Going Deeper in Daily Bible Study

Sometimes preposition the New Testament uses is the preposition we believe into products on this is the fundamental thing that happens to us when we were born again when we are in fact such to Christ of faith unites us to him, the spirit unites us to him, and in that way we are bound together, and underneath all that is the fact that in everything Jesus did, he was representing us and because he was representing his everything he has done is really ours. None of these things are what we want to come up in ourselves. All of these things we draw diving from our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. He is everything that he fills our nothingness union with Christ a teaching series with Sinclair Ferguson visit Lincoln near.org/teaching series to learn more today on Renewing Your Mind and licking your ministries and table talk. We really strive to serve God's people with trusted content so that they know that when they come to this ministry that God has entrusted to us that there really getting the same biblical teaching and biblical teaching doesn't change. We celebrated Thanksgiving last week. Of course, the military leader ministries. We continue to be thankful to the Lord, for how he is expanded our outreach here and around the world. We anticipate that by the end of this year, we will leverage more than 15 million people joining me here in the studio for the special edition of Renewing Your Mind. As our president and CEO Chris Larson, along with regular teaching fellow and the senior pastor of St. Andrews Chapel document parcels Chris more more people listening to this program today. We don't assume that everyone is familiar with all of our popular resources, but we want to focus on one in particular today and that's table talk magazine. Would you tell our listeners a little bit about this little magazine absolutely docs for would refer to it as a little magazine that could.

He began it in 1977 and there from the look in your Valley study center and Western Pennsylvania. It was really just a newsletter that updated folks about what was happening there. At this very special place. This gathering place of Christians and then as distribution grew, they saw an opportunity to turn table talk into a remarkable devotional resource and for many decades now it has been that where it has this blend of Bible study along with very thoughtful articles about various different subjects that Christians need to think about and to think about deeply and biblically, and there's always been this view towards application in the Christian life with everything about table talk. I know as a college student when I first saw a copy of table talk. I've never seen anything like it and now many years later, else I how many years later, but many years later. I have to say I still have never seen anything like table talk magazine and along with this program. Renewing Your Mind. Table talk magazine is that twin outreach that really goes farthest for us here at the ministry now being read by more than 260,000 readers and more than 75 countries around the world and the outreach is truly remarkable. We give thanks to God for his blessing on Brooke you been with table talk now for more than 20 years. How is the magazine changed over the years and what your desire.

Each month when the copies are shipped out around the world think you really one of the things that is so amazing about table talk is it really hasn't changed. Certainly there been changes in formatting and design and so on.

But that's what is so beautiful about this magazine is that it really hasn't changed in terms of its purpose in terms of its content and licking your ministries in a table talk. We really strive to serve God's people with trusted content so that they don't have to worry, they don't have to fear they know that when they come to this ministry that God has entrusted to us that entrusted to Dr. Spruill that there really getting the same solid biblical teaching and biblical teaching doesn't change God's word doesn't change everything else in this crazy world of ours changes and sometimes it changes drastically dramatically radically. But God's word doesn't change and what were striving to do with table talk is to give God's people around the world. This simple, straightforward, in-depth teaching from God's word and is Chris said and apply it yet. We are not the church we come alongside the church and serve the church and come under the church and table talk is a great resource for Christians throughout the week. It it gives them a daily dose of biblical teaching were not trying to give anyone anything new, anything fresh, anything outside the box were trying to give God's people.

The classic traditional confessional theology from the Bible and its application for all of life and my hope is that when people get this magazine in their mailboxes that when they get it when they read it. They are simply striving to be faithful to the great commission of Jesus Christ personally and their families in their churches. That's what table dog does it it helps to fulfill the great commission in discipling the nations and the way we are discipled is by learning and growing in our knowledge of how to follow Christ had a love our Lord and how to love our neighbor as ourselves. We hear from so many pastors who use table talk with their congregations confident as that Monday through Saturday resource because it comes alongside of the ministry of the local church getting people into the Scriptures helping just to saturate their minds with the word of God. So as they encountered so many issues that come up in their families in the workplace in society that they're able to think with a a right world view and filter what's coming at them with the word of God. I was just with some ministry friends in California earlier this week, a sweet couple who uses table talk in their family and has for decades and gives tabletop subscriptions to their children and their grandchildren and it's really interesting the way that it has created spiritual conversations in and among multiple generations in a family.

I thought that was a beautiful testimony to the truth of God's word because like you're saying work were not doing anything new or just getting people to God's Word and the Spirit of God applies the word as it goes out but I know Lee you also have a story of the way that the Lord use table talk in your life into. It was my first touch point to look at your ministries all the way back in early 1990s we had begun attending a reformed church. I didn't know what reformed theology was all I knew was that we were attracted to the preaching that we are hearing the pastor. The church had been one of Dr. Sproles seminary students and he handed me a copy of the February 1990 issue of table talk and on the cover was Gutenberg's press and it talked about how Gutenberg's press the impact that it had on the expansion of the gospel, and it dealt also with modern media at the time I was at a news anchor for a network affiliate and I have been a journalism for many years but reading. I read that that magazine from cover to cover, probably three times and it helped me understand what a Christian worldview was that the gospel should permeate every aspect of my life, including what I did behind the anchor desk of the television station.

