The Story

At RPM Ministries our story is all about changing lives with Christ’s changeless truth.

We’re always asking people, “Want to change lives?”

But, what if your life is unchanged? What then? How do you participate in life’s greatest adventure of empowering others to live a changed life if you remain powerless to change?

Then our question for you is entirely different. The new question, really the first question, is “Want a changed life?”

How do people change? Why do people need to change? Change to what?

The story that answers those questions is the story God is telling in the Bible. His story is summarized below. To read about it in narrative form, click below on the image of The Story.

When you’re done, tell us what you think. Ask us any questions that you have. Contact us at rpm.ministries@gmail.com

Tags: Christ, Christianity, Gospel, Salvation, The Story

I Miss the Depth of the Old Hymns

I confess that in the 1990s I led a church through the change process from traditional hymns and a choir to praise choruses and praise teams.

I now confess that I miss the depth of the old hymns. Yes, some of the modern praise music is improving, led by theologian/songwriters like Keith and Kristyn Getty (In Christ Alone). They’re all too rare, however.

Listen, really listen to most of the praise choruses that we sing in most of our Evangelical church services. Honestly, they could be to almost any “god.” There’s often little in the lyrics to indicate we are praising the Trinitarian, holy-loving, Creator-Redeemer who offers salvation in Christ alone by faith alone through grace alone.

And listen to what you don’t hear much anymore in our praise choruses: Christology, hamartiology, and soteriology.

You say, “What in the world is ‘Christology,’ ‘hamartiology,’ and ’soteriology’!?”

Proves my point.

Christology: The doctrine of Christ–Who He is and what He has done.

Hamartiology: The doctrine of sin–human sinfulness and our inability to save ourselves.

Soteriology: The doctrine of salvation–cleansing from our guilt and sin by faith alone through grace alone.

I picked up an old hymnal just now and randomly thumbed through it. Consider the lyrics about salvation for guilty sinners in Christ alone.

The Solid Rock: “My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness; I dare not trust the sweetest frame, but wholly lean on Jesus name.”

My Faith Has Found a Resting Place: “My faith has found a resting place, not in device nor creed; I trust the Ever-living One, His wounds for me shall plead. I need no other argument, I need no other plea, it is enough that Jesus died, and that he died for me.”

Nothing but the Blood: “What can wash away my sin? Nothing but the blood of Jesus. What can make me whole again? Nothing but the blood of Jesus. Oh precious is the flow that makes me white as snow; no other fount I know, nothing but the blood of Jesus.”

Grace Greater Than Our Sin: “Marvelous grace of our loving Lord, grace that exceeds our sin and our guilt, yonder on Calvary’s mount outpoured, there where the blood of the lamb was spilt. Grace, grace, grace that will pardon and cleanse within, grace, grace, God’s grace, grace that is greater than all my sin.”

There Is a Fountain: “There is a fountain filled with blood drawn from Immanuel’s veins; and sinners plunged beneath that flood, lose all their guilty stains.”

We don’t sing about blood, about guilt, about sin and sinners much anymore. We don’t sing about Christ and salvation by faith through grace much anymore.

We sing about an anonymous, nameless God who is wonderful and loves us. And that makes us feel good. But does it glorify the Trinitarian God of the Bible who in holy love sent His sinless Son to die for our sins and to be raised for our justification?

I miss the depth of the old hymns.

Christ-Esteem: The world talks about “self-esteem.” But God’s Word teaches us about “Christ-esteem”—how God views us, sees us, accepts us, and loves us through Christ. Knowing how God relates to us because of our relationship to Christ is vital to glorifying God, defeating the lies of Satan, and ministering powerfully.

As you read the following summaries:

*Meditate on the verses and on the truth they share about you.

*Reject the lies of Satan about how God views you.

*Thank God for who you are to Christ.

*Select one verse/truth per day and specifically apply it to your life and relationships.

My Relationship to God through Christ

Matthew 6:26—I am are very valuable to Christ.

Matthew 9:2; Mark 2:5—I am God’s forgiven son/daughter.

Matthew 9:36-38—I am the Good Shepherd’s shepherded sheep.

Matthew 10:31; Luke 12:7—I am of great worth to God.

Matthew 12:12—I am of much value to Christ.

