The Desert Chronicle

New blog

2009-09-02T09:17:00.001-07:00

It's moving day! My new blog is Life Under the Sun. All new and previous posts will appear over there now.

Please come and visit, or just subscribe using one of the links below:

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Spiritual elbow grease

2009-09-02T08:00:00.000-07:00

Two men approached the village water pump. The first man slung down his bucket with a thud. He seemed annoyed and aloof. He jerked the pump with a scowl and soon snatched up his bucket, sloshing half the water out in the process.

The second man then approached and placed his bucket with care. He grabbed the pump handle firmly. He began to pump steadily and vigorously, and a smile spread across his face as the vessel filled up with cool, fresh water.

These two men describe the two ways we can approach God’s Word, our “fountain of life” (Prov. 13:14). Many people read the Bible and listen to preaching with a sense of duty. They put little joy or effort into it, and get little out of it. They’re glad to just check it off their list and move on to other, “more important” things in life. They really can’t understand why anyone would make such a fuss over spiritual things.

Others take time to enjoy the Word of God. They love to read it, to study it, to drink deeply of it. They can never seem to get enough. They cherish their times of fellowship with the Lord, and walk away refreshed and satisfied.

It’s amazing that the same book can produce such different results. Some people love it. Others tolerate it. some even revile it. Only the Spirit can give us that hunger and thirst for righteousness, and open our eyes to the truth of God’s Word. But we do need some good, old-fashioned spiritual “elbow grease” if we expect to reap any benefits from the Bible.

Holiness does not arrive by surfing the net and checking baseball scores. Christlikness is not produced by watching sitcoms and crime dramas. It takes hard work, pumping the Word of God into our lives. We must discipline ourselves for the purpose of godliness (1 Tim. 4:7). Yet all the while, it remains a labor of love.

Why not put more effort and joy into your time with the Lord each day? You may just be surprised by the results.

It is finished!

2009-09-01T11:41:00.001-07:00

If I had to choose a single word from all the Bible that is most important, it would probably be Jesus’ word from the cross “tetelestai!” which we translate “It is finished!” Of course, every word of God is tested and profitable, but this word captures so much of the gospel. Without the finished work of Jesus, we would still be separated from God and dead in our sin.

As we studied John 19:28-30 last Sunday, we learned of two things Christ finished on the cross:

He fulfilled every Scripture (Jn. 19:28-29). Moments before Jesus gave up His spirit, He declared “I thirst.” He expressed a genuine human need, but even more importantly, He was setting into motion the fulfillment of psalm 69:21, the very last Old Testament prophecy He needed to fulfill.
He paid completely for our atonement (Jn. 19:30). With freshly moistened throat and lips, He exclaimed “It is finished!” In other words, Mission Accomplished. Jesus was saying not merely that His life was finished, but that the entire work of atonement was finished. He had made it possible for us to be made “at one” with God. The debt was fully paid. The crime was justly punished. The enmity was completely removed. By faith in Christ’s finished work on the cross, we now can have peace with God. Hallelujah!

Questions for thought and discussion:

Which seems more real to you - that Jesus is God, or that Jesus is Man? Do you keep a proper balance between His deity and humanity, or tend to have a lopsided view of Him?
How can Christ’s genuine humanity encourage us in times of trial and temptation?
“Atonement” is at the very heart of the gospel. How would you explain this concept to someone? (click here if you need help)
Choose one biblical metaphor for sin (e.g. debt, crime, enmity) and write in a single sentence what Christ’s death on the cross accomplished.
Read 2 Corinthians 5:15. According to this verse, why did Jesus die for us? Does this describe you?

Sunday’s sermon will be uploaded to our podcast site soon and available for free download.

Tour the temple mount

2009-08-31T09:31:00.001-07:00

Have you always wanted to travel to Jerusalem and see where the temple once stood? Here's the next best thing (and much cheaper). A virtual tour of the temple mount.

Todd Bolen writes, "The creators did a fantastic job with this. The photography is superb, the narration is helpful, and the location is one of the most religiously (and politically) important in the world." He notes the focus of the tour is on the Islamic structures presently on the mount, though the tour does not deny the earlier existence of the Jewish temple, porticoes, etc.

