Emmanuel Baptist Rochester

The Spirit of Jesus

2010-12-20T07:07:00.003-06:00

From time to time I like to dedicate a little space to post a prayer from the compilation of Puritan prayers called "The Valley of Vision." These are some of the greatest prayers I have read and encourage me to pray for more than health and travel safety, but for things of eternal value.

LORD JESUS CHRIST,

Fill me with thy Spirit that I may be occupied with his presence.
I am blind - send him to make me see;
dark - let him say, 'Let there be light'!

May he give me faith to behold
my name engraven in thy hand,
my soul and body redeemed by thy blood,
my sinfulness covered by the life of pure obedience.

Replenish me by his revealing grace,
that I may realize my indissoluble union with thee;
that I may know thou hast espoused me to thyselfe forever, in righteousness, love, mercy, faithfulness;
that I am one with thee,, as a branch with its stock, as a building with its foundation.

May his comforts cheer me in my sorrows,
his strenth sustain me in my trials,
his blessings revive me in my weariness,
his presence render me a fruitful tree of holiness,
his might establish me in peace and joy,
his incitements make me ceaseless in prayer,
his animation kindle in me undying devotion.

Send him as the searcher of my heart,
to show me more of my corruptions and helplessness
that I may flee to thee, cling to thee, rest on thee,
as the beginning and end of my salvation.

May I never vex him by my indifference and waywardness,
greive him by my cold welcome,
resist him by my hard rebellion.

Answer my prayers, O Lord, for thy great name's sake.

Extras helps:

2010-12-01T16:54:00.003-06:00

This is the final installment of tips to parents from parents at EBC. I hope these posts have been helpful!

1) If you are rarely overwhelmed by the enormous responsibility it is to care for a human soul, you need to examine yourself.

2) Encourage any child's action that demonstrates effort in a positive direction.

3) The importance of "being there" for your children and demonstrating to them that they are important. Don't just teach them about God but help them connect with the Lord in a way that truly gets them to open their hearts to the Lord. Also ask them about what is going on in their lives and listen to what they have to say we jump in with suggestions. Every child is unique. Bring a child with you as you live your life. They will pick up what matters most to you.

4) Say "yes" whenever you can, and "no" only when you must.

5) Know when to pick you battles. This helps you determine priorities of what is important and what really doesn't matter all that much.

6) And last of all, do trust in God for all things, and do not lean on your own understanding.

What about discipline?

2010-11-23T09:44:00.003-06:00

1) Be consistent - don't say anything that you are not willing to follow through on - i.e. "I'm going to ground you for life!" or "If you do not stop, I will spank you".

2) Don't be afraid to say, "I am too angry right now to discipline you. If I did, I would just be responding in anger. I will let you know your discipline when I have had time to pray through my own anger."

3) Only give a command when you are prepared to follow through with biblical discipline if that command is disobeyed.

4) Respond to a loud or angry or demanding child by saying, "When your voice is the same level as mine, I will respond to you." (Of course, you have to be speaking in a calm voice!)

5) Spanking is not the only way to train a child. There are alternative discipline techniques such as "time-outs," "removal of privileges," "praise for good behavior," and they work. These alternative techniques actually elicit the same amount of grief, tears, and elimination of unwanted behavior as spanking did for me. This helps me be a better parent by forcing me to become more thoughtful in understanding why the bad behavior occurred, more empathetic in communicating to my children the wanted behavior, and more creative in devising ways to help them establish better behavior.

Parenting: Your Marriage Preaches

2010-11-20T12:54:00.002-06:00

What is the most effective parenting tool for the Christian? It is your marriage. Here is a great excerpt from the highly recommended book, Gospel Powered Parenting:

“This mystery [marriage] is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church.” Here is Paul’s point. From before time began, God had marriage on his mind. He was preparing a bride for his Son, whom he would marry forever. It would take the crucifixion and resurrection of the Groom to bring this marriage to pass. Think of it. God created the most intimate human relationship, marriage, to speak of the intimacy of his relationship with his church.

God created the institution of human marriage to reflect, or mirror forth, this eternal union. In other words, human marriage exists to point men and angels to the eternal marriage of Christ and his church. The gospel made this divine marriage possible. Here is our point: human marriage exists to preach the gospel. It exists to illustrate the fruit that should follow the preaching of the gospel in the church.

To whom do our marriage preach? Of course, the first audience is God and his angels. They watch and rejoice, or if our marriage is a war zone, they grieve.

Who is the second audience? Most of us think first about our non-Christian neighbors. Maybe they will see our attempts to model Christian marriage and want the gospel? They might, and we hope they will, but actually they are the third audience.

The second audience, usually overlooked by most Christians, is our children. What is our marriage telling them about Christ and his bride? They see it all. They hear our fights. They absorb our attitudes. They know who or what really sits on the throne of our lives. They watch how we handle resentment. They hear the way we talk to each other. They know when we hear the Sunday sermon and apply it. They also know when we ignore it.

The message that our marriage preaches either repels or attracts our children. God wants your child to watch your marriage and think, “I want a marriage like that, and I want the God that produced it.” Or, “When I think of the beauty of the gospel, I think of my parents’ marriage. I want to be part of a church that is loved by God the way my dad loves my mother. I want to be part of a church that finds its joy in submitting to Christ as my mother joyfully submits to my father.”

Gospel-Powered Parenting: How the Gospel Shapes and Transforms Parenting, William P. Farley (Phillipsburg, NJ: P&R Publishing, 2009).

Vote: Life or Death

2010-11-19T07:48:00.005-06:00

This article is quite shocking in itself. A couple has gotten pregnant and aren't sure if they are ready to be parents. The question they are asking themselves is not parenting or adoption; it is parenting or abortion. The adoption option seems to be missing. But instead of seeking out wise counsel, they have made an online poll and asked the public to make the decision for them.

Knowing what the human heart is capable of and how little our society values God-given life, it really isn't much of a surprise. It is especially heartbreaking to read a story like this when so many people, including me, have been waiting for a long time to adopt children. What I do find interesting regarding this story, is that as I listen to commentary on the radio or read it on the internet, everyone seems to be outraged; even pro-choice people. Suddenly a pro-choice advocate has a conscience regarding the life of the unborn child?

If the thing inside the mother is just a blob of tissue as a pro-choicer believes, then this is an amoral decision and no outrage should follow. But something inside them screams that it is wrong, and even though it contradicts their worldview, they still cry out against it. It is a child growing inside that woman. It is wrong to put this decision to public vote because it is wrong to play so carelessly with a person created in God's image.

I wonder how that baby would vote?

Fathers...

2010-11-10T09:45:00.007-06:00

Many folks at EBC have given input about about parenting. This post is about the importance of the fathers role.

1) A child's identity is formed primarily through their relationship with their father.

2) A daughter learns what type of man to marry from her father's example and a son learns what type of husband to be from his father's example.

3) There are two things that are guiding me as a [father]; the word of God, and watching other believers in their families. The more God molds me, the more different I become. God tells me in the word to encourage and discipline my child, and that I have authority over him. He also tells me to be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry; he doesn't make an exception if I'm angry at my child. I'm supposed to "let my gentleness be evident to all" (again no exception).

Parenting and church and the Bible

2010-10-27T13:47:00.005-05:00

1) I think the Bible is the most powerful parenting tool we have. It doesn't have to be used as a hammer - where you throw it in the child's face and demand that he obey it. But just reading it and giving the Holy Spirit the chance to sink it in can change a child's life. One time when our kids were in conflict, I just read 1 Corinthians 13 slowly enough for it to sink in, and the Spirit did the work through the word.

2) I was told once when I was going out or something “Remember who you represent” which means you represent Christ and your parents and family member's name. We tell our kids the same thing, kind of a good thing to make you think about things.

3) It is the parent's responsibility to teach and model the gospel to the children, not the churches.

4) Your child - whom you believe to be the cutest, most innocent being ever - is still a sinner who needs a new heart that comes from the shed blood of Christ.

5) Parenting must not be about having a child who makes you look good or makes your life easier, it is about making disciples through the gospel.

In the beginning…

2010-10-21T11:23:00.003-05:00

1) Let the kids "cry it out" a couple of nights, and they'll quickly figure out to go to sleep was pretty good.

2) Don't try to be quiet around a newborn. The sooner they get used to noise (and they can sleep through it) the better.

3) Don't sweat the small stuff! Little kids, little problems- big problems. Enjoy this moment of your children- living in the past or future will cause you to miss the now.

4) "Don't wait until everything is in place before you start living your life. There will always be something else to do or something else to achieve, and if you wait until it's all in place, then it'll be too late." – Work your career around your life instead of the other way around. Also, try to squeeze as much family time into every day rather than just waiting for the day I finally have a "real" job.

5) Parenting is a full-time responsibility. Careers, hobbies, friends, and comforts will need to be sacrificed to be successful.

Parenting - before you start

2010-10-19T13:51:00.003-05:00

The following suggestions are from attendees of Emmanuel Baptist Church, Rochester MN.

#1) Wait [a while] to get to know your spouse. Otherwise. . . after [you have] kids you wonder who the person sleeping next to you is?

#2) It's easier to give life than to give love.

#3) Early in our marriage, my Mom reminded me to take care of and invest in my relationship with my husband all through my marriage. She said someday your children will be gone and you need to be excited to spend the rest of your life with the man you married. It was great advice and at times hard when we were in the midst of raising children, establishing careers, etc. but I always remembered her advice.

The best parenting advice

2010-10-19T13:12:00.007-05:00

The current preaching series at Emmanuel Baptist Church is on Godly parenting. Current and future

parents were asked to submit their answers to the title question,

“What is the best parenting advice you ever received / implemented / or used as a parent?”

The next series of posts is geared to get your feedback. I will organize posts somewhat by theme.

Current series:

sermon 1) Godly parenting: The place to start

You must parent yourself before you can parent your children.

Sermon 2) Godly parenting: The objective

The goal of parenting is to prepare children to meet Jesus.

Sermon 3) Godly parenting: The discipline

Sermon 4) Godly parenting: The pitfalls

Book Review: The Trellis and the Vine

2010-09-02T14:44:00.003-05:00

Churches often start a program or expand their facilities with evangelistic intentions; believing that the new structures will help with sharing the gospel with the community. New ministry methods come into fashion as congregations around the country jump into the fad hoping it will be the key to helping their struggling churches. As is often the case, time passes and the church becomes more focused on maintaining the structure than on seeing the gospel grow in its people. The church’s attention becomes finding people to fill in the holes in the ministry or channeling funds to a struggling program. Too often it becomes more about the program than it does about the people.

This is where Colin Marshall and Tony Payne bring in the parable that is the center of their book The Trellis and the Vine. The vine is a metaphor for the gospel and the work it does in people’s lives. “The basic work of any Christian ministry is to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ in the power of God’s Spirit, and to see people converted, changed and grow to maturity in that gospel.” (pg. 8) The trellis represents the basic church structures that support the important vine work; buildings, committees, programs, finances, etc. The trouble, say the authors, is that trellis work tends to take over vine work. Many people are involved in maintaining the trellis, while the actual gospel work falls to a few. Marshall and Payne suggest that trellis work gets more attention because it isn’t as personal and threatening, and its ‘success’ more visibly measurable. Vine work requires much prayer and personal vulnerability; causing many people to seek more comfortable tasks. Whatever the reason for the out-of-balance focus, churches and pastors too often find themselves consumed with trellis work and have little time left for actual vine work. Our churches need to examine themselves and determine where our priorities lie: “Our goal is not to make church members or members of our institution, but genuine disciples of Jesus…Or to return to our parable – our goal is to grow the vine, not the trellis.” (pg. 14)

In The Trellis and the Vine, Marshall and Payne suggest a new perspective on ministry that will “change everything.” They say, “Structures don’t grow ministry any more than trellises grow vines, and…most churches need to make a conscious shift – away from erecting and maintaining structure, and towards growing people who are disciple-making disciples of Christ.” (pg. 17) Here they suggest a few directions to take that mind-shift:

· From running programs to building people
· From running events to training people
· From using people to growing people
· From filling gaps to training new workers
· From solving problems to helping people make progress
· From clinging to ordained ministry to developing team leadership
· From focusing on church polity to forging ministry partnerships
· From relying on training institutions to establishing local training
· From focusing on immediate pressures to aiming for long-term expansion
· From engaging in management to engaging in ministry
· From seeking church growth to desiring gospel growth

The emphasis shifts from programs and structures to people: “This is what the growing vine really is: it is individual, born-again believers, grafted into Christ by his word and Spirit, and drawn into mutually edifying fellowship with one another.” (pg. 38) The book then turns from outlining the metaphor to creating a vision for vine work; focusing our attention on the people God has brought into the church and developing godly character that will help them utilize the gifts that God has blessed each individual with. In a word, the rest of the book is about training. That’s what New Testament gospel growth was about; training new believers to teach and grow others into godly maturity.

Every believer needs to be involved in vine work. There aren’t two classes of disciples – those who abandon their lives to Christ’s service and those who don’t. Every believer is called to radical discipleship and disciple making. This, however, doesn’t mean that every believer is called to be a street evangelist: “While all Christians can and should be trained as vine-workers, not all will be gifted to minister in exactly the same way or to the same extent.” (pg. 85) But every believer must be involved in helping another believer to grow in Christian maturity which will help them better reach out to the people around them; in their homes, workplaces, streets, and extended families. The training emphasizes character, rather than skills, which will help disciples live as vine workers throughout their lives and not just in a particular situation. “Training Christians to be vine-workers does not simply mean the impartation of certain skills and abilities. Christian discipleship is about sound doctrine and a godly life, and so to train or equip someone to minister to others means training and equipping them with godliness and right thinking, not just with a set of skills.” (pg. 86)

The point of The Trellis and the Vine is to move us away from the mindset that when we see a need we must start a new program and then find the people to fill it. The book says we should pour our efforts into the people we have. We need to invest our lives into personal, mentoring/training relationships between mature disciples and future harvest workers to model and impart biblical attitudes and behaviors; not simply add another class or curriculum that we think is relevant to the current trends. A church must focus on training people in godly character who then turn around and begin training the next groups of people in godly character. Soon, every member is a minister and not everyone is dependent upon a few people to do the vine work because the vine is growing throughout the congregation. This can happen in a variety of trellis structures, but when a trellis no longer becomes helpful to the vine we don’t feel the need to protect the trellis when a different one would better help vine growth.
The Trellis and the Vine definitely presents a “ministry mind-shift” that is beneficial reading for anyone who is discussing church structure and ministry vision. The book presents a gospel focused training perspective that desires to see the vine grow throughout the world. It is a bold vision and challenge for disciples to evaluate their current preferences and traditions and invest in personal, and often vulnerable, relationships to see the gospel grow in the lives of the people around them.

Book Review: The Jesus You Can't Ignore

2010-08-02T15:24:00.003-05:00

Confrontation is completely out of fashion these days. We live in an over-sensitive culture where any conviction and certainty are viewed as arrogant and divisive. Even the church shies away from confrontation. We prefer sermons that are more “uplifting.” We have evangelism programs that are relational to oppose those outdated confrontational methods. In an effort to avoid offending any visitors, many churches try to make them as comfortable as possible and remove any mention of sin, repentance, and hell from the message. We appear afraid of any confrontation.

Confrontation is so despised that we’ve even imagined a Jesus who had never spoken in more than a soft whisper and never told anyone they were wrong. This Jesus must have walked around wearing a tie-dyed robe handing out daisies to everyone he met. The truth is that while Jesus had a soft heart and good news for those who were “already broken, humbled, and fed up with the life of sin” (pg. 1). But for false teachers and religious hypocrites He reserved the most scathing rebukes.

In John MacArthur’s book, The Jesus You Can’t Ignore, he investigates the sensitivities of modern evangelicalism and compares them to the reality of Jesus presented in the gospels. He says in the introduction, “The way Jesus dealt with His adversaries is in fact a serious rebuke to the church of our generation…We cannot be men-pleasers and servants of Christ at the same time” (pg. xv).

Too often we let our pride guide us in trying to please others instead of being obedient, even when it might cause us some trouble. We prefer to pursue a sense of unity at the expense of truth. A fear of argument or division causes us to set aside our call to discernment. “These days it seems the visible church is dominated by people who simply are not interested in making any careful distinctions between fact and falsehood, sound doctrine and heresy, biblical truth and mere human opinion” (pg. xxi).

John MacArthur, however, is not calling for us to seek out confrontation. “Generally speaking, avoiding conflicts is a good idea. Warmth and congeniality are normally preferable to cold harshness. Civility, compassion, and good manners are in short supply these days, and we ought to have more of them. Gentleness, a soft answer, and a kind word usually go farther than an argument or a rebuke. That which edifies is more helpful and more fruitful in the long run than criticism. Cultivating friends is more pleasant and more profitable than crusading against enemies” (pg. 19). But he explains that there is a time when clear, sharp lines need to be drawn out of compassion for those who may be deceived by false teaching.

In the familiar way that MacArthur teaches, the book is a simple exposition of various Scripture texts detailing Jesus’ confrontational style. Jesus kicked off his public ministry with a tirade in the temple against the moneychangers. He confronted Nicodemus with the hard truth that his devotion to Pharisaism was not enough to merit God’s favor. In fact, the sweetness of John 3:16 that we are all familiar with is followed up by a phrase that is not so sweet for the non-believer: “he that does not believe is condemned…” (John 3:18). “Let’s face it: the idea that the entire human race is fallen and condemned is simply too harsh for most people’s tastes” (pg. 63). It was quite the slap in the face to Nicodemus when Jesus told him that being a son of Abraham and his devotion to the temple and the law would still leave him guilty in front of God.

MacArthur also describes Jesus’ altercations with the Pharisees after His miracles, examines the embarrassing public rebuke that is the sermon on the mount, and considers Jesus’ final sermon pronouncing woes on the Pharisees; calling them “hypocrites,” “vipers,” “whitewashed tombs,” “child of hell,” and “blind fools.” MacArthur points out the significance that “the One of whom it was said, ‘God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved’ (John 3:17) made His last public sermon an extended message of condemnation.” (pg. 183) Because of His hard teachings, as Jesus public ministry progressed, His audience steadily narrowed to a small following and eventually was abandoned by even His closest disciples.

The message of The Jesus You Can’t Ignore is not for us to be more combative with our neighbors and fellow Christians. It is that every Christian has a duty to be discerning and to stand firmly on the proclamation of the Truth. Sometimes you will find the opportunity to minister to a humbled sinner, and at times you will find yourself in the middle of a confrontation with a proud, self-righteous Pharisee.

If Jesus is to be our example, then we must be bold as He was and be willing to take some heat for the Gospel. “His preaching had one aim: to declare truth, not to win accolades from the audience. For those who were not interested in hearing the truth, He did not try to make it easier to receive. What He did instead was make it impossible to ignore.” (pg. 160)

Too Much Church?

2010-07-22T08:12:00.003-05:00

This article brings up some interesting (and likely accurate) struggles in children's ministry. I have been wrestling a lot lately with the best approach to children/youth ministry as I am burdened with the problems discussed in the article, fearful that 80% of our youth aren't actually regenerate and will walk away after high school, and dedicated to learning the most godly way to raise my own children to fear God.

What is the best way to solve this?

I am becoming more convinced that the church has bought too much into the American cultural standards of education. We simply take the K-12 model of education, add Bible topics, and cram it all in on Sunday mornings and Wednesday evenings. Throughout Scripture and much of history, children were trained to be responsible adults and committed Christians through hands-on mentor relationships; the primary being the parent-child relationships. Children learned responsibility through working hard. They picked up language, math, and science through interaction with people and the world around them; not from a sterile classroom environment.

As I am learning much lately, the church isn't simply about a building and doctrines; it is a community of redeemed sinners who God placed in relationships for our benefit to grow in godliness. Many of the adults seem to understand that, but for some reason we don't include the children in the group. We send them back to the classrooms and nurseries to figure out mature relationships in a pig sty of immaturity.

The linked article continues to spur my thinking to find the most biblical, godly way to point children to a relationship with Christ that results in fruitful lives, not a program of songs and stories that builds knowledge with little action.

Adoption and the Gospel

2010-07-02T14:36:00.003-05:00

As my wife and I are moving through the long process of adoption, we have really been struck throughout our studying how beautifully the Gospel is portrayed through adoption and how central the Gospel must be in parenting. Adoption is about bringing a person into a new life and showering him with blessings that he hasn't earned. It is a picture of God reaching into our lives of brokenness and giving us new lives as His children. The experience has made me more worshipful; and we haven't even brought a child into our home yet.

Read through this article in Christianity Today from Russell Moore, author of Adopted for Life (which was reviewed here a couple months ago). He explains it much more vividly than I could.

Christians need to make adoption a priority, not only for the children, but for the Gospel.

Anti-Gay Hypocrisy?

2010-06-24T07:56:00.003-05:00

Recently, Minneapolis Lutheran pastor Tom Brock was "outed" by a pro-homosexuality magazine calling the pastor a hypocrite for teaching from the pulpit that homosexuality is a sin to be repented of while attending a gay support group. Setting aside the controversy over the journalism methodology (which makes the undercover expose appear to be backfiring for the author), I just don't see this as a case of hypocrisy.

Tom Brock led a church that was part of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). After many years of opposing the organization's liberal, gospel-denying tendencies, his church decided to leave the ELCA after last year's decision to allow self-identified gay pastors. Brock, who has a daily radio show on the Twin Cities AM Christian talk radio station KKMS, has spoken often about the drifting away of the ELCA and every church's need to stay faithful to the truth of the Bible. Publicly, Brock has consistently emphasized his committment to Scripture, including the truth of the sin of homosexuality. While I disagree with Brock on various theological issues, I believe he has stood firm on the gospel; including the reality of sin.

Because of his consistency in proclaiming that homosexuality is a sin to be repented of, I don't see how his attending a Christian support group for those struggling with homosexuality is hypocrisy. He is admitting his struggle with sin and seeking out help to turn from it. Many Christians need support in overcoming their bondage to various sins. Homosexuals aren't a special breed of sinner that cannot be saved. The cross of Christ covers all who turn from sin. This case appears to be an example of someone who recognizes his sin and is calling out to God for cleansing from that sin. This is not hypocrisy; it is actually quite consistent with the gospel Pastor Brock preaches.

NOTE:
For a gentle, biblical treatment of homosexuality, check out Matt Chandler's Seminar.

Book Review: Reasons We Believe

2010-06-15T09:17:00.001-05:00

If you’ve spent any time defending your faith or even simply listening to popular media, you have heard many objections to the Christian faith. These objections become so common that it is likely that you even here the same few repeatedly. Instead of seeking out answers that are available in a plethora of formats, they continue to promote the same, tired excuses not to believe in order to ease their conscience. But simply answering questions isn’t going to regenerate the soul in bondage to sin. Even with truth clearly presented, people will continue to “suppress the truth in unrighteousness” (Romans 1:18). Only the Holy Spirit through the power of the Word of God can soften a hard heart and regenerate the soul.

From this perspective, Nathan Busentiz writes his book Reasons We Believe: 50 Lines of Evidence That Confirm the Christian Faith. Throughout the book he simply presents what the Bible says and how it applies to a Christian defense. Too often in our apologetical zeal we are led down rabbit trails and forget that our aim is to present Scripture and proclaim the gospel. We get trapped in defending against insignificant claims or present “evidence” that has no bearing on the gospel. Busenitz does a nice job of using Scripture and letting the Word of God speak; trusting the Spirit to do the work on the heart.

Reasons We Believe is organized into six sections; the first as an introduction to faith that uses reason and five sections dealing with the evidence. The five sections include Reasons We Believe in God, Reasons We Believe the Bible, and Reasons We Believe in Jesus, and they are broken down into ten short sections explaining each piece of evidence to consider. Most of the chapters are only a few pages long, but they guide the reader to all he needs to know on the topic. Busenitz introduces the line of evidence, presents the Scripture that applies, and reasons through the effect the evidence has on our understanding of Christianity. Throughout its pages the book references a broad spectrum of Christian sources and cites them in footnotes that are helpful for further study.

While Reasons We Believe isn’t an exhaustive source for apologetics, it is a great place to get a summary of important evidences for the Christian faith and a good starting point for those who want to dig deep. Nathan Busenitz has written the book in a way that a person can either read a few pages to pick up helpful information or spend hours researching the concepts he presents.

The Trellis and the Vine Giveaway

2010-06-04T08:23:00.002-05:00

Boy do I need to get back to this blog. I have fallen behind with a busy spring and planning our adoption. This summer looks to be a lot more open to get back to posting and reviewing books.

One book I hope to review soon is The Trellis and the Vine. As of right now my book buying budget is sitting hopelessly at ZERO. Then along comes Mike Leake, and his blog Borrowed Light, offering to give on away for free. Enter the drawing and see if you can win (please let me borrow it to write a review for our church).

Book Review - Adopted for Life

2010-04-22T14:44:00.002-05:00

How many books have you read on the topic of adoption? How many books on adoption can you even think of? There aren’t many out there; especially very few from a biblical perspective. Going through an adoption home study, our agency requires a few books to study before approval for adoption; all books which had to be borrowed from secular sources. This is quite sad considering adoption is a much larger part of the Christian life than most probably realize.

Russell Moore has, through the sovereignty of God, been drawn to see the beauty of adoption through the painful struggle of infertility. Through the battle of bringing two Russian boys into his home, God taught him much more than what at first appears to be “mere charity.” Moore weaves his adoption experience and glorious biblical truths together in his book Adopted for Life: The Priority of Adoption for Christian Families & Churches.

Moore’s first chapter, titled Adoption, Jesus, and You: Why You Should Read This Book, Especially If You Don’t Want To, sets the stage for the message of the entire book. Most who are reading this think that they have no need to read a book about adoption as they are not going to be adopting any children. However, according to the Bible (James 1:27), true Christian faith is all about adoption. Russell Moore beautifully explains throughout Adopted for Life that not only is it a priority for every believer to be involved in adoption, but that every believer has already been involved in adoption.

