John MacArthur on the recent protests and violence in Charlottesville

The Charlottesville protests and violence

During a Q&A on Sunday evening, August 20, 2017, John MacArthur was asked about the recent protests and violence in Charlottesville, Virginia. His answer provided a biblical perspective that has been largely absent from the public discussion about Charlottesville, even in Christian circles. We trust you’ll be encouraged by what he had to say.





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The living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ

Day 19 (25 Aug 2017, Friday)

1 Peter 1:3b “…unto a living hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.”
The resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead sets Him apart from any other person to walk the face of this earth and who had claims of being divine.  Jesus claimed it, to be God, and it was proven by His resurrection from the dead.  Indeed it is His greatest miracle (1 Corinthians 15:3-4).

This was the great source of our Living Hope.  Peter spoke not from his book learning or second-hand knowledge, but from his personal experience.  Something extra-ordinary had happened in his life.  He has been a miserable failure.  He denied knowing Jesus in the hours that He needed him most.  But later Peter became an eye witness to the resurrection of Jesus.  He experienced the power of resurrection of Jesus Christ in his life that dramatically transformed him.  He was changed from a coward and a weakling to a courageous leader for Christ.

Similarly, Paul’s one desire is expressed in Philippians 3:10, ‘That I may know Him and the power of His resurrection’.  That word is the good news which was preached in the power of the Holy Spirit, “that Jesus Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, and that he rose again on the third day according to the Scripture” (1 Corinthians 15:3-4).  The risen Christ is our living hope.

Pray for 8 Mountains of Influence :  Media

Celebrate the fact that God is the Author of all forms of communication and Jesus is the Truth.  Pray that God’s intended purpose for this realm, i.e. to communicate truth and life, will be redeemed and celebrated.

As traditional media is slowing down coupled with all kinds of alternative media channels quickly filling the void, pray for discernment in the body of Christ to distinguish between real and fake news. Instead of spreading lies and half-truths, we will know how to manage information and use it wisely.

Pray that parents will educate and raise their children on how to reject and resist wicked and malicious content online.

Pray that those who report, edit and distribute the news will do so without fear or favour.



Necf Malaysia

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This living hope through Jesus comes by the new birth

Day 18 (24 Aug 2017, Thursday)

1 Peter 1:3b - “According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope…”
“New birth” or “born again” is a popular way the New Testament talks about the experience of salvation.
Long ago, Jesus addressed a proud religious man named Nicodemus who came in the night inquiring about eternal life. Jesus said to him “You must be born again.” It’s not enough to be born physically and so become a member of human race.  You must be born again spiritually, and so become a member of the family of God (John 3).

When scripture says that “God has begotten us again”, this is recognised as “born again” or “rebirth”. There is no hope for eternal life, unless a person is born again by the Spirit of God. You must be regenerated and made into a new person.
If you have prayed to receive Jesus as the Lord and Savior, and you walked out with the same outlook on life, with absolutely no spiritual desire for Him then the question that must be asked is, were you truly saved?

When you are born again, you should have a desire to act differently and to talk differently.  This living hope comes by the new birth.  Jesus gives us a new start, but there is more to come.  He gives us a total new life.  “Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away behold, all things have become new” (1 Corinthians 5:17).

Pray for the 8 Mountains of Influence :  Government 

Pray for the revelation of God’s divine order of governance upon our government.  As absolute power corrupts, pray that there will be a true separation of power between the judicial, legislative and executive branches.

Pray for men and women appointed to the Malaysian cabinet to be wise and God-fearing.  Pray that they will safeguard justice and thus create a peaceful and safe environment within the nation.  Pray that they will be used as agents that will expose and remove every form of corruption, injustice and greed.

Pray for the bills and policies tabled in parliament in that the laws/policies will give great consideration to the poor, widowed and less privileged; that there will be no place for greed, self-interest and unmerited bias.



 Necf Malaysia

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Pastoring in the Age of Celebrity

How famous Bible teachers impact local Bible study

More than a decade ago, Thomas Friedman declared The World Is Flat in his bestselling book about how technology has collapsed the barriers between local and global. The American church has also experienced this “flattening,” as trends in media and ministry bring faraway leaders and national organizations into Christians’ everyday routines.

Believers can chat with Tim Keller in one of his Twitter Q&As, Facebook Live with Judah Smith, or play a Rick Warren podcast in their earbuds while they hit the gym. Though teachings from prominent theologians have spread across the church throughout its history, never have they been so immediate or intimate.

Plus, there’s the bigger, 21st-century scope: More Christian leaders are releasing “content” than ever before, giving evangelicals overwhelming opportunities to hear from nationally known figures alongside the leaders of their own congregations. “People are hungry for answers, even from a disconnected authority figure,” said Philip Nation, an author and pastor at First Baptist Church of Bradenton, Florida.