When I had the privilege of studying and traveling in Israel nearly 10 years ago with the IBEX program, I journaled about my experience on the temple mount:

We then made our way to the present day Temple Mount, which is only open to the general public a couple hours a day. Due to the Arab presence, we were instructed to keep our Bibles in our backpacks. In the south of the large courtyard was the El-Aqsa Mosque, and further to the north, directly over where the Holy of Holies is believed to have once rested, we saw the famous Dome of the Rock. A few tourist groups wandered around the courtyard, but mostly, there was an aura of quietness and reverence throughout the place. For the Arabs, this is one of the most sacred sites in the world. The Jews, who despise the Arab presence, are rarely seen on the Mount. They long for a day when the temple can be restored, and dreading the thought of standing on holy ground unworthily, they are content for now to stay outside the Western Wall (or "Wailing Wall"). From the Wall, Jewish prayers to Jehovah are considered a "local call."

The irony of the cross

2009-08-30T14:00:00.000-07:00

He hell, in hell, laid low;

Made sin, He sin o’erthrew;

Bowed to the grave, destroyed it so,

And death, by dying, slew.

*Poem by S. W. Gandy, cited in D. A. Carson’s commentary, The Gospel According to John, p. 622.

Loving the cantankerous people

2009-08-29T17:00:00.000-07:00

Jim Eliff shares some good thoughts on why love is the proper way to handle the “cantankerous” people in our church:

Love is the highest mark of maturity.
Love is the perfect bond of unity (Col. 3:14)
Love is the way of blessing because it is grounded in humility (Phil. 2:3-4)
Love is the reasonable return for what God has given you (Col. 3:13)

How should we love this kind of person practically? Eliff offers four ways:

Invite him to your home.
Try to find out what drives him.
Within reason, give him some servant responsibility.
Confront him if he continues to cause problems.

You can read the whole article here.

(As a side note, Eliff’s ministry, Christian Communicators Worldwide, is currently offering a free book to seminary students and first-time pastors. See below.)

We occasionally like to give away resources to seminary students and first time pastors. Students or first time pastors may currently ask for one of the following: Divorce and Remarriage: A Permanence View, OR Wasted Faith, OR Dangers of the Invitation System. We only ask that you commit to read the book. Please write Steve Burchett at ccwblog@gmail.com for ordering details.

Obama-Antichrist video

2009-08-28T09:24:00.001-07:00

Many of you have probably seen this video, connecting Barack Obama with the Antichrist. I’ve had two people in the last week ask me about it, so here’s my response:

The biggest problem is equating Satan (Lk. 10:18) with the Antichrist. These are two different people, not the same (See Rev. 13:2) This should make us immediately question the integrity of the rest of the video.
Another problem is that Jesus explicitly told us the end would come unexpectedly (Mark 13:32-33). He would not have disclosed any specific details, even encrypted, to tell us when it’s about to appear.
It elevates the oral, speculative words of Christ above the inspired, written word of Christ. The NT was not written in Aramaic. (We don’t even know for sure that Jesus spoke regularly in Aramaic. He may have chosen to teach in the more cosmopolitan language of Greek.) It is highly speculative to assert what Jesus would have said in Aramaic, and then to draw conclusions from this. It opens up a Pandora’s box of hermeneutical and theological abuses. God gave us the inspired New Testament in Greek, and that is what He intends us to study.
Even the linguistic and grammatical support crumbles upon closer look. It is true that one Hebrew word for “lightning” is baraq, that the Hebrew word for “heights” in Isaiah 14:14 is bamah, and that there is an Aramaic conjunction waw (pronounced “u” in u-bamah). But please note, waw means “and.” Jesus did not say “from heaven and lightning.” He said “from heaven like lightning.” Even if Jesus had spoken in Aramaic, and even if He had chosen the words baraq and bamah (which is by no means certain), He would have joined them together with the preposition min, meaning “out of, from.” Thus, He would have said, baraq mi-bamah, and not baraq u-bamah.

