What Is Clear Truth?
In October of 2022, our church did a series entitled, “Clear Truth For a Confused World.” It was a defining moment for our church. During that 5-week series, I taught very clearly what the Bible had to say about five important topics: Men, Women, Marriage, Family, and Society.
(I recently re-recorded those sermons and they are available here.)
During the series, I contrasted the Biblical truth with the prevailing lies of our culture and people were hungry for it. Our church grew 50% in 5 weeks. I’ve been doing ministry for 15 years and have never seen anything like that.
The results of this series, lately duplicated by two other pastors, were a sign of what is transpiring in Evangelicalism across the country. Many who are willing to stand and boldly proclaim the word of God from the pulpit are experiencing unprecedented growth and momentum in their churches. Even those who aren’t, are realizing that they’d rather be faithful to the word and lose people than stand in the murky-middle ground of squishy evangelicalism.
Part of the aim of CTM is to encourage pastors, everyday saints, and churches from across the doctrinal perspective to stand up and join the movement.
One of the pastors who ran the Clear Truth sermon series later quipped to me that the series changed his church and not just because of numeric growth but because of the line in the sand that had been drawn; from now on they would be a Clear Truth Church.
(If you find yourself homeless right now as a church, we’d love for you to explore our network. For this inquiry, or if you’d like to use the series outlines, artwork, and marketing materials contact me here.)
So what is Clear Truth?
The words of John 17:17 come to mind, “Sanctify them in the truth, your word is truth.” I also think of Jesus’ equally famous words in John 8:32 “...and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free…”
Truth, freedom, and spiritual growth are distinguishable but inseparable.
Clear Truth is the unfiltered word of God preached in a compassionate and bold way that calls people to repentance, transformation, and worship.
Clear Truth is what the prophets of old and the preachers since the Reformation have been doing. It isn’t mean, political (in the 2010s sense of the word), or angry; instead it is a deep conviction that God’s word matters and that only through His word can anyone experience redemption and live in freedom.
Being a Clear Truth Church means to boldly stand up against a culture set against God’s standard and to confront people from your congregation in their sin even if it might cause them to leave.
Being Clear Truth means championing moral positions from the platform even if other churches refuse to say anything. In October of 2023, being a Clear Truth Church compelled me to speak frequently about the egregious ballot initiative to legalize full-term abortion in Ohio. Despite my and other like-minded pastors' efforts, the amendment passed; however, a new wave of bold and awake pastors have emerged to arm their church with correct thinking for the cultural battles ahead.
Hebrews 4:12 comes to mind, “For the Word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”
The verse above reveals in part why people are so afraid of Clear Truth, because it convicts the heart and calls people to repentance. On the other hand, it inspires people to deeply believe the word of God and compels them to a life of service and sacrifice for the Kingdom.
What our churches need most is a return to Clear Truth preaching and teaching by pastors who are unashamed of the word of God and “rightly handle” it as they proclaim it to a hungry people.
We exist to serve that purpose and we’d love for you to join the effort.