Bronson Taylor

Study every verse on the matter.

Biblical interpretation is sometimes difficult. I hope to one day write about it at length, but until then let me offer one word of caution that could save you countless errors: study every verse on the matter.

If you truly want to know what God thinks about something then you will eventually find it necessary to devour all the verses on that topic. We are so quick to give our opinions about any belief, doctrine, or idea, but why? If there are entire biblical passages that you have yet to study in regard to a certain category then proceed with humility, not authority.

Studying every verse on a matter can be exhausting, but being wrong and leading others astray is even more taxing. I am unaware of a study path that leads to complete truth, but this one is not far from that mythical trail.

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Jesus never had a (fill in the blank).

One day I realized something. Jesus never had a youth minister. He never had a worship guy either. The same goes for Paul, Peter, and everyone else who spread the gospel in the New Testament. They had an understanding of the good news, a desire to spread it, and the ability to do so, but they didn’t have much else.

Why do we think we need so many resources to make disciples? A few days ago I wrote about the importance of making disciples instead of focusing on the church as a whole, and maybe these two topics are related. Could it be that we are obsessed with youth ministers, babysitting, comfortable chairs, contemporary visuals, great singers, and the like, because we know that we’re not really making disciples? Because we know that if we take away the frills then we won’t have much of a church after all?

If you were to take away all the fun extras of your church, all the things that Jesus and his apostles didn’t have, would your numbers decrease? Would they decrease a lot? If so, is it really a church at all?

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Make a disciple.

A curious fact about the New Testament is that it never commands us, or anyone else, to plant churches. The great commission is thought to promote new churches, but let’s look at it one more time.

And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” - Matthew 28:18-20

Notice the command. Jesus didn’t say to start churches; he told us to make disciples. The fundamental building block of Jesus’ commission was the disciple. Obviously, the making of disciples leads to the existence of new churches (where two or more are gathered). So am I playing semantics? Possibly, but consider this. When we are focused on starting churches we have a tendency to assume that disciples will be made as a byproduct of sorts. In actuality, it is very possible to have a room full of people, doing religious things, and have little or no disciples.

If you want to start a church, you have noble aspirations, but first do this. Go make one disciple. If you cannot help one person become a disciple then then how will you help hundreds of people do so?

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To judge or not to judge? (Part 2)

A few days ago I wrote a post that highlighted some verses that go beyond the typical “do not judge” slogan. Today I want to even the scales a bit and mention a situation where judgement should still be avoided.

There are some doctrines in the Bible that are non-negotiable (i.e. if someone claims that Jesus didn’t come in the flesh then we shouldn’t invite them into our home according to 2 John 1:7-11). Not every belief falls into this category. Consider the following verses:

As for the one who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not to quarrel over opinions. One person believes he may eat anything, while the weak person eats only vegetables. Let not the one who eats despise the one who abstains, and let not the one who abstains pass judgment on the one who eats, for God has welcomed him. Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own master that he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make him stand. - Romans 14:1-4

Many issues are matters of opinion. Should we eat meat or vegetables? It doesn’t matter. Don’t let it be an issue of fellowship. Did Jesus come in the flesh? It does matter, and it always will. People that are able to clearly distinguish the important issues from the matters of opinion are the ones who will avoid the extremes of having no standard or making everything the ultimate standard.

So how do we know which issues should be in the non-negotiable category? I will address this more next week, but until then think through it yourself to see what you come up with.

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To judge or not to judge? (Part 1)

There’s an oft repeated mantra among church goers that “we shouldn’t judge others.” This is a half truth that needs clarification.

First, this is sometimes used as an excuse to not speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15). When we confuse judgement and honesty then we don’t allow other people to help us, or we unnecessarily restrict ourselves from helping others.

Second, what Jesus actually said was,

Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye. (Matthew 7:1-5)

Notice the emphasis. These verses are about hypocritical judgement, not judgement in general. Jesus doesn’t want you holding others to a standard that you don’t even meet, but he does want you to take the speck out of your brother’s eye. Just make sure you remove the log from your own eye first.

At another point in Jesus’ ministry others were upset with his behavior on the sabbath. Jesus didn’t tell them to not judge him, but he said, “Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment.” (John 7:24)

Third, within the church we are actually commanded to judge others in regard to certain sins (1 Corinthians 5:9-12). We can’t expect the world to adhere to our standards, but we must expect the church to be holy. However, our judgement even goes beyond sin. In Corinth believers were taking believers to court and Paul tells them that we must be able to judge the matters of this life amongst ourselves, especially since we will judge the world and angels later (1 Corinthians 6:1-8).