It had a dramatic impact on not just the trajectory of my career but my family life and I can relate to that California family Chris that you just referred to, because we give all four of our children subscriptions each year.

The table talk Willie, I'm so glad you told that story.

I don't think many of our listeners know of your work with the news media and how the Lord helped you to go through. If a life that was very difficult and is quite a trial. Well it was and I have to say that that particular issue. Help me understand that there was a distinct bias against Christians in the modern media, and I began to speak out about that. Not just in my newsroom, but publicly and eventually cost me my job but I look back with great fondness on that time as well. While were thankful for the Lord preserving you through that and that he gave you many years of fruitful work being able to continue to be able to serve even in this capacity as host for Renewing Your Mind and for our listeners to know that this is a resource that is changing lives we hear weekly from people around the world expressing their gratitude for table talk magazine is right in and we hear from so many of of our subscribers.

Chris Lane road and recently and she said, as it is a layperson my table talk opens the door for me to understand Christian doctrine and apply biblical truths.

Just the other day.

The question was posed. What are you doing to grow in your understanding of Christian theology. She said my answer is reading table talk devotions Jeff that wrote in to tell us about three years ago, a friend introduced me to table talk magazine and look in your ministries after reading table talk and reform pastors and authors such as Dr. Spruill, I began to realize that I had only been playing a Christianity for all those years, I'm 54 years old now, and saddened that it took me so many years to realize that I was asleep in the light Leah have another testimony here from Paul his missionary in Uganda and he talks about coming out of the charismatic movement in one of the few sound doctrine resources that he received was the monthly tabletop magazine and so now he's there able to teach other sound doctrine so that they can in turn teach others and plant churches. He writes I think God for the faithful ministry of the various looking your staff. Thank you and God bless you all and another large group of folks that we hear from frequently are inmates and military chaplains where table talk is one of those resources that were sending out by the thousands to be able to support and serve those who are incarcerated, but also serving those who are in the military who are in turn ministering to a lot of troops who are serving in difficult situations around the world. The table talk is really getting out to people that we would have a hard time reaching otherwise. And so were thankful for the utility of this resource and how easy it is to distribute Burke. I know our listeners are unable to always be here on the campus and meet our staff. I sure wish they could stop by but what we see with you and the editorial team here at the Kinnear and within tabletop magazine specifically is a tremendous amount of care and time and deliberate consideration of what you're going to address how you're going to address it.

Who's going to write in each issue and working many times a year or more in advance as your planning issues. Tell us a little bit about what that process is like of putting together each monthly issue of tabletop magazine. Thank you Chris and you're exactly right. The team that works on table talk.

We put a lot of care, a lot of time, a lot of energy is one of the most important things that that everyone should know is that the team working on table talk. We are all churchmen.

That is to say we are all men who love the church love God's people and are all active in serving in the local church. Most of the trial team is is ordained in ministry week. We love people and we love to serve God's people faithfully and and that means that we have to pray and ask the Lord's help and wisdom as we plan table talk most of you don't realize that a magazine like table talk, there's more work that goes into this magazine than most books there is more effort, more words, more authors, more editing because we really want this magazine to be done with excellence, not for our glory, but for God's glory truly and sincerely we want God to be honored and glorified with this issue and that's why the. The themes in the topics of table talk are themes that we believe through hearing from our readers hearing from those in the church watching what's going on in the world watching what's going on in the church, giving people, not necessarily always what they think they now want, but giving God's people. What they need were trying to teach God's people carefully and deliberately, patiently, and we recognize that when someone picks up an issue table talk.

They're not necessarily gonna read every page of another. Some people do II can't tell you how many people I've met over the years I read tabletop from cover to cover and but a lot of people they just love the devotions. Some people love that the articles that pertain to the monthly theme. Some people love the columns. The interviews and just a wide range of subjects we cover in every issue back in October each year focused on justification on the doctrine of justification why was that such an important issue. Burke great questioningly and I could go on and on about that.

As you know, we know that most of our readers understand the doctrine of justification, the reality of it is that we have so many new readers every year and every month, and different readers from around the world who are not as familiar with the doctrine of justification and the significance of that doctrine and the reality of it is, is that the doctrine of justification is always under attack both from outside the church, and even sometimes from within. And so we believe that the time had come. Once again we haven't dealt with the doctrine of justification in many years that we needed to set the record straight that this is what we believe as Orthodox confessional Christians regarding the doctrine of justification, which is that doctrine upon which the church stands or falls. One of the efforts where we seen a lot of fruit is taking these table talk issues and then translating them into other languages as well so touching on the doctrine of justification is now being multiplied as a goes out in Spanish, Portuguese, Hindi, Chinese, French, etc. and what you're doing there in table talk is bearing fruit.