The truth is, adoption is all over the New Testament; it is the heart of the gospel. Those who were once enemies of God – children of the devil – have been made to be children of God, heirs to His heavenly inheritance. Every person who has truly turned from sin and surrendered to Christ has been grafted into the family of Abraham, become a brother of Christ, and given promises that can only be made to sons of God. Understanding the relationship between the gospel and adoption will only deepen your relationship with your heavenly Father. “As we become more attuned to the gospel, we’ll have more of a burden for orphans. As we become more adoption-friendly, we’ll be better able to understand the gospel.” (pg. 18)

According to Moore, being adopted means “we’re part of a brand-new family, a new tribe, with a new story, a new identity.” (pg. 36) When we turn our backs to our old life, we embrace a new life as part of a new family, with new brothers and sisters sharing a new Father. Our old life has past and we look forward to a new inheritance in heaven. No longer do we call ourselves citizens of the world, but aliens in the world who have homes prepared by our new Father. Our ancestry is no longer German, Norwegian, English, Asian, African, but we now have Jewish roots in the line of Abraham.

Adopted for Life then expands on the gospel metaphor and begins to make it applicable to every member of God’s family. As James 1:27 states that true biblical faith results in caring for orphans, Moore explains that “a culture of adoption and a culture of evangelism coexist together.” (pg. 75) Adopting children into your home isn’t about filling your family, but rather His family. “Adoption is…evangelistic to the core. When a Christian family adopts a child, that family is committing to years of gospel proclamation, of seeking to see this child come to faith in Christ.” (pg. 181) In a world that sees children as a commodity or a burden, “Imagine if Christian churches were known as the places where unwanted babies become beloved children.” (pg. 79) As we combat the drastic effects of evolutionary philosophies, Moore wonders if “Perhaps the most practical way your congregation can show Darwinism to be wrong is to showcase families for whom love is more than gene protection.” (pg. 80)

If we desire to be faithful to God’s commands - both to care for orphans and to the Great Commission – the church will make adoption more of a priority. Russell Moore gives practical advice in Adopted for Life for individual families and churches to begin to be more obedient in this ministry (i.e. adopting orphans, providing resources, offering prayer, emphasizing adoption teaching, starting church adoption funds, and embracing the church as a new family). He brings needed conviction for stagnant faith that won’t leave its comfort zone. And he reveals the glorious joy to be found in being an adopted son of the Creator of the world.

Family Scripture Memorization

2010-03-26T18:25:00.004-05:00

Now this is a great way to memorize Scripture. I have had these songs stuck in my head for days. Very catchy. My 16 month old daughter loves them!

Book Review - Gospel Powered Parenting

2010-03-01T07:20:00.001-06:00

It would be an understatement to say that many books have been written on parenting. Thousands have surely been written in the last few decades. So why another one? William P. Farley says that it’s obvious by looking at the next generation that “Christian parenting is in disarray.” In his book Gospel-Powered Parenting, Farley addresses the concern that many in the church have: too many children raised in Christian homes are turning away from Christ.

The reason for this, says Farley, is that the church has forgotten that the priority of Christian discipline and instruction of children is that of the parents, not the church. He says, “The point of this book is that God normally exercises his sovereignty through parents who faithfully practice biblical parenting.” (pg. 22) “Effective parents equip their children to overcome the world – not by changing and controlling their environment (things external to their children), but by going after their children’s hearts.” (pg. 24) Gospel-Powered Parents realize the power of the Gospel to change lives and trust in the new birth to bring changed behavior.

The focus of Gospel-Powered Parenting is exactly that; the Gospel. “Going after children’s hearts” means that we recognize that children are born as enemies of God and they need the grace of God applied to them in the cross to overcome their sin. A couple of assumptions by many Christian parents can be deadly to a child’s soul: that they are born innocent or that because they participate in church functions they have received new life in Christ. These will doom a parent’s efforts to raise a child biblically. “New birth is known by its fruits, not by a decision. The most important fruit is hunger for God himself. Effective parents assume this, and patiently wait for sustained fruit before they render a verdict.” (pg. 30)

The first half of Gospel-Powered Parenting is a focus on the Gospel itself. The chapters explain the need for parents themselves to be bathed in the Gospel and then their responsibility to parent with a focus on the child’s eternity in mind. The Gospel is explained in terms of the fear of God, His holiness (and wrath), and God’s grace and love displayed to us on the cross. It is important for Farley to emphasize clarity on the Gospel as the remainder of the book explains how it is applied to parenting.

The final few chapters of the book are more practical in their help to apply the Gospel in parenting. Farley notes that there is actually very little written in the Bible about how to raise children. This, he says, is because “the gospel is the classroom that teaches us everything we need to know to become effective Christian parents. If we really understand the gospel, and know how to apply it to our marriages and parenting, we have all the tools we need to pass the baton to our children.” (pg. 46)
“Parents who trust in the power of the gospel teach it to their children. They relate their dinner discussion to it. They teach it through their discipline. They attend churches that preach the gospel clearly and decisively. They center their family devotions on it…They relate all of life to Christ’s incarnation, life, death, resurrection, and ascension. They read and teach the entire Bible to their children, but they always relate its parts to its center, to the gospel.” (pg. 184)

These more immediately applicable chapters of Gospel-Powered Parenting suggest five basic tools that are essential to assuring that your children hear and experience the Gospel in your home. The tools are: marriage, fathers, discipline, teaching, and affection. Our marriages preach to our children. They tell children whether or not we truly embrace the humility and forgiveness that the Gospel preaches. Farley says that marriage is the most important tool we have in communicating the Gospel to our children. Fathers become the primary model of Christ in the family. Both boys and girls learn their relational identity from their fathers and a church and family is energized by the servant leadership of men. Discipline focused in the Gospel uses “the rod” to awaken the heart of the seriousness of sinful rebellion and bathes children in loving forgiveness, guiding them to repentance in prayer. Gospel-powered parents recognize that it is not the church’s or the state’s responsibility to educate and train their children. No matter what type of education is chosen, it is based on the knowledge that parents are responsible to educate and evangelize the souls God has entrusted to them. Finally, Farley says parents should shower their children with affection, showing them that they truly care for their little souls.

William Farley’s Gospel-Powered Parenting is an extremely important book for all who desire to parent biblically. It is a reminder of the immense responsibility of Christian parenting and God’s design is to bring children to a knowledge of the Savior through Christian homes. This book points us then to the purpose of parenting: “Ultimately the goal of parenting is not your child’s happiness. It is not your happiness either. It is not their academic or career success. It is not your reputation. The goal is the glory of God.” (pg. 198) And it reminds parents to trust in the power of the Gospel to overcome our parenting failures: “So the gospel not only teaches us how to parent. The gospel salves the wounds of our imperfections, and it encourages us to persevere through our failures.” (pg. 220)

Book Review - Family Driven Faith

2010-02-05T10:34:00.003-06:00

Anyone who has some exposure to youth ministry is aware of the alarming statistics that reveal somewhere between 70% to 85% of young people will walk away from church within their first year away from home. An honest parent will admit that they are afraid that as soon as their kids leave home that they will be led away from Christ. Churches around the nation recognize the crisis and pour substantial resources into their youth ministries to attract and keep young people in the church. But as Alvin Reid, Professor of Evangelism and Student Ministry at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, notes, “The largest rise of full-time youth ministers in history has been accompanied by the biggest decline in youth evangelism effectiveness.” Something is drastically wrong.

Voddie Baucham Jr. has noticed the dilemma and attempts to explain the cause and offer a solution in his book Family Driven Faith. According to Baucham, “We are looking for answers in all the wrong places. Our children are not falling away because the church is doing a poor job – although that is undoubtedly a factor. Our children are falling away because we are asking the church to do what God designed the family to accomplish. Discipleship and multi-generational faithfulness begins and ends at home.” (pg. 7)

In Family Driven Faith, Voddie Baucham explains how he believes the rise in the youth ministry movement has encouraged the fall in the efforts of the family to be the primary evangelism, teaching, and training ground for children. We often feel like the spiritual training should be left up to the professionals or we are not properly prepared or equipped to teach children, but as Scripture repeatedly reveals, God has ordained the family to be the daily driving force in the discipleship of children. “[Many churches set] out to do for teens what God commands parents to do. It is not the job of the youth pastor to evangelize my child – that’s my job. It is not the youth pastor’s job to equip (disciple) my child – it’s mine. And it is not the youth pastor’s job to send my child out to engage the world; you guessed it – that’s my job too.” (pg. 177)

The bulk of Family Driven Faith is devoted to painting the biblical picture of a family. It describes what a marriage is to look like and how it is to be the primary relationship in the family as a foundation for the Christ-like love that is to be modeled and shared in the home. It illustrates a family that is centered around the gospel; focusing on exposing the sinful hearts of the children in order to guide them to forgiveness and new life in Christ. It portrays a family that is a place of love and forgiveness and is a safe haven for rest and encouragement that distinguishes the Christian family from the world. Family Driven Faith describes the godly family that daily worships, prays, and studies together building biblical, multi-generational faithfulness. Baucham writes personal stories and offers tips and encouragement for parents to lead their families in worship and devotional time.

The heart of Voddie Baucham’s message is unpacked in the final two chapters as he lays out what he believes to be the biblical model of the church. “While I believe the vast majority of those who shepherd segregated portions of congregations are well meaning and would never presume to replace parents in their biblical role, I believe the modern American practice of systematic age segregation goes beyond the biblical mandate…the church’s emphasis ought to be on equipping parents to disciple their children instead of doing it on their behalf.” (pg. 178) Family Driven Faith isn’t another program to complement the youth ministry; Baucham explains that it is a complete paradigm shift. It is a decision made in each individual family to take back the role of youth discipleship from the professionals and lead as God designed in the beginning: parents teaching and modeling the love of Christ daily and deliberately in the home. “This is a problem that must be addressed one home at a time. The answer to our current crisis is a renewed commitment to biblical evangelism and discipleship in and through our homes.” (pg. 189)

And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates. - Deuteronomy 6:6-9

Takin' It To the Home

2010-01-22T12:29:00.004-06:00

Jeremy started this monthly “Taking It to the Streets” column (as printed in EBC monthly newsletter) as sort of a journal to share his successes and failures in taking the gospel outside the four walls of the church as to be an encouragement to each one of us to do the same. And I am sure many people who have read through it have felt discouraged because they don’t feel they have the right gift or enough opportunities to evangelize. So we are going to look at evangelism, this month, from a different perspective; perhaps helping you realize an opportunity right in front of you.

One day as I was relating an evangelism opportunity at work to Molly (my wife), our conversation led to how I am exposed to more unbelievers so I have more evangelism opportunities. It seemed somewhat discouraging at first, but as the discussion developed, we quickly learned that she has been given a much greater evangelism opportunity; the awesome privilege to be a full-time evangelist to our children. And I have a full-time secular job that supports the mission field right in our home.

Before we address an application for you, let’s go back in time a few-thousand years to the creation of the world and to the beginning of God’s revelation of Himself. In the book of Genesis we are told that God created Adam and Eve to rule over the earth and then He tells them to “be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth.” We know that this is a more poetic way of saying, “make lots of babies.” But for what reason?

The reasoning becomes clearer as God’s revelation of His plan unfolds. The psalmist in Psalm 73:24-26 desired a good thing in finding his satisfaction in unity with God. Jesus prayed in John 17:22 that His people may be one with Him. The Great Commission (Matthew 28:16-18) tells us that our mission as Christians is to make disciples (Evangelism!); bring people into a relationship with the Savior. So as history progresses, we begin to see that God creating people and commanding them to “be fruitful and multiply” wasn’t simply to fill the earth with warm bodies, but it parallels the New Testament command to “make disciples of all nations.” The reason we have children is to make Christians!

For many of us, this will be our mission field. Some people are called to be foreign missionaries; some street evangelists; some full-time pastors; and most of us are called to be evangelists right in our own homes by bringing children up in the “discipline and instruction of the Lord” (Ephesians 6:4). The call to be fruitful and multiply didn’t go away in the New Testament, it was magnified; even clarified.

What a great responsibility and opportunity we have been given. We often get discouraged when we think we can’t be as bold sharing the gospel, but we are missing such a great opportunity. God has provided many of us with the fantastic privilege of being full-time evangelists right in our own homes. What other evangelist has eighteen years to teach and to model the gospel to his hearers? What greater responsibility do we have than to teach the gospel to those whose lives are completely dependent on us?

We Christians have far too easily followed the cultural norms in pursuit of the “American Dream” instead of living like foreigners in this world (1 Peter 1:1). We pursue worldly entertainment, wealth, and comfort while neglecting our call to be a peculiar people (1 Corinthians 1:18-28), sold out to making worshippers of God. The world sees children as a burden on their personal pursuits, a commodity to be set aside when convenient, a symbol of pride, or simply the next thing to do. The world doesn’t want to have too many children because it might cost too much money or interrupt career pursuits. Some will say, “A boy for me and a girl for you, then praise the Lord, we’re finally through!” We joke with people who have many children by asking, “Haven’t you figured out how that works yet?” But we don’t celebrate the honor we have to bring life into this world and to be lifelong evangelists in our home. Keeping up with the culture too easily distracts us from such a wonderful calling.

We should recognize the great blessing that children are from God and seize the opportunity God has given us to be witnesses in our own home. It was God’s created order for a man and a woman to marry and spend their marriage modeling Christ’s love for the church and making children who will come to know Jesus Christ. This doesn’t necessarily mean that you should have ten kids, but you should be asking, “How can I make it a priority for my marriage to fulfill the Great Commission in the lives of children?”

Here are a few ideas to spark your creativity:
If you are starting a family, consider what sacrifices may be required to make it a priority for creating worshippers of Christ in your home.
If you have children already, ask what efforts are needed to make the gospel the focus of your parenting.
If your children are gone, seek ways to support your children’s efforts in gospel-centered parenting and also encourage those in the church who still have children.
Everyone can be involved in children’s ministry. We are kidding ourselves if we believe all of the children in the church are believers. Become a gospel mentor to them. Children’s ministry is a mission field.
Seek ways to relieve the suffering caused by children being brought into this world outside of God’s design. Can you bring a child into your home through adoption? Can you provide support to a young mom who can’t afford a child?

When we hear of evangelism, we think of “Go, and make disciples of all nations” but for many of us it starts at home with “Be fruitful and multiply.”

"these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. 7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. 8 You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. 9 You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates." Deuteronomy 6:6-9

Book Review - The Potter's Freedom

2010-01-05T12:38:00.001-06:00

Since the beginning of man’s existence we have tried to understand the relationship between the responsibility of man and the absolute sovereignty of God. On one hand we understand through Scripture that God is in complete control over every circumstance most notably in the death of Christ for the redemption of a sinful people. On the other hand we also see in the Bible that each person will be held personally responsible for his own actions. Harmonizing the two concepts in the human mind has been a challenge throughout history since right after the time of Christ with Augustine and up to the Reformation with John Calvin developing what today is a debate between Calvinism and Arminianism.

In 1999, Norman Geisler made an attempt to reconcile these challenging truths in his book Chosen But Free. He put forward his understanding of God’s sovereignty in what he labeled “moderate Calvinism.” A year later, James White responded to Geisler’s book with The Potter’s Freedom: A Defense of the Reformation and the Rebuttal of Norman Geisler’s Chosen But Free. White, and many who hold to Reformed theology, felt that Geisler misrepresented the Reformed viewpoint, thereby making it look foolish in order to make Geisler’s view appear to be more generous. White says Chosen But Free presents itself as “moderate Calvinism” but actually expresses itself as an Arminian attack on Reformed doctrine (pg. 336)

The Potter’s Freedom is very well written and easy to follow for casual readers. While discussing a very in-depth theological topic, it is written in a way that is simple to follow, especially if the reader keeps a Bible open along side. The chapters are organized to discuss four of the five points of Calvinism (Total Depravity, Unconditional Election, Particular Redemption, and Irresistible Grace) and compare the viewpoints of Geisler’s and White’s in light of the verses that both men address. One chapter explains the Reformed view of the doctrine, then the following chapter answers the objections and questions many have with Calvinism. White does this with great detail in examining the debated verses by explaining the context and the meaning of the words in question. All of this detail is very understandable and helpful to most readers.

James White begins The Potter’s Freedom with an explanation of what he believes is the “vital issue”; who is the only being in the universe that is truly “free”? We like to believe that we have a “free will,” but White says God is the only one who is totally free to choose as he pleases. “God is the absolutely free Creator, the Potter, who has complete sovereignty over the pots, humans, who, as fallen creatures, find their wills enslaved to sin, in bondage and unable to ‘cooperate’ with any offered grace.” (pg. 36)

What does this matter to the Christian? Why should we care about such theological discussions? White says, “The Potter’s freedom is precious to the Christian, for it is the very basis of salvation itself. Our sovereign Creator is free to be the good, holy, merciful, loving God that He is.” (pg. 337) It is comforting to us to know that despite the wretchedness of our evil hearts which were at enmity with God, He freely chose to lavish us with goodness anyway. And since He changed our hearts from God-hating to God-loving we can be confident that it is His power that will keep us to the end and through eternity, where nobody can boast that the strength of their own faith is what saved them, but the absolutely free choice of a loving God who gave us what we did not deserve through the substitution of His Son paying our death penalty.

Book Review - The Gospel and Personal Evangelism

2010-01-05T12:36:00.002-06:00

You may be thinking, “Oh great; another guilt trip coming from another book telling me how much I fail at evangelism.” There have been many books written on evangelism and every time we see it we are simply reminded how much we fail at the Great Commission. Books range from different styles of personal evangelism to church programs to supplement evangelism to how to make your church more appealing to “seekers.” The Gospel and Personal Evangelism by Mark Dever is different; and quite refreshing.

This book is different in that while it does admit our failures, it doesn’t try to offer another program to throw in the arsenal. Dever simply takes a look at the basics of evangelism in chapters answering some simple questions: Why Don’t We Evangelize, What is the Gospel, Who Should Evangelize, How Should We Evangelize, What Isn’t Evangelism, What Should We Do After We Evangelize, and Why Should We Evangelize. The book simply explains what is so often ignored or at best assumed in most other evangelism books in order to “be an encouragement, a clarification, an instruction, a rebuke, and a challenge all rolled up into several short chapters.” (pg. 16)

The first chapter takes a look at the various excuses and complaints that keep us from evangelism. Instead of just offering a Bible verse to show where the excuse fails, Dever offers many practical steps to overcome our fears and move toward better obedience. It is not so much a rebuke as it is a gentle push in the right direction.

By far the best and most important chapter in The Gospel and Personal Evangelism is the second chapter detailing what the gospel is. Too often in evangelism discussions the gospel is assumed or lost in a sea of Christian clichés. After enough clichés are thrown around the message loses its meaning and ceases to be the gospel. Dever addresses many of these misunderstanding a paints a clear picture of the message, “our problems aren’t fundamentally that we have messed up our own lives, or have simply failed to reach our full potential, but that we have sinned against God. And so it begins to dawn on us that we are rightly the objects of God’s wrath and his judgment, and that we deserve death, separation from God, and spiritual alienation from him now and even forever.” (pg. 35)

“Christ isn’t just our friend. To call him supremely that is to damn him with faint praise. He is our friend, but he is so much more! By his death on the cross Christ has become the lamb that was slain for us, our redeemer, the one who has made peace between us and God, who has taken our guilt on himself, who has conquered our most deadly enemies and has assuaged the personal, just wrath of God.” (pg. 39)

And the response to this good news is often confused in our messages to the world. We like to tell people to “ask Jesus into your heart” or “accept Christ” while these are not the response commanded so often in Scripture. These may have elements of truth in them, but throughout the New Testament the response to the gospel message is to repent of your sins and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ.

Another helpful segment of the book is Dever’s chapter on How We Should Evangelize. Too often we get bogged down in discussions on which program is best or which method works for what personality style you have. Mark Dever explains here that it doesn’t matter as much which method you use but it is the message that must be clear, biblical and bathed in much prayer. We must strive to verbally (that means with words, no matter how much you try to state a falsely attributed St. Francis of Assisi quote) explain the gospel to all who will listen so that it provokes deep self-reflection.

Other chapters take a look at why evangelism is important, what should accompany evangelism, and how our witnessing attempts get distracted by things that aren’t evangelism; imposition, social action, public involvement, apologetics, and pragmatic numbers counting. In the end, The Gospel and Personal Evangelism simply encourages the believer to be faithful to tell the message no matter what the result: “The redemption of an eternal soul is one sale that we, in our own strength, cannot accomplish. And we need to know it, not so that we won’t preach the gospel, but so that we won’t allow the gospel that is preached to be molded by what finally gets a response!” (pg. 109)

“We do not fail in our evangelism if we faithfully tell the gospel to someone who is not subsequently converted; we fail only if we do not faithfully tell the gospel at all.” (pg. 112)

Book Review - Found: God's Will

2010-01-05T12:34:00.001-06:00

Most believers, at some time or another, have wondered what direction God would like them to go. Which school should I go to? Which career should I pursue? Who should I marry? It gets even more confusing when all of the choices we are confronted with are actually good choices. When neither alternative is sinful and both would be godly decisions, which one will ensure that we are in God’s will. “Most of us acknowledge that God has a plan for the life of every believer, but often there seems to be some trouble in finding just which way this plan goes at a particular juncture.” (pg. 5)

In the book, Found: God’s Will, John MacArthur believes that everything we need to know about the will of God can be found in the pages of Scripture. The responsibility we have, then, is to pore over its pages to find out what it is. Through this book, MacArthur provides a short summary of his research into God’s will and encourages the believer in using it to help make the big decisions in life.

Found: God’s Will is more of a booklet as it is seven short chapters covered in about 60 small pages, but it offers simple guidance into making decisions and assurance that you can understand God’s will. It begins by sympathizing with the believer because every Christian truly wants to follow what God says is best for them. Nobody wants to be left outside of the will of God, so we often become stagnant as we wait for a “word from God” or a “nudging from the Spirit” to guide us in the right direction.

As you read through the book, it becomes clear that the will of God has less to do about making right decisions and more to do with becoming the right person. “I’ll tell you what [God’s will] is. First, that you know Christ and then that your neighbors hear about Christ.” (pg. 15) MacArthur develops the theme from the first step of actually being a Christian and then becoming more Christ-like.

Becoming more Christ-like starts with becoming a Christian and being Spirit-filled. A Spirit-filled believer is a Christian whose mind is saturated with God and His word. The more you fill your mind with the word of God, the more you grow in your faith and wisdom and your decisions become more godly. A consistent biblical lifestyle is then created in you as you pursue purity, control your flesh, act mercifully toward others, and develop a submissive, servant-like attitude. A Spirit-filled, Bible-saturated believer grows tremendously in faith that is willing and able to confront the world and withstand the resulting persecution. “Are you willing to suffer for Him who suffered for you? Are you willing to confront the world? That is the will of God.” (pg. 53)

Psalm 37:4 says “Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart.” In Found: God’s Will, John MacArthur explains that God’s will isn’t about revealing the right decisions to you, but about who you are to become. This is done by studying Scripture passionately and obeying what He clearly commands. That is what it means to “delight yourself in the LORD.” Then, when you find your joy in Christ through His word you are already being led by God and you can choose the path you desire, trusting that He is the one who placed the desire in you. “The will of God is not, first of all, for you to go there or work here. The will of God concerns you as a person. If you are the right you, you can follow your desires and you will fulfill His will.” (pg. 60)

Book Review - One Thing You Can't Do In Heaven

2010-01-05T12:32:00.001-06:00

“Why is it that when we are in church or in a good worship time, God is so big and Satan is so small; but when we go out witnessing, Satan is so big and God seems so small?” (pg. 185) Mark Cahill, in his book One Thing You Can’t Do in Heaven, encourages believers with personal testimonies and motivating anecdotes to be more confident in sharing the gospel. We often find ourselves caught up in a wave of excuses when we don’t boldly stand up for Christ. Cahill tackles our excuses and replaces them with great excitement to be bold in our witness.

Each chapter contains a short lesson given to change the reader’s perspective on evangelism. Many times we convince ourselves that God would simply prefer us to sing praises to Him and have fellowship with other believers while we ignore obedience to the Great Commission. “I can guarantee that there is one thing you cannot do in heaven that you can do on earth. You can worship God in heaven. You can praise God in heaven. You can sing songs to God in heaven. You can learn God’s Word in heaven. But one thing you cannot do in heaven is share your faith with a nonbeliever. Why? Because everyone in heaven is a believer.” (pg. 17)

We often see evangelism as a duty that we must grit our teeth and bear through until we get to Heaven. Cahill encourages us with a story changing our attitudes from duty to privilege. He says that we must see evangelism not as something we have GOT to do, but something we GET to do. And when we understand that when we are persecuted for the name of Christ we earn crowns in Heaven. This helps us to realize that every time we share the gospel it is a win-win situation. No matter the response of our hearers, God is glorified by our obedience and we will be rewarded in heaven.

Not only does Cahill teach on evangelism, but he lives it. He has made it a personal goal to witness to every person he talks to. At a restaurant, on a plane, in the mall, Cahill sees the need for Jesus in every soul and he shares dozens of his personal experiences in the book including former basketball stars Charles Barkley and Michael Jordan. “How do you see people? Everyone around you is either dying and going to heaven or dying and going to hell. That is biblically true. What do you want to do about it?” (pg. 197)

Cahill says that the Apostle Paul tells Timothy “that there are only two times to share the gospel with people: in season and out of season. Any other time would be wrong.” (pg. 20). Every church member knows it is their responsibility to share Christ with the world, but we too often get distracted or afraid and convince ourselves that the time just is not right to witness. One Thing You Can’t Do in Heaven is a very motivating book to help you take your next step in being more obedient in evangelism. “Every breathing person you will ever meet needs Jesus. Those who are believers already realize how much they need Him in their life. Those who are nonbelievers most definitely need Him, for the rest of this life and for the eternal life to come. Since all these breathing people need Jesus, and you know Him personally…just go ahead and tell everyone you meet about the Son of God until you draw your last breath!” (pg. 90)

“In Matthew 4:19, Jesus said, ‘Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.’…Remember that if you are not fishing, you are not following.” (pg. 174)

Great Witness Example

2009-10-27T07:39:00.003-05:00

Recently, Florida Gators quarterback Tim Tebow has received some attention from national media types not only for his great athleticism, but also for his bold faith. It seems that these columnists, while respecting Tebow's athletic ability and his charitible nature, can't stand the the quarterback is so "intolerant" to believe that people who don't turn from their sins and trust in Christ are going to find themselves to be found guilty on judgment day.