This kind of stuff sounds good on the surface, even raising a hint of plausibility, but really undermines the clarity of Scripture. It delves into hidden meanings and connections, rather than encouraging people to seek the plain meaning of Scripture, found through the grammatical-historical method of interpretation.

I believe Satan is even content to use a video like this to get people anxious and distracted from the Person of Christ and clearly revealed Word of God.

To read more on the biblical identity of Antichrist, I would suggest checking out some recent articles by Bret Capranica.

Book review – The Back of the Napkin

2009-08-27T08:00:00.000-07:00

Have you ever wrestled with a subject that was hard to understand or explain? Maybe it was a concept in school, a project at work, or even a matter of theology. Visual thinking may have been just the tool you needed.

Dan Roam introduces us to visual thinking in his excellent little book The Back of the Napkin: Solving Problems and Selling Ideas with Pictures. Say goodbye to clumsy PowerPoint slides, complicated spreadsheets, and endless bullet point lists. It’s time to return to the good old-fashioned pencil and paper or whiteboard.

In The Back of the Napkin, Roam opens with a series of intriguing questions…

What if there was a way to more quickly look at problems, more intuitively understand them, more confidently address them, and more rapidly convey to others what we’ve discovered? What if there was a way to make business problem solving more efficient, more effective, and – as much as I hate to say it – perhaps even a bit more fun? There is. It’s called visual thinking, and it’s what this book is all about: solving problems with pictures (p. 3).

The author spends the first half of his book introducing several important principles:

3 Basic Visual Thinking Tools: your eyes, your mind’s eye, and hand-eye coordination.
4 Steps in the Visual Thinking Process: look, see, imagine, and show.
5 Questions that help open our mind’s eye: the SQVID method.
6 Ways we see and show ideas: who/what, how much, where, when, how, and why.

Then, in the second half of his book, Roam gets practical. He applies all these principles to an extended case study of a fictitious software development company called SAX Inc. The book bogs down a little at this point, but it’s important for him to carry out the whole process from beginning to end.

For me, the most helpful part of the book was the SQVID (pronounced “squid”) method. It’s an acronym Roam created to show ten different ways of thinking about a subject: Simple vs. Elaborate; Qualitative vs. Quantitative; Vision vs. Execution; Individual vs. Comparison; and Change vs. As Is (The Greek letter Delta is the symbol for Change). Amazingly, by thinking of an idea in these ten different ways, your imagination is stretched and your mind’s eye is trained to look in whole new directions. Both the left and right hemisphere of your brain are exercised.

Let me give you a practical example. As I prepared last Sunday’s sermon on John 19, I decided to use the SQVID method to think about and sketch out different ways Christ shows His care to His disciples. This is what I came up with:

It may look like a bunch of gibberish at first, but it was actually quite helpful. Just taking time to think through these ten different aspects of Christ’s care caused me to look in a number of new directions, and then gradually narrow down how I wanted to illustrate and apply the passage I was preaching.

Visual thinking is a vital principle for both learning and teaching, and I can’t think of any better place to start learning about the subject than The Back of the Napkin.

Christ’s faithful care

2009-08-26T10:34:00.001-07:00

Last Sunday, in our study of John 19:23-27, we met nine eyewitnesses to the murder of Jesus and learned an important lesson about Christ’s care for us.

Four soldiers (Jn. 19:23-25). These men were carrying out orders and dividing the spoils of their victim. But in their morbid game of lots, John tells us they were fulfilling the prophetic words of David written 1,000 years earlier (Ps. 22:18). Even a detail as trivial as the casting of lots for a tunic was foretold by God. Matthew 27:54 tells us that these men later admitted truly this was the Son of God!
Four ladies (Jn. 19:25). Jesus mother, aunt, Mary wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene were all present on the dreadful day Christ died. Their love for Christ overshadowed any fear they may have felt by staying near Him and incriminating themselves.
A new son (Jn. 19:26-27). John concludes this section with a personal testimony about his own memory of that day. Jesus had looked him in the eye and entrusted Mary to him. And he was adopted as the new son of Mary. In Christ’s deepest moment of pain, He still put others above Himself and thought about the practical needs of His disciples.