Matthew 18:10-14—I am God’s precious, protected little one.

Mark 3:34-35—I am Christ’s brother or sister.

Luke 6:35—I am a son or daughter of the Most High God.

Luke 12:4—I am Christ’s friend.

Luke 20:36; John 1:12; Romans 8:14-17; 1 John 3:2—I am a child of God.

John 1:13—I am a child born of God.

John 3:6—I am born of the Spirit.

John 3:16—I am so loved by Father that He gave His only begotten Son to die for me so that I could live with Him forever.

John 8:35—I am God’s forever son/daughter.

John 10:28-30—I am eternally secure in God’s holy love.

John 13:33—God says of me, “You are my child.”

John 15:5—I am a branch abiding in Christ the Vine.

John 15:9—Jesus says of me, “As My Father has loved Me, so I have loved you.”

John 15:14—Jesus says to me, “You are my friend.”

John 15:15—Jesus says to me, “I no longer call you servant, but friend.”

John 16:27—Jesus whispers to me, “The Father Himself loves you.”

John 17:23—Jesus says of me, “The Father loves you as He loves me.”

Note: Excerpted from Soul Physicians: http://bit.ly/7vaE

Note: Knowing our identity in Christ is vital to glorifying God, defeating the lies of Satan, and ministering powerfully. As you read the following summaries:

*Meditate on the associated verses and on the truth they share about you.

*Reject the lies of Satan about your identity.

*Thank God for who you are in Christ.

*Select one verse/truth per day and specifically apply it to your life and relationships.

My Identity in Christ

Romans 6:8—I live with Christ.

Romans 6:11—I am dead to sin.

Romans 6:11—I am alive to God.

Romans 6:13—I have been brought from spiritual death to spiritual life.

Romans 6:14—Sin shall not be my master.

Romans 6:14—I am not under law, but under grace.

Romans 6:18, 22—I have been set free from sin.

Romans 6:19—I am a slave to righteousness, righteousness masters my being.

Romans 6:22—I am a slave to God.

Romans 7:4—I have died to the law.

Romans 7:6—I serve Christ in the new way of the Spirit.

Romans 7:22—My inner being delights in God’s law—His holy standards.

Romans 7:25—In my innermost mind, I am a slave to God’s law.

Romans 8:1—I will never suffer condemnation because I am in Christ.

Romans 8:2—I am set free from the law of sin and death in Christ.

Romans 8:4—I have met the righteous requirements of the law in Christ.

Romans 8:5—My mindset is on spiritual affections and passions.

Romans 8:9—I am not controlled by the flesh, but I am controlled by the Spirit.

Romans 8:29—I am predestined to be conformed to the image of the Son.

Romans 8:37—I am more than a conqueror in Christ.

Romans 9:23—I have been prepared in advance by God to be glorious.

Romans 10:9, 10, 13—I am saved in Christ.

Romans 15:14—I am full of goodness in Christ.

Romans 15:14—I am complete in knowledge in Christ.

Romans 15:14—I am competent to disciple others in Christ.

Romans 15:16—I am sanctified by the Holy Spirit.

Romans 15:16—I am acceptable to God in Christ.

Note: Excerpted from Soul Physicians: http://tinyurl.com/d8grf6

Note: Knowing our identity in Christ is vital to glorifying God, defeating the lies of Satan, and ministering powerfully. As you read the following summaries:

*Meditate on the associated verses and on the truth they share about you.

*Reject the lies of Satan about your identity.

*Thank God for who you are in Christ.

*Select one verse/truth per day and specifically apply it to your life and relationships.

My Identity in Christ

John 15:11—My joy is complete in Christ.

John 16:33—I have overcome the world in Christ.

John 17:16—I am not of this world.

Acts 2:44; 4:32—I am a believer.

Acts 5:20—I have new life in Christ.

Acts 8:3; 2 Corinthians 1:1—Together with all the saints, I am God’s Church.

Acts 11:26—I am a Christian, a little Christ.

Acts 13:39; Romans 3:24, 26, 28, 30; 4:25; 5:1, 9, 18; 10:10; 1 Corinthians 6:11; Titus 3:7—I am justified freely and fully in Christ.

Acts 20:32; 1 Corinthians 6:11—I am sanctified in Christ.