As with most things in the Christian life, the draw to outside teachers is not merely an issue of personal preference-it stems from and impacts involvement in the local body, as well. In some cases, Christians take interest in the kinds of leaders they don’t see in their own churches. As Christianity Today magazine reported last fall in “The Bigger Story Behind Jen Hatmaker,” this phenomenon has surged among women, with famous figures such as Jen Hatmaker and Ann Voskamp fetching mass followings through their popular blogs, books, and conference sessions at events like Catalyst and the IF:Gathering.

“When [local women leaders] are missing, the voices of women with national platforms can become too loud in the ears of younger women, in particular,” said Jen Wilkin, minister at the Village Church in Texas. “National women leaders should be a reference point, but not a replacement for female leadership at the local church level.” Bestselling authors and biblical scholars contribute to Christians’ spiritual development and scriptural savvy, as pastors and churchgoers alike can attest. However, the work of Bible application is-by necessity-personal and incarnational, as well. It’s studying in community that allows Christians to disciple one another to live out gospel truths.

Are You My Pastor?

John Mulholland, associate pastor at Worthington Christian Church in Minnesota, wrote on his blog:
The pastor in your church will never out-preach Francis Chan, John Piper, Matt Chandler, Alistair Begg, Beth Moore, Andy Stanley, or any other pastor that you listen to through podcasting.
As much as I enjoy listening to Matt Chandler, he is not my pastor. I belong to a local body of believers that I am called into to be an active member. The attention around a popular Bible teacher and their work can make any given Bible study or sermon series from a local leader seem lacking in comparison. So Christians have fretted the influence of celebrity pastors.

“When a Christian author writes a book, it takes months or years. The work is unintentionally held up as a standard [that] local pastors must meet,” said Nation, who has written several small-group studies and books on discipleship. “We are trying to deliver biblically sound and soul-stirring messages on a weekly basis while also leading, counseling, and the like. It sets up a pastor to feel completely inadequate as a communicator of eternal truth.”

Jenny Rae Armstrong, teaching pastor at Darrow Road Wesleyan Church in Wisconsin, agreed. At smaller, rural congregations like hers, pastors “have to do everything from hospital visits to organizing music to serving on boards in the local community to making sure someone’s coming to pump out the holding tank.”

“I can’t compete with Bill Hybels or Lysa TerKeurst with a schedule like that,” she said, noting that Baby Boomers in her congregation typically follow some leaders they know from Christian TV, while younger congregants aren’t as interested in Christian celebrities. “Small church pastors are generally more focused on the pastoral aspect of their work than on polishing their presentation skills. The goal for teaching is ‘solid,’ not ‘spectacular.’”

The Best of Both Worlds

But churches can also benefit from exposure to different styles and perspectives on biblical teaching. Christians have always encouraged gifted teachers to use their skills to serve the body as a whole. Back in 2 Corinthians, readers find what might be the first reference to a celebrity pastor, though he remains notably nameless: “With him we are sending the brother who is famous among all the churches for his preaching of the gospel” (8:18, ESV). Bringing in other leaders or referencing their scholarship, whether or not they are famous, can give congregants a more robust understanding than a single preacher could.

“A pastor can’t be expected to address every specific need of every Christian in their congregation through their preaching,” said Trevin Wax, Bible and reference publisher at LifeWay. “Good pastors seize the opportunity to resource their people with likeminded, trusted Christian leaders who may be especially strong in certain areas or speaking on certain subjects.”
For smaller congregations, the proliferation of well-known Bible teachers can be somewhat of a double-edged sword, according to Jeff Breeding, pastor of Midtown Baptist Church in Little Rock, Arkansas.

“On the one hand, it allows church members to take advantage of many more resources than our small church can offer,” said Breeding. For instance, the church does not have a formal counseling ministry, but members can access resources on the topic from teachers such as Paul David Tripp, the author and pastor who teaches on Christian living, parenting, marriage, and suffering. “On the other hand, the prevalence of Bible teachers also seems to have dulled some people’s discernment,” Breeding added. “If a person has a podcast or is featured at a conference, then he or she is assumed to be solid. Sadly, as you know, that’s not the case. Overall this current situation calls for pastors to be much more in-tune with what church members are listening to and reading.”

At Christ Presbyterian Church in Nashville, pastors preach expository sermons from the Bible, design small-group curricula around those messages, teach the Bible through classes and seminars, and encourage members to read the Bible regularly. The church also opens up to the wisdom of those outside their staff and congregation, featuring authors like Keller and Voskamp.

“Hosting well-known writers for speaking events, quoting them in sermons, and relating to them on social media are other ways to signal to our people and our community who our thought leader friends are,” said lead pastor Scott Sauls. “Having a public friendship with and/or affinity for well-known writers and authors also gives a certain credibility to our church for those who know the work of the authors well, but are still getting to know us.”

Such networking also helps the preachers themselves. Regardless of location, denominational support, or congregation size, they can access the surplus of Bible resources now available-a chance for them to find inspiration and new insights years after seminary is over.

