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The first issue of The Sower for 2009 sets forth our ministry theme for this year, which is also our vision statement: Building an Enduring Work of Truth. As no one knows when the Lord Jesus will come for the Church, Spirit & Truth Fellowship is committed to laying a foundation of biblical truth upon which future generations can build. The coin of truth has two sides, doctrinal/propositional and practical/relational. The Word of God is truth, and Jesus Christ, its subject, is the truth. The truth of God’s Word is the bedrock upon which we must build our lives as Christians, and to the extent that we internalize it, we relate to other people in a way befitting of our Lord. This issue of The Sower explores what it takes to build an enduring work of truth. |
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Most Christians put great emphasis on faith and standing on the promises of God, as well they should, but regrettably, they too often forget the great value God places upon wisdom. In fact, God places such a high value on wisdom that He tells us it was the first of His creation, that it is supreme, and that we should pursue it with everything we have. In this issue of The Sower we explore what it means to walk in wisdom by looking at what to do when we are faced with crossroads in life, and the role that character plays in relation to our gifts and callings. We also examine how wisdom factors into getting our prayers answered and living by faith. It is our desire that this issue of The Sower would remind the Body of Christ to grow in wisdom so that we can discern our best choices. |
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Many religions of the world utilize the practice of prayer. For some it involves a meditative state, while others repeat phrases at preset times every day. In this issue of The Sower we learn the truth about prayer by exploring various aspects of the subject from God’s Word. Prayer, as one of the most fundamental disciplines of God’s people, is something everyone must practice and make a habit for successful Christian living. In this issue of The Sower we examine God’s truth regarding the purpose of prayer and our need to make it a priority and a daily discipline. It helps us stay motivated to pray when we know how to pray, what to pray for, when to pray, and why our prayers are not always answered. Every truth seeker will gain valuable insights from this issue devoted to the topic of prayer, and when it comes to “Building an Enduring Work of Truth,” Prayer Matters. |
Character, which is the sum total of our moral and ethical choices, is based in the heart and shines forth in what we say and do. Christians often forget that, from God’s perspective, all our talents and abilities mean nothing if we are not going to do the hard work of developing our character. God absolutely cares about character, so much so that it could be said that the Bible is a character textbook, filled with many stories of men and women who have developed and lived by godly character, and many who have not. In this issue of The Sower we explore the topic of character, what it is, its role in our Christian walk, and how to develop it. Every Christian’s goal should always be to please Christ, and the only way to do so is to develop godly character. We believe this issue of The Sower will help motivate and inspire everyone to increase their efforts to pursue godly character. |
Truth should be the foundation of everything we believe and do. At times people are presented with the difficult choice between holding fast to the truth, or the potential loss of a relationship with someone. In this issue of The Sower, we examine the false dilemma that exists in the minds of some people between truth and relationship. Truth is expressed in both doctrine and practice, so our relationships should be an expression of truth just as our doctrine is. We also examine different types of relationships, as well as why the truth offends some people. This issue of The Sower lays a foundational understanding that is necessary for anyone who desires to participate in Building an Enduring Work of Truth. |
When Christ ascended to the right hand of God, he showered gifts down on his Church (Eph. 4:8). He gave each Christian a “gift ministry,” and has given the great diversity found in the Body of Christ. Every year, millions of people all around the world celebrate the Christmas season by exchanging gifts. In this holiday issue of The Sower we explore some fundamental truths about the gifts Christ has given his people, as well as salvation, the greatest gift ever given to man. We also take a closer look at the role of the Old Testament priesthood and how the new Priesthood of the believer impacted the first-century believers. This issue of The Sower should encourage each of us to discover our gifts and callings, and motivate us to use them in service to others. |
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