Albert Mohler has a nice article discussing the interesting contradiction that the authors find themselves in as they claim to represent a tolerant attitude while being intolerant of unashamed Christians. While I found this to be both frustrating and somewhat humorous, what struck me is the fantastic, faithful witness of Tim Tebow is a great example to all believers.

We often find ourselves in a struggle to be a good witness at work. We want to be peaceable and respectful in the places God has put us, but we also want to be courageous to share some hard truths with those around us. We want to be known for our kindness and our strong performances at work, but we are failing as Christians if we don't take it another step and proclaim Christ to be Lord and Savior. Some people may be on the opposite end of the spectrum, only being known for their constant disruption as they always talk about Jesus and fail to accomplish anything significant for their employer.

Tim Tebow has given us a great example that we can follow. We should be throwing those around us into a great contradiction as they wonder, "He is such a nice guy and a great worker, but I can't stand how unashamed he is in his faith."

Overcoming Bad habits

2009-08-20T13:36:00.003-05:00

Life is battle. There is an enemy, some soldiers, and a commander in chief. The enemy is the devil and his legions who fight to destroy all that God our captain values. The soldiers are the Christians, who fight to trust God and be Holy before him. The good soldiers follow and trust the captain to give them what they need, to set the rules of combat, and to encourage and sustain them through to the promised victory. Sometimes, while fighting for holiness and obedience to God, the enemy gets a foothold, and we find ourselves regularly defeated in certain areas of the skirmish. These sins continue to defeat us and they become habits-- bad habits. Habits are hard to break. How can we fight the good fight? How can we defeat the enemy, not just in the end, but now, day to day, in the battle? How can we overcome bad habits? Consider and combine the following 12 helpful strategies.

1) Remember who wins
Begin a war you expect to win. Every true Christian is an ultimate overcomer. At the end of life, when God calls everyone to account for their life, the Christian claims the forgiveness offered by Christ who paid the price for our sin. We win the war against sin, God claims his own who have received him, and Satan is defeated forever and no longer will have any influence. Hebrews 10:14 says that God has perfected forever those who are sanctified. The battle is over forever. Praise God the battle term of life is short compared to the eternal length of celebrated victory. I am much strengthened in difficult situations when I know the outcome, and the outcome of the Christian is certain victory. Remember who wins.

2) Clean the slate
Repent of past failures. There is one kind of forgiveness offered by God through Christ and that is forgiveness of sin, by God, through Christ. Forgiveness is cleansing. Forgiveness is healing. Forgiveness is comforting. The forgiveness that God offers restores health to the soul and joy to the heart. That is why 1 John 1:9 says that when we confess, he “cleanses us from all impurities.” We fail in the battle, and we feel the sting. God, who is the final judge of our lives, forgives the repentant sinner of mistakes made in battle. He offers us cleanness instead. Sometimes, the guilt that follows sinful behavior actually pushes someone toward more sinful behavior or habits or addictions. Confession removes the guilt, cleans the slate. Confess your sin to God, keep the slate clean.

3) Stay connected to the captain
No soldier lasts long in the battle if there is not some ongoing communication from the general or captain or commander. A soldier would not know what to do, where to go, who is with him, and how the battle is going. Another has said well that prayer is not a peacetime walkie-talkie, but a vital life saving connection to the one who is in the process of securing victory for each true soldier. Talk often with the Lord. Seek him with your friends in battle. Listen for his voice in the quite moments. Know that if the communication with God fails, we will fail. The conclusion of the section in Ephesians telling Christian soldiers to put on the full armor of God says to “..pray at all times and stay alert…(Eph 6:18). Be sure to get your armor, don’t miss that, but get your instructions personally be staying connected to the captain.

4) Fight on the front line
Remove the pictures and memories from your mind. The real battle over habitual sin happens in the mind. The mind considers options. The intellect weighs out the options. The heart makes a choice, and the body acts on it. James 1:14 says we are tempted by
evil desires, then dragged away.” Desire is the battle field of the mind. We all have wrong desires. We are born with them. Most sins are contemplated and considered and desired in the mind before they are committed. That is why 2 Corinthians 10:5 says we have to “demolish” the arguments the mind uses to defend sin, and “take every thought captive.” We can change our thoughts. We can think about and direct out thoughts to something else. We can dismantle the false arguments the mind sets up to justify sin. Remember, “all a man's ways seem right in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs the motives. (Prov 16:2) Don’t always trust your thoughts, but always trust the truth. Take control of your thoughts and fight the battle on the front line.

5) Hold the right weapon
The scripture is the Holy Spirit’s most aggressive weapon in the battle against sin. Hebrew 4:12 says “The word is powerful (KJV) effective (HCSB) active (NIV). Scripture is profitable for training in righteousness (2 Tim 3:16). The Bible uses the metaphor of being washed by the water of the word (Eph 5). So, what truths are contained in God’s armory?
Sin happens Rom 3:23
Sin is very dangerous Rom 6:23
Sin can be forgiven 1 John 1:9
We must fight against sin 1 Timothy 6:10
We fight the same sins as others 1 Cor 10:13
We can say no to sin Rom 6:6
We get help from the Holy Spirit Rom 8:26-27
We can walk in the Spirit Gal 5:16 ff
We can deliberately place our affections Col 3:1-2
God prepares good works for us Eph 2:10
God is the place to find true pleasure Psalm 16:11
God is seen by those who are pure Matt 5:8
God can deliver from temptation if we ask Matt 6:13
Nothing separates us from the love of God Romans 8:39
We must know the truth of scripture to combat the lies of the enemy in our lives as we fight the battle for holiness. To win the battle for holiness, know the scripture to be your weapon, and hold the right weapon.

6) Remove obstacles to progress
Get rid of present physical causes of defeat. In battle, many obstacles make the victory more difficult. In the Christian life, the same is true. Some situations provide heightened temptation. This could be person, a group of persons, a lack of persons, a relationship, a store, a restaurant, a car, a magazine subscription, a collection, a hobby, a website, or a combination of these. If any person or object causes your downfall, remove or avoid the obstacle as possible. That is why Jesus said if your hand causes you to sin, cut it off (Matt 5:30). In other words, it is better to lose a good thing than to have it cause you to sin. To win the battle over sin, remove obstacles to progress.

7) Limit the availability of distractions
There are physical deterrents to victory in battle as described in point number 6. There are also distractions that come more in the thoughts than in the physical. If I have the goal of holiness, I must plan and think of a pathway that accomplishes that goal. Church attendance is good. Fishing is good. If my fishing consistently keeps me out of church, then my fishing is distracting me from my higher goal. Sometimes, we have competing goals, and one is a distraction to the other. Always choose to follow the goal that best honors God, even if the distraction is not a bad thing. This is why Rom 16:19 tells us to be wise about what is good. And that wisdom will teach us to limit the availability of distractions

8) Fight with a friend
Life can be a lonely place and even when you are with others. Loneliness is not overcome by being with other people, but in knowing others and being known. Get the accountability of a friend to fight well on the front lines. The problem with secret sin is that it is secret sin. Find someone you can share with in the progress of sanctification, and battle together. Ask them to help you do better. Ask them to tell you what you cannot see in yourself. A very wise person said that the wounds of a friend can be trusted (Prov 27:6) Make sure you have someone like that in your life, make sure you fight with a friend.

9) Prepare for a long battle
Sometimes I wish we came to know the Lord, and then he just took us to heaven, but he doesn’t. The battle is long and hard. The way is narrow, and few find it. Know this up front. There is no magic age where sin and temptation go away. They never go away, they just change their approach. Don’t lose heart. Progress in the area of lust may lead to a downfall in the area of pride. Progress in the area of distraction may lead to unloving attitudes. You get the idea. There are no quick fixes in the battle for holiness. The final battle for the soul is over, praise God! But the skirmishes last a life time. “So, we must not get tired of doing good, for we will reap at the proper time if we don't give up. (Gal 6:9-10) Friends, get your gear on, look to the captain, and let’s prepare for a long battle.

10) Know the heart of the Captain
It is critical to remember that God hates sin. Imagine if you will, you are out in a harsh battle. People are giving their lives for the cause and maimed and bloodied friends are the model of courage and faithfulness. Why all the dedication? Because, the enemy is very bad, and the captain is very serious. Jesus fought “the good fight.” Sin was so terrible and serious to God that Jesus gave his life to spare our lives. The same God who traded the life of his son for your forgiveness, does not now suddenly wink at sin. God hates sin. God punishes sin, and he has not changed his mind. To come to God for salvation is to begin a quest to know and love God. To love God, will be to share his heart—which is love for people, and hatred for sin. That is why the Bible says that one turns from evil by the fear of the Lord (Prov 16:6). We must never relax and think sin is not big deal. Sin was and is a very big deal for God. You will be helped to overcome in the battle as you know the heart of the Captain.

11) Bounce well
In the battle for lust, author Steve Arterburn coined the phrase “bouncing the eyes.” Every soldier in the battle against bad habits may be helped by learning to bounce. Not just the eyes, but the thoughts, and even the body. The same way a person prone to lustful looks makes a covenant with his eyes to bounce away from images wrong to gaze on, another could bounce away from a line of thought, or a piece of pie, or binge and purging, or a website prone to waste time. We are able to “bounce” from anything. A habitual over spender can bounce away from stores or the shopping channel. When the impulse hits, bounce!! Turn your impulse to feed a bad habit into an impulse to break it, an impulse to form a good habit.

12) Find a greater pleasure
We do what we do because we think it will make us happy. Pascal said “every man constantly chooses what he perceives to be in the interest of his own happiness; even the man who hangs himself.” We sin because we think it will bring us pleasure, and for a moment it may. But, the result of sin is not pleasure. Sin brings sadness, guilt, shame, and defeat. So the issue is not whether I am able to choose pleasure or not, but I do I tell my self the truth about pleasure? The truth is, life is found in God, his presence is joy, and in his hand are pleasures forever, not just a moment (Psalm 16:11). When I take more pleasure in obeying God and saying no to a bad habit, I am well on my way to victory over a bad habit. Pleasure is a slippery goal. Do I seek pleasure for the moment followed by guilt? Or, do I choose pleasure for later followed by …. pleasure? To overcome bad habits, tell your self the truth and find a greater pleasure.

So, now what? Maybe you don’t have any bad habits. If so, you need to find a friend to tell you the truth—right away! Seriously! So, maybe take a day to reflect on each one of these points. Maybe find an area to work on that will help the most. Maybe look for the lie you are believing and embrace the truth of scripture. Maybe find someone to battle with. Maybe, just go before the Lord and say, I want to fight the good fight, Lord, tell me what to do next and I will do it. And then, do exactly what he says. Now, there’s a good habit to get into!

PK

What's in the Shack?"

2009-03-31T12:04:00.002-05:00

William P. Young wrote a controversial book about his brokenness and how God reached into that pain and pulled him out. Since no publisher would take it, Young formed Windblown Media Company with a $300.00 budget and self published The Shack in 2007.

The book was not an overnight success, but after a slow start, advertised largely by word of mouth, The Shack made it to the New York Times bestseller list for paperback trade fiction, and has stayed there for nearly a year. Christian publishers apparently thought it was too controversial. Secular publishers passed because the content put it clearly in the ‘Christian’ marketplace.

Christian, secular, or otherwise, Shack reader’s opinions are usually passionate, and rarely consistent. The books polarizing effect is not uncommon in Christian or religious writing. One reader said, “I read and wept and slept and read again. Your work is a masterpiece! There are tears in my eyes and a lump in my throat.” Another wrote, “I got to the point where God is a woman, and I quit reading.”

William P. Young, who goes by Paul, said he wrote The Shack as a gift for his six children. A 12 year old girl said “This is my most favorite book that I have ever read,” others say “If you haven’t read the book, don’t.” One national commentator says “Stay out of the Shack.”

I admit I read the book mostly because of the controversy. I think Young is a good writer, and a not so good theologian. But, in his defense, I am not sure that he was trying to be a good theologian. If the book is a metaphor, as Young calls it, then it is a metaphor of his personal Christian experience. The book may be an accurate recounting of his experience, even if his experience contains theological inaccuracies. Some of Young’s analogies are helpful in understanding a relationship with God, others I think are not, because they do not echo the words and heart of God from the Bible.

My purpose here is not to discuss the doctrinal discussions common to reviews of the book, although I think I could make some defendable arguments. I wrote because I am fascinated by the controversy! The bloggers, the polarization, the debate over the book (even by some who haven’t read it) intrigues me. Windblown Media’s website even has their response to “Is the book heresy?” I want to suggest four truths we can learn, not from the book, but from the controversy about it.

First, faith matters. There is a general sense among many that faith is an important issue, and what I decide about faith does indeed matter. A book written as a metaphor of the best fast food french fries available would gather little debate, even if you hate the fries the author likes, because french fries are not significant enough to argue about. But faith is. The truth claims of most religions are considered to determine the eternal destiny of a soul, or a person. The passionate polarizing debate over a book like The Shack reminds us of the seriousness of faith related issues, and that faith does indeed matter.

Second, discernment matters. A book cannot be the best book about God and the worst book about God at the same time. The claims are simply contradictory. But to say the book contains some helpful truths about God, and the book contains some potentially harmful errors about God at the same time is not a contradiction. The way to know the difference between the two is discernment—that is, the ability to sort out and recognize the difference between truth and error. Truth is not what you decide is true, truth is what actually is true. The reading of any book requires discernment, and especially regarding issues as important as God.

Third, the Bible matters. The Bible is the best book ever written about God and the Bible is the best book I’ve ever read about God. The Shack is not. While some will certainly argue, the general consensus among Christians is that the Bible is the truth about God for man. The Bible reveals what God has done, what he is doing, what he plans to do and often why he does it. Those who argue against the Bible’s incredible claims have a hard time producing a more credible option. The primary source of information about God comes from the Bible, and Young certainly gathered some of his knowledge of God from the Bible. The Christian Bible is the best book ever written about God. The closer another book about God comes to echoing the truth in the Bible, the better that book becomes.

Fourth and last, popularity does not matter. The popularity of a book or a truth claim does not make it true. Simple history alone is enough to prove that entire populations have proposed and embraced serious error. The popularity of a book may have little to do with the accuracy or benefit of it. Christianity has historically understood that truth is usually unpopular. Jesus, the savior and model in the Christian faith, was unpopular enough to be hated by evil men who plotted and effected his death. The religion that is popular with all men is more likely to be false than true. One preacher said, “You cannot be faithful [true] and popular at the same time, you have to choose.” Whether or not The Shack is popular, does not determine its credibility.

So, what about the polarizing effect of The Shack? Jesus certainly polarized his audience. Many loved him. Many hated him. Polarization in religious circles can result from truth or error. Jesus’ audience was polarized by the eternal seriousness of his message, and he was the real deal. He was truth. Is The Shack polarizing its readers because it is true? Or because it is contains error? Discerning readers will have to decide. And remember, because faith matters, your conclusion matters, but the popularity of that conclusion does not.

My Crack at "The Shack"

2009-03-30T12:03:00.004-05:00

The Shack is the story of a man struggling to understand a great complexity in life. He has just lost his young daughter to a serial kidnapper/murderer and cannot see how a good God could allow such a thing to happen. He believes that a loving God would have stopped it from happening and feels that a truly loving God must therefore not exist.

The book describes this man’s journey as he returns to the place of his daughters murder only to meet with “God” who walks him into a new, broader understanding of the love of God; helping him to find peace from the terrible sadness that has overcome his life.

Throughout the book I found many things that were very helpful and biblical, convicting me in my own selfish desires. It was a good reminder that the world we live in has been destroyed by sin and that God finds joy in his plan to redeem it. Other things were more troubling as they seemed to contradict very clear teachings in the Bible. Some parts were just plain odd as I couldn’t really understand what the author was saying. Some of these positives, concerns, and confusions are listed at the end as I don’t have time to cover them and others have written extensively on them. The thing that stood out most clearly as I read the book, and what I cover here, was a misunderstanding of the gospel.

The Shack attempts to explain the wonderful beauty of the relational aspect of the Trinity. From eternity past God was supremely happy within the relationship of the Trinity. The sufficiency of His own relationship provided no need for the creation. However, because He had so much love to share, He decided it would benefit His own glory even more to create humans which would be able to participate in the love shared within the Trinity. We were created as relational beings primarily to be in a relationship with Him.

The beautiful relational nature of the god in The Shack and the picture of forgiveness described are very inspiring to those people who have had bad experiences with stodgy old religion, shallow empty churches, or hypocritical self-righteous “Christians.” It is a breath of fresh air to those who saw God as a boring, begrudging rule-maker who wants to make us into mindless drones on our knees throughout eternity chanting his “goodness.” The Shack offers us a picture of a future with God that is full of every beauty God intended in the original creation. Heaven will be a perfect relationship with Him, partaking in everything He created humans to enjoy (including much of which we can enjoy here in this world). This is causing many people to say that their lives were changed from reading this book. Their understanding of God was radically altered as a bright, colorful world created by God was opened up to them.

This is where I begin to be concerned. When a book gets praise for changing lives, it is much more than a work of fiction. The Shack is actually theological fiction, as it was written by the author in a fictional story to teach his children about God. The Word of God is the only thing truly capable of changing lives to be pleasing to Him. With as little as The Shack contains actual Scripture references, I wonder how then it can change lives. The few times Scripture is introduced into the book, it is for the god of the shack to move us away from looking to the Bible for godly wisdom.

We in America tend to do what makes us happiest instead of doing what is right. So many people claim this book has helped them despite the fact that so much of the book is wrong. It is so easy for us to define God in a way that is more comfortable for us than to listen to God’s own description of Himself in the Bible. We like to make ourselves happy by creating a god in our own image instead of asking God to reveal His true self to us. Readers of The Shack claim to have grown closer in their relationships to God. This sounds very spiritual, but unless it reveals the true God of the Bible, they are only growing closer to an image.

Suppose you want to have a relationship with me. You desire to grow closer to me. Someone has given you a book that says it will draw you closer to me. You read it, study it, and find that it has changed your life. It has made you more peaceful, forgiving, kind, and generous and you say you feel much closer to me. It tells you I love poetry (which I don’t), and that my favorite color is green (it is not). The book describes my love for astrology (not true) and gives you my phone number and address (which are not accurate). It says my hair is dark brown, that I am 5’10” tall and I weigh 225 lbs. (not even close). There is a problem here. While you may feel like you’ve drawn closer to me, you have only grown closer to a false image of me. When you tell people that you know me and that I know you, you are actually deceived because you don’t really have any idea who I am. This is much more serious with God, because if it means the difference between heaven and hell, not just being my friend or a stranger, then you will want to be sure you truly know the real God. Careful discernment must be exercised to find out if the god of The Shack is the same as the God of the Bible.

The story of The Shack is a dramatic telling of one man’s road to forgiveness and joy, but claiming to be a Christian story, it misses out on the ultimate story of redemption as covered throughout the pages of the Bible. The gospel is the central theme of Scriptures; the redemption of people throughout history from the consequences of sin by the substitutional sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross for the praise and glory of God. While The Shack does touch on a few of these themes, it also undermines (perhaps unintentionally) some of the basic, foundational aspects of the glorious gospel.

It is definitely true that we were created to enjoy the glory of God in a relationship with Him forever. However, we squandered that possibility as we decided we were more capable than God of determining what was best for ourselves. Our pride determined that we would seek our own way instead of trusting God to be the leader of our lives as He purposed in the creation. This is the essence of sin; that we rebel against what God expects from us as His image bearers.

The 10 Commandments are not simply a list of rules that God created for us to follow, but a perfect picture of the character of His holiness. [1] There is one God who has revealed Himself to us through the Scriptures. [2] Any picture or imagining of Him that is not revealed in the Bible is creating a false god. [3] His name is due honor and respect as it expresses His character. [4] The Sabbath rest commanded of us pictures the rest from striving to obtain his favor that we can find in Christ’s sacrifice. [5] Honoring our parents is a way that we honor God’s authority through the submission to the authorities God placed in our lives. [6] Murder (even anger and hatred) of an image-bearer of God are seen as a direct attack on His character. [7] Marriage was instituted to be a picture of the Trinitarian relationship and the relationship of Christ to His church; to seek for pleasure outside of this institution is metaphorical to seeking after false gods. [8] God gives some things to some and not to others. To take something that doesn’t belong to you is to question His providence. [9] To bear false witness (tell a lie) is to proclaim that there is deceit in the character of God. [10] God commands us to be content with what He has provided in life.

The god in The Shack claims that it has no expectations of people and therefore cannot be disappointed by us. Contrary to this feel-good expression, in the Bible God commands us to “be holy as I am holy” (1 Peter 1:16) and “be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Matthew 5:48).

As we look at ourselves in God’s perfect mirror of the 10 commandments we see that we are so far from perfect holiness that we are completely helpless to obtain His favor. We begin to recognize the deceitfulness of our hearts (Jeremiah 17:9) and that we aren’t good people at all (Romans 3:12). When people in the Bible were standing before God, they were fearful for their lives as they realized that as sinners they could not possibly continue to live in the presence of God. Moses hid his face as he was afraid to look at God (Exodus 3) and God hid him in a rock to prevent Moses from seeing Him and being killed (Exodus 33). Isaiah cried out to God not to kill him because he was a “man of unclean lips” (Isaiah 6). When Peter recognized that Jesus was God, he pleaded with Jesus to leave his presence so he wouldn’t perish (Luke 5). Guilt arises in us as we realize that we do not deserve blessing, but we actually deserve just punishment in hell (1 Corinthians 6:9,10; Matthew 25:46). The guilt isn’t all bad, however, as it drives us to repentance (2 Corinthians 7:10) and leads us to the good news of the cross (Galatians 3:24).

The good news of the cross is that Jesus, who lived the perfect life we are commanded to live, died on the cross taking the punishment we deserved (2 Corinthians 5:21). God’s justice and wrath against our sin was satisfied as He was pleased to pour out His punishment on His son Jesus (Isaiah 53:4,5,10). Those who repent and believe in Christ will be counted as sinless (John 3:16), but those who refuse to repent will not find their sins paid for but will pay for them on their own in eternal fire (Matthew 25:41). The Shack leaves the door open for those who deny Christ to still be reconciled with God.

Often times the love of God is misunderstood; pictured as God giving us a hug when we are sad or giving us nice things to enjoy. But the Bible always explains the love of God in connection with the death of Christ. “In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins” (1 John 4:9,10). Love isn’t a warm feeling of pleasure magically given to us by the Holy Spirit, it is God allowing our sin to be transferred to Christ and Christ’s perfection to be transferred to us; so that His enemies (Colossians 1:21; Ephesians 2:3; John 8:44) become His children and friends. How truly amazing that God gives blessings to those who curse Him and offers eternal life in His kingdom to those who drag His name through the mud!

Because God loved us by giving us new life (1 John 4:9), we are “born again” (John 3:3) with a clean heart that desires to obey God. His commands aren’t a dead list of rules to us, but a delight (1 John 5:3) as we are being transformed into that image of His perfection (2 Corinthians 3:18). We delight to read of His works through the Bible (Job 23:12) as they are the words of life (John 6:68). We enjoy the fellowship of other believers at church gatherings because they have also been redeemed from their fallen condition (1 John 3; Hebrews 10:25). We are now able to forgive others because we realize how much God has forgiven us (Luke 7:47; Matthew 18:21-35).

No matter what a believer encounters in this world, we know that God is working through the corruption brought on by our sin to eventually bring goodness into our lives (Romans 8:28). We can handle the temporary trials because we know that one day we will be welcomed into heaven where there will be no more pain and death (Revelation 21:4) and we will get to enjoy the pure loving fellowship with God without our sin destroying every relationship.

While The Shack does a beautiful job of portraying loving relationships and the need for forgiveness, it lacks (and often contradicts) the holy, righteous demands of the Creator, making Him out to be at times a helpless bystander waiting for people to recognize He loves them. It tends to bring the glorious God of all creation down to a picture of a really good human. The God of the universe, revealed in the Bible, is much, much bigger and more powerful than this. He is in control of all things, working all things together for His glory and the good of His children. He will punish all sin wherever it is seen. He punished the sin of those who trust him on the cross of Jesus Christ and He will punish the sin of those who refuse to believe in eternal hell. It would have been perfectly just and right for Him to send us all to hell, but He has chosen to lavish His goodness on many and to redeem them to partake in His eternal glory in the beauty of heaven, far greater than anything we can imagine. This is what makes His love so great, that we nearly insignificant people would be cared for by the infinite Creator even though we didn’t deserve it. Praise be to God for giving mercy and grace to some to enjoy Him forever!

Quick Thoughts Running Through My Mind as I Read the Book

Strong Points

· When we question God’s goodness, we act as ignorant judges, believing ourselves to be more righteous than God Himself (pg. 159)

· Forgiveness requires leaving God to work out His plan and not allowing bitterness to control us.

· God is completely satisfied and self-sufficient within the Trinity.

· The main character, while often disrespectful of God, is at times brutally honest with God sounding like some of the Psalms crying out to God for understanding.

· Papa sensitive to Mack’s lack of a good father, as God is called in Psalm 68:5 “A father of the fatherless.”

· Mack realizes that God is a lot more complex than he could possibly understand and needs to trust in His goodness more. All good things come from God.

· God is not to blame for suffering and pain in the world, but we are for our selfish God-dishonoring decisions.

· God tells Mack that people like to determine good or evil based on their own feelings instead of looking to God for answers (pg. 134-136).