Questions for further thought and discussion:

How would you have felt to be Mary? John?
When do you feel most alone and helpless? Do you think Jesus can help you during these times?
Do you ever wonder if perhaps Jesus is too busy for you? What does this passage teach you about His care?
What dangers do you face in life that Jesus protects us from?
Read Hebrews 4:15-16. What is one important way you can find Christ’s help in time of need? Why not spend a few minutes doing that right now?

(Sunday’s sermon has been uploaded to our podcast site and is available for free download or to listen online.)

May God help us apply His Word this week in our hearts, in our words, and in our actions.

Collision – the movie

2009-08-26T08:00:00.001-07:00

An upcoming movie called Collision looks to be an excellent introduction to philosophy and apologetics. It traces a series of debates between Christopher Hitchens and Doug Wilson. Both men show respect for one another while defending antithetical beliefs.

But this is no ordinary documentary. It is apologetics on steroids. The smart editing and lively sound score make it a movie even many teenagers will enjoy - and need to see.
From the Collision website:

The documentary COLLISION pits leading atheist, political journalist and author Christopher Hitchens ("God Is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything") against fellow author and evangelical theologian Pastor Douglas Wilson on a debate tour arguing the topic “Is Religion Good For The World?”. Lives and worldviews collide as Hitchens and Wilson wittily and passionately argue the timeless question, proving to be perfectly matched intellectual, philosophical, and cinematic rivals. COLLISION is directed by prolific independent filmmaker Darren Doane (Van Morrison: To Be Born Again, The Battle For L.A., Godmoney).

You can watch a 13 minute preview or pre-order it now at Amazon.

A note to those who reject organized religion

2009-08-25T07:55:00.000-07:00

“I believe in God, but not in organized religion.” I can't tell you how many times I've heard that statement. And in a way, I can't blame the people who say it.

If, by “religion,” you mean a cold list of duties and ceremonies, I completely agree. This kind of religion is despicable. In fact, Jesus reserved His strongest words for the outwardly “religious” people of His day: “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which on the outside appear beautiful, but inside they are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness” (Matthew 23:27). These religious leaders knew how to act and talk and worship a certain way, but their hearts were proud and self-righteous. They didn't love God. And needless to say, their good works didn’t impress Him either.

However, if by “religion,” you mean a system of beliefs, then the fact is, everyone has a religion. Everyone believes something about God; why we are here; how we determine right from wrong; what happens when we die, etc. In this sense, organized religion is simply gathering together with others who hold certain beliefs in common.

Has church left a bad taste in your mouth? Perhaps you’ve seen all the conflict and scandal over the years and concluded, “organized religion is a sham.” As a pastor, I’ll be the first to admit that churches are full of sinful people (starting with me!). But the surprising thing is, God still wants us to gather and worship Him. In fact, He sent His only Son to die for our sin and to scrub us clean.

Ephesians 5:26-27 says “Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her, so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word.” This is still a work in progress, but Christ is slowly transforming us more and more into His perfect image (Eph. 4:12-13).

Organized religion gets a lot of well-deserved criticism today, but don’t let that cause you to write the church off. The church is still the Bride of Christ (Eph. 5:25), The Family of God (Eph. 1:5), and the Temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 3:16). Despite her flaws, she is precious to God. And what is precious to God should become more precious to us.

Where are all the men?

2009-08-21T09:51:00.000-07:00

Look around you on an average Sunday morning. You'll probably notice a disproportionate number of women. Who is singing in the choir? Who is helping in the children's ministry? Who is stepping onto the mission field? More often than not, it's the women. To be sure, I praise the Lord for these women, but men, where are you?? Even as I think of counseling issues and spiritual lethargy in homes, most problems stem from a lack of male leadership.

Gender Blog reports today on the urgent need for male leadership in our homes and churches...

While the influence of evangelical feminism is harmful, John Piper helpfully points out that there is an even greater danger lurking in most evangelical churches and homes - men abdicating their responsibility to lead.

