This is a question sent in by Kyle (ourrisingsound.com) on the “Ask Aaron Anything” link:

My Answer:

This is a fun one.  Thanks for the question kyle.  I have so many but I will give you 5.

(5) The internship starting - We have one of the greatest groups of young men and women who have dedicated their lives to Jesus and this church.  The internship starting is one of my favorite 2008 moments.

(4) The expansion of our connection groups - We went from 11 groups to 19 groups and they were started with solid leaders as partners.  Our church is built on Jesus centered relationships and discipleship.  The connection groups growing are more important to our growth then anything we have. 

(3) The leadership retreat with the overseers - We were in a really rough time financially and organizationally.  The overseers came in at a really hard time and helped us reorganize.   They even dropped thousands of dollars to get us back on track.  We were supposed to have our retreat at a conference center and we moved it to the church and it was an amazing retreat! There was time in which the overseers laid hands and prayed over all of us.  God raised up Kyle and Melissa to take financial and organizational leadership so I could focus on what I am good at.  That time was pivitol and transforming for the structure of the church.

(2) Encounters - How do I narrow it down to a few.  The encounters can give you enough ‘greatest moments’ for a lifetime.  The encounters this year where amazing!  Each one was full and amazing.  Seeing people breaking under the power of the cross and the Holy Spirit is just amazing to watch.  This is one of those things that you cannot explain you just have to be there.

(1) The salvations and baptisms that took place in the church this year.  To see the real authentic salvations and life transforming baptisms has to be my all time favorite thing this year.  The last baptism was a favorite highlight of 2008 (watch the video) I cry every time I watch it.  I think the amount of people that met Jesus this year and are never going to be the same is my #1 highlight of 2008.

This is a question sent in by steve on the “Ask Aaron Anything” link:

Do you believe that Christians can lose their salvation? Fall away from Christ? The bible states that believers can fall away…. And backslide. God doesn’t leave us, but I believe we can leave him and go back to our old lifestyle. The bible says that if we as Christians sin willfully and knowingly that Christ can no longer remain our sacrifce for our sins.

Even if I believed in “once saved always saved”.

I wouldn’t preach or teach it cause if i’m wrong, people could end up in hell because of my mistake. To be on the safe side I think we shouldn’t teach or preach false or twisted scripture that could lead people to hell. Pastor you are held accountable for what you teach. I’m very concerned….

My Answer:

The more and more I get “questions” from people on this site the more I realize people are not asking me questions, they are trying to tell me I am wrong in question form.  LOL.  I am not sure this is a question as much as warning for answering to God for what I preach.  So steve, thanks for the warning my friend.

Now what I will say on this answer is this.  People have been arguing this for years and I do not think that my answer is going to solve this debate. I also am not going to type a 100 part series on why I am a reformed calvinist in (most) doctrines.  I would not say I am a hard core 5 pointer but anywhoo, I will just give you a few thoughts and you can run with it.

Do you believe that christians can lose their salvation? I do believe in security of salvation that is… That Jesus saved me, keeps me, holds me, and glorifies me.  I believe that Jesus is a GREAT SHEPHERD and he will not lose one.  Salvation is from Jesus and protected by Jesus.  There is a lot of scripture that is wrapped up on that.  I think if salvation was dependent upon me keeping it… I would always lose it.  ALWAYS!!! 

Hebrews 6

1 Therefore let us leave the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, 2 and of instruction about washings,the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. 3 And this we will do if God permits. 4 For it is impossible, in the case of those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit, 5 and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come, 6 and then have fallen away, to restore them again to repentance, since they are crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm and holding him up to contempt.

It is impossible for someone who has been truly saved to fall away and then return to repentance since they are crucifying once again the son of God. If You are going to preach that someone can have it and lose it you also have to preach they will never get it back.

Here is my quick answer that could be debated and argued for millions of blog posts and I do not want to, as verse 1 says, keep rehashing the elementary when we should be moving on to maturity.

(1) If someone is saved you will see the fruit of that in their lives.  I do not think the question is did they have it and lose it, I think the question is did they ever really have it.  If you think because you said a prayer than you are saved then I know you are missing it.  Hebrews speaks of a person who has been enlightened, tasted the heavenly gift, has shared in the Holy Spirit, and has tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come.  This is way more then a prayer this is a life transforming work of salvation through Jesus in their lives.  I think we have lowered what salvation is therefore we have to have this arguement.  I know this scares people to think about since their commitment to Christ is only a prayer deep and if that is the case I hope it stirs you to repent and put your faith in Jesus.