· We are created in God’s image to be in a relationship with Him. Our sense of justice, love, and creative imagination (pg. 141) show how we were different from the animals, specially made to be in fellowship with God.

· We fear so much because we don’t trust God (pg. 142).

· The church that the world sees does not always represent Christ the way it should (pg. 177,178). Jesus told us there would be true and false believers mixed in with the visible church, with the false believers giving the church a bad name.

· God is not the stereotypical grandfather-in-the-sky. He is magnificent, beautiful, powerful, gracious, loving and merciful. Much more than we could ever imagine (which is exactly why the 2^nd Commandment forbids imagining or picturing Him as anything).

· Heaven isn’t a place where we are all wearing white robes, playing harps and chanting like monks for eternity. It includes everything we understand as loving and beautiful in this world multiplied by infinity. It contains relationships without sin, joy without pain, life without death, happiness with no interruption for sadness, complete use of our senses far better than we have ever used them on earth, expressions of art, music, dance, food, architecture, and science that we haven’t even begun to experience.

· The 10 Commandments aren’t a list of rules we are to keep to please God, but are a mirror to look at to see how far short we come up to His standard.

Weak Points

· There is a huge lack of Scripture throughout the book. The only times verses are brought up is for “God” to subvert the obvious understanding of the text. A good Christian book will be laced with Bible verses, especially in the parts where God is talking (read Pilgrim’s Progress). It is always dangerous to put words in God’s mouth as you may end up teaching something that is false and attributing it to the holy One of all creation (which is blasphemy). The Bible is discounted in this novel. The author represents it as a book of guilt and subjection rather than hope, encouragement, knowledge, and light. Scripture is downplayed as our source of God’s knowledge as personal experience is elevated to a source of truth.

· Anti-authoritarian – seminary, church, rules, structure, roles are all bad, not just abused by people, but essentially bad. The book says all hierarchy is a result of sin. Hierarchy is ordained by God in many things including government (Romans 13), Marriage (1 Corinthians 11; Ephesians 5; 1 Peter 3), and even in God Himself (1 Corinthians 11:3). Consistent with this anti-authoritarian theme, the author refuses to participate in any regularly attending church organization, directly opposed to a command in Scripture (Hebrews 10:25).

· Holiness/Transcendence is missing. God’s closeness/imminence is focused on to the detriment of his greatness. God is big, perfect, righteous, and holy. People in the Bible feared for their lives when they saw His glory. The Shack is missing the fear of God element (Proverbs 1:7).

· Mack does not act as though he is in the presence of One far greater than he is, but acts as if he is hanging out with peers. He uses foul language and snaps in anger at God. Not near the reaction of people in the Bible standing in the presence of God (Exodus 3; 33; Isaiah 6; Luke 5:8)

· God the Father and the Holy Spirit depicted as humans. Only Jesus became a man. God in the Bible never portrayed Himself as a human other than in Christ. He is spoken of as a consuming fire, a whirlwind, unapproachable light, etc., but we must be careful to describe Him as anything other than what He has revealed. Throughout the Bible the Father reveals Himself in masculine terms, not once as a woman. While God does not have a gender, it is dangerous to start messing around with how He has chosen to reveal Himself. The 2^nd Commandment forbids us from portraying God as any image; making the Creator part of the creation.

· God’s power and control over creation is limited. God is seen as helpless to overcome the sinful choices of man and is anxiously awaiting the day that people recognize how good they can have it with Him. God in the Bible is in control of all events, able to work good out of every situation and working to redeem those He has chosen from before the foundation of the world. It was His plan from before time to create people who would fall into sin so that He could redeem some from it by sending His Son to be a sacrifice. God’s purposes cannot be thwarted.

· God’s love and His justice are presented as contradictory attributes, where His love apparently limits His justice. The God of the Bible is just because He is loving. He will punish sin. He does not simply forgive sinners and ignore justice. He displays just punishment of sin on Christ at the cross; both loving and just.

· Papa suggests the word “responsibility” is nowhere in the Bible (pg. 206). While the English word may not be found in a couple of translations, the meaning of the word is littered throughout scripture; obligation and duty. Also misleading in this is that Papa says He won’t be disappointed in us because He doesn’t have expectations. He is more than disappointed in us; He is angry with our sin.

· The Shack claims that the Father was on the cross with Jesus, suffering with Him (Papa also bears the marks of the cross like Jesus). However, the Bible says that the Father forsook the Son (Matthew 27:46) as Jesus bore the guilt of our sin and it pleased the Father to pour out His wrath on the Son for our sake (Isaiah 53).

· Sin is downplayed and judgment is denied. Judgment is spoken of throughout the Bible and sin is an eternal offense to a holy God. God will punish sin (contrary to The Shack pg. 120) because He is offended by it. Sin is much more than its own punishment, it is wickedness in the sight of God.

· Very man-centered. It is not about revealing how wonderful God is in all of His glory, but about making man more comfortable with God. God is revealed in with human limitations. He is not portrayed as being very different than weak, limited humans.

· Papa says that all three persons of the Trinity became a man in Jesus. This is not an accurate portrayal of the Trinity. The Trinity did not become human, the Son did.

· The Shack claims that Jesus set aside his deity and was only a man completely dependent upon the Father. Orthodox Christianity says that in some awesome mystery, Jesus is 100% God and 100% man, not denying His godly nature when He became a man.

· Jesus says He is the “best way” to relate to the Father instead of the only way (John 14:6). Later Papa says He has followers in many different religions.

· The Shack teaches that all people are God’s children and He is “especially fond of” them all. The Bible teaches that we are children of wrath (Ephesians 2:3), children of the devil (John 8:44), and we become His children when we repent and trust in Christ (1 John 3:10; 1 John 5:2).

· Relationship with God is emphasized so much that it ignores that believers are also “slaves” to Christ (Romans 6:16-19) and that God does have expectations of obedience from us (John 14-17; 1 John).

Confusing Points

· Racial stereotyping (Jews with big noses, jolly African American woman serving in the home, Strange Asian woman difficult to grasp)

· Instead of saying that all roads lead to the Father, Jesus says that He will travel any road to find people. Compare this all roads discussion to the roads Jesus talked about in Matthew 7 where He says the road most people are on leads to destruction but the road few are on that follows Him is the one that leads to glory.

· In American culture, kissing is a very intimate (often sexual) expression. It is odd then that the Trinity is often found to be kissing (once on the lips). As much as love and sex is misunderstood in our culture it is a bit confusing to see it casually displayed like this by God in the book.

· Sarayu (the Holy Spirit) is a weird, hard to follow, mind-in-the-clouds person with not much of a purpose. I just had difficulty understanding the reason for the eccentricities described.

Helpful Reviews I Have Read

http://www.breakpoint.org/listingarticle.asp?ID=7831

http://www.breakpoint.org/listingarticle.asp?ID=7830

http://www.challies.com/archives/book-reviews/the-shack-by-william-p-young.php

http://mattandryan.wordpress.com/2008/01/15/the-shack-christianitys-next-big-thing/

http://theresurgence.com/the_shack_book_review

http://www.leadingtheway.org/site/PageServer?pagename=sto_TheShack_Uncovered

http://www.albertmohler.com/radio_show.php?cdate=2008-04-11

http://www.albertmohler.com/radio_show.php?cdate=2008-05-26

http://www.theshackreview.com/

PowerPoint Frustrations

2009-03-27T15:18:00.003-05:00

I attended a workshop yesterday on effective presentations and saw this video. I immediately thought of Jake and his love for PowerPoint animation.

A Witness of the God of Pink

2009-03-27T13:24:00.001-05:00

As one who has a passion to reach lost souls, I am often pretty hard on myself when I let an opportunity to share the gospel go by (it happens much more often that it should). I like to carry the books I am reading around with me, hoping to spark a conversation on the topic. Yesterday, just such an opportunity arose.

I have been digging through J.C. Ryle’s Holiness and two people asked me what I was reading. I was excited for the chance to explain the gospel and then quickly frustrated when I stumbled over my own words to the point where the askers were no longer interested. The exchanges lasted no more than 30 seconds and I felt like a failure. All I was able to do was state how awesome and holy God is, but not a thing beyond that. Then a new thought began to creep into my mind.

In my zeal to be faithful in evangelism I realized how many opportunities I had passed up because of my simple failure to be a Witness. Being a witness to me became the goal of explaining the entire gospel to every person I could. If I couldn’t get through sin, righteousness, judgment, heaven, hell, the cross and the resurrection, then it seemed to be a wasted opportunity. I then realized that perhaps I hadn’t failed so miserably; I did manage to voice my love for the powerful and holy Creator of the universe. So I began to formulate some definitions in my mind:

Witness: testifying to the work of God in your life in actions and words, crediting God for that work and being prepared to give an explanation for the hope that lies within (1 Peter 3:15). Webster says a witness is an “attestation of a fact or event” or “one who has personal knowledge of something.” So basically, to be a witness is to simply to serve in your life as an attestation of the fact of Christ’s work.

Evangelism: the term comes from the Greek word Evangelion; meaning “good news.” Therefore evangelism is intentionally explaining the command for all people to repent (Acts 17:30) and faith in Christ who died on the cross as payment for the sins of all who believe (John 3:16).

The distinction is where my frustration tends to occur. I treat every single mention of God as if it had to be a call to repentance. Situations worthy of God’s praise become challenging as I determine to turn it into a proclamation of the gospel. Quickly, a person like me with this outlook becomes perceived in a negative light.

Many people in my life know that I am crazy about my church and they just don’t get it. Whenever the topic comes up they quickly try to change the subject because they are uncomfortable with it. It is true that the gospel is a stumbling block (1 Corinthians 1:23 ) and the aroma of death (2 Corinthians 2:15,16) to those who don’t believe. The message is judgmental (John 3:18) and intolerant (Matthew 7:14), but I should be seen as a satisfied customer, no longer condemned and placed on the narrow way.

During a Q&A session at the 2009 Desiring God Pastors Conference, Matt Chandler discussed how we make Christ look appealing. We don’t water down or ignore the difficult demands of the gospel (sin, judgment, hell), but we also don’t forget to always proclaim the fantastic goodness of God. Chandler shared how his daughter loves the color pink, so he always tell her that God is the God of pink and they thank Him for that. How good, beautiful, and great is God that He gave us pink? He is the God of candy; the God of beautiful weather; the God who gives friends; the God of marital intimacy; the God who gives a giggling infant; the God of chocolate cake and whatever other simple pleasure we receive in life. Those we are trying to reach need to see our joy, the joy of our salvation (Psalm 20:5), and know what a pleasure it is for us to obey God’s commands (1 John 5:3). The more we display our joy in Christ as a witness to the world the more comfortable we will feel when we get the opportunity to explain that hope within by expounding on the details of the gospel. If you are afraid to be faithful in evangelism, simply start by proclaiming your joy in Christ more often.

I do not intend in differentiating the terms witness and evangelism to split any theological hairs, condemn those who don’t differentiate the terms, or start any programs based on the difference between the two. My goal is to encourage believers to live as a more bold witness, clearly living Christ-like lives while telling of His goodness in all things, which will lead to more evangelism opportunities, conversations with a clear unfolding of the gospel message. Too often we are afraid to obey the command to tell the gospel to every creature because we feel we aren’t articulate enough to explain the entire gospel. Instead of opening our mouths and simply testifying to the good work of Christ in our lives, we clam up and say nothing at all.

So here is a start; just try to be more deliberate to mention God and thank Him in front of others throughout the day. This may not be evangelism (by strict definition), but it lets the world know who you are and what you are about and may lead to an opportunity to explain yourself more. By then you will be more prepared for it; the gospel will be proclaimed more naturally as you have already established credibility and your joy in His power of transformation. You may be surprised that though you have been trying to reach a specific person for months, you may suddenly find yourself in a gospel conversation with a stranger on the bus simply because you expressed joy in God on a cloudy day.

Lesson Learned

2009-03-12T12:21:00.009-05:00

As I drove along my 90 minute drive to the Twin Cities yesterday morning a couple of hours before the sun would peak its light over the horizon a few thoughts rushed into my head. It was much earlier than I was accustomed to rising in the morning. After a few days in a row of above freezing temperatures, the mercury dropped and the wind pushed the wind chill down to 25-below zero. The rest of the people on the road seemed to be more affected by the early morning and cold temperatures as they couldn’t seem to remember basic highway maneuvering. Then God took this wonderful opportunity of my self-righteous pride to remind me of his spectacular majesty.

As I glanced over my shoulder for any oncoming traffic I looked to the dark western sky and covered in a slight fog, a full moon beamed its light through the haze to reveal a breathtaking sight.

The sight was brilliant. Dark rainbows appeared near the outer edges of the moon’s glow. The shadowy silhouette of the landscape on the horizon provided a beautiful frame for the painting in the sky. Then I quickly realized that had the weather patterns not been just right – cold weather, full moon, thin haze – and had I not been forced to be on the road in that direction on the morning of a full moon I would never have gotten to witness this marvelous spectacle. The things I had been complaining about were the very things that God orchestrated to paint such a beautiful image in the night sky.

Conviction hit pretty hard (though the guilt was softened by the thankfulness for the grace in the moment) as I pondered how often we complain about our circumstances. Living in Minnesota, it is a common pastime to grumble about the cold. It doesn’t take too much time on the road to identify someone who has violated our sense of righteous driving. We often joke about marriage being difficult or our spouse being stubborn while beneath the surface of the joke we are actually venting our personal frustrations. We use early mornings and late nights as an excuse for terse behavior. It always seems to be somebody else’s fault; sometimes we even blame God (see Adam and Eve in Genesis 3).

It is quite amazing that living in one of the most prosperous countries in the world, blessed far beyond what any of us deserve (anything but hell is blessing more than we deserve), yet we find every reason to be discontent with the way our lives are. I pray for more thankfulness and patience as I wait for God to weave difficult circumstances together for my good and for the praise of His holy Name.

Next time you find yourself set to gripe about your situation, stop and pray for a more thankful heart and look for God to use it for your good. When the weather is cold, thank Him for a warm house. When your spouse upsets you, pray for wisdom to respond respectfully. When a driver cuts you off, pray for strength to overlook the sin. When your boss gets on your nerves, look for ways to be a blessing to him.

We find it far too easy to complain when we feel our comfort has been upset when we should be praising God for these opportunities to show His work in our hearts to make us more content, thankful, and compassionate. Sometimes it takes a bit of a shaking from God to get us out of our comfort zone, to cast out our idols, to be more thankful and obedient to his commands.

I thank God that He used the beautiful morning sky to get my attention instead of getting swallowed by a large fish.

Totally Unqualified

2009-02-13T12:09:00.001-06:00

Having a newborn in the house has been very exciting and challenging; both at the same time. It is something I have dreamed of for years and now I am so thankful to God for such a wonderful gift. I have been planning for a while now what I want to accomplish as a parent while understanding my primary responsibility is to point my beautiful daughter to Christ to find righteousness.

Knowing that I certainly do not understand all there is to parenting I have undertaken much study on the subject. I have been reading books, magazines, and web articles and also comparing the methods of parents I see throughout the day. I have learned many principles to keep in mind and am reminded to keep Christ as the focus. There have also been many practical ideas discovered that will be very helpful in accomplishing our goals.

I must read to my children and teach them the importance of discerning truth while learning. I must bring alive the Scriptures to help them better understand its message. I must be a good example of godliness in their lives and not fall back on the attitude of “do what I say, not what I do.” I must admit my limitations and apologize when I fail. I must teach them how to respect others, how to be polite, how to properly handle money, how to be a good husband or wife, to be a diligent worker, to eat their vegetables, to respect the creation, to exercise enough, to be a safe driver, to study hard in school, to properly clean themselves and a thousand other things. On top of all that, they are born like us with a sinful heart that will rebel against authority and resist obedience, so it will take patient, loving consistency over a lifetime to teach only a few of these things.

I think of all that goes on in my life, what I have prioritized, what I believe to be important, what makes me happy, and I wonder where I am to find the time and resources to tackle this monumental task; especially in our culture where time is money and having a family, instead of being a blessing, is more of a burden on our career and entertainment goals. At one time moms were respected as the primary influence on the family and now they are chided for choosing to accept this God-given challenge as keeper of the home (Titus 2:3-5) instead of pursuing a career. I have much sympathy for the single parent who desires much more time to raise their children but cannot afford to. Even as one who’s wife is home caring for our baby, I am afraid we will come far short of addressing all that our child needs.

With this massive list of responsibilities laid in front of me the thing that weighs heavy on my mind is that despite all of this preparation and study, I am totally unqualified to be a godly father. I am not even capable of properly taking care of myself, let alone an entire family. Most of us have some history of personal sin (actions or thoughts) that, if widely publicized, would cast serious doubt on our ability to be a parent or likely even a functioning member of a civilized society.

But here I am with a daughter. Granted the authority by Almighty God to guide a human soul in the ways our Creator. Given the responsibility of caring for another sinful person.

As I learn more and more about my responsibilities, more and more about my own sin, more and more about the holiness of our God, I come to the realization that we are created to be wholly dependent upon Him. We can do nothing of ourselves, but we have been commanded to be perfect. That by no means implies that we have the ability to be so, but calls us to trust in Christ with our entire lives. Only He can accomplish in us that which we are called to do. Only He can uphold us, sustain us, preserve us to the end. I pray that He does exactly that in our home.

Praise God that He can do it all by the power of his voice!

Those Who Are Not Yet Saved

2009-02-11T13:15:00.000-06:00

While this is highly speculative, I wondered this morning if, when we speak of unbelievers as being "not yet saved," as Christians, we may implicitly concede that it is a decision that can be put off somehow. That is certainly not the case, and, of course, we know that ("Choose THIS day who you will serve;" "TODAY is the day of salvation"). I don't even know if it comes into our conversations with those nonbelievers with whom we are trying to share the Gospel. Certainly there is room for it in our prayers, and with other believers, since we know that God is drawing unto Himself a people from every tribe, tongue, people, and nation. And, we would trust in our prayers (as I did this morning) that He IS working, and will continue to work in people's lives, unto salvation. Nevertheless, I wondered, out loud, if this bears any resonance for you, my fellow "strivers in Christ." Just curious.

Praying for Our Nation and It's New Leader

2009-01-20T08:38:00.004-06:00

Today is the inauguration day for our newly elected president. We are commanded in Scripture to pray for our leaders and to submit to their authority, although we remember that we are citizens of heaven, foreigners in this world. President Obama has asked Rick Warren to pray at the inauguration. Since Obama's stated goal of choosing Warren was to be inclusive to all people (he also chose Episcopal Bishop V. Gene Robinson to participate), there is fear from many that Warren will not pray for godly repentance for this nation and for the president to lead us by the truth of God's Word. While it would be extraordinarily challenging to speak bold truth in front of millions, I pray that Pastor Warren will offer a faithful, repentant prayer for our president and our nation, even if it costs him his popularity.

As I was searching the internet, I found a few people who offered prayers for our nation and it's new president on his inauguration day:

John Frame
Chris Brauns
Dan Phillips
Albert Mohler
Mark Altrogge
J.D. Hatfield
Nicholas Jackson

What will you pray for this nation. Pray that Rick Warren will be bold as he approaches the throne of God for our nation and remember to pray often for our new president; first that his name is written in the Lamb's book of life and that he leads this country into godliness.

2009-01-08T11:00:00.002-06:00

Ever think that someone in the church is needlessly antagonistic? The presence of antagonists is never healthy, but is invariably harmful to the church and its leadership. Kenneth Haugk in “Antagonists in the Church” describes an antagonist this way. Antagonists are individuals who, on the basis of no substantive evidence, go out of their way to make insatiable demands, usually attacking the person or performance of others. These attacks are selfish in nature, tearing down rather than building up, and are frequently directed against those in a leadership capacity. Recent literature in the area of conflict resolution has begun to recognize that there are individuals who initiate and thrive on unhealthy conflict, persons who have no desire whatsoever to see conflict resolved.

Regarding the unique congregational structures and how they contribute to antagonism, Mr. Haugk writes this. For too long, congregations how been places where antagonists can operate with success. Their behavior is not as successful in many other areas of life because in those areas it is simply not tolerated. ….Why has there been antagonism in churches? Because too often people have felt that antagonists had to be placated…. when someone with antagonistic tendencies takes hold of issues, the result is often destructive and divisive. The antagonist is usually not interested in the issues themselves; they are only a means to his or her own peculiar end. (pg 39)

In regard to the passive silence and apathy of a congregation, he says that when a congregation is attacked, it needs a very vocal group of people who are willing to confront the antagonists directly in order to give them the firm message that their behavior will not be tolerated. As long as the majority of people silently sit by, thinking the pastor will take care of it and it’s not their fight, the more encouraged the antagonists are, and the more they accelerate their attack. He speaks too of the extreme loneliness a pastor under attack experiences when individuals tell him privately they support him, yet will not take a stand and support him publicly or rebuke the attackers. He writes, “Silent supporters are no supporters”. The essential point that he makes, which is not intuitive to most people, is that an attack against a pastor is virtually never a problem with the pastor, but with the congregation that allows it to happen, by their silence.

When one individual assumes the whole burden of dealing with an antagonist, the result is rarely healthy. The obligation to deal with the situation properly resides in the corporate leadership of the congregation and, to a lesser extent, in the congregation as a whole. (pg 23)

What happens during an attack? The most immediate and obvious effects are that attendance in a previously growing congregation drops off precipitously, and interest in evangelism becomes almost non-existent. People on the fringes of congregational life do not want to be involved in the conflict, and almost everyone loses interest in bringing others into the congregation because of the tense atmosphere and shame people feel because of the attackers and their ungodly behavior. However, the antagonists then jump on the fact that attendance is down, and try to lay the blame for this on the pastor, when it is in actual fact the inevitable result of their own actions.

He discusses many distinguishing characteristics and “red flags” that can let a congregation know when they are faced with an antagonist. There are too many to list here, but a few worth mentioning include
a) a previous track record of antagonism toward church leaders and pastors,
b) bringing “concerns” to church leadership on behalf of “unnamed others” who have somehow chosen to confide in them, and
c) flaunting their financial donations and making a point of letting others know that they are not giving as much to the church because of “the situation”.

He then points out early and late warning signs of an imminent attack by an antagonist, as follows:

Early warning signs:
• A chill in the relationship
• Honeyed “concerns”
• Nettlesome questions
• Mobilizing forces and pot-stirring
• Meddling
• Resistance
Later warning signs:
• Sloganeering – (“There is not enough love in the congregation”)
• Accusing
• Spying
• Distorting
• Misquoting scripture
• “Judas kissing”
• Smirking
• Pestering
• Letter writing
• Pretense
• Lobbying (pg 63-66)

The author warns that, when these warnings signs begin to be seen, especially in antagonists who have a long track record of being antagonistic to every pastor and leader the church has had, an attack is imminent. Something must be done to stop the attack before it happens, for antagonists are never satisfied with their small victories. On the contrary, every perceived success only reinforces and emboldens them, so that each subsequent attack become more vicious and more harmful to the leader who is attacked and to the congregation.

Effects of antagonism on the church

“By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another” (John 13:35).

When arguing and antagonism wrack a congregation, its witness to the God of love is destroyed. Antagonists choose not to live out the love of Christ. Strife is introduced in love’s place, and with strife goes jealousy and anger. The primary effect of antagonism on God’s people is destruction. Visible expressions of the unconditional love of Christ are among the first casualties of active antagonism. Antagonism destroys the unique, loving witness of Christians and the vitality of the congregation, calling forth God’s anger.

Treatment for antagonism

“I urge you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them” (Romans 16:17).

This is always the first step toward dealing with antagonism: watch out for it, be aware of it. The apostle Paul did not leave to his readers’ imaginations whom they were to watch. They were to watch for those who created dissension and caused divisions.

The Bible speaks definitively about the final treatment for those who persist in causing division and heartache in the church: “Warn a divisive person once, and then warn him a second time. After that, have nothing to do with him. You may be sure that such a man is warped and sinful; he is self-condemned” (Titus 3:10,11).

Dismissing someone should not be done lightly. But the words “have nothing to do with him” are a clear-cut response to an individual who persists in divisiveness after the first and second warnings. Paul told Titus not to engage in extensive attempts to smooth things over with the troublemaker; he was simply to avoid having anything to do with that person.

The apostolic guideline is clear: When confronted with an antagonist, face the probability that change simply will not occur. He is “self-condemned.” Stay away from that person.

This is the kind of book every congregation hopes it will never have to read. But all are reminded by the author of the importance of recognizing and dealing with harmful behavior.

What's My Motive?

2009-01-06T09:52:00.006-06:00

As I have worked through the first few joyous weeks of my baby girl’s life, I have been doing a lot of self-examination and reflection on life. I have often struggled to find out what I wanted to become in life. I have been a graphic artist, obtained an education and employment in civil engineering, and even begun taking seminary courses. Each month I spend some time looking through job postings looking for something that might be a more fulfilling career. I have been blessed with multiple talents and could choose from quite a variety of interests, but nothing gives me the desire to work at and be the best at it. Except for one thing; my family.

For as long as I can remember, I wanted to be a husband and a dad. When I was little and helped take care of my brothers and sister, my parents often told me how great I was doing and what a good dad I would become. All through school I saw people dating each other for no apparent reason. I couldn’t understand why people were dating without serious consideration about whether that person was to be the one they would pledge their life to. I was determined to find that special girl and love her like no one has loved his wife before and become the best dad the world has ever seen.

All of this history brings me to today. I have been married to Molly for a couple weeks over three years; after dating for 5 ½ years. We were just blessed seven weeks ago with a beautiful baby girl who is now starting to smile at her daddy. I find myself, without much thought at all, sacrificing the things I once enjoyed to make sure my little girl taken care of. My pile of books to be read has been temporarily set aside for reading on biblical parenting.

Which has led me to great conviction. I suddenly realize more than before that as the head of this family, I bear the responsibility to lead my wife and children in godliness; to model Christ and teach His word to my family regularly. To me, it’s not as overwhelming as it is for some people because this is something I always wanted and prepared for. However, I am now asking myself why I wanted these things.