If I were to put my finger on one devastating sin today, it would not be the so-called women's movement, but the lack of spiritual leadership by men at home and in the church. Satan has achieved an amazing tactical victory by disseminating the notion that the summons for male leadership is born of pride and fallenness, when in fact pride is precisely what prevents spiritual leadership. The spiritual aimlessness and weakness and lethargy and loss of nerve among men is the major issue, not the upsurge of interest in women's ministries.

Pride and self-pity and fear and laziness and confusion are luring many men into self-protecting, self-exalting cocoons of silence. And to the degree that this makes room for women to take more leadership it is sometimes even endorsed as a virtue. But I believe that deep down the men - and the women - know better.

Where are the men with a moral vision for their families, a zeal for the house of the Lord, a magnificent commitment to the advancement of the kingdom, an articulate dream for the mission of the church and a tenderhearted tenacity to make it real?

When the Lord visits us from on high and creates a mighty army of deeply spiritual men committed to the Word of God and global mission, the vast majority of women will rejoice over the leadership of these men and enter into a joyful partnership that upholds and honors the beautiful Biblical pattern of mature manhood and mature womanhood.

[Excerpted from What's the Difference?: Manhood and Womanhood Defined According to the Bible, 68-69]

Men, will you, by God's grace, step up with this kind of vision, zeal, and commitment for the kingdom of God? Will you start tonight in your own home?

Men, will you rise to the challenge? A good place to begin is to come broken before the Lord in prayer, and to lead your family to church this Sunday.

Many sides to health care debate

2009-08-20T10:58:00.000-07:00

Here's an article by Fox News I found helpful in understanding the different sides of the national health care debate. It will be quite a challenge to find any true bipartisanship among such opposing views:

Liberals -- They insist that a government-run health insurance plan, or "public option," that will compete with private insurers is essential to health care reform.

Blue Dogs -- These fiscally conservative Democrats are concerned about the costs of overhauling the health care system and the potential harm it could have on small businesses.

Gang of Six -- This group of bipartisan lawmakers on the Senate Finance Committee is trying to forge a consensus deal that will appease both political parties and pass a divided Senate.

Conservatives -- All of them are opposed to a "public option," saying it will lead to a government takeover of health care because private insurers will be unable to compete.

Health care industry leaders: They want health care reform, because if the government requires everyone to get coverage, it could provide them a jackpot. (Only on this last point do I see a serious oversight. Not all health care industry leaders support Obama's plan. In fact, some reports indicate that a majority of doctors oppose it.)

We all want to see people treated with dignity and receive good medical care, but it's difficult to know precisely what role the government should play in all of this. Personally, I lean toward a much more laissez-faire "hands off" approach. History has proven that the free market works much better than any bureaucracy trying to micro-manage the system.

I believe a key problem making medical care so expensive and now inaccessible to 50 million Americans is medical malpractice insurance. Due to our litigious, rights-demanding culture, malpractice cases have soared and are driving up the medical costs that patients face today. David Wells shares this startling statistic: "Over the last three or four decades the number of personal rights has exploded...As the sense of responsibility for personal behavior has shrunk, the need for litigation has increased. America has more lawyers than the rest of the world combined." The Courage to Be Protestant, p. 159). The key to true health care reform may lie more in the courthouse than in the Senate chamber.

May God give our leaders great wisdom in this health care debate, and may He give us grace to submit to whatever decision they make.

Mohler on the future of the SBC

2009-08-19T08:15:00.000-07:00

Al Mohler held a forum this morning at Southern Seminary on the "Future of the Southern Baptist Convention."

Mohler observed that the world has changed dramatically in the last 60 years, and that the SBC is at a crossroads. If we continue to embrace a corporate mentality, the SBC will quickly become extinct. But if we return to a more biblical model of doing church, our brightest days may lie ahead. The Great Commission Task Force has been given a unique opportunity to talk about denominational structure and efficiency, but this conversation must be founded upon a strong theology and unflagging commitment to the Great Commission.

Here are my full notes from his message:

The President's Forum on the Future of the SBC
Al Mohler, President of Southern Seminary
August 19, 2009

Introduction
What does it mean to be a Southern Baptist in the 21st century?
First, an expression of gratitude to all those who have been faithful over the years, and to all those who have been giving, praying, going, sending
John 9:4 says "work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day" - a very urgent warning about time. Asking about the SBC is an urgent and strategic question about the gospel and the Great Commission. Yet many feel an urgency that we should be doing more. The issue is faithfulness.