Even in other languages that's been another unintended yet fruitful part of table talk that's been delightful to see and so thank you for the way that you and the editorial team are so careful and prayerful about these issues because really see the Lord's blessing and were hearing it from pastors around the world who appreciate the ministry that you're helping to Stuart, could you give us a little insight as to upcoming issues. Absolutely Chris so in 2022. I'm very excited about the lineup of themes and issues for the year and really one of my favorite issues that we've done is coming out in January 2022 on pride and humility. Now anytime you speak about pride and humility.

People are automatically can assume that your arrogant and prideful and pompous, so I'm not going to begin to talk about humility and pride, but to me this is one of the most important subjects that we can talk about us Christians humility is foundational to who we are. We as Christians are to be known as a humble people, following the example of our Savior, who is humble, walked with humility came in humility and we believe that it's something that we all need to be reminded of regularly and some very excited about the addition excited that working be studying in depth the entire book of Exodus through 2022. I am grateful for the authors that we have lined up already. Through many months in the year already, so it it it's going to be a great year and I for anyone who likes to study the word of God in depth likes to also understand the theology of the word of God. The application of the word of God. Table talk is for them. You mentioned Exodus right now were going through second Corinthians for the daily devotion. So next year for 2022. It will be the book of Exodus and would you explain for those who are not familiar with table talk how those daily devotions work absolutely will throw simple and it is one of things I love about table talk and I think it is. Chris picked it up in college. I myself was given a copy of table talk in college and the reason I love, that is, it was easy to read. It was simple. It wasn't too long.

It wasn't too cumbersome.

There a lot of people out there who aren't readers.

They don't read a lot and table talk to meets the more they are gives them just enough not too much and you know we start with the passage of Scripture for the day and then there's an explanation of that passage, and we bring" from Dr.'s parole from, you know, our faithful forefathers from throughout the ages and in it helps them to understand the passage. Some of the doctrine behind that passage are coming out of that passage and that it also gives us a section of application called quorum Dale, what helps us to think a little bit more deeply in how we apply this passage of Scripture and its teaching to our lives. I know a lot of families who use this for their family devotions because it gives them some structure and particularly for families where they have fathers and mothers in that family who are just first generation Christians were just coming to understand reform theology and they want to pass that on to their children and this gives them a place to start and being able to have a conversation with their children so that's been beautiful to see as well you can really jump into table talk and use this resource in so many different ways that I know of men's Bible studies that get together and just talk about an issue of this we so appreciate to our creative department and the work that they put him on the covers in the design the layout. It is sin is just really done with with excellence. I was in them. One of our donors homes. Not long ago, and I looked on their bookcase and I think they had every copy of table talk magazine and that bookcase dating back to the late 80s. If I recall, you know, I said wow that's that's really commit the Mason we just can't throw them away. That's the thing about table talk. People throw them away. I mean I marked them up when I first got mine in college, I would mark them up and make reference notes and so forth. Even in my Reformation study Bible, but people don't have them. It's the one magazine. People don't throw.

I've made several houses with boxes full of maggots and while we know that so many of you listening right now have been subscribers for years. You told us how much you appreciate this little magazine that could is RC referred to it.

If you love table talk now is a great time to gifted to family members and friends after you purchase the first gift subscription you can get the rest of them for 50% off.

Just note that that this offer is just for this holiday season, but you can find out more in obtaining these gift subscriptions when you go to give table talk.com only repeat that it's give table talk.com and Chris table talk is really a great example of our desire or look in her ministries to come alongside the local church to undergird the local church. With these kinds of resources that's right we make it very affordable for churches at the dollar an issue they can learn more@gettabletalk.com/church. I know of readers who've told me how they found a local church because the church had decided to set out issues of table talk there in the welcome center or the foyer or the resource table and people came in and they sell table talk and then they then new.

This is a church that aligns with reform theology and that was the signal to them of. Hopefully the kind of ministry that they would be able to enjoy at that church so we love to see the way that table talk works in concert with the local church and being able to get it out to churches in an affordable way. It is the heartbeat for this ministry and we would love to be able to support more more churches in this way. So definitely give us a call or visit our website to learn more Chris I really appreciate what you've just said. And I think that's so very important that we exist as a ministry not for ourselves.

We exist to serve God's people in the local churches around the world and that's what table talk exists to do. Our desire is to help Christians grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ and to use all that God is teaching them through table talk and other good resources to serve their families to serve in their local churches for the glory of God.

We mentioned those of you who have been subscribing for years, but we also hope we've picked the interest of those who are not familiar with table talk and we want to give you opportunities subscribe, you can renew or start a one year subscription for your gift of any amount to look in her ministries. You can call us to make you requested.

800-435-4343. You can also find us online@renewingyourmind.org can you give me that phone number again it's 800-435-4343 Dr. Parsons thank you for being with us today and Chris as always, thank you and to you, our listeners, we appreciate you joining us today for the period between the old and new Testaments is one of the most overlooked errors in biblical history. What happened during those four centuries tomorrow. Dr. RC Sproul examines this intriguing time focusing on the coming of Christ in his series dusted more. I hope you'll join us for Renewing Your Mind