When I was a child, I wanted children to be a good dad and get praise from my parents. When I was a teenager, I wanted a girlfriend to fulfill my own personal longings and to make all the other girls jealous that they weren’t with me (trust me, nobody in high school was ever jealous of me). I wanted a wife who would be proud to boast of her great husband and children who thought the world of their dad. I wanted people to ask me for advice on marriage and parenting asking me, “How do you do it?”

When I now ask myself “why,” I see that on the surface I may have looked polished, respectable, kind, and loving. On the inside, it was all for selfish motives. While many others benefited, I looked for personal gratification and praise. It was all me-centered. The One who created marriage, who gives the blessing of children, who established the family, did it for His glory and His honor and His praise.

God created marriage to be a reflection of the love between Him and His church. God created families to share the love He has for His creation and to make more people to worship Him. He gives us roles in the family to understand love through submission to each other. He teaches through the family to respect authority even when we sometimes disagree so that we learn to respect and surrender to His ultimate authority. It is all designed for us to see Him through it all.

Today, as I learn (some by studying, some by trial and error) to be a husband and daddy, I must continue to ask myself, “Why am I doing this?” Why do I want children? Why do I send my children to school? Why do I teach them to say “Please” and “Thank You”? Why do I want them to eat their vegetables, brush their teeth, and go to bed at night?

While I do benefit from godliness, the ultimate purpose of my family is to glorify Christ in our love for each other and our obedience to Him; and to guide our children to become worshippers of the Most High God.

What motives do you have for pursuing the things that consume your time? Is it for your own fulfillment or for God’s glory?

Colossians 3:17 And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

1 Corinthians 10:31 So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.

An Atheist on Evangelism

2008-12-30T16:12:00.003-06:00

This man claims that he "knows" there is no God (not sure how that is possible), but he sure is right when it comes to sharing your faith. He says if you truly believe that people are going to hell, that eternal heaven is possible, and you don't tell them what you know, you must have some hatred for them. Doesn't he have a point? Isn't the best way we can love people to share the good news of forgiveness of sins with them.

The power of praise

2008-12-02T11:06:00.005-06:00

Do you like to be noticed? Do you like to be appreciated? Do you like to be praised? Certainly all of us do not like to be ignored, taken for granted, or criticized. However, the way we respond to praise, according to Proverbs 27:21, says a lot about us. Solomon, a person who’s name is synonymous with wisdom, said, “Fire tests the purity of silver and gold, but a person is tested by being praised.” (NLT) The original Hebrew has a few less words, seven to be exact. The literal Hebrew rendering is, “Crucible to silver, furnace to gold, man to mouth of praise.”

In the original writing, the phrase "is tested" is not there, but it is implied. The analogy is simple. A crucible is a container in which metals are melted. When metal is melted under high temperatures, the pure metal separates from the other ingredients. As the unwanted junk separates from the pure metal and “floats” to the top of the crucible, the impurities are able to be removed. The metal then becomes more pure. Furnace is another way of saying the same thing. The furnace is the source of the heat, the crucible is the container placed in the heat. Both are critical to purifying metal, and to use either word is to say the same thing.

Proverbs 17:3 uses the same phrase, but with a different ending. Here the verse says, “Fire tests the purity of silver and gold, but the Lord tests the heart. (NLT)” In this verse, the Lord is the fire or crucible and his action or testing reveals the true heart of man. In Proverbs 17 the Lord is the tester, in Proverbs 27 the praise is the tester.

So what is the connection to praise and men? How does the metaphor work? Something has to be the tester (the furnace or crucible) and something has to be what is tested and made more pure (the silver or gold). There are several options to consider.

First what is the tester and what is the tested. Is man tested by praise, or is praise tested by man? In the first case, if a man is tested by praise, then the man’s response to the praise he receives will say or reveal something about the man. When someone receives praise, the praise may serve to reveal impurities in the person praised. With the impurities revealed, they can be removed, and the person is made more pure.

In the second case, if praise is tested by man, then it would appear that a person is to test praise he or she receives to see if it is valid or not. This is certainly an important part of receiving praise. Is the praise valid? Or, am I merely being flattered? Another way of saying the same thing is to ask the question, “What do I do with the praise I receive? Do I accept the praise, reject the praise, or respond in thanks to the praise?” One could deny that an action was praise worthy. Or, one can become proud thinking that the praise was well deserved. In this way, a person tests the praise received.

The challenge in the interpretation in the second case is that the analogy of the furnace or crucible seems to disappear. While we would all be wise to consider the validity of praise, this consideration alone does not seem to meet the extreme requirements of placing impure objects in a heated environment to reveal impurities so that the impurities can be removed. Therefore, we seem almost forced to choose option number 1 and say that the praise tests the person, and not the other way around. A man is there fore tested by his response praise.

This interpretation allows two possibilities as well. One, if a man is tested by praise, then, is the praise given to a person used to determine what a person is really like? Or two, is it the man’s response to the praise he receives that reveals what the person is really like?

In the first case, a man could determine what he is really like by listening to the praise of others. The praise is the crucible or furnace that reveals truth to a person. This explanation is fraught with difficulty. It is true that sometimes the praise of man might be accurate and helpful. But, we know too well that often the praise of man is not accurate. Public opinion is very commonly false and is always a very unsafe criterion of moral excellence. Sometimes, the praise of man is manipulative, or flattery, or just simply false praise to garner the good favor of the one praised. Also, some of the most praised persons have turned out to be unworthy of praise. Everyone was praising Herod in Acts chapter 12 and God killed him. Here, the praise of the people was wrong. With regard to Jesus, the crowds were screaming “crucify him.” No praise for Jesus here, and once again, the crowds were wrong.

In the second case, we consider how it might be that a man’s response to the praise he receives reveals what the man is really like. This looks like the best interpretation of the analogy. So then, the praise is the furnace or crucible in the life of a person which reveals the impurities in the heart. The revelation of these impurities allows them to be removed. As the impurities are removed, a person then becomes increasing pure. This purity gained is certainly in heart and motive and attitude.

How does this work? If praise to a man is the fire that reveals impurities, what impurities can be revealed by praise? Among them are pride, compromise, and laziness.

The most obvious would be pride. It is so easy when praised to think praise is deserved. One may think that finally someone has noticed my exceptional traits or work. One might be prone to take the glory in an accomplishment that was meant to go to God. One might forget that we “.. do not have anything that we did not receive..” (1 Cor 4:17) One may forget that God is worthy of all praise and glory, and that we are right to deflect praise back to God and express thanks for his kindness, grace, and mercy to us.

Another impurity revealed by the crucible of praise is compromise. Most of us delight in being praised, or noticed, or recognized. We may find that we like praise enough to compromise our integrity to get more of it. Decisions that are not the best decisions might be made just to gain the praise of men. The apostle John accurately condemned the self righteous Pharisees in John 12 by saying they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God. One might be tempted to compromise the truth in order to keep the praise of man coming. One is likely to be criticized for holding firm to the gospel and its truth. It seems like those who give up on clear gospel truth and allow others to believe whatever they choose are praised by men for their kind and loving tolerance of others. Craving the praise of men at the expense of the praise of God is an impurity revealed by the furnace of praise.

The last impurity revealed by praise is laziness. Praise for something could cause an individual to take a talent or gift for granted, and to neglect it. Confident swimmers drown because they become over confident. Confident people fail when they overestimate their abilities, and stop working to refine and improve their skills. Never use the praise for a job well done to assume you can relax your efforts.

Praise is the crucible that reveals the heart. If praise makes you proud, or compromise, or lazy, there was an issue before the praise came along. The praise reveals the preexisting issue. Matthew Henry said, “Silver and gold are tried by putting them into the furnace….so is man tried by praising him….. Let him be extolled and preferred, and then he will show himself what he is.”

One saint from the past said that praise tortures the just, but elates the wicked. But while it tortures, it purifies the just; and while it pleases the wicked, it proves them to be reprobate. Those who revel in their own praise are not seeking the glory of their Maker. But those who seek the glory of their Maker are tortured by praise, knowing that the praise of men might soften the firmness of their heart, and might cause the heart in self-satisfaction to relax in its praises of the glory of God. When praise is truly redirected to God, then men can even long for and welcome praise so that what is written may prove true. "That they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven"

So what do we do with praise? If praise reveals what is in the heart of a person, what do I want to be revealed when I am praised? Good question.

Most importantly, praise should reveal our deep thanks to God, and not our satisfaction in our selves. Any worthy performance, talent, skill or accomplishment is the result of the grace of God working in the lives of his creation. Praise should be the spark that lights a firestorm of thanks to God. Persons characterized by ungratefulness will never be thankful to God, and no amount of praise will ever please them. It is a deep sense of appreciation to God that helps the recipient of praise only be more thankful to God for his kindness.

Praise should cause us to be more respectful to our friends who are kind enough to point out our good traits or works. True friends, who really know us, know our failures and shortcomings often better than we do. Those who know us the best know our weaknesses and our strengths. Our respect for friends who tell us the truth should go so far as to expect that they have earned the right to tell us what is not praiseworthy in us as well. A true, respected friend will balance the legitimate praise with legitimate correction. Respect your friends for operating on both sides of praise.

Praise should also cause us to be more guarded. The skills or talents that we have gained through diligence may easily be lost through carelessness and neglect. 1 Timothy 4:14 tells us not to neglect the gift that is in us. The passage continues by admonishing us to throw ourselves in to our tasks. We should learn from praise that our gifts are the grace of God expressed in our lives, and we should never take our gifts for granted. Romans 12:6 says “…according to the grace given to us we have differing gifts..” and we are encouraged to use them. In the parable of the talents in Matthew 25 the one who did not put his talent to work had it taken away.

So, what happens to your heart when you are praised? Does your heart overflow with thanks and praise to God? Or, are you happy that finally someone noticed something good that you have done. Remember, that the praise in your life is the fire that refines you.

What is the crucible of praise saying about your heart?

Peace on Earth

2008-12-02T09:40:00.004-06:00

Last week, many of you, my wife included, braved the harrowing travail of shopping on Black Friday. Never having figured myself for an aggressive shopper, I contented myself with shopping online (and finished all my shopping, thankfully!). I simply don't have the patience, nor the fortitude, required for shopping at 4 am. It proved a wise move, it seems, since some folks even lost their lives in the quest for outrageous bargains.

We live in a chaotic and turbulent world. People are clamoring for all that can be had. Yet, in their heart of hearts, every person, every single person, desires peace. It is the universal longing among all humanity. For those who have not found it in Christ, the very Prince of Peace, they seek it in every other medium; entertainment, affluence, influence, relationships, etc.

Imagine, for a moment, a lifestyle free of stress, free of harangue. Isn't that what vacations are supposed to bring? Can't vegging in front of the TV even seem to offer peace, in part? It's no wonder that heaven is the consummate end for gaining true and lasting peace.

Hebrews 4, indeed, much of Hebrews entire, speaks of this rest that is yet to come. I love the language here; "Let us be diligent to enter that rest" (v. 11). We must strive to enter that rest; we must endure to the end. It's hard work to find refuge in the Savior sometimes, especially when culture and media scream, "Find peace in me!"

This season, take some time to seek after peace, and don't waste your time with cheap alternatives. Seek after the Savior in the refuge of His Word; carve out some time to simply rest at His feet. Let Him speak to you in prayer, not the other way around. If we've not yet found peace on earth, then, at least, let it reside in your heart and mind.

Drive Carefully!

2008-11-11T09:35:00.004-06:00

Well, it's official. Winter has begun in lovely Rochester, MN. No, it's not because of the weekend-long snowfall we've recently enjoyed (it's still early enough in the season that I actually enjoy it!). And, it's not the fact that my wife has switched out her extensive summer wardrobe for her "Man, it's still cold" winter wardrobe. The telltale sign that winter has officially come are the number of cars I see that have skidded off the road, or into the highway barricade.

That's right; Minnesotans sure know winter, but it takes a yearly reminder, it seems, to say, "Hey, you can't drive like that anymore" (and not for another six months, typically). Thankfully, I'm still new enough in town that I don't trust my instinct. I putter along like a nervous teenager, or an aging senior. But, I'm sure, like many of my Northern brethren, I will grow overconfident with each passing winter, and end up in a ditch somewhere.

Isn't that the way God works in our lives? We get a little overzealous, start to think we've got this thing figured out, and He allows circumstances to remind us, "Hey, this is My show." And, I don't know about you, but I'd much rather He pilot my life than keep bouncing against the guardrail!

My prayer is that you and I will "trust in the Lord with all our hearts, not relying on our own understanding," but, rather "think about Him in all of our ways, that He may guide us on the right paths;" that we "not consider ourselves to be wise, but fear the Lord and shun evil" (Proverbs 3:5-7). My prayer is that you and I will be so grateful for His care and providence over our lives (1 Peter 5:7-8) that we would never turn to the right or to the left (Joshua 1:7), but would follow faithfully His Word. The true disciple is the one who follows His Lord, even when he can't see through the snow.

The storms will come, whether you're in wintry Minnesota, or tropical Florida. The question is, will we confront them "sober and alert," ever vigilant to keep the faith, or will we succumb to that danger ahead, and all around?

Wait, wait...

2008-11-04T16:12:00.002-06:00

Previously, I wrote of Christian girls "settling" for unbelieving boyfriends/spouses (since one will beget the other). As I've further considered this phenomenon, I fear I may have neglected one particularly affective component: the role of the father.

As a father, I have been reminded, already, that if I neglect my daughter, she will seek out that affection from the first one to show it. As fathers, it behooves us to rescue our daughters from this dastardly trap, by placing our affections squarely where they should be; on our families and mission, not on our own selfish interests. That includes working hard at our work, even if it is a "ministry." Let us not forget; Christ Jesus called us to Himself before He ever led us to serve His church. We must be the church, first and foremost, and that begins in our homes.

Please understand; I'm not advocating that these young ladies, then, are somehow exempt from their poor choices. I'm certainly not a proponent of the current trend to blame anyone else, save for one's self and their own sin nature. What I do want to be careful to note, however, is how easily my sin can impinge upon those I love, or profess to love, since love is best evidenced in action, not in words alone. We're reminded in Mosaic literature that the curse will extend to even the third and fourth generations of our family. We should be careful, then, to honor the Lord God in rearing our families in love.

Just Be Patient!

2008-11-04T16:03:00.001-06:00

I'm scared. I"m scared for the number of Christian girls I know, or have known, who are mixed up in relationships with unbelieving guys. What gives? Why does this seem so prevalent and reoccurring? I'm sure I'll come off as an old dote in this, and will probably garner more negative feedback than anything, but, some things beg to be said, in the hopes that my true concern shines through, and defenses aren't automatically put up.

And, I'm not preaching here, people; far from it. I've just seen too often, and too close to home, what such relationships can do for a great Christian girl. My heart breaks at the prospect of such long-term relationships getting started on such unequal footing. I suppose it's easily enough done; guy shows girl interest, girl enjoys said interest, girl gives guy a chance. Guy may even make assurances of a walk with Christ, but, if there's one thing I know about being a man, it's that we'll do anything to "get the girl." We'll say stupid things, do stupid things, make up things; whatever it takes.

I'll never forget what my father-in-law said to me when he officiated my wedding. He said, in so many words, that guys enjoy "the hunt." And, it's so true; we are validated when we win someone's heart. And, girls--I'm no expert here, but...--girls seem to find validation in being accepted. In a way, both guys and girls are seeking approval, and we'll jump at the first "nice" guy or girl who will give it.

All I'm saying is this: I'm tired of watching people I care about settle. I don't know if we grow impatient for affection, or that we want to believe someone knows the Lord so badly that we convince ourselves that they do; I don't know. What I do know is that it's a recipe for disaster, and the Lord truly does have our best intentions at heart when He says not to be "unequally yoked." Our faith is tested when we decide whether we'll "seek first His kingdom," and if we'll truly believe that "all of these (other) things (joy, happiness, companionship) will be added" to our lives. The truth is, "He will supply all of our needs," including relationships, "according to His riches in glory."

For anyone who's reading this, know that I write this with all love and affection. With a daughter now of my own, I can think of little else that is more heartbreaking than the prospect that, one, she wouldn't know the Lord, and, two, that she wouldn't trust Him for providing the perfect mate.

You're worth waiting for, and so is he (whoever he is).

Your Christian Vote - Part 2

2008-11-02T14:55:00.004-06:00

It is election season (if you haven’t noticed) and we find often find ourselves struggling with voting for the right person. Very often we see ourselves presented with two candidates, neither of which represents our views. Both of the candidates have so many things you disagree with but one is in agreement in an area you feel is more important than the others. So, knowing that one of the two is likely to win we plug our nose, close our eyes, and vote for “the lesser of two evils.”

Is this necessary? Most people in our country aren’t aware that there are more than two choices for President this year (and most years). Wouldn’t it be a waste of a vote to pick someone who doesn’t show well in the polls and would be lucky to get 5% of the total votes? What is a faithful Christian to do?

It is our responsibility as citizens of this country to choose our leaders. If our government is bad we have the option to vote those people out of office at the end of their terms.

"Now more than ever before, the people are responsible for the character of their Congress. If that body be ignorant, reckless and corrupt, it is because the people tolerate ignorance, recklessness and corruption. If it be intelligent, brave and pure, it is because the people demand these high qualities to represent them in the national legislature ... If the next centennial does not find us a great nation...it will be because those who represent the enterprise, the culture, and the morality of the nation do not aid in controlling the political forces." -James Garfield, 1877, 20th President of the United States

To vote for the “lesser of two evils” is to tolerate poor decision making simply because one makes slightly better decisions than the other. To vote this way is to tolerate recklessness because one is slightly less reckless than the other. It is to tolerate corruption because one is a little less corrupt than the other. If we continue to vote for the lesser of two evils, we continue to vote for evil; even if our goal is to simply slow down the evil.

We continue to vote for the lesser evil candidate hoping for him to change this country. But when his path is down the wrong road to begin with, what hope do we have for change. Isn’t this a picture of that cliché definition of insanity, “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, expecting different results.”

Christians often vote for the republican candidates who claim they are pro-life and promise to work toward the end of abortion. But republicans had been in control for six years and did nothing to overturn Roe v. Wade. The republican president did nothing to deny funding to abortion clinics. We blindly accept over and over their promises and when they do nothing we vote for them again because at election time they call themselves “pro-life.”

If you were given the choice to vote for Joseph Stalin or Adolf Hitler, or a Christian who promises to uphold the biblical values set up by the founding fathers but is unlikely to win, who would you vote for? Both of the major candidates do offer some good things, giving money to those with little, funding the education system, and a strong military, but we already know their pitfalls. In this extreme example, the lesser of two evils idea doesn’t work. Why is it different now when we are presented with two candidates who have shown that they will not uphold Christian principles or even the Constitution of the United States? Especially when we have other good candidates to choose from?

"Always vote for principle, though you may vote alone, and you may cherish the sweetest reflection that your vote is never lost." -- John Quincy Adams, 6th President of the United States

Christians believe (or should believe) that God is in control of this world. Nothing happens without God guiding or allowing it to happen. Barack Obama or John McCain will not sneak under God’s radar and change God’s plan. Everyone who comes to power comes because of the will of God (1 Samuel 2:6-8, Romans 9:17, Romans 13:1 1 Peter 2:13,14). As Christians, we aren’t supposed to try and manipulate the system with our vote for someone who will offer us a couple of snacks so he can get into office and then ignore the will of the people. We are to be faithful to God in all things, even against insurmountable odds. God is faithful to do His will; we are simply to be obedient.

Despite major public opposition, both major presidential candidates voted for the country to go several hundred billion dollars more into debt. They promise us one thing, but when it comes down to listening to their constituents, they don’t think we are smart enough to be listened to. If they hear us saying we want abortions to go away and promise to work toward that end, what makes us think they will actually do what we ask when the time comes? They haven’t listened to us in the past.

It is time for us to start voting for what is right, not simply to avoid the worst case. We should be obedient to God, and let Him handle the results. Vote for the person who best represents your beliefs. Don’t let fear guide your vote; if God desires to put an ungodly leader in control, He will still be with His people. Inform your conscience by investigating all of the candidates, give loyalty to God not to a political party, and vote for the person who you believe will lead this country with the fear of God, not the fear of men.

Gideon took on an army with just 300 men while God brought the victory.

A young shepherd boy named David trusted God to take care of an entire army as he stepped forward in faith with a sling and small stone.

The disciples were told to take the gospel to the ends of the earth; a few men to millions of people over millions of miles. They were simply obedient to an apparently impossible task and God brought about the results.

It is time American Christians stop playing on the defensive side of the ball and start voting for the right candidates. Many people would love to vote for the best candidate, but they are afraid they are throwing away their votes. Where are we putting our trust? In our single vote, or the God of the universe who rewards faithfulness? God changes nations through the faithful obedience of a few, not through the pragmatic scheming of the majority.

2 Americans 7:14 if my people who are called by my name, will get a majority together to vote pragmatically for a man who may pass good laws, then they will change the hearts of the people and heal the land.

OR

2 Chronicles 7:14 if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.

Let’s have faith in God to orchestrate the actions of men to bring about godly leaders as we humbly repent of our sins and act in faithful obedience in all areas of our lives to our biblically informed consciences.

Happy Reformation Day!

2008-10-31T07:28:00.007-05:00

Happy Reformation Day everyone. I pray that your day is full of boldness for Christ as we proclaim to our neighbors the justification of sinners by faith in Christ. If you are wondering why I am not saying Happy Halloween instead of Reformation Day, take a few minutes to read this article for a reminder of what happened on this day 491 years ago.

And just to quickly remind you; what other day of the year do you have dozens of people come to your door asking for you to give them something? For the most timid of Christians, this day is perfect to be faithful in sharing the gospel. Get yourself a bunch of large candy bars and attach a good gospel tract; then pray like crazy that the little seed you planted will have an eternal impact in your neighbor's life. Evangelism has never been so easy!

UPDATE:
Congratulations to Brad and Stephanie for their new addition to the family this morning! Ben was born at 10:29 after they decided to head to the hospital at 10:15! He is a 7.5 pound, 20 inch Reformation baby. Thank God for such wonderful little miracles.

Your Christian Vote - Part 1

2008-10-28T20:33:00.003-05:00

With election season upon us, many Christians are wondering who to vote for. Usually, one party tends to align with more conservative, Christian principles. This year that candidate appears to be far from the ideal candidate. There are other choices for president, but would voting for any of them make any impact in the election? Before you cast your vote, we should spend some time studying not only each candidate, but especially the Christian perspective on the role of the government. This first part will start there. Part two will discuss how a Christian should use his vote.

American Christians have a unique opportunity in the history of the world to have a major influence in choosing their government. Throughout history, Christians have found themselves under the rule of appointed kings and oppressive rulers. There has been nothing quite like the United States; where the people get to regularly choose their leaders and have a voice that can be used to make changes. If we don’t like how our country is run, we have the opportunity to vote for someone new; or even run for office ourselves. No Christian has ever had that freedom.

When deciding how to vote, we must first consider what we believe the role of government to be. We must also understand what our role as Christians in this country is to be. Nailing down these two points will help us understand how to use the unique opportunity of freedom we are presented with.

Not much is spoken of in the New Testament in regards to setting up a proper government. The Bible is not a political instruction manual. Most of the mentions of government address how Christians are to live under the authority structure they find themselves in. Romans 13, while addressing the importance of submission to the government, does provide us some insight into what the purpose of government.

Verse one states that all people in authority have been instituted by God. Every ruler, including the most wicked in history, was brought into power by the hand of God. Verse two continues to say, then, that if you rebel against the in place authorities, you rebel against what God has ordained. The following verses command us to pay the authorities monetarily and with respect and honor. Paul does not say how a proper government should handle taxes and revenue, just that these are appropriate and subjection to these provides for a peaceable, orderly society. In Luke 3:13, Jesus says that the tax collectors do have a right to collect revenue for the government, but they are not to cheat people out of more than what they owe.

What are some specific duties of the government that we should look to establish? Proverbs 8:15,16 suggest that God appoints rulers to exact justice. The word justice today has started to lose quite a bit of its original meaning. Today justice seems to mean that we feed hungry people, give money to poor people, and take care of the environment. The original meaning of the word (and the dictionary definition) is more akin to keeping order in society by holding people accountable for violating a law. Justice is not to favor one type of person over another. Special interest is to be given to those who are least able to protect themselves, however, sensitivity to the poor does not suggest the government is to show them favor either. “Do not pervert justice; do not show partiality to the poor or favoritism to the great, but judge your neighbor fairly” (Lev. 19:15). At a basic level, the government is to provide order and safety to its citizens by curbing the immoral behavior of its citizens and those outside influences that infringe on the people’s natural, God-given rights. It is important then to determine what our rights are.

Thomas Jefferson wrote in the Declaration of Independence that our unalienable, God-given rights are “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” The founders of this country had a firm understanding of the biblical view of man and government. They knew that the role of the government isn’t to make everyone behave in a certain way or provide for the every need of the people. They felt that the government is to ensure that everyone has the right to live and to make their own choices on how to run their lives. The government is to simply provide safety and security in those freedoms. They knew that a group of sinful men would not be able to control every sinful decision of its people, so it was their responsibility to provide the freedoms and trust that the local governments and churches would work to provide order.

Especially important for us to consider is the amount of power the government has to provide direction for the country. Our founders understood that men were inherently sinful, and given too much power, they would exploit it for their own benefits. When the government was established, they balanced the powers between many different offices and provided checks on the power between the offices. It was set up so that one person would not be able to force his own will on the people contrary to the will of the majority. No matter who becomes president, he alone will not have the power to ruin this country.

Our country is not what is now popularly known as a democracy. A democracy is government directly by the majority. If the majority wanted sin, they could get it. Our country is a democratic republic. The majority choose representatives to lead them within the bounds of the constitution. The constitution even provides a check on the people’s representatives from legislating contrary to the basic rules laid out at the onset. If we want new laws we have to go through the constitutional means laid before us. Much of what our government does today and what we expect from our government is far beyond the bounds of the founders’ original intent for this nation.