“The proliferation of teachers available through podcasts, books, and conferences also gives the local pastor the opportunity to grow in the skill of preaching,” said Wax. “Yes, it raises the standard of excellence, but at the same time, it offers pastors the possibility of improving their craft as they benefit from prominent pastors they respect.”

Over Influenced?

Taylor Turkington, co-director of Western Seminary’s Verity Fellowship, describes the difficulty in analyzing how Christian women are influenced by the leaders they find online.

“Following someone on social media doesn’t mean they have become your dominant spiritual influence; neither does reading their book,” she wrote. “While it is hard to measure the quantitative impact of many of the online teachers, it’s not hard to find the devotees in our churches.
“Their books become part of Bible study; they are quoted from memory. The women speak of their beliefs as settled on an issue because of what they read in a blog post, and they presuppose others should follow suit.”

On the web, readers can find and follow compelling, gifted teachers without assessing where their theological affiliations or beliefs fall in comparison to their own. And at times, a leader’s popularity, presence on a certain book list, or spot on a speaker lineup might be enough for churches to share or endorse that leader.

Mulholland urged pastors not to let name recognition and amenability substitute for theological examination. He suggested they review all materials used in a leader’s ministries, asking, “Is it biblical? Do we agree with the doctrine being taught? Ask ‘Why this?’ and ‘Why now?’ and ‘How does this fit with the rest of what we are doing?’”

Of course, Christians need not limit their reading to teachers whose positions line up exactly with their own. But discerning readers know how to engage various teachers in relation to their own beliefs and the beliefs of their tradition.


According to Sauls, emerging conflicts can sometimes lead Christians to doubt their own pastors’ teachings or position them to choose which they see as more authoritative: their church or the blog in their browser bookmarks. But rather than continually creating a crisis of faith, exposure to outside teachers is, largely, helpful. It prompts curious, engaged Christians to ask deeper questions and learn more in their church context.

“These sorts of differences almost always lead to fruitful conversations between church leaders and members who are reading conflicting material from this author or that author,” Sauls said. “It also forces us to sharpen the ‘why’ of the things we say we believe.” These conversations are only going to become more common in small groups, Bible studies, and church offices as Christians continue to supplement their spiritual lives-like everything else-with what they find on social media and Google searches.

Michelle Van Loon, a writer on spiritual formation, recalled the warning from Ecclesiastes: “Of making many books there is no end” (12:12). These days, we could add Facebook debates, trending topics, blog controversies, and hashtags to the unending issues vying for our attention. Local church leaders find themselves at the point of convergence, helping to equip their congregations to process teachings from both inside and outside their church and inside and outside their belief system. Put simply: It all comes back to them.

The context keeps shifting, but fortunately the truth does not. Sauls stated:

The role of the local pastor is to affirm that which is true and beautiful according to Scripture, and to challenge that which is not true and beautiful according to Scripture, especially with the flock under said pastor’s spiritual oversight and care. This applies not only to well-known authors, but also to politicians and secular writers and philosophers and such. In every school of thought, there are things to affirm and, perhaps, things to also critique. But the measuring stick for the pastor should always be, “What does Scripture say about this?”






By Kate Shellnuttis online associate editor of Christianity Today. Follow her on Twitter @kateshellnutt.

This living hope starts with God’s great mercy

Day 17 (23 Aug 2017, Wednesday)

1 Peter 1:3b - According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.

In our hopeless situation, God looks at us and what does He feel? Many people perceive that God is looking at the mess we have made of our lives and He is thinking, “well, I told you so. You’re a mess and you deserve it.  Suffer now.”  But that is not what the Bible says about God’s sentiment toward us.
In our hopeless situation, God looks at us and He feels mercy.  He is moved with compassion for us.  He feels pity for us in our predicament and He moves to do something about it.

The basis for our hope lies not in our own perfection or righteousness.  We are just too sinful, and God is too perfect.
The only hope we do have is that God will have mercy on us. Mercy means that God withholds His judgment, and He provides a way for us to be saved.  It is a good thing that we do not need to depend on our own perfection and righteousness, for we all are sinners in God’s sight (Romans 3:23).  Even as Christians, we find ourselves sometimes guilty before God (1 John 1:8, 10).  Mercy is bestowed unto us upon the condition of our faith, repentance, and baptism (Acts 2:36-38).

Pray for the 8 Mountains of Influence :  Economics and Business

Pray for revelation and redemption of the economic realm, for God’s intended purpose of stewardship to be practiced in all sectors, that it will be handled well for the creation and distribution of wealth in a manner that glorifies Him.

Pray that businesses which exploit people, including migrant workers, or manufacture harmful products, will be exposed and rooted out completely.

Pray that believers will seek to obey God and not to compromise with ungodly systems.  Pray that God will give wisdom and inspiration to Christian entrepreneurs to initiate and develop businesses that create jobs and uplift the society.
Pray for Christian business owners to treat their employees fairly and establish business practices that are in obedience to God’s commandments, values and principles.



 Necf Malaysia

Download 2017 NECF Malaysia  40Days Fast & Prayer (Prayer Booklet)