Aaron Batdorf

Redeemed by the finished work of Jesus Christ. Assoc.Pastor of Discipleship @bigwoodschurch PhD Historical and Theological Studies @sbts

[Southern Seminary @SBTS]

102 books. One winner. Over $2,000 worth of theology written by Southern Seminary faculty.

Commentaries. Theology. Biblical studies. Ministry. Church history. Counseling. Preaching. Ethics. Christian living.

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In partnership with @Logos , we’re giving away a theological library filled with trusted resources for ministry and Christian scholarship.

To enter:
• Mark sure you are following @SBTS
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Open to U.S. residents only. Winner will be chosen and contacted Friday, June 5.

[Denny Burk @DennyBurk]

The elders of Cities Church have released a statement about the desecration of their worship service by protesters two days ago. Solid word from them:
--
A Response to the Disruption of Our January 18 Worship Service

Jesus is real. When we gather on Sunday mornings to worship him, we are gladly giving ourselves to what is most central and sacred in our life together. “We worship Jesus” stretches as the main banner of our church, alongside two other pursuits that flow from it: loving one another and seeking the good of the Twin Cities.

On Sunday, January 18, a group of agitators jarringly disrupted our worship gathering. They accosted members of our congregation, frightened children, and created a scene marked by intimidation and threat. Such conduct is shameful, unlawful, and will not be tolerated. Invading a church service to disrupt the worship of Jesus — or any other act of worship — is protected by neither the Christian Scriptures nor the laws of this nation.

We welcome respectful dialogue about present issues, and about how the realness of Jesus, as revealed in the Bible, provides the only final answers to the world’s most complex and intractable problems.

Jesus Christ, the divine Son of God, lived, died, and rose again for the rescue of all who put their faith in him. He offers a love that transcends cultures, borders, policies, and politics. As those who have been loved and rescued by him, we will not shrink from worshiping Jesus, nor will we stop “teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Messiah” (Acts 5:42). Church buildings are meant to be places of peace and solace, where worshipers can hear and live out this message. We therefore call on local, state, and national leaders to protect this fundamental right. We are evaluating next steps with our legal counsel.

– the Elders of Cities Church

[Andrew T. Walker @AndrewTWalker]

Someone needs to explain to me why Don Lemon would not be in handcuffs by the close of business today for violating the FACE Act. There's video evidence of him egging the protestors on, glorying in the trauma (his own words) of those fleeing, and celebrating this ruse as a "constitutional right" (it's not). If we're serious about law and order, he would make an excellent example of reaping what you sow.

[Andy Naselli @AndyNaselli]

This photo is from January 5, 2025, when Christ the King Church first covenanted as a church. @jonathanparnell, lead pastor of Cities Church, has his hand on my shoulder as a group of pastors from the Minneapolis area are commissioning the pastors of our church. Cities Church is one of three churches that helped to plant our church.

1. I agree with what Denny Burk writes here about the shameful protestors who blasphemously trespassed a worship service for Cities Church on Sunday morning: https://t.co/IaWZKjnAQU. Albert Mohler addresses the issue on The Briefing: https://t.co/j4OgdU825G.

2. I commend @joe_rigney's article “A Brazen Invasion of Christian Worship: The Left’s New Tactic Is to Disrupt the Church,” https://t.co/5YM1SRXSUi. Joe and I discuss praying for ICE in this interview: https://t.co/Q9tCxpnlt1.

[NotKennyRogers @NotKennyRogers]

"To be perfectly honest, even I'm a little creeped out by what Don Lemon did today." - Satan

[Colin J. Smothers @colinsmo]

You might not be interested in the culture war. But the culture war is interested in you.

[Andrew T. Walker @AndrewTWalker]

It's likely the Leftist radicals that interrupted a church service in Minneapolis violated the FACE Act of 1994. I hope @CivilRights under @AAGDhillon prosecutes the alleged offenders.

[Albert Mohler @albertmohler]

I normally do not post to social media on the Lord’s Day, but the unspeakably evil intrusion of a leftist mob into a Christian worship service today in Minneapolis must be called out for what it is—and Federal authorities should be fast and effective in response.

[Aaron Batdorf @abat08]

@aaronpswain I'd love to check this out!

[Mitch Chase @mitchellchase]

9 recommendations for Bible reading in 2026.

1. Set a time and make a plan. Your Bible will not crawl into your lap. If you don't plan well, lesser things will crowd out greater things.

2. Read slowly. What's the rush? Being fast is not the goal.

3. Leave time to ponder and reflect. Meditation is how we chew the cud.

4. Underline and write. Take notes in the margins, circle things that stand out, even keep a journal with more extended thoughts and questions.