What happens if the man that is elected is not the desired candidate? What are we to do as Christians? To keep us sane, we need to remember what our role as Christians is. We must remember that we are pilgrims (strangers, foreigners, aliens, sojourners) in this world. While we live in the United States, our citizenship is in heaven. No matter what happens in this country, prosperity or ruin, we have a placed reserved for us in heaven. While we work here for the benefit of others, our ultimate work is done for the kingdom of God with an eternal perspective. We are to live peaceably, in submission to the government where its commands do not oppose God’s law (Matthew 22:21, Romans 13, 1 Peter 2:17-25s), but focused on the mission to which all Christians have been called.

Currently, at our church, we have been encouraging everyone to memorize 2 Corinthians 5:20-21. These verses are a simple reminder of our primary mission in the world: “Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ; certain that God is appealing through us, we plead on Christ’s behalf, ‘Be reconciled to God.’ He made the One who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”

Our role as Christians is to proclaim the gospel to lost, blind people. We are ambassadors of the God of the universe given the task to take the message of His kingdom to this world. Our primary mission is to get the word of God into the culture so people may repent of their sins and turn to the Savior. It is vital to understand that making new laws will not change people’s hearts. A Christian’s view on politics must be grassroots. We proclaim the gospel to individuals which changes hearts which creates new people who will pass good laws. Too many Christians put their hope in the government to do the work given to the church. Making good laws will not make good people. It is our duty to proclaim the gospel whether the leader of our country is Nero, Hilter, Bush, Obama or McCain.

So how does this influence our vote? An amazing privilege has been given to us to actually have a voice in who leads this country. What first century Christian wouldn’t have loved to have been given the right to choose to get Nero out of Rome? We must vote for the best candidates available to us who will protect our biblical liberties according to the law; and no matter who wins, we will get back to the business of sharing the gospel with our neighbors. We do not vote with the hope that our candidate will change the country and feel defeated spiritually if he doesn’t win. It is not our government’s responsibility to change the hearts of the people in the nation; God will do that as we are obedient to spread the gospel. No matter who wins and what laws are passed, we will continue to be foreigners in this world, pleading with people to turn from their sin and trust in Christ. It is the gospel that will change this country and if the majority becomes Christian again, godly leaders will result in this country where the leadership is simply a reflection of the people.

An Inspiration

2008-09-11T13:41:00.003-05:00

I want to tell you a brief tale of a dear friend of mine, who has wowed me with his lifestyle. What has impressed me most about this brother in Christ is his tremendous generosity. He is the first to gift another in need, and does so so very often without any attempt at honor, striving instead to remain anonymous as possible. This is all well and good, but when I consider this gentleman's own humble means, then, I am blown away.

Why is that? As meritorious as it is that he would share, not out of his abundance, but alongside his own need, shouldn't this be the norm for the average Christian? Why is it that this seems so incredible to me? Is it because generosity has gone the way of the New Testament (2 Corinthians 8)? Are we so indebted these days to our 3-year leases, and excessive credit card balances, that we're incapable, or unwilling, to share with a brother in need?

That brings up a whole 'nother issue, of course, on par with the admonition of Ezekiel 18:13, which equates usury and excessive interest with "detestable things." The point is this: generosity should characterize our lifestyles, even more so when we ourselves are of humble means. This, then, is the meaning of Acts 4:32. This, then, is the goal of the Christian church. This, then, is where we need to match up with God's will. Amen.

Revival Preparation

2008-09-10T17:01:00.005-05:00

As I have been reading through the provided materials to prepare us for the upcoming renewal services, I have been increasingly convicted of my worldliness in many areas of my life. I have often gotten caught up in the American Dream of having a great wife, a couple kids, a steady job, a nice home with a beautiful yard, and a grill to sit on my deck to enjoy with the neighbors on a nice summer day. While there is nothing specifically wrong with these things, it is so easy to get caught up in this world, forgetting that this world is not my home; I am a citizen of another world.

In my search for guidance out of this worldly attitude, I was brought back to the famous Revival Hymn. It is a compilation of some older sermons set to powerful music. I have heard it many times before, but as I listened to it again, I really recognized the shallow Christianity that has taken over today's church. I cry about my sin and the sinfulness of this world when I listen to this compilation; yearning for the restoration of the world. As we prepare for the upcoming revival services, I pray that the following can help you in the preparation of your own heart.

An mp3 version can be downloaded here to listen to on your computer or iPod.

Hilary Watson

2008-09-08T11:21:00.003-05:00

Hilary Watson, a 24-year old Californian, recently performed at our church, and, I must say, I was impressed. Coming to the Lord at age 11, and consequently committing to the daily reading of the Word, it was made evident in her concert. Each song was Biblically-based, and bathed in Scripture. Quoting verses at length, I realized this up-and-coming artist's truest pursuit was honoring her Lord.

Having performed in Germany, Africa, and the states, she is often found leading worship in various churches on any given Sunday. That being said, she made it clear that she is actively pursuing body life, as she is in a vibrant home bible study, which recently just finished a 5-week Mission Trip to Tanzania, all of their own making, by the way.

Having played guitar for as long as she's known the Lord, it is equally evident. Great picking style, with beautifully crisp and enjoyable chord progressions, she is a joy to hear play, on that merit alone. Interestingly, she shared that she hasn't always been gifted with the tremendous voice she evidences now. While I'm not sure I even believe that, she is certainly over it. Her soaring lyrics coincide well with her songwriting, which dispenses with trite lyrics, opting instead for refreshing word imagery that leaves no response but heartfelt worship towards our God and Savior, Jesus Christ.

An all-around joy to hear, and meet, Hilary Watson is best enjoyed live, in my opinion, as her recorded work doesn't seem to do her justice. Nevertheless, I would encourage you to sample it, and then book her, ASAP. You'll be personally encouraged in your walk, and challenged in your faith.

Wise Investing?

2008-09-07T23:05:00.003-05:00

Alright! That's it! I can't take it anymore! I've had my fill of the undercurrent of worldliness plaguing our American churches, and homes. Sadly, it seems we have grown anesthetized to it, enjoying it for so long, in so many various ways. Whether it's the 13 year old who's just gotta have a cell phone (yeah; 13 year's old!), or the 20-something who needs every trendy outfit their little shopaholic heart can hunt down; maybe it's the empty-nester, who finally has the collateral to build their dream home (so what if there's only two of us living here; opulence is king!); or--and this is my favorite--the retiree (if they even wait that long) who sees no way around having a second home. Ladies and gentlemen, need I remind you that this world is not our home; we certainly don't need to diversify our claims to it!

It saddens me to think that, even in my own life, the very next thought after paying that final bill is, "Alright, what to buy?" Have we forgotten the call to self-denial? Have we found our joy best satisfied in God's gifts, rather than the gift of God? We marvel at the shared community of Acts 4, and yet, is it really that unimaginable, or does it simply conflict with our ingrained consumerism?

We need not analyze our selfishness; we come by that honestly. I wonder, though, have we erred as evangelicals by railing against the "Social Gospel" to such an extent that we're no longer able to address the social needs of our age? Do we honestly think that our money is better spent on Steven Curtis Chapman's newest CD than the African AIDS crisis? Have we so deluded ourselves to believe that God is somehow honored by this?

God help us. Father, forgive us. Holy Spirit, change us.

The Assurance of 1 John

2008-09-04T11:02:00.003-05:00

As I've read the book of 1 John each day for these past couple of weeks, I've been impressed with the forthrightness and confidence with which the Apostle John speaks. He uses declarative sentence after declarative sentence to state matter-of-factly the truths of God. His writing evidences forth much assurance and confidence, that God's promises are true, that He is who He has said that He is, and that we can know Him and His ways with great aplomb.

What a great message for a day such as ours, when every nuance exists in the gray nebulae between black and white; when postmodernity and relativism are confused at even defining themselves, and all the more wary of putting labels on anything of significance; when we are so politically correct that little is discussed that is of much worth. This is a message desperately needed in our homes, and in our churches.

May we be as assured in our faith as the writer John, and may our lives demonstrate the confidence we have in knowing our Savior, as we seek Him persistently in the reading of His Word.

We've Got It All

2008-08-21T09:16:00.003-05:00

His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness. (2 Peter 1:3)

Peter knew this firsthand by having been near Jesus. He walked on the water as he drew near to Christ; He said, "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God" by divine revelation (Matt 16:13-17). When he was away from Jesus, he denied Him. However, when Christ left the earth in His ascension, Peter remained powerful, preaching the hard truths of the Gospel (Acts 2), healing the lame (Acts 3), and remaining strong under persecution (Acts 4). How, you might ask? "He was filled with the Holy Spirit" (Acts 2:4).

In the same way, so we can be filled powerfully with the Holy Spirit, since He indwells us (1 Cor 6:19). Do you pray, "God, give me more love for so-and-so," when Romans 5:5 says "the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts?" Do you ask, "God, I need more grace," when 2 Corinthians 12:9 promises this His grace is sufficient? Do we pray, "Lord, give me more strength," knowing that Philippians 4:13 says that we can do all things through Him, regardless of our circumstance?

As we seek an outpouring of the Holy Spirit, may we know indeed that we've been given everything we need for life and godliness. We need only tap the source of our strength, our knowledge of Him. I would encourage you, then, to get in the Word. We want to know Him, we want to see Him, we want to understand His will. What better way than to drink deeply of His Word?

One way to do that is to read over and over again portions of Scripture, until it saturates your mind, so that you do the will of God without much thought, as it is ingrained in you. John MacArthur, which much of this is excerpted from (in Found: God's Will) recommends reading 1 John every day for 30 days, and then a 1/3 of John's gospel for 30 days, and so on. Can you imagine how much of God's Word, and will, you would absorb with that kind of exposure? Be encouraged.

2008-08-14T11:03:00.002-05:00

I have recently been impressed with the persistent call to holiness that has resonated in our church's laymen sermons. I must admit, it has led me to some deeper introspection than which I would typically subject myself. It has called into question, most especially, how I spend my time, my thoughts, and my energies. We all, I think, need constant reminder that we have but one life to live, and it is not our own. It’s with that thought in mind that I submit to you these gleanings from Jim Cymbala’s classic, Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire. It is my heart’s desire that as we look towards the calendar event of our upcoming Renewal Services, we will do the hard work now of preparing, prayerfully, for God to speak and move.

My Prayer Requests

1. That I not merely “mark time,” lest my life slip by without seeing God show Himself mightily on our behalf. (Chapter 1)

2. That we would sense our need to pray, and would want to pray, the more we do it. (Ch. 3)

3. That we as a people would never grow lax in our spirit of brokenness and the need for calling on God. (Ch. 3)

4. That I and my church would be marked by a spirit of prayerfulness, which is a defining mark of a Christian (Acts 2:42) and the people of God (Deut. 4:7). (Ch. 4)

5. That I would not succumb to the anti-authority spirit in America that says, “Nobody can tell me I need to change.” May I be humble and wide open to correction. (Ch. 8)

6. That in revival, our “congregation does the preaching,” so that there’s no need of preachers or musicians, simply “God’s dwelling in close communion with His people.” (Ch. 8)

7. That I remember that “the first step in any spiritual awakening is demolition. We cannot make headway in seeking God without first tearing down the accumulated junk in our souls. Rationalizing has to cease. We have to start seeing the sinful debris we hadn’t noticed before, which is what holds back the blessing of God.” (Ch. 10)

8. That I always seek to draw nearer to God, lest I fall away, since there is no holding pattern or middle ground. (Ch. 10)

9. That I never believe myself to have attained, but that I persistently press on toward the goal to which I have been called heavenward (Phil. 3:14). (Ch. 10)

10. That I will step out and take risks for the sake of His glory, not sheltering myself under “Bible discussions among ourselves, or complaining to others about the horrible state of today’s society.” (Ch. 11)

I pray this is helpful, brothers and sisters. Whatever your prayer, may it be persistent towards the end of seeing God’s visible glory in our lives. “As for me and my house,” we will “humble ourselves, prayerfully seeking His face, and (may it be so, Lord) turn from our wicked ways.”

This Body of Death

2008-08-13T08:59:00.003-05:00

I find myself reading over and again the 7th and 8th chapters of Romans, and I am overcome, yet again, with the doxological response it requires. How can we read, as Christians, that nothing, in all of the created order, is “able to separate us from the love of God (8:38-39),” and not render praise to our God? Couple this with the fact that we are adopted as sons, being “children of God, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ (8:15-17),” and we have no answer but to be blown away!
But note from where such blessings stem: suffering (8:18); groans and birth pangs (8:22-23); weakness (8:26). Even this should come as little surprise, as we hear time and again of the sufferings of Christ’s followers throughout the pages of Scripture. We know, for example, the writer of Romans found himself beaten, stoned near to death, imprisoned, shipwrecked, in hunger and thirst, cold and exposure, and in dangers galore from innumerable fronts (2 Cor. 11:25-27).
We so often read these accounts and wrestle with a guilt complex, of sorts, as American Christians, since we have, by and large, seen very little, if any, of this type of suffering. But, we must not overlook the context in which Paul writes Romans 7 and 8. We find especially in chapter 7 that Paul has written at length of his wrestle with sin, finding that “nothing good dwells in me,” so that while the “willing is present in me, the doing is not (7:18).” Again, “the body is dead,” not because of floggings or imprisonment, but “because of sin” (8:10). He counts himself a “wretched man (7:24),” not because of physical travail, or loss of friend and countrymen. No. He is bound to this “body of death” by the “evil that is present” in him (7:21).

So, what does this mean for us? It would seem that, like Paul, our greatest struggle is not with those around us, or our circumstances, but rather it is against “the enemy within.” We must war with the flesh, especially as believers, because now we have been shown, “through the Law,” sin for what it really is; being, in fact, “utterly sinful,” “proving to result in death for me” (7:7, 13, 10).
At this point, however, we must be careful not to err in the opposite extreme. While Paul despairs at the wretched man that he is, he almost simultaneously lifts his song to Christ, in whom there is “no condemnation” (8:1). We must never fall prey to the idea that we somehow, in our own strength, can do that which the Law requires, so as to merit God’s favor. It is only in our constant admission of weakness, our “groanings too deep for words,” that we find how to “pray as we should,” and allow the Spirit of God to make us “overwhelmingly conquer” in all of these things (8:26, 37). While we may wrestle with “flesh and blood,” it is our own, acted upon by our own sin nature, as it succumbs to the “wiles of the devil” (Eph. 6:12, 11). And, “thanks be to God,” that through Jesus Christ our Lord, we have the victory (Rom. 7:25).
So, in your warring with sin, beloved, know that “He condemned sin in the flesh” already (8:3). He suffered, so that yours would not be in vain. In fact, His power and grace is perfected in our weakness (2 Cor. 12:9), so that, when we are faced with temptation, we need simply give it to Him who has already conquered death and its condemnation, so as to experience true freedom in Christ, whatever our trial.

Slow Progress for this Pilgrim

2008-08-07T09:02:00.006-05:00

As our Tuesday night Bible study finished up going through 1 Peter and I start preparing to study Philippians, I am really being convicted about my worldliness. In 1 Peter, he is writing to Christians in Rome who are being severely persecuted (read: burned, imprisoned, beaten) for their faith and Peter is writing to them to encourage them to stay faithful. Right in the beginning of the letter he encourages them by reminding them that they are strangers of the world (aliens, pilgrims, sojourners, exiles, foreigners), meaning that they may live under the authority of the Roman government, but they are merely strangers in the land; citizens of a different world.

Paul similarly displays this attitude in his letter to the Philippians; describing how he is willing to give up all that seems good in the world so that the gospel can be proclaimed. He takes Jesus call to deny himself very seriously and says he counts all the seemingly great things he has as "rubbish."

In my own life I have found myself too busy to really get serious about proclaiming the gospel to the world and personally investing more time in discipling those who are young in the faith. My personal prayer and study time has been diminishing as I find too many excuses to ignore such vital components of the Christian life. This summer, I thought, would be a season of great growth for me and the ministries I am involved in. But I have found myself along for the ride as every single weekend is planned out for me doing something different and I am sacrificing my prayer time, Bible study, personal reading, and ministry opportunities.

The difficult thing is that the things that are taking up my time aren’t necessarily sinful. Going to cousins weddings, visiting aunts and uncles, family reunions, playing baseball with unsaved neighbors and attending graduations aren’t bad things and are actually good things because I get opportunities to discuss the gospel with many different people. But it comes at a cost of my first ministries; my own sanctification, my wife (and soon my first child), and serving in my own church.

During the week it is so easy to go through the routine of life that I forget that I am a pilgrim simply passing through this world. I think that too often we justify our worldly behavior by pointing out that it isn’t specifically defined as a sin. However, anything that takes time away from what we have been called to do is also a sin and that is where I find myself battling right now. We are called to deny our personal desires and to gain holy desires to serve the King who is coming soon to take us home.

Imagine how much time we would have to read our Bibles if we got rid of our televisions. I know, I know. Watching TV isn’t in itself a sin. But it is so easy to be distracted by it. It consumes an hour of your life before you realize what happened. How much more time would we have to serve in a church ministry if we spent less time surfing the internet for no reason or being entertained by some game.

Often times in our efforts to be relevant to the world by “becoming all things to all men” we lose focus on the fact that we are not of this world. Even though we live in America, our citizenship is of another world. We work daily at our jobs and live in an entertainment culture and it is too easy to end up going through life like people who are of this world.

I pray that we can all be reminded more often that Christians are not of this world. We are called to deny ourselves and take up the cross daily. Being a Christian isn’t about doing the same things as everyone else while wearing a name tag that says “Christian.” It isn’t an easy life that involves being everyone’s friend so they might like Jesus too. It often involves losing friends, sacrificing some of our favorite things, and delaying gratification until Christ returns. We are foreigners to this land. People should recognize us as foreigners by how we talk, what we are entertained by, what consumes our free time. I pray that I can become a much better example of the pilgrim life.

"If it doesn't matter the day you die, it doesn't matter." -Mark Cahill

In My Right Mind

2008-07-22T03:49:00.003-05:00

So, I have this theory, which is, of course, inherently flawed by its very nature. Nevertheless, I wonder that my prayers and my worries occur in the opposite parts of my brain. No, really! Often, when I find myself lying awake in bed, wondering at what I've forgotten to do, or anticipate doing, the only thing that seems to shut my brain off is to begin to pray.

Now, some of you may wonder, "Not much of a prayer life, if you're falling asleep." Perhaps, though I've heard it evidences a deep trust in Christ. Either way, it works. And, don't think me too pompous by that statement; you need only note the time of this posting. My point is this: prayer demonstrates, I think, the antidote to our worry, because, in its very act, it places faith and trust in God above that He will hear, and He will answer, and He cares. When worry crowds my mind, I need only "cast my cares upon Him," who is able to shoulder my deepest need (forgiveness) and my smallest want (sleep). Just a thought; now, excuse me, while I pray myself back to sleep.

Book Review: Do Hard Things

2008-07-21T20:19:00.007-05:00

Alex and Brett Harris say there is nothing extraordinary about themselves. They don’t think that there exists such a thing as an “average teenager.” But, as the title of their book suggests, they want to challenge youth to Do Hard Things. “At age sixteen, we interned at the Alabama Supreme Court. At seventeen, we served as grass-roots directors for four statewide political campaigns. At eighteen we authored the most popular Christian teen blog on the web. We’ve been able to speak to thousands of teens and their parents at conferences in the United States and internationally and to reach millions online. But if our teen years have been different than most, it’s not because we’re somehow better than other teens, but because we’ve been motivated by a simple but very big idea.” (pg. 4,5)

Do Hard Things: A Teenage Rebellion Against Low Expectations is written by teenagers primarily for teenagers, but everything said in it is applicable to adults as well. In a time and culture where youth are expected to ignore responsibility and simply have fun, this book is a challenge to use the teenage years to prepare for adulthood. “The teen years are not a vacation from responsibility,…they are the training ground of future leaders who dare to be responsible now.” (pg. 13)

The book is separated into three sections with the first considering the modern expectations of young people and what the Scriptures expect of young people. “People today view the teen years through the modern lens of adolescence – a social category of age and behavior that would have been completely foreign to men and women not too long ago…The term adolescence literally means ‘to grow up.’…The problem we have is with the modern understanding of adolescence that allows, encourages, and even trains young people to remain childish for much longer than necessary.” (pg. 33) “You won’t find the words teenager or adolescence anywhere in Scripture. And you won’t find any reference to a period of time between childhood and adulthood either. Instead you’ll find the apostle Paul writing in 1 Corinthians 13:11, ‘When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways.’” (pg. 42) The Harris’ describe the “Myth of Adolescence” as being influenced by evolutionary thought and changing our mindset of youth being important producers in society to being largely only consumers who are expected to only have fun.

Transitioning from this challenge to the current thought of adolescence is the dare for Christian youth to be different from the world. Do Hard Things presents five challenges to youth to take on tasks that God is calling them to do and that nobody expects them to do. The “Five Kinds of Hard” that are explained in the second section of the book are:
1. Things that are outside your comfort zone.
2. Things that go beyond what is expected or required.
3. Things that are too big to accomplish alone.
4. Things that don’t earn an immediate payoff.
5. Things that challenge the cultural norm.
This is the meat of this book and a great message that not only should teens take to heart, but many Christian adults too.

The final section of Do Hard Things is basically a collection of inspiring stories of “ordinary teens” doing extraordinary things. It is hard not to be motivated by the stories of faithfulness of kids who desire to be obedient to Christ and not fall back on excuses that are supported by their humanistic culture. From kids who have raised thousands of dollars to feed starving children across the globe to other youth who decided to give up video games to be more committed to learning Scripture, these stories represent a future of Christianity that is ready to outshine the current generation of leaders in the church.

Do Hard Things contains a message that all teenagers and their parents need to understand. God gifted young people with much more ability to serve Him than we expect from them. Too often we don’t expect our children to be able to handle our adult ministry challenges, so we create separate youth ministries for them that are simpler. Instead of taking them along side us in big tasks, we send the youth to the mall or put a video game in front of them to keep them busy until they are old enough to step into adult ministries. This book dares youth to prove that God gave them potential to Do Hard Things and challenges adults not to expect anything less.

Book Review: The Supremacy of Christ in a Postmodern World

2008-07-08T14:03:00.002-05:00

Start a conversation today with a non-Christian and you may notice quite a bit of difficulty in maintaining a rational discussion. Today’s American culture is becoming much less familiar with the Christian story. Our country is becoming more biblically illiterate making evangelism a much longer more difficult endeavor. Many in our society don’t know who Jesus Christ is or what the cross represents. The number of people claiming to not believe in a God at all is on the rise. And increasingly, several dialogues may leave your head spinning or pounding as you try to understand the postmodern mindset that says you can’t know what is true or that all beliefs are true.

In The Supremacy of Christ in a Postmodern World, seven essays are compiled by John Piper and Justin Taylor explaining how we must engage this postmodernism with the truth of Christ. The authors who contributed to the book include: David Wells, Voddie Baucham Jr., D.A. Carson, Tim Keller, Mark Driscoll, Justin Taylor, and John Piper. Each author biblically expounds on the importance of truth, joy, love, the gospel, and the church in relation to this increasingly postmodern world. Justin Taylor summarizes them all in the introduction; “The church should become that for which it was created, namely, the pillar and buttress of truth, joy, and love in order to display the glory of God and the supremacy of Christ in all things.” (pg. 14)

David Wells begins the book with a chapter calling for defending the truth of the Christian faith. Our culture is increasingly becoming pluralistic, seeing little difference in religions. The church has been unable to offer anything of deep meaning to the culture. It has tried to accommodate other religions to the point of offering simple life enhancement and appearing to be no different from the rest. We must strive to hold to truth, declaring the counter message that Christ is the only way. Instead of pandering to the culture’s ideas, we are to offer a message that contradicts the world’s ideas. “Is the evangelical church faithful enough to explode the worldview of this new spiritual search? Is it brave enough to contradict what has wide cultural approval? The final verdict may not be in, but it seems quite apparent that while the culture is burning, the evangelical church is fiddling precisely because it has decided it must be so like the culture to be successful.” (pg. 38)

In the chapter on Truth and The Supremacy of Christ in a Postmodern World, Voddie Baucham Jr. dissects the truth of the Bible in answering four basic questions of life: who am I, why am I here, what is wrong with the world and how can what is wrong be made right? He answers these in full detail by explaining that we are the beautiful creation of God; that we were made to give glory to Him; the thing that is wrong with the world is you and me through sin; nothing we can do can make it right, but Christ made it right by taking the punishment on the cross for us. “[According to postmodern secular humanism] the solution to our woes is more education and more government. That’s the only answer our culture can propose: teach people more stuff and give them more information…If you take a sinful, murderous human being and educate that individual, here merely becomes more sophisticated in his ability to destroy.” (pg. 57) Our only hope in the world is to throw ourselves at the mercy of God and trust in Christ for righteousness.

John Piper continues the theme of his entire ministry writing about joy in The Supremacy of Christ. He gives the condensed version of the chapter by saying, “(1) Jesus’ greatest joy is in the glory of his Father, and (2) he shares this joy with us by means of understandable propositions (or Bible doctrine) about himself and his Father and his work, which the Holy Spirit illumines and ignites as the kindling of our passion for Christ.” (pg. 72) Piper explains it as we are being made to be more like Christ, our greatest joy also becomes that of Him; giving glory to the Father. By revealing Himself through the Bible, he gives us an opportunity to know Him more and through that knowledge we find more joy in His infinite glory. “If you say, ‘My joy is in the journey toward knowing, not the arrival,’ you make an idol out of the journey and you turn heaven into a disappointment…If you get most of your joy from what you don’t know about God, God is not glorified in your joy. His Son and his Book and his world are the revelation of his glory. He has made the knowledge of himself possible…Therefore, the joy you have in what you know of God is intensified by the expectation that there is so much more to see. The mystery of what you don’t know gets its God-glorifying power from what you do know. God is not glorified by strong feelings of wonder that flow from ignorance of what he is like.” (pgs. 80-81)

Especially in our culture the word “love” is very misunderstood. We say so often the promise of John 3:16 and because of the misuse of the word we often miss the depth of God’s love. D.A. Carson discusses God’s love for us (and how we are to relate it to the lost world) by first meditating on the love within the Trinity. “All of this manifestation of glory, of the goodness of God, is displayed because the Father loved Jesus before the creation of the world. The thought is stunning. All this display of the glory of God focuses finally on the goodness of God in the cross and vindication of the Son for the sake of poor sinners – and al of it is grounded in the sheer love of the Father for the Son – the same love, Jesus insists, that the Father has for us.” (pg. 94) What an amazing thought that the all-sufficient Creator of the universe who was supremely satisfied with the love He shared within the Trinity, decided to create us humans to pour out even more of His love!