(2) I think it is a scary gospel to tell people that they were saved by grace and then have to work to keep it.  All of us would lose it and screw it up.  

I think I am safe preaching that Jesus saved us and keeps us.  If I get judged for preaching Jesus as the author and finisher of my faith then I think my judgement will be a “well done”. The Gospel message is Jesus came into a sin sick world where people, who by nature and choice, are sinners, yet He lived a sinless life and paid the price on the cross for our sins.  

I can already see myself wanting to say more but I will stop because I know that no matter what I share I will have to debate so let the debate begin.  Have fun!

This is a question sent in by anonymous on the “Ask Aaron Anything” link:

My Answer:

I think this is a great question.  My answer would be that if you are trying to teach them a lesson about cloths to wear you may not be the one to do that… as a visitor.  Also,  is it a fight that is really worth fighting?  I mean you wearing a dress or pants in my opinion is a small fight that is not worth wasting effort on.  So I would say you should do one of two things… (1) Not go and pray for them (2) Go and dress in the right cloths and pray for them.  

I just think cloths are a crazy thing to pick a fight over.  So you have to wear a dress for a sunday and if you do not agree, do not go.  Does that make sense?  

Now there are bigger issues that I would be more worried about then cloths but we will not get into that. Clothing is a small doctrinal issue steeped in deeper doctrines.  I understand you concern about their religious view but do you really think you are going to change them by wearing pants?    

I like a good debate as much as the next but I need to choose my battles and that does not seem like a worth while fight to me.

Can you recommend any good reading material in modern language for life and love? I am 13 year old boy.

My Answer:

DC,

Thanks for reading my site and putting a question out. I am not sure of any good books for teens.  I could recommend the Bible but I do not really focus on books written in modern language. I can recommend one other book by Mark Driscoll called Vintage Jesus.  Check it out!  I will ask my readers but let me tell you that some of these readers may recommend whacky stuff.  So I can not stand behind all of it, but lets see if we can get any help.  Do you all know of any good books about Jesus for a 13 year old boy?  

This is a question sent in by anonymous on the “Ask Aaron Anything” link:

My Answer:

Thanks for asking your question even though you do not expect much.  LOL. I am playing, I am sure God can answer these through other sources but make sure those other sources including myself do not contradict scripture to tell you what you want to hear.  

(1) You can pray for yourself but in your prayers for yourself always surrender to the will and word of God.  When Jesus prayed in the garden before his death in Mt 26:39 -  ”Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.” He prayed for it to be taken but He surrendered to the will of God.  So in your prayers for yourself be open and honest with God about your fears, worries, desires but ultimately if your will is opposite of His, surrender.

(2) Yes.  Jesus is the only way! So with love, conviction, and boldness share Jesus with them.  You can disagree and preach truth and not disrespect them.  This is one of my pet peeves, people starting to believe that it is wrong to preach Jesus or share truth because they do not want to offend someone or disrespect them.   Do it in love built on a foundation of relationship but preach Jesus. Ro 10:14 “How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?”

(3) I know this question is already being answered too late because you probably have already jumped the gun.  My guess is you have Justified having sex before marriage and are just trying to find a loop hole.  Marriage is, and always has been, a covenant between a man, a woman, and God.  I think you need to do some research on how covenants were made in scripture and throughout church history.  Being in the covenant of marriage is not just about having sex.  It is about being one Spiritually, physically, and legally.  Marriage was never just a man saying, “I love this girl so I want to have sex.” It is the 2 becoming 1 flesh.  The sexual part is not the first part of the covenant it was the last part after all else had been done.  If you really feel married then you need to get married Spiritually and legally THEN sex is blessed by God.  You need to be a man and take complete responsibility for the woman “you love” financially, emotionally,  spiritually, and legally.  Loving a woman is not just about having sex with her it is a covenant.  A covenant is increasing your responsibilities and laying down your rights.  I could preach on this forever but it comes down to this… be a man of Godly conviction and wait to have sex until you are married (spiritually, legally, and physically).