say help help and my son-in-law heard he got my daughter and they put trinkets on the leg is very bad. I told him I said my leg up on my and then I will. 10 days later on the third day they decided to take my hand and then 4 July and through this, we began to realize that God was working in our lives initially after I got hurt someone tell me I had PTSD because I will for the first month and 1/2 or so.

See that tree coming out soon as I close my and I never saw the tree and so then I had periods where I was really concerned about going south but then I would I would get out. I would read the Bible notes from loved by God and he has chosen to have made this statement, I felt more short of myself and my salvation that I had before I used the question in my assurance was there and sometimes it would waiver, but after what I felt more short was as I see things as opportunity. I believe that in the sense that tree that got me God that see dropped in that treatment and that someday well. He also knew that that tree would take mom with so because of Christ because of the Holy Spirit. I can function me being here now is God's word help you can as I said before, we saw God's hand getting us salvation.

The doctors that would talk and I would tell him this is because of Christ. Okay then I start crying I times. After this I felt that I'm not able to do much of what hopefully will use this in a fashion that was jury story of God's grace and by God's grace our ministry partners are helping more the stories take place every day around the world and I hope you join us again tomorrow.

Dr. scroll is going to turn to the gospel of Luke to tell us the Christmas story from Mary's perspective that will be our focus. The rest of this week so we hope you'll join us. Beginning Tuesday for Renewing Your Mind