Faith Baptist Bible College and Theological Seminary

Paul, the New Testament Visionarian / Dr. Marty Herron

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Description

Dr. Herron challenges students to consider what vision drives their life, using the Apostle Paul as a model of someone who saw what others couldn't see and was driven by what should be, not just what could be. He compares Paul to Leonardo da Vinci as examples of visionaries who made significant impacts on their world, emphasizing that God is looking for genuine hearts rather than genius.

Scripture TextActs 17:16-34

Main Points or IdeasThe speaker presents four "brushstrokes" of Paul's portrait as a visionary that students need to develop:

  1. He saw the world clearly - Paul observed Athens and recognized the spiritual need around him, seeing beyond the surface to understand that this world needed God. Unlike the varied reactions in other cities (Thessalonica resisted, Bereans received, Athenians ridiculed), Paul maintained clear spiritual vision.
  2. He felt it passionately - Paul's spirit was stirred within him when he saw the city full of idols. He had a "holy regret" over unrighteous living and was driven by passion for what distressed him spiritually. This passion should fuel believers to have the same burden for their generation.
  3. He connected spiritually with needy people - Paul engaged with both Epicureans (who sought pleasure as their chief goal) and Stoics (who pursued virtue through reasoning and self-sufficiency). He understood these philosophies still exist today and knew how to reach people where they were.
  4. He spoke the truth joyfully and fearlessly - When brought before the intellectuals at Mars Hill, Paul used their "unknown God" altar as an entry point to share the gospel. His message presented four aspects of God: His greatness (Creator), His goodness (Provider), His governance (Ruler), and His grace (Savior), culminating in a call to repentance.

ConclusionGod is not looking for genius but for genuine hearts willing to offer their lives to Him. The speaker encourages students that Faith Bible College is committed to helping them develop these same visionary qualities to see life from God's perspective and make a difference in their world.