Matt Henslee's Blog, page 22
May 2, 2021
Up is Down! Down is Up!
An exposition of James 1:9-11.
April 30, 2021
Addition By Subtraction? - Church Replanting
My latest article for the North American Mission Board.
April 26, 2021
Dear Southern Baptist,
I am not a missionary, though I have been on ten or more mission trips throughout the years. I am not a church planter, though I served as the worship pastor of a church plant years ago. However, your generosity in giving through the Cooperative Program fuels incredible efforts to plant churches and send missionaries across North America and around the globe.
Our church directly supports a few missionaries and a church plant, but I realize our tiny church, though generous, could never fund enough missionaries and church planters to effectively “propagate the gospel” on our own. When we link arms (and hands and feet) with our fellow Southern Baptists, however, we can. While I thank you for giving generously to your local church and thank the thousands of churches for their generosity with the Cooperative Program, I want to make it even more personal in this open letter of sorts.
My momma once said, “Money does not grow on trees,” and I even proved her right when I attempted to “plant” a dollar bill as a kid. While my church is generous to us with a parsonage and salary, my equipping as a pastor would be limited if it was not for you. You see, when you give through the Cooperative Program, you make it possible for people like me to get a first-class, confessional, and biblically robust education at one of our six seminaries.
Back in 2014, I enrolled at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary to pursue my Masters of Divinity. Your faithful giving cut the cost of over 90 credit hours of practical training in half. A couple of years ago, I enrolled again to pursue my Doctor of Ministry. Your faithful giving made that attainable, too. At SWBTS graduations, there is a page on the graduation notes with a “thank you” to Southern Baptists for giving through the Cooperative Program that helps folks like me receive a seminary education that does not break the bank or incur thousands upon thousands of dollars in student loans.
So, let me echo that “thank you” as a small-church pastor with four kids who is a better husband, father, and pastor because of you. There are scores of men and women like me who have been equipped in our six seminaries because of you. Without your generosity, many of us would only be able to dream of a robust seminary education. Instead, your giving helps churches across our country and missionaries worldwide by training men and women theologically to advance the Kingdom.
So, thank you. Thank you for making it possible for me to attend Southwestern Seminary not once but twice. Thank you for investing in the lives of near-countless men and women who have used that training to carry out our mission of propagating the gospel. Southern Baptists give a lot of ink to the work the Cooperative Program fuels with church planting (NAMB) and missions (IMB), and rightfully so, but as a (almost, May 7th is right around the corner) two-time graduate of one of your seminaries, thanks––from the bottom of my heart, thank you.
In Him,
Matt Henslee
April 25, 2021
God is the Judge
Our evening worship gathering, 4/25/21.
God is the Judge
An exposition of Psalm 75.
Prayer for the Storm
Our morning worship gathering on April 25, 2021.
April 19, 2021
A Model of Pleading
Our evening worship gathering, 4/18/2021.
A Model of Pleading
An exposition of Psalm 74.
April 18, 2021
Joyful Trials and Storms
Our morning worship gathering, 4/18/2021.
Joyful Trials and Storms
An exposition of James 1:2-4.
