This Sunday I preached in North Carolina at Trinity Baptist Church of Rolesville in a temporary open air tent pavillion assembled for Monday’s Memorial Day celebration. My text was Titus 2 and Galations 4, and my topic concerned the release of sons and the biblical test for adult maturity on the part of young men. One point I would like to mention in today’s blog is that young men are specifically commanded to act like older men. According to Titus 2, they are not only to be grave, sincere, and of sound doctrine, but they are to temper the temptation toward endless philosophizing by practical acts of good works among the brethren. Good works and a servant-like spirit are a wonderful antidote to the plague of anti-authoritarian, self-emancipating, philosopher kings which perdiodically infect and neutralize the effectiveness of some of the best and the brightest in Evangelical Christianity.

After the meeting of the church we enjoyed a delightful afternoon which included sitting around the piano with Scott and his daughter Kelly playing hymns and music from the soundtrack of God’s and Generals on piano and guitar.

Also that day Scott Brown did a wonderful job of addressing the local church on the qualifications for deacons. I especially appreciate the fact that he emphasized not only the requirements placed by Scripture on deacons, but the requirements which Scripture mandates for their wives. Men whose wives are discontent or gossips are specifically barred from the deaconate. Later we were privileged to observe eight baptisms in Scott’s pond, including Scott’s own daughter Claudia pictured below.

From Doug’s Bookshelf: I do recommend the book Biblical Eldership, by Alexander Strauch, as a very helpful introduction to the doctrine of eldership. It also comes with a helpful study guide.