Tim Keller, in the chapter focusing on the gospel itself and how we must share it with the world, stressed the importance of being very clear in our presentations. The old ways of programmed, scripted evangelism don’t work anymore because of the biblical illiteracy of our country. We were a country founded on Christian principles and shaped by biblical themes. However, many people today on the street have never heard the Christian story or are completely ignorant of any biblical references. Keller explains that we must start our evangelism farther back at the existence of God and the creation of the universe far before we can walk someone through the Romans Road. “The problem with virtually all modern evangelism programs is that they assume listeners come from a Christianized background, and so they very lightly summarize the gospel and go right to [personal commitment]. But this is no longer sufficient.” (pg. 115) We must be complete in our gospel proclamations; not just declaring salvation from sins, but also giving hope of the restoration of all things. People recognize that something is wrong with the world, and we can give them hope of a new creation.

The final chapter is written by Mark Driscoll who challenges the church to stand for truth and be an example of Christ in the world. “Jesus is as popular, controversial, and misunderstood as ever. Therefore, it is imperative that Christians contend for a faithful and biblical Christology and contextualize that Christology for a fruitful and cultural missiology.” (pg. 127) There are a lot of popular “Christs” in the world today, but it is important for us to be clear which is the true Jesus revealed to us in the Bible. Many today focus on the humble incarnation of Christ and forget that He is the reigning King of kings who will return in flaming glory to pour out His wrath on sinners. We are commissioned to tell the world of His patience and loving-kindness that is displayed until the time He returns. Driscoll, however, reminds us that while we have been given this authority to proclaim the gospel message to the world, it is Christ who is in charge and we are simply to be an example of the humble Jesus who proclaimed the good news and sacrificed his life for those He loved. Similar to Keller’s essay, Driscoll says, “Sadly, too often the church is filled with language, customs, and styles that are so altogether foreign to the average lost person that unless contextualization occurs and explanation is given, lost people will remain, in Paul’s words, ‘foreigners’ and not friends.” (pg. 144)

The entire book presents concepts that are important for every faithful Christian to understand. As missionaries in our own sub-cultures we cannot assume a changing culture will understand and embrace our unchanging message. But, we must stand for truth while we live humble lives expressing joy in God and love for others that gives us an opportunity to explain the complete gospel to a world that misunderstands the message of Christ.

Those Sanctifying 'Lil Whipper-Snappers

2008-07-07T10:25:00.005-05:00

We are, by nature, very selfish creatures. Think about it. We cry for milk from day one, we argue for our toys not long after that, and on and on it goes. As teenagers (and adults), we guard our reputation very closely. Call it what you want--self-preservation, the Freudian "id," your sin nature--but know that, at its core, it is nothing but unabashed selfishness.

That is why, I believe, God has especially ordained the institution of the family as a sanctifying means of grace. Our instinctual need for camaraderie, fellowship, love, and companionship requires, when rightly done, a level of self-sacrifice. Consider, gentlemen, when you began dating; if you cared at all about your date, you would go see that movie, even if it was a "chick flick," or you would try that new restaurant, ladies, even if it wasn't quite your taste. I even remember at my wedding ceremony being reminded that my wife and I were now one, and I must consider her needs as highly as my own.

And, now...well, the Lord has gifted us with a precious (albeit, very selfish) little girl. Now, more than ever, I understand the implications of love, and family, as it requires of me a level of selflessness I have never yet experienced. I surely never would have, either, by my own devices. I'm far too selfish to go looking for self-abasement.

And, so, God, in His sovereign grace and wisdom, has crafted our love relationships in such a way as to engender selflessness. I remember the day I came to terms with the fact that my aversion to having a child was not rational and fiscally prudent, as I would have liked to have believed. Rather, it was from selfish motives that I came to this conclusion, because I realized that, if I were to wait until I had enough money, or enough time, or even enough desire, that time may never come, when God has given me all the resources, here and now, to have said baby (Kristine's her name).

I simply can't get past the fact that God has, by sheer biology, created husband and wife with the ability to procreate, and I see now, from this side of parenthood, that it was to refine me that he graced our home with a screaming, fussy, poopy (sorry), tireless little helpless creature that insists I (and her mother, of course, and, all the more so) see to her every need. And, in the transaction, I further see that my perceived needs I had prior seem largely inconsequential.

Now, I don't want to rub insensitive to those who find themselves single, or unable to have children. By and large, however, it is God's design that we marry, and we have children. I fear our world's mentality has creeped into our church far too well, to allow us to think that it's mydecision, my body, my timetable. As children are a natural consequence of a God-honoring marriage, it seems it is His intention that we have them, as it is our express purpose on this earth to grow in grace, and experience deep, and satisfying, sanctification. But, that's just my opinion.

The Reason for God

2008-06-04T09:05:00.004-05:00

I've begun reading Timothy Keller's The Reason for God, and, thus far, I have been impressed. I'll not do a full book review here, but I was encouraged by a couple of excerpted quotes, which I submit here. One, in regards to the problem of evil, was from C. S. Lewis: "They say of some temporal suffering, 'No future bliss can make up for it,' not knowing that Heaven, once attained, will work backwards and turn even that agony into a glory." I would certainly recommend this chapter (Chapter 2), as it treats the problem of evil in a different way than ever I've heard, and with an even more compelling argument, in my opinion.

More than an apologetic, however, this book serves as a testimony of a growing, vibrant, and (as best as I've been able to surmise) orthodox church in the heart of Manhattan. Redeemer Presbyterian Church represents a "third camp," in Keller's estimation, a group who had a "concern for justice in the world but who grounded it in the nature of God rather than in their own subjective feelings." They were "neither the Western Christendom of the past nor the secular, religionless society that was predicted for the future."

A few "downtown art-types" of his church testify to this end, stating that Redeemer "lacked the pompous and highly sentimental language they found emotionally manipulative in other churches." Also, the people of this church spoke to each other with "gentle, self-deprecating irony." Reinhold Niebuhr said that this [amusement at seeing human beings try but fail to be Godlike] is a very Christian way of looking at things. People were real, and "did not think more highly of themselves than they ought" (Romans 12:3).

Furthermore, Redeemer people held beliefs with charity and humility, making Manhattanites feel included and welcomed, even if they disagreed with some of Redeemer's beliefs. And, most of all, an intelligent and nuanced mode of teaching and communication attracts these city dwellers (and any self-respecting person, I might add).

We need not couch the Gospel in fuzzy language or less-offensive packaging. We need not look like the world to attract the world. No amount of pyrotechnics or gyrating worship is necessary to appeal to the unbeliever. We need only to be honest with them and ourselves, appeal with integrity and intelligence to the Gospel, and intersect with social needs because Christ did so. People are hungry; may we feed them.

Leaving a Legacy

2008-05-29T08:13:00.003-05:00

I’ve just finished reading C. J. Mahaney’s book, Humility: True Greatness, which I would heartily recommend to anyone. I was especially smitten with the final chapter, which pertains to leaving A Legacy of Greatness. As I don’t have children yet (but will very soon, Lord willing), I pray this is of even more benefit to you.

He begins by making this statement: “As I understand it, parenting is about preparation. Preparation for our children’s future and preparation for the fast-approaching final day of judgment.” Wow! Never have I envisioned parenting in such grand and cosmic terms! But, it’s true, isn’t it?! He goes on: “Do your ambitions for your son or daughter include a certain vocation or a certain level of education? Graduation from a certain college? Professional or athletic or artistic recognition? If so, let me ask this: Are any of these ambitions in line with true greatness as defined in Scripture?”

He cites Mark 9:35 as the definition of true greatness, which says “If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all,” (emphasis mine) and Mark 10:43 (“whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant”). This, of course, was the example Jesus set, as we’ve just been reminded by this past Sunday’s sermon (John 13:1-20). Will this, then, be the bar by which we judge our children’s greatness? Mahaney puts it this way: “Are you more interested in temporal recognition for your child than you are in his eternal reward?”

As he does with other chapters, Mahaney then outlines some practical ways of implementing these truths. “First and foremost, parents are to be an example of greatness for their children,” modeling humble servanthood. Second, we must define true greatness for our children, in light of Christ’s example. We must also learn to teach our children to discern and admire true greatness. A great way to do this is to “not celebrate anything more than you celebrate godly character in your children.” He says that he commends his son for academic achievement or an athletic award, but they break out into real celebration when there’s a demonstration of humility, servanthood, or godly character.”

Instead of admiring sports figures or celebrities, Mahaney suggests (and I agree) that “the local church is filled with truly great people.” Every week, there are those who are “faithfully serving others for God’s glory.” He cites you, as parents, as well, as you all have served “unselfishly and continuously.” His final suggestion is this: teach your children to serve. “Your family’s higher purpose, even ultimate purpose, is to serve the local church.”

Junk Mail Evangelism

2008-05-28T15:03:00.011-05:00

I often hear from Christians that they just are too introverted to share the gospel. In their minds they have a fear of knocking on doors or standing on a street corner preaching the gospel to the masses and think, “I can’t do that so I can’t do evangelism.” There are so many easy ways for us in this country to get the good news out that we have no legitimate reason to be disobedient.

I hope to be able to provide here many fun and simple ways to get the gospel out so we can all be faithful evangelists. Keep checking back here for more and let us know if you tried any or if you came up with one of your own.

If you own a mailbox, you no doubt receive more mail that you throw away than mail that is important. As frustrating as it can be, some of this unsolicited mail can be used for evangelism. If you hate that you have to fill your garbage can (which you pay to empty) so quickly with all of that junk mail you could do this.

Or you could eat the cost trash removal and take advantage of the free postage to get the gospel out. A couple months ago we purchased a bunch of gospel tracts and spent a day giving them out around town. We still have many tracts left over and if you think silently handing a piece of paper to someone is still to scary, junk mail evangelism provides the easiest evangelism opportunity for the shyest person of all.

From now on, instead of throwing away all of that junk mail, keep that postage-paid return envelope, put a couple of tracts in there and send it on back. It’s not that often that people give you such and easy opportunity to get the gospel into their hands.

What a great chance this is to get your children excited about the sharing the gospel too. Get excited about junk mail and get a collection of postage-paid envelopes awaiting their gospel proclaiming destiny. Next time you are at church, stop into the office and pick up your own collection of tracts and get stuffing envelopes.

A Gospel that atTracts

2008-05-27T09:00:00.005-05:00

My yard and I are in a grand battle of the ages. It's me vs. the weeds, and it's to the death (preferably theirs)! And, like any other Christian person, I started wondering how that related to my walk with Christ. So, here goes:

In sharing the Gospel, we must first sow the seed. We will never reap a harvest if we don't first sow the seed of the Gospel. It's a very simple truth, but we all so often fall into the routine of expecting that, if we do the right programs, if we're nice enough, etc., that people will be attracted to the Gospel. They can only be attracted to that which we clearly and verbally demonstrate to them.

And, you have to know the Gospel before you can throw, or sow, the Gospel, right? So, stay in the Word; commit it to memory; allow it to inform your witness. And, know something about your soil, too, which would be the person with which you're sharing. Find a point of common interest with even a total stranger, even something as simple as the weather, or the insanely high gas prices. And, if you know the person, there's all the more context from which to share.

Now, if someone has gone before you and sown the Gospel into someone's life, then you may have the opportunity to hoe that Gospel, nurturing it and stirring it deeper into the person's life. You may even be graced with the privilege of bringing that person to the Lord. Either way, both "the sower and the reaper may be glad together" (John 4:36-37). Never discount the role of the sower, as they are afforded equal honor to that of the reaper (compliments of Dr. Roy Fish).

We must be mindful, however, of the role that merits no honor whatsoever, which is the role of the mower. These are those of us, and we've all done it at some point(s), who in some way have ruined our witness and disgraced the glorious name of Christ. We may have spoken wrongfully, or with mal intent. Perhaps we grew impatient or hostile or angry. Whatever it is, we must be careful never to mow down the seeds that have been planted for the Gospel.

That brings us finally to growing. Let us not make the mistake of thinking that evangelism and discipleship are two mutually exclusive things. No, we must constantly be reminded as Christians of the Gospel, and the change it has wrought in our life, as we are so prone to otherwise give in to sin. The Spirit is at work in both the unbeliever and the believer to woo them to repentance and application. We must work, then, to make disciples, be disciples, and grow disciples.

I pray this is an encouragement to you all. May God commend our efforts, unto His glory alone.

Humble Righteousness

2008-05-21T07:48:00.002-05:00

I was reminded this morning that we are only as useful as we are both humble and righteous, and the grand irony of it all is that they are to be as our right hand is to our left, with one not knowing what the other is doing (Matthew 6:3). If pride replaces my humility, I am no longer righteous. If sin displaces my righteousness, I need be humbled yet again. And, so we have yet another presumed paradox (http://ebcrochester.blogspot.com/2008/05/paradox.html) in our Christian faith that requires the constant check and balance of the Lord's admonition, through His word, His people, His orchestration of circumstances, etc.

May we ever be mindful of the grand necessity of both our groveling humility before God and each other, and our imputed righteousness secured by Christ's blood. Only then can we be of maximum impact for the Kingdom, doing that which He requires in both a humbling and pristinely righteous manner.

Stewardship

2008-05-21T07:25:00.002-05:00

This morning, at the glorious hour of 3:30, the good Lord saw fit to stir me from my sleep (that, and I had to go the restroom), and my mind was awhirl with ideas for worship. Taking a moment to jot those down, and a further moment to partake of some strawberry shortcake and a quick round of Solitaire, I laid back down (it's now about 4:15). It was at this moment, for reasons I still can't be sure of, that the Lord impressed upon me thoughts of giving, for some reason.

Maybe it was the shortcake talking, but I wonder, too, if it had something to do with my previous study of Scripture. I had been looking at the opening chapters of Acts in preparation for Prayer Meeting (which was a delight, by the way; thank you all!), and I casually observed Acts 2:42-47, which speaks of the believers holding everything in common. We don't often look at this passage in the light of giving of our tithes and offerings, but it obviously held some serious import (see Acts 5 regarding Ananias and Sapphira).

Now, I know this seems an awkward exhortation coming from one who receives his income through a portion of those gifts, but, let's be honest here; I'm not in it for the money. My true concern, truly, is the ministry of our church, which is to make disciples. Nothing more, certainly nothing less. As we sat on the lawn last night as a praying body of believers, I was overcome with the visibility of that witness, and I was excited to imagine what visible ministry we might have in our community as it is enabled by our faithful giving.

The Old Testament adage is to give 10%; the New, to give 'til it hurts (as Christ did). I'm under the personal conviction that we should tithe on our gross, because my Lord is Christ, not Uncle Sam, and I want Him to get the first fruits. Nevertheless, just imagine if our body of 130-odd folk were to give faithfully even just 10%. In our affluent community of doctors and techies and such, would that not more than meet our budget, and exceed it, unto His glory?

Barna's research shows that, as best we can tell, there are 101 million born-again Christians among a U.S. population of 301 million. Imagine if your witness, and that enabled by our corporate body at large, were able to bridge that gap. In the Midwest, 45% of the population claims to be born-again. If that is true, and we as a mere 130 folk were to be faithful to give to the ministry our all (our tithes and offerings, our time, our witness), then we would reach the estimated 96,975 persons in our city with the Gospel very easily. In fact, if we each did our part to share the Gospel in some capacity with just one person each week, we will have spoken to every person in Rochester! And, certainly we can do better than that to compensate for the population growth!

May we learn from the admonition of Acts 4, to hold all things loosely, sharing all we have, whether it be our financial resources, our various areas of ministry, etc. This church is not ours; this ministry is not ours. He has graciously gifted us with this task. May we be faithful to hold all things in common, and pool our resources for the only thing that matters: sharing and living the Gospel. All else will fade away, save His glory alone! May we invest in that!

Real Worship

2008-05-20T08:47:00.002-05:00

Worship is Life. We as Christians can so often confuse worship for that which we do corporately as a Body each Sunday, and that, of course, is true, but only in part. Long before church buildings were erected, or Worship Pastors were employed, followers of Christ were worshiping Him, and doing so with their lives. So, how exactly do we do that?
Well, we “live a life worthy of the calling” (Ephesians 4:1), that “God may count us worthy” of it, “fulfilling our every good purpose and every act prompted by our faith” (2 Thess. 1:11). Now, of course, this faith is not of ourselves; no, it is the gift of God. But, our “every good purpose and act” is God’s workmanship, “prepared in advance for us to do” (Eph. 2:8-10).
Remember, God has given us “everything we need for life and godliness” (2 Peter 1:3, emphasis mine). So, a life of worship is that one which is lived in the knowledge of Him. And, how do we gain that knowledge? Well, some of it is gained on Sunday. That is true. But, I firmly believe we grow all the more in our personal walks with Him; in the quiet of the morning, in our prayer time during our commute to work, in the godly witness of our families. In so doing, Sunday becomes but a culmination of celebration, as God’s people truly fellowship over all that He has done, and led us to do, in the week preceding.
And, for those of us who fear to share our faith, consider 2 Corinthians 2:14, which says: “But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of Him.” It is a beautiful portrayal of a life of worship lending itself ever so naturally to the spreading of the Word. May we do likewise, knowing that, with but one life to live, we must need expend it on His glory alone, that we’ll not have wasted one minute, but have been found indeed to be both good and faithful.

Paradox?

2008-05-13T13:57:00.002-05:00

Oftentimes, in our Christian lives, we speak of the numerous paradoxes we find in the Bible, and rightly so. There is the apparent conflict between God's sovereignty and man's freedom to choose; there is the admonition that the last shall be first, he who loses his life will find it, etc. It only occurred to me today, however, that these, and all others like them, are paradoxes only insomuch as they have happened after the Fall.

Think about it. If things were as God had originally intended them, would any of these things puzzle us as they do? It is the most natural thing for a fully holy and righteous person to put others before himself, and the like. As Adam walked in the cool of the day, I doubt that he grappled with his freedom of choice and God's sovereignty. Anything less would have simply been unnatural. How far we have fallen! The grace that needs reform us is indeed magnanimous, and should garner our uninhibited praise!

2008-05-13T09:13:00.002-05:00

Meditating upon Psalm 68 this morning, I am overrun with the thought that the passages portraying the wicked and unregenerate characterize me better than those which speak of the righteous. How can this be?! Have I so neglected the practice and presence of God, that I tremble at my God's tremendous strength more out of fear than awe? Praise God that forgiveness is found in Him, that His mercies are ever new; nevertheless, who am I to so besmirch His name and trample underfoot His blood that I presume to continue in my sin without so much as a furtive glance towards the grand sacrifice that has made me His own?

I remember reading, and have been reminded yet again, that, when one finds themselves in the midst of sin, they are best advised to think upon the cross, and the bloodied, mangled body of He who is there for my sake. Sadly, it seems that, too often, I am already so smitten with my trespass that I can think of nothing else. Sin is that way, isn't it? It entangles, and ensnares. It is no wonder that even desire alone gives birth to sin, and sin, ironically enough, gives life to death. Saddening.

I am convinced that the less focus I lend towards my circumstances, and my presumed "rights," and the more onus I put on the wholly undeserved right I have now as a child of God, and a coheir with Christ, I will, less and less, find myself in the throes of sin. I perceive that the more desirous He is to me, and the more satiated I am with His presence, the less I will desire deathly, wicked things. I know that it's no grand revelation, but in my fallenness, I need constant reminder.

Thank you, Father, for the reminder. Through your Word, through your pricking. May the Spirit ever have His way with my conscience, and may I never grow so calloused and hard to His wooing that I shoo Him away for good. "Do not cast me away from Your presence and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me." (Psalm 51:11)

Cosmic Abuse?

2008-04-23T09:07:00.004-05:00

I am currently reading John Piper’s book The Supremacy of Christ in a Postmodern World. In his chapter on Joy and the Supremacy of Christ, he quotes a postmodern church leader as saying the way we interpret the cross is “cosmic child abuse.”

The fact is that the cross isn’t a form of cosmic child abuse – a vengeful Father, punishing his Son for an offence he has not even committed. Understandably, both people inside and outside of the Church have found this twisted version of events morally dubious and a huge barrier to faith. Deeper than that, however, is that such a concept stands in total contradiction to the statement: ‘God is love.’ If the cross is a personal act of violence penetrated by God towards humankind but borne by his Son, then it makes a mockery of Jesus’ own teaching to love your enemies and to refuse to repay evil with evil.
(Steve Chalke and Alan Mann, The Lost Message of Jesus (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2003), 182-83).

Piper does a nice job defending the essential doctrine of the penal substitutionary atonement of Christ, but another thing came to mind as I was reading the scriptures he presented. If we are going to view everything in the Bible through the lens of the one sentence “God is love” we must be sure we interpret that one sentence exactly as it was meant.

It seems to me that this leader has a misunderstanding of what love is. He seems to also ignore the fact that God is holy; He is angry at sin, righteous, and just. Grace and mercy do not mean anything if we don’t understand the wrath of God. God’s love does not mean He overlooks our sins, it means He showed us favor despite them because of what Christ did on the cross.

Here I just wanted to post the verses that Piper responded to this quote with and the verses that came to mind. Quite contradictory to the quote from this leader is the fact that when the Bible refers to the love of God, it ties it directly to the cross.

We esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all…. It was the will of the LORD to crush him; he has put him to grief. (Isaiah 53:4-6,10)

Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us – for it is written, ‘Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree.’ (Galatians 3:13)

For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh. (Romans 8:3)

I found it interesting that this author claims that penal substitionary atonement is actually a barrier to faith. Our Bible study last night revealed another verse very applicable to this very statement.

Therefore, to you who believe, He is precious; but to those who are disobedient, ‘The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone,’ and ‘A stone of stumbling and a rock of offense.’ (1 Peter 2:7,8)

Here are the verses tying the love of God to the cross.

For God so loved the world (i.e. He loved the world in this way) that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. (John 3:16)

Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends. (John 15:13)

But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8)

I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. (Galatians 2:20)

And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma. (Ephesians 5:2)

In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. (1 John 4:9,10)

To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood… (Revelation 1:5)

I give these verses as a study, not simply to point out a false teacher, but to encourage believers to dig deeper into the word. The death on the cross and the resurrection are foundational to our faith. Without them we are still in our sins and are to be pitied above all men (1 Corinthians 15:12-18)

Blessed

2008-04-14T08:13:00.002-05:00

As I sat in my living room this morning, eating my cheesy eggs, I was struck by how blessed I am. Even in the midst of a move, with so many things in boxes, I was still surrounded by "things." God has been good! As my thoughts moved further, I realized my dog was peacefully at rest in his crate, bothering me not at all! What a blessing! My cat was playfully batting around a paper clip, providing much entertainment. How blessed! My wife was quietly asleep, nurturing our little one even then. Delightfully blessed!

God is good, and it's amazing how well a sunny day on a crisp morning has reminded me of that. With all of life's trials, and the swirling confusion about me, the sweet serenity that sunlight and frost lend to my day far outweigh the heavy thoughts on my mind. My outlook brightens, hope sets in, and optimism prevails, as I am reminded, yet again, God is on His throne. He jealously guards His children, as they evidence His glory, and, even in the midst of trial, things are made new and aright. As gold is refined, so are we. As the slumber of winter awakens to spring, so must we. "Unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed" (John 12:24). God is doing a great work, but growth takes pain. Believe me, I remember; I'm not that far removed from adolescence. So, I'm encouraged, because God is God, and He is good!

How Dare We Fear

2008-04-04T10:57:00.004-05:00

Under Islamic law, 9th century Spanish Christians were executed for sharing the Gospel. One such person was Eulogius of Cordova, whose grandfather would cover young Eulogius' ears during the Muslim recitation of prayer, instead reciting a psalm. Learned, Eulogius penned both Exhortation to Martyrdom and The Memorial of the Saints to encourage those condemned to die. Finding himself later in the same predicament, he nonetheless took the opportunity to expound the truths of his faith when on trial. He had been found guilty of protecting a young convert from persecution for her newfound faith. Exhorted to simply "say one word" and "afterwards resume [his] own religion," he instead said it was fitting that he "teach and present the faith of Christ as the way to the celestial kingdom."

Quickly beheaded for fear of hearing anymore, Eulogius had nonetheless made an eternal impact on his world. Even at the news of his execution, Leocritia, the young lady who he had protected, was unswerving in her commitment to Christ. Four days later, she was beheaded. Four days later, she was in the presence of Christ Himself.

A Reality Check

2008-04-02T09:58:00.003-05:00

News from Egypt

"I'm in real danger, but I trust God because He is alive. My comfort is that it is only a short time I'm spending here on earth, but there will be a long time that I'll spend with Him. - "Lana," a former Muslim Egyptian

Beaten and abandoned by her family, "Lana" was penniless and with nowhere to live, as her family now considered an infidel, because of her newfound faith. Detained for three days, having her head shaved and leg broken, "Lana" was finally returned back to her family, who responded by abandoning her again.

News from Morocco

Through the Internet, "Majdy" came to know the Lord, through the Christian witness of a Syrian girl who pointed out to him that, of all the 100 names for God in Islam, none refers to Him as "Love." Struck by that, "Majdy" accepted Christ, no longer attending mosque or reciting Koranic prayers. Hiding for fear of his life from his father, "Majdy" prays for his family, convinced they will see the light of the Gospel.