Romans 1:6—I am called to belong to Christ.

Romans 1:7; 1 Corinthians 6:1, 2; 2 Corinthians 1:1; Ephesians 1:1; Philippians 1:1; 4:21, 22; Philemon 4; Jude 3—I am a saint.

Romans 3:24; 1 Corinthians 1:30; Ephesians 1:7; Colossians 1:14—I am redeemed in Christ.

Note: Excerpted from Soul Physicians: http://tinyurl.com/d8grf6

Note: Knowing our identity in Christ is vital to glorifying God, defeating the lies of Satan, and ministering powerfully. As you read the following summaries:

*Meditate on the associated verses and on the truth they share about you.

*Reject the lies of Satan about your identity.

*Thank God for who you are in Christ.

*Select one verse/truth per day and specifically apply it to your life and relationships.

My Identity in Christ

Matthew 4:19; Mark 1:17—I am a fisher of men.

Matthew 5:13—I am the salt of the earth.

Matthew 5:14—I am the light of the world.

Matthew 28:19; Luke 14:27; John 8:31; 13:35; 15:8; Acts 6:1, 7; 11:25-26, 29; 14:20-22; 16:1—I am a disciple of Christ.

Luke 24:48; Acts 1:8—I am Christ’s witness.

John 3:16-18; 10:28-29; 17:3; Romans 5:21; 6:23; 1 John 5:11—I have eternal life in Christ.

John 8:32, 36—I am set free from sin in Christ.

John 10:10—I have abundant life in Christ.

John 14:26; 16:13—I have been taught all things by the Holy Spirit.

John 14:27; 16:33—I have peace in Christ.

John 15:3—I am clean in Christ.

John 15:4, 5, 8, 16; Romans 7:4—I bear much lasting fruit in Christ.

John 15:5—I am a branch abiding in Christ the Vine.

Note: Excerpted from Soul Physicians: http://tinyurl.com/d8grf6

For those of you who have been asleep the past few months, or don’t own a TV, or TIVO everything and never see commercials, or simply are out of the “in” loop, the hottest commercial in the world right now is about the most interesting man in the world. Like lots of the most creative commercial, this one, unfortunately, is also a beer commercial. But before you’re offended, take a deep breath, keep reading. There really is a biblical point to be made…

The Mythological Most Interesting Man in the World

In the commercial, they mythologize the most interesting man in the world with such outrageous, hilarious assertions as:

You can see his charisma from space.

The police often question him, just because they find him . . . interesting.

If a monument was built in his honor, Mt. Rushmore would close, due to poor attendance.

His blood smells like cologne.

On every continent in the world, there is a sandwich named after him.

He doesn’t believe in using oven mitts, nor potholders.

His cereal never gets soggy. It sits there, staying crispy, just for him.

Respected archaeologists fight over his discarded apple cores.

He has been known to cure narcolepsy, just by walking into the room.

His organ donation card, also lists his beard.

When it is raining, it is because he is sad.

His shirts never wrinkle.

He is left-handed. And right-handed.

Even if he forgets to put postage on his mail, it gets there.

He is The Most Interesting Man In The World.

Not Myth, But Fact

I’ve never met this mythological man.

However, I do have a personal relationship with the One Who truly is THE most interesting Man in the world. Perhaps you know Him. May I introduce you?

He is before all things.

He is eternal.

He created . . . everything.

By the Word of His power He upholds the universe.

He was born of a virgin.

He walked on water and it wasn’t even ice.

He cured the sick.

He forgave the sinful.

He never sinned, not once.

He is the most fascinating teacher who ever lived.

He died for those who hated Him.

He is Savior, Redeemer, Lord.

Whoever believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life.

He rose from the dead.

God exalted Him to the highest place.

At His name every knee shall bow.

His love surpasses knowledge.

He sympathizes with our weaknesses.

He gives rest.

He offers abundant life.

In everything He has the supremacy.

In Him are hidden all the treasure of wisdom and knowledge.

He is Alpha and Omega.

He is the radiance of God’s glory.

He is God.

He is THE Most Interesting Man in the World—Jesus!

And You Would Add?

You who know Him personally . . . what would you add? Feel free to share additional testimony that you would you give about The Most Interesting Man in the World—Jesus!