I have for sometime, Fall 2010, have gathered my thoughts around the question, "How is the Scripture teaching me to be salt and light, in a polluted and dark world?"

Tim Keller, Pastor at Redeemer Church, New York City, in an article, wrote about the effectiveness of salt and light, according to Matthew 5.

Keller wrote, "In Matthew 5:13, Jesus also calls believers the 'salt of the earth.'  Before refrigeration, salt served as a preservative.  It kept meat 'renewed' so it did not spoil.  This metaphor is therefore a counter point to that of light.  The light metaphor is grander in its promise; blind people can come to see!  The salt metaphor, however, is more modest in what it holds out for us.  Christian living (like salt in the meat) is quite important to keep culture from degrading, but here we are being warned not to necessarily expect fundamental social transformation.  Salt is a more negative metaphor as well.  Salt in a wound kept it from festering, but it was also painful.  This means that Christians are to stand for truth and guard sound belief and practice, but there will inevitably be opposition (cf. 1 Peter 2:12).  Jesus is saying that Christians can influence and keep society from deteriorating, socially and culturally.  The salt metaphor also means Christians (like salt) must spread out and penetrate to be effective.  We not only affect the world as a counter-cultural community (light) but also as dispersed individuals who take the Christian message and worldview into every circle and sector of society."

At Blue Valley Baptist, our desire is to help equip people to embrace God's grace, and trust the Lord with their lives as being effective 'salt and light' followers of Jesus.  I believe, in the lives of Students, we can help foster, young "Timothy's" of the faith, to see the Lord's vision for their lives.  In turn, a culture, a society, a world, impacted for God--because we did what Matthew 5 taught us.  We help students, catch it!

JWes Crockett, Minister of Students