To judge or not to judge? It depends. Click here to read part 2 of this post.

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The wilderness is now.

Modern versions of Christianity are so bent on reassuring everyone that they’re ok (even if they’re not) that people rarely hear the wilderness story applied to themselves. Israel, God’s chosen people, left Egypt and wandered in the desert for 40 years, during which a whole generation died off because of their sin. The NT commonly refers back to this event as an example for Christians to learn from (1 Corinthians 10:1-13, Hebrews 3:7-4:1, Jude 5). Grace does not render obedience optional. God is still in the habit of dealing with us.

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Jethro’s advice.

Recently my family read from Exodus 18, the chapter where Moses received some timely advice from his father-in-law, Jethro. Moses was spending a large portion of every day dealing with the questions, concerns, and disputes of the Israelites, but he was wearing himself out in the process. Jethro suggested that he appoint others to deal with the the lesser cases, and only the difficult problems would be brought to Moses. Genius.

Every leader comes to a place where they must decide if they’re going to take Jethro’s advice. It seems more spiritual to do it all yourself (why burden others). It can also be a boost to your confidence because it makes you feel indispensable. But notice how self centered those reasons are. Instead, train other to work with you. They want it, you need it, and the success of everyone depends upon on it. Not persuaded? Just think about Jesus training the twelve, or Paul mentoring his entourage. I say, listen to Jethro.

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The mind matters.

I’ll be the first to say that intellect isn’t everything (1 Corinthians 13:2). That said, it does matter and the men in the NT were not in short supply of it. Peter and John weren’t trained in an official institution, but they knew what they were talking about because they had walked with Jesus (Acts 4:13). Paul’s wisdom was obvious even to his fellow workers (2 Peter 3:15-16), and his ability to reason was a part of his success in spreading the gospel throughout the Mediterranean (Acts 17:2-4). Even a common Pauline prayer included knowledge, wisdom, and understanding for his converts (Colossians 1:9-10). And can you imagine Jesus as one in whom we would place our confidence if he hadn’t grown in stature and wisdom (Luke 2:52)?

The great commandment itself includes, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your…mind.” (Matthew 22:37). So where should you begin when trying to love God with your mind? Just a few verses before Jesus gave the great commandment he spoke to the Sadducees and told them, “You are wrong, because you know neither the Scriptures nor the power of God.” (Matthew 22:29). I would begin by learning the scriptures. Your Bible knowledge will be your ceiling for personal growth and influence with others (like it or not). Read the Bible often and with enthusiasm, and as you grow never forget James 3:13-18.

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People pleasing doesn’t work.

As a missionary, albeit a domestic one, I have learned some of the traits that are necessary for training others in Christ. High on that list is the ability to avoid people pleasing.

People pleasing will render you useless. Those who seek to please others rarely have a lasting impact on the very people they were trying to please. When Paul wrote to the Galatians this point was made clear. In order to help them with their confusion concerning the gospel he was unable to please them, saying, “…If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.” - Galatians 1:10.

We need the real love of truth from a friend, not the superficial love of lies from an enemy.

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Eat the Bible.

I have not departed from the commandment of his lips; I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my portion of food. - Job 23:12

Your words were found, and I ate them, and your words became to me a joy and the delight of my heart, for I am called by your name, O Lord, God of hosts. - Jeremiah 15:16

“Behold, the days are coming,” declares the Lord God, “when I will send a famine on the land—not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord. They shall wander from sea to sea, and from north to east; they shall run to and fro, to seek the word of the Lord, but they shall not find it.” - Amos 8:11

Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God. - Matthew 4:4

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I heart Jesus.

I received an email this morning asking me to write about Christian dating since Valentine’s Day is right around the corner. Good call. Dating itself is a very modern idea in the scheme of things, so looking for a verse from Jesus and company with the words dating, boyfriend, girlfriend, shorty, or boo won’t work. However, the scriptures teach us how to think, not just what to think. With this in mind there are some verses that apply.

Who should a Christian date? First, Christians are not to be yoked with unbelievers (2 Corinthians 6:14-18). A yoke was a device that kept animals attached and going in the same direction, and I’ve yet to see a dating couple that doesn’t have this same quality. Thus, Christians date Christians. But here’s the real question: If Jesus is your Lord, your all consuming passion, if you could say that “to live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Philippians 1:21) then why would you want to date someone that doesn’t agree? Seriously. I don’t buy it. Read one of Paul’s letters and then try to imagine him dating Ashley, the non-Christian, from down the street.