5. Identify verses to memorize. Memorization increases internalization. Hide the Word in your heart.

6. Find places in Scripture that are easy for you to ignore. All of Scripture is God-breathed, so let's read like that's true.

7. Pair Bible-reading and prayer together. Do what Don Whitney calls "praying the Bible." Let what you're reading inform how and what you pray.

8. Read large chunks. Maybe you can't do this every day. But what if you had goals to read through certain Bible books in a single sitting? Take an afternoon and read through Matthew or Isaiah or Proverbs or Revelation.

9. Remember the kind of Book you're reading. The Bible isn't like any other book. It is the inspired, authoritative revelation of the true and living God.

[Dane Ortlund @daneortlund]

Young men,

If you will learn early on how to:

- shake a hand
- look people in the eye
- ask a question
- listen
- stand up straight
- be on time (pro tip: early = on time)

...you will be in the top 3% of your peers before anyone cares at all what your grades are, what you do for work, how strong or good-looking you are, how much money you make, what you drive, or who your family is.

We could add more skills. How to have a conversation, introduce yourself, apologize, read a book, and more. These are hugely important too. But they are harder. The above bullet points are B-A-S-I-C and easily learned.

Rudimentary inter-personal skills are rarer with each passing year and those who receive basic coaching in this arena of life strongly stand out.

[Denny Burk @DennyBurk]

Co-sign.

[Wes Huff @WesleyLHuff]

Biblically, a “pastor,” “elder,” and “bishop” are 3 words for the same thing.

In the New Testament, the terms “elder,” (πρεσβύτερος), “bishop,” and “overseer” (ἐπίσκοπος) are essentially interchangeable, referring to the same leadership role in the early church. “Elder” stems from the Jewish context and “bishop” from the Greek term, both essentially meaning an overseer. The slight nuance is that qualifications for an “elder” stipulate standards of character, emphasizing a wise, mature leader who is respected, while “overseer” and “pastor” describe the functional aspects of leading and shepherding. The word “pastor” originates from the Old French “pastour” meaning “herdsman or shepherd”, a derivative of virtually the same word in Latin.

The three-tiered ecclesiastical system that eventually separated bishops, elders, and pastoral roles only emerged in the 2nd century, specifically in the writings of Ignatius, who first distinguished the overseer as the sole head of the city-church. Earlier writings like 1 Clement and the Didache still used the terms interchangeably.

[Will Standridge II @WillStandridge]

I want to talk about something that’s been quietly bothering me in the SBC for a while.

It started when I was in seminary, but it’s gotten worse since I left. I think it’s reaching a breaking point. 🧵

[Justin Taylor @between2worlds]

Looking forward to seeing many of you at ETS in Boston in November!

[Center for Baptist Leadership @BaptistLeaders]

Pastor @ErikReed boldly putting an end to the "both sides" arguments we've seen from many Christians over the last few weeks and calling out the Democrats for being at war with "creational reality."

"We are living in a world where there are two different visions for what kind of society we want to live in.

And if Christ is not in the foundations of what we're doing with our vision for the future, if the Christian foundation and worldview that made our country great to begin with is not there, and everybody's just doing what's right in their own eyes, you can guarantee chaos will ensue.

We are choosing between two distinct futures. They are not the same. Our two political parties in our country are not morally equivalent to each other...

I am not baptizing the Republican Party. They did not come from Mount Sinai on high from God to say 'Thus saith the Lord.'

But the current state of the Democratic Party, as they are...they are a party at war with creational realities every day. Creational realities.

They are at war about what it means to be a man or a woman, about marriage, about sexuality, about who has the right to live in a womb. They are at war with life and prosperity.

There is one side in particular with a progressive ideology that not only tried to suppress the story of the young woman in Charlotte, but who celebrated, both in the media and with college professors and many others, the death of a man whose beliefs they did not hold...

And if you're more concerned with what I've just said in the last two or three minutes, about sounding partisan, than you are concerned about the reality of what's actually happening in our society right now, you have lost the plot."

[Libs of TikTok @libsoftiktok]

This is probably the most powerful video you will see all year.

Every American needs to watch this:

[Aaron Batdorf @abat08]

Thanks, @squirrellyjoes! Looking forward to getting into these!

[🌷 LIZZIE🌷 @farmingandJesus]

If you see a comment that fills you with anger respond with this video…. This is the only response that truly matters. Save the video and use it, let’s expand his legacy and the gospel he preached 🩷🩷

Let’s share this far and wide because the gospel saves. If we want change we need to make disciples. #CharlieKirk