News from Algeria

Strumming his guitar and singing Christian hymns, "Hazim" shares the Gospel with any who ask him to stop singing as they travel on the train. On a seven-hour ride, "Hazim" explains that "Muslims have nowhere to escape. They have to listen to me." Already responsible for the planting of six churches, "Hazim" is "fearless and will go anywhere."

Lord, may we be. May we Rescue the Perishing.

The Truth About Prayer

2008-04-02T09:34:00.009-05:00

Prayer malfunctions in the hands of Christians when we seek selfish desires instead of fruit-bearing in the mission of advancing the Gospel. John 15:7 tells us that if the words of Jesus abide in us, we will pray with power and effectiveness, both for our good and God’s glory. Four truths about prayer come from meditating on this Scripture in its wider context.

Fruit Bearing
God designed prayer to give His disciples the joy of bearing fruit while God Himself gets the glory. Jesus said, “If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it shall be done for you. By this is my Father glorified, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be my disciples” (John 15:7-8).In verse 16. Jesus says to His disciples, “You did not choose me, but I chose you, and appointed you, that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask of the Father in my name, he may give to you.”
The logical connection between the two parts of this verse is important. Jesus says, in effect, “I have given you a fruit-bearing mission in order that your prayers might be answered! ”You would expect His words to be just the reverse: God will give you what you ask in order that you might have a fruit-bearing mission. But Jesus says it the other way around: I give you a fruit-bearing mission in order that the Father might answer your prayers. The point: Prayer malfunctions when it is not used in fruit-bearing. Therefore, since I want you to pray and to get answers to your prayers, I chose you and I appointed you to go and bear fruit. If you are not devoted to fruit-bearing, you have no warrant for expecting answers to prayer.

Kingdom Desires
Jesus taught us to pray, “Give us this day our daily bread.” And what could be more natural than the desire to eat? There are dozens of instances in the Bible of people praying for desires—for protection from enemies, escape from danger, success in vocation, fertility in marriage, recovery from sickness. It’s not that those desires are wrong, but they should always be subordinate to spiritual desires; Kingdom desires; fruit-bearing desires; Gospel-spreading, God-centered desires; Christ-exalting, God-glorifying desires. And when our natural desires are felt as a means to these greater desires, then they become the proper subject of prayer. Just before Jesus said to pray, “Give us this day our daily bread,” He said, “Make it your heart’s desire that God would hallow His name and that the Kingdom would come and that the will of God would be done on earth.” When your heart is caught up with these great desires, then having something to eat is not merely a natural desire, but a means to some great God-centered end. And then it is the proper subject of prayer.

Used for His Ends
If prayer is not for gratifying natural desires but for bearing fruit for God, the major challenge of prayer is to become the kind of people who are not dominated by natural desires, the kind of people who do not use God for their own ends but are utterly devoted to being used for His ends.
This is why Jesus says, “If you abide in me and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it shall be done for you.” The words of Jesus abiding in us make us those kind of people.
Here are a few examples that show this in John’s writings:
In 1 John 1:10 he says, “If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.” If the words of Jesus were abiding in us, we would have known ourselves better—that we have sinned. The words of Jesus abiding in us is the key to a true and humble assessment of ourselves that keeps us in line with God’s purposes.
In 1 John 2:14 John says, “I write to you, young men, because … the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one.” So the words of Jesus abiding in us triumph over Satan and free us from the deceptions that would put us at odds with God and make natural desires dominate our lives.
In John 14:24 Jesus says, “Whoever does not love me does not keep my words.” So if we keep the words of Jesus—if they abide in us—they will define for us the path of love, precisely the path where prayer was designed to bear fruit.
The abiding Word of Jesus puts us in tune with the fruit-bearing purposes of God to glorify Himself.

Saturated by His Words
So the fourth and final truth about prayer is that the more we are saturated by the words of Jesus, the more our prayers will be answered.
The challenge of prayer in the year ahead is the challenge to become the kind of people who do not live at the level of mere natural desire, but who live to bear fruit for God—to hallow His Name, seek His Kingdom and do His will.
The key to becoming that kind of person is letting the words of Jesus—the Word of God (John 3:34, 14:10, 17:8) —abide in us. Being filled and saturated by the words of Scripture brings us so close to the mind of God that we pray in tune with His purposes and receive whatever we ask.

John Piper is pastor for preaching and vision at Bethlehem Baptist Church in Minneapolis, Minn.
All Scripture quotations are taken by permission from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, ©2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Adapted from the sermon “Ask Whatever You Wish.” ©John Piper
from the January 2008 issue of “Decision” magazine

Get on Tract!

2008-03-29T13:43:00.008-05:00

I just returned home from spending the morning with a faithful few at Emmanuel giving out tracts around town. What an amazing time it was! It seems like the best times doing evangelism are the small events where we just get together and go out and meet people. We try to set up large events, fun events, at church events, and all kinds of things to create opportunities for members to share the gospel with the lost. But it seems the most successful (read: faithful) times are when we keep it simple and just get the gospel to people with little extra fanfare. Today was definitely one of those.

We started this morning meeting together to discuss some places we could go and share ideas on how to hand out tracts. Excitement spread around the room as people thought of great ways to get the gospel into the hands of the people. With a table full of tracts, everyone was armed with an entire arsenal of gospel ammunition.

After some time in prayer for courage and faithfulness from our team and soft hearts readied for the gospel, our team parted ways throughout town to plant gospel seeds. Rev Kev spent the morning visiting contacts he had previously made in shopping for tractors. He was able to give away small booklets on heaven while getting the chance to share the gospel with a broken hearted acquaintance. Kevin also found out by sharing tracts that one person already professed to be a Christian and even had the privilege of leading his son to Christ the previous night. Kevin was able to rejoice with him in that.

Jeremy and Jake went downtown to start some conversation at the international food store. They tried to mingle with the locals a bit, but found some difficulty when they didn't understand the language they were using. The left some tracts anyway. The two of them also went to the library to leave some tracts and got the opportunity to share a little with the piano teacher when they returned to church.

Molly and I scoured the Galleria downtown and also the Apache Mall. We placed a few dozen tracts around the area and even thought of a few more clever places (ATMs, books, newspapers, public chairs). We hit up a local bookstore and placed a few gospel tracts in the religion books.

The Murrays went to some stores to do some shopping this morning and they loaded up on over 50 tracts. The boys put tracts in boxes and handed out tracts while their parents did the shopping. As they checked out of the stores, the cashiers were invited to church and given the gospel on a tract. The boys were so excited about telling people about Jesus that they had to be told to slow down a bit. But they just had to keep going. They put some 10 Commandment coins in and under vending machines where kids just love to look for spare change.

David also had a fruitful morning as he was able to have conversations with 4 different people at the mall food court. He did a survey asking some questions of people to get some information for his dissertation and was able to share some gospel tracts during the conversations. He was extremely excited about being able to walk through the gospel so easily with these people. Everyone was so friendly and not even close to antagonistic to the message. David said the time flew by so fast because the conversations went so well.

At noon, we all met back at the fellowship hall for a fantastic taco lunch prepared by Julie and Lexi. We shared our battle stories and rejoiced together for God's power in working through us. The Murray boys filled their pockets with more tracts and begged to be able to go back out and share more about Jesus so others could go to heaven too. Praise God for the faith of children!

Please pray for those who heard the gospel today. Pray that God's Word convicts and brings repentance to softened hearts. Pray also for the gospel tracts that are still out there. Many people have given testimonies of being saved by stumbling across gospel tracts. And finally pray for faithfulness in all of our lives to be more obedient to God's Great Commission. Praise God for using such simple things and broken people to bring glory to Himself!

The Holiness of God - Review

2008-03-28T10:59:00.003-05:00

Isaiah (chapter 6) once got a glimpse of God's holiness and immediately cried out, "Woe is me. I am undone." Moses (Exodus 33) asked to see God's face and He replied, "No man can see God's face and live." The disciples trembled in fear after witnessing Christ's display of control over nature (Mark 4:35-41). These men instantly understood their place in the universe when they were confronted with the awesome holiness of their Creator.

In The Holiness of God, R.C. Sproul unfolds the incredible nature of the mysterious attribute called God's holiness. Of all God's characteristics described in the Scriptures, none is so beyond our understanding as His holiness. When we think of God we often consider His love, grace, or kindness, but Sproul notes an interesting emphasis placed in Scripture. "The Bible never says that God is love, love, love, or mercy, mercy, mercy; or wrath, wrath, wrath; or justice, justice, justice. It does say that He is holy, holy, holy, that the whole earth is full of His glory." (pg. 26)

The book describes God's holiness as being separate, high above what we are. To be holy is to be of supreme and absolute greatness. Holiness is not just another attribute in a list of what God is like; it is all that God is. Holiness encompasses everything we understand about God and far beyond. God's love, grace, justice, mercy, wrath, kindness, righteousness, power, perfection, deity are all expressed as part of God's holiness. "When we call things holy when they are not holy, we commit the sin of idolatry. We give to common things the respect, awe, worship, and adoration that belong only to God." (pg. 40)

R.C. Sproul throughout the book discusses aspects of God's holiness and the effect it has on the lives of His creatures. He expounds on Biblical examples of the LORD's holiness revealed. He takes a look at how great men of God in history, Martin Luther and Jonathan Edwards, were transformed and proclaimed holiness. Luther went from a Catholic monk who feared the holiness of God, to understanding faith in Christ and longing for His holiness. Edwards was a man who did not falter in preaching every aspect of God including His wrath, justice, love, and mercy, in his sermon, "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God."

It is wise for us to study the holiness of our God and Savior. The more we understand who God is, the better we grasp our true place in creation. We recognize how utterly sinful we are and how righteous God is; how helpless we are and how powerful God is; how empty we are and how wonderful God is. "We may dislike giving our attention to God's wrath and justice, but until we incline ourselves to these aspects of God's nature, we will never appreciate what has been wrought for us by grace" (pg. 183). We should, at the same time, both fear His holiness and

yearn for it; knowing that only His holiness can save us from the consequences of our unholiness.
The lives of many professed Christians seem so tiresome and dull. They see nothing exciting about being a Christian and worshipping the sovereign King of the universe. Often these people fall away, revealing they never truly knew who God is (1 John 2:19). "It is difficult for many people to find worship a thrilling and moving experience. We note here, when God appeared in the temple, the doors and the thresholds were moved. The inert matter of doorposts, the inanimate thresholds, the wood and metal that could neither hear nor speak had the good sense to be moved by the presence of God." (pg. 26) "People do not normally feel [overwhelmed] in church. There is no sense of awe, no sense of being in the presence of One who makes us tremble. People in awe never complain that church is boring." (pg. 137) The Holiness of God will be a book that will bring a sense of awe into your relationship with your Savior.

When People Are Big and God is Small - Review

2008-03-28T10:55:00.002-05:00

The fear of man is a lot larger reality in our lives that we believe. "If you want to know whether or not you fear God, note your reaction when good things are taken from you." (pg. 114) "Fear of man is such a part of our human fabric that we should check for a pulse if someone denies it.' (pg 17) Do you want to see the fear of man rear its head? Start talking to people about evangelism. In our culture it is often labeled by other names; peer pressure, people-pleasing, codependency, pride, introversion, self-pity, etc. Edward T. Welch writes in When People Are Big and God is Small that we all have a fear of man and explains that freedom from it has three parts: a biblically informed knowledge of God, other people, and ourselves. He breaks down these three into steps that help reveal the sinful fear of others in our lives and replace it with a godly fear.

Rightfully, Edward Welch begins and spends much of the book describing the amazing attributes of God explaining, "The most radical treatment for the fear of man is the fear of the Lord" (pg. 19). God is a lot bigger than we can even begin to imagine. "Scripture speaks of unimaginable love alongside holy anger. God is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in love, but he also does not leave the guilty unpunished" (pg. 103) We need to understand all sides of God's holiness; His grace, love, and mercy, balanced with justice, anger, and wrath. God is awesome, powerful, beautiful and His handiwork is displayed everywhere. Many of today's sermons in America feed into self-centered thinking by providing self-help sermons. "The result [of too many application sermons] is that our goal can be self-improvement rather than the glory of the Holy God. We need more sermons that leave us trembling." (pg. 96) "A growing knowledge of God displaces the fear of people, and it casts out our tendency to be casual with our secret sins." (pg. 107)

Another step in overcoming the fear of man is having a biblical understanding of ourselves and others. It is important for us to realize how sinful we are and that our dependency is on God not on others. Welch says we ascribe too often God's attributes to other people, "People are our favorite idol. We exalt them and their perceived power above God. We worship them as ones who have God-like exposing gazes or God-like ability to "fill" us with esteem, love, admiration, acceptance, respect, and other psychological desires" (pg. 45). He states that too often we worry that other people will think we are fanatics, that we are stupid, or that they won't respond to us the way we want (fear of people), instead of being more concerned about our own sin and obeying God (fear of God). We then begin to make excuses for our fear of man, calling our sins "shortcomings," saying we are only human, or appealing to the majority for decisions. Instead of living godly we give in because we fear others. In reference to this, Edward Welch makes this convicting statement, "Sometimes we would prefer to die for Jesus than to live for Him." (pg. 39) He declares that "what we fear shows our allegiances. It shows where we put our trust. It shows who is big in our lives." (pg. 47)

When People Are Big and God is Small is a great book that dives into the excuses we make for the fear of man and the remedies for them. The heart of the book is the gospel message, which Welch digs deep into and reveals a better understanding of the gospel than a basic 'Romans Road' presentation describes. He says, "The good news of Jesus is not intended to make us feel good about ourselves. Instead, the good news humbles us" (pg. 146). Throughout the book we find out that we are more sinful than "all fall short" leads us to believe. We take every second of blessing from God and lace it with sin (boasting, self-pity, lies, fear, worry, lust, coveting, etc.). We are idol factories, exaggerating the power of people over us and ascribing them the ability to fulfill our desires. We "stretch the truth" to make ourselves more comfortable in a situation and justify it by saying we are only human or others just don't understand the situation. We create a perceived need in our eyes (more accurately a lust), and make justifications for desiring something God hasn't granted us. When discussing the holiness of God, the sinfulness of man, and the good news of Christ's death and resurrections the author states, "When the fear of the Lord matures in you, Christ becomes irresistible" (pg. 123).

In the book, Welch gets right to the root of these issues, lays out God's wonderful news of His love and transforming power, and offers practical advice on steadily overcoming the fear of others. "THE problem is clear: People are too big in our lives and God is too small. The answer is straightforward: We must learn to know that our God is more loving and more powerful than we ever imagined." (pg. 113)

You and You Alone

2008-03-25T14:54:00.003-05:00

The fifth installment of the Overflow series, You and You Alone, represents the collaborative work of the Sczebel family. As a long-time contributor to congregational worship, and within the last decade, to Sovereign Grace Music, Pat Sczebel does indeed fulfill the mission of Sovereign Grace Ministries, which is to "provide doctrinally rich, Christ-exalting, contemporary songs for worship."

I will admit, however, that upon my first few samplings of this recording, it seemed too contemporary, in that its raw, unfinished production seemed a bit like a garage band demo, at points. The opening cut, "Trust in You," seemed to evidence the effeminate vocals that have grown popular in the independent music scene. Nevertheless, most, if not all, of the songs were registered in a singable key, and espoused Christocentric text.

More importantly, though, the Biblical centering abounds, from the atoning work of Christ in "The Greatest of All," to the portrayal of Christ's sacrifice in "Lord, You Are Gracious." I especially appreciate the dependence upon God evidenced in the faith-filled cries of "Trust in You," "Yesterday, Today, and Forever," and "In You." With references to Christ as our "strong tower" and "rest," You and You Alone portrays the worshiper as in persistent need of the Savior.

He is made desirous as well, as "Jesus, You Are Beautiful" best exemplifies. I love the dynamic contrast this song offers between its plaintive cry of "You are beautiful" and the surprisingly excitable bridge that elevates the appeal to a heightened sense of authenticity. Such transparency is also seen in the genuine worship found in "You Alone," while "You Are Good" makes real the everyday interaction we can enjoy with Christ.

For my immediate context, however, I think the most accessible songs on this album are "The Greatest of All" and "I Surrender All." They both lend a contemporary feel to some grand old hymns, those being "Redeemed, How I Love To Proclaim It" and "I Surrender All," respectively. I can especially appreciate the rendering of "Redeemed, How I Love to Proclaim It," as its syncopation morphs a rousing, tent revival tune into a worshipful and better-paced chorus. Interestingly, the reprise of "I Surrender All" lends itself all too perfectly to such a setting, as the final cut hearkens back to those campfire meetings that almost always devolved into a round or two of "Kum Ba Yah." Congregational to a fault, I suppose, though I would certainly more rather err in this direction than the current tendency of CCM towards egocentricity and consumer Christianity. Thank you, Pat Sczebel and co., for demonstrating an ability to synchronize this generation's stylings with the eternal worthiness of our Lord.

The Power of the Gospel

2008-03-19T13:45:00.002-05:00

This was my first opportunity to attend our annual Empower Conference, and it was quite a treat. Dr. Roy Fish, a longtime speaker at this Conference, was the Keynote Speaker this year, and I can’t have imagined a better one. He delivered message after convicting message of the great need of our sharing the gospel. One particularly challenging story was related within the context of John 4, as Dr. Fish focused especially on verses 35-38. His point was that both those who sow the gospel and those who reap its hearers are accorded equal value in the kingdom of God. The following story certainly drove home the point for me, as it has challenged me afresh to share the gospel, even in the one or two minutes I may have with my cashier, for example.
Dr. Fish told of an elderly gentleman who lived along George Street in Australia, and did nothing more than ask the simple question of those passing by, “If you were to die tonight, do you know for sure where you would go in eternity?” With another few statements of very brief explanation, he was again on his way. That was it. This gentlemen never even saw one person come to faith in Christ, in the many, many years in which he did this.
As a worldwide evangelist caught wind of this story, he began to share it in the various areas of the world where he preached. And, it often happened that someone who heard the story would share that that was exactly how they got saved: a little old man in Australia shared the Gospel with them on George Street. It turned out that this grand sower, though never having seen the fruit of his labor, had made a worldwide impact.
This was a particularly challenging message for me, and I pray it is for you as well. It’s very encouraging as well, that God can use even the simplest servant, if they are but obedient. We so often struggle to share the gospel, when God is willing to do the “hard” part, if we’ll just act in obedience. I pray we begin to see more and more tales of “George Street” encounters. I’m confident He will reward His faithful servant, and we will enjoy the unique privilege of fulfilling our purpose in this world, and pleasing our Savior.

Don't be a wimp

2008-03-12T18:14:00.002-05:00

Do you want to feel more united to Jesus right now, brother? Do the hard thing, the thing that makes you wince. Do it for God. Do it wherever the holy discomfort lies. You will feel the brotherhood in a more profound way than yesterday. This is the yell of the heart for every true God’s man: I didn’t want some petty, inferior brand of righteousness that comes from keeping a list of rules when I could get the robust kind that comes from trusting Christ- God’s righteousness. I gave up all that inferior stuff so I could know Christ personally, experience his resurrection power, be a partner in his suffering, and go all the way with him to death.

Pg 89 Dream, by Kenny Luck

A New Earth is a dangerous book

2008-03-12T17:28:00.005-05:00

A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life’s Purpose by Eckhart Tolle is likely to be a popular book for contemporary readers with a spiritual interest. Eckhart Tolle is also the author of the recent #1 New York Times’ best selling book, The Power of Now. A New Earth is the topic of discussion for a world-wide web event, sponsored by Oprah, which lasts for ten weeks beginning in March of 2008.

Oprah said on her television show that her “…goal in life is to get people to think for themselves, in a way that they know who they are…But the main point of the show all these years is to try to bring a sense of self-actualization to my audience, that’s what I’m trying to do. This book, and I’ve read lots of spiritual books over the years, this book is the best in it’s genre I’ve ever seen in terms of clarity and it’s ability to get people to see the light of who they are. And also once you see that you stop wasting time.”

This book that Oprah calls the best she has seen is a dangerous book because it will end up serving as a spiritual guide for persons who are seeking self-actualization. The problem is that the author’s goal is not just to help readers have better thoughts or be happier or relate better with others, but to provide a spiritual guide to help readers find truth. This is where the book fails. If the book simply offered self-help advice to improve ones behavior or to overcome bad thinking patterns, it would not be so dangerous. Many of the author’s illustrations and examples are true and helpful. But his spiritual conclusions are unacceptable.

1) The book misses the point of human existence. The author contends that the purpose of human existence is to bring the power of the awareness of the present moment into existence. He declares the reason for our existence is to bring the dimension of the consciousness of our own presence into the world and that we are to do that with the other people around us because the purpose of humanity is for individuals to be awakened.

2) The book also misleads readers by presenting all religions as equal. Tolle repeatedly refers to leaders from multiple religions like Jesus, Buddha, or Zen as if they were similar or equal. The result of viewing all religions as equal is that no religion ends up having a valid claim on truth. Tolle is upfront with his aversion to absolute truth. He embraces no absolute truth, truth that is true for all people for all times.

3) The book ends up mocking absolute truth. The writer says that the quicker you are in attaching verbal or mental labels to things, people, and situations the more shallow and lifeless you become. In other words, making definitive, absolute statements marks you as a shallow person.

The author continues his reasoning by contending that churches have been correct when they identify relativism (a belief that there is no absolute truth) as one of the evils of our time. But in an ironic twist, while the author agrees that relativism is evil, he declares it evil because we have looked for truth in the wrong place. The author says truth cannot be found in doctrines or rules or stories. The discerning Christian realizes immediately that doctrines and rules and stories largely define the word of God, the Bible. The Bible is the story of God making the world and coming into the world to save it. The Bible claims to be the rule of life. The Bible tells us how to bring glory to God and to fulfill our purpose in life. The Bible is doctrine. Doctrine simply means teaching, and the Bible is full of teaching.

Tolle says that there is only one truth and all other truths emanate from it. The truth is inseparable from who you are, yes, you are the truth. In the ongoing mockery of absolute truth, the author writes that even the mental labels of good and bad are an illusion. Why? Because every thought implies a perspective and every perspective is limited and therefore the perspective cannot be true.

4) A New Earth also redefines spiritual terms. The word sin is in the book, but to Tolle, sin is not really wrong, it is more like a problem. Tolle resists labels of right and wrong and prefers to see people as simply having problems or dysfunctions that they can work on to make them better people.

Tolle promotes strange definitions of common terms as well. He defines love as the ability to recognize yourself in another. He writes that something is defined as true when it resonates and expresses your innermost being. He defines the foundation for a new heaven and a new earth as an awakened consciousness that is within you.

Interestingly the book does have a number of Bible references. Of the 31 footnotes in the book, over half of them are from the Bible. The frequent use of Scripture looks like an attempt for the author to validate his own words but in the end diminishes the words of Christ. The author refers to things like “the cares of the world” and “forgive them for they know not what they do” and the “kingdom of heaven.”

Many of the Bible verses in book appear to support what the author is saying, but are used largely out of context. For example, “poor in spirit” from the Sermon on the Mount is defined by Tolle as having no inner baggage and no identification with outside objects. The author writes that the “kingdom of heaven” is letting go of your identifications and suggests that heaven is inside of you. The author says that “God is love” is not absolutely correct. In a major redefining of spiritual terms, God is defined as “one life in and beyond countless forms of life.”

5) The most dangerous feature of the book is that it mixes excellent, insightful truth with dangerous, erroneous spiritual conclusions. In fairness to the author, he provides good insight into numerous issues. He provides good insight into parents who cannot let go of their children, as well as children who crave their parent’s approval in an unhealthy way. The author explains that much unhappiness stems from background experiences that continue to generate bad thoughts in the present moment for the thinker. These discussions are true and helpful.

The author has good insight into how pride (although the author would call it “ego”) often causes us to strike out at others, and in the end, we end up hurting ourselves. The author correctly compares TV addiction to drugs and alcohol, and also has good insight about the advanced maturity of children who have faced great difficulty. These insights and illustrations are excellent examples of the authors incredible insight. But without absolute truth, right and wrong, and good and bad, this insight is futile because it is remains merely subjected to ones own perspective.

6) Finally, it is disconcerting for the author to refer to human beings with a phrase that Christ and God used to refer to themselves. God said in the Old Testament He was the “I AM.” Jesus affirmed in the New Testament that He as well was the “I AM”. Tolle on several occasions refers to the readers and his own “I AM-ness.” He writes, “The presence that you are, the timeless I AM, can recognize itself in another.” Thankfully the author does not claim to be the great “I AM”, but will make some readers uncomfortable by using I Am phraseology in referring to human beings.

To borrow a few words from another writer, the danger of the book is that this new, positive-thinking spirituality is easily embraced by the empty souls in the post-modern world around us. Tolle’s “new spirituality” offers meaning without truth, acceptance without judgment, and fulfillment without self denial. In the end, Tolle attempts to offer a better life with self as God. For the Christian, this is not only unthinkable, it is impossible.

Today's History Lesson

2008-03-10T10:12:00.003-05:00

I'd like to tell you all a brief tale of St. Alban, that we might gain a broader perspective of God's kingdom. This story hearkens back to 304 AD.

England's first Christian martyr, Alban, came to faith in Christ through the visible testimony of a minister named Amphibalus, who he was giving refuge from the pagan Roman authorities. Intrigued by their conversations (note: demonstrated AND articulated faith), Alban asked to be baptized. When confronted by the authorities, in whose army Alban served, Alban said, "I worship and adore the true and living God who created all things," and, later, "know that I am now a Christian and devote myself to Christian service." That he did, perishing at the sword of his executioner. In fact, it is said that the first executioner who was to take his life also was converted to Christ, and so became the 2nd martyr of Britain, with Amphibalus turning himself in as the 3rd, since Alban had given his life to cover for Amphibalus.

What tremendous dedication and deep sacrifice! May we be found willing when called to sacrifice. Presumably not our lives, but certainly our pride, our wishes, and our presumptions. May He be first, in all we do, truly!