Assuming you’re a Christian that is dating another Christian, then what kind of physical contact is appropriate? I shouldn’t even have to say this, but I will. Sex is for marriage. The scriptures couldn’t be more clear. A Christian having sex outside of marriage is a reason for not associating with that brother or sister (1 Corinthians 5:11-13), and people living in sexual immorality or sensuality won’t inherit the kingdom of God (Galatians 5:19-21). This sounds harsh, but only because we have grown up in an era where holiness in the church is foreign (1 Peter 1:14-19). Jesus even taught us to avoid lust, and he followed up that bit of advice with the suggestion that we tear out our eyes if it helps us avoid hell (Matthew 5:27-30). Any situation where you are in lust is inappropriate (dating or not). When I was dating my wife I knew that lust was nearby, so we decided to not kiss until our wedding day. Yes, you read that correctly. You make your own decision about boundaries, just don’t lie to yourself about what you can handle. Beyond the more obvious sex and lust issues, we must also keep our conduct honorable, abstaining from passions of the flesh, to set an example for the world (1 Peter 2:11-12).

Few things have the ability to glorify God more, or tarnish his name more, than the way we approach dating. Act wisely.

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Obeying the Old Testament?

I received an email a few days ago from someone who was wondering what I do with the Old Testament. More specifically, I think they were wondering how I can promote reading the Bible and obeying it when I obviously don’t obey all of the Old Testament (it’s been a while since my last animal sacrifice). Answer: When I encourage people to read and obey that includes understanding which scriptures apply in different situations. Maybe I should add in a middle step for clarity. 1) Read. 2) Understand. 3) Obey.

A great example of this is the dialogue between Jesus and Satan in Matthew 4:1-11. Satan quotes Psalm 91:11-12, but Jesus understood that the scriptures were being used incorrectly, and he in turn quoted Deuteronomy 6:16 to set the record straight. Both read the Bible. Both promoted obeying the Bible (in a weird kind of way). Only Jesus understood the Bible.

Back to the original question, what do I do with the Old Testament? I understand that Hebrews 8:13, and many other similar verses, apply in this situation. We live in a new covenant now and the old one is obsolete. When I canceled my T-Mobile contract and signed up with AT&T I was under no obligation to uphold the old agreement, for it had been canceled. (Side note: this doesn’t mean that we can’t learn from the Old Testament. Just read 1 Corinthians 10:6-11).

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1 year. 11 people. 1189 chapters.

11 of us from Gulf Church have decided to read the whole Bible in 2010. Why is this important? This morning at church I shared something that is worth repeating here. The less we read the Bible the more apt we are to remember it incorrectly. The longer we go without the word in our diet the more God is made to fit our image instead of us conforming to his.

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Support a working missionary.

I don’t have a nine to five. My days are spent teaching, training, encouraging, preaching, and leading, amongst other missionary specific tasks. I am constantly making disciples and building communities of faith on the gulf of Florida, where I serve. However, I need your help; I can’t do this alone. Missionaries require the financial support of people like you, people who believe in the work of the kingdom. Here are seven reasons to support me:

Everyone thinks someone else is helping. They’re not.
I’m not trying to live comfortably. I live in one room with my family.
I don’t follow contemporary church models. I read the New Testament.
I am always training others to become missionaries also.
Jesus said that those who proclaim the gospel should get their living from it.
Your donations allow you to be a fellow worker for the good news.
I never quit.

I am extremeIy grateful for everyone who decides to support me. Here are the links if you would like to donate: $10/Month, $20/Month, $50/Month, $100/Month, or any other amount.

Note: all donations are made through Gulf Church and are tax-deductible.

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Hi, I’m Bronson Taylor, and I’m a missionary. No, I don’t live in a foreign country. No, I don’t preach in a foreign language. I’m an American Missionary. Why? Because many of the people in my own country that call themselves “Christians” have settled for a gospel that has very little resemblance to the New Testament, and many others have not heard the gospel at all. Thus, I have decided to spend my life as a servant of the good news right where I am.

In addition to this blog (archive or rss), I am currently making disciples and building communities of faith for Gulf Church in South West Florida. My other projects include being the Director of Last Seminary, writing a book titled The Work, A Missionary Manifesto, and publishing my general Study Notes online to help others. Stay in touch with me through Email, Twitter, Buzz, or Facebook.

In the photo is my incredible family: my wife, Megan, my son, Mikah, and me, Bronson.

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