Some Historic perspective
1845 - founders in Augusta established a mission statement for the "eliciting, combining, and directing of energies toward the propagation of the Gospel." Missions was the reason for the SBC.
Home Mission Board was originally designed to reach the frontier. America did not exist the way it does now.
Late 1800s - began to meet annually; SBC begins to broaden; seminaries established
1914-1919 - Great shift of logic in SBC; a new word entered our vocabulary: "efficiency." Efficiency experts rose in America - time, systems, organizational management. An infusion of a business culture entered into the life of our denomination. It is helpful and relevant, but has limited application in spiritual matters.
1925 - Executive Committee was established. Necessity for an ongoing, coordinating entity. Also year Cooperative Program was established.
1926-27 - Executive Committee was given enormous expansion of powers.
1950s - Formation of Committee to Study the Total Church Program, chaired by Douglas Branch. Goal: to recommend a massive restructuring. Used the Booz Allen Hamilton consulting firm. Again, "efficiency" was the main concern. Some of the recommendations: an office building in Nashville (headquarters); inter agency council; program assignments to entities. What would be our mission? "To bring men closer to God through Jesus Christ."
1995 - Program and Structure Committee - reduced entities from 19 to 12. Mission "SBC exists to facilitate, extend, and enlarge, Great Commission ministries of local churches." Sounds less bureaucratic, more richly theological, and urgently evangelistic.
2009 - A Great Commission Task Force was assigned to bring recommendations of how churches may be more effective in the Great Commission.

Consider 1945. By this time, the SBC had developed a programmatic identity. The basic ethos/energy was programmatic unity (you're SBC because you do certain things, have certain features, uses certain literature, etc.). It was assumed you hold to certian doctrines. A corporate management mentality. This came out of a social context. Post war, the SBC became something like a Catholic Church of the South. A cradle-to-grave approach to Southern Baptist identity (starting with "pre-cradle roll"). Sunday was at least a four-fold activity. Youth choirs. Missions organizations. Offering envelopes with check boxes. College and Universities had Baptist Student Union. Families had Camps, Brotherhood, WMU. Retirement Centers even established. The planning concept: "The key church (or model church)." Had all organizations. Reported in Annual Church Profile. Resulted with great solidarity, denominational identity, incredible intactness/tightness in SBC identity. Any use of resources "outside the program" (using different curriculum, attending a non-SBC conference center) were immediately suspect. There was enormous spiritual security in all this. There was a tribal, cultural identity. An enormous brand loyalty. But now the world has changed on us, and the world that produced that identity is long gone.

The SBC today - Two Analogies

The SBC as General Motors - William Durant developed GM as a cradle-to-grave employer. Everyone became 'inside.' You never have to leave the corporation. Small distinctions, but many similarities. Centralized headquarters with centralized "offerings." Dealders were distributed throughout the country. GM overtook Ford because of its aggressiveness, and led in auto sales for 77 years. Managerial dynamic, the envy of every other company. But now, has transformed into a new corporation owned by US taxpayers and pension stock. Lost market share and is the second largest bankruptcy in human history. It fit the 50s and 60s really well, but doesn't fit any more. Are we trapped in the same organizational logic?
The SBC as Shopping Mall - this was made possible by the automobile. First built in 1950. A complete reversal of downtown logic, with pedestrians walking down the street, entering storefronts. Significant advantage: enclosed space, protected from the elements. Anchor tenants attract shoppers. The logic is that you're "going to the mall." The action and identity is inside. By 2008, 1175 enclosed mall in the US. Displaced almost all other retail context, rivaled only by "big box stores." #1 item sold is women's clothing. But not one enclosed mall has opened in America since 2006. Retail logic has collapsed - lifestyle centers. Retailers now want their name out front. The identity is now primarily the "store" rather than the shopping "center." The SBC is a huge "mall." Two anchor stores: IMB and NAMB. Inside the mall are many other things going on. The loyalty is to this huge "thing" that is only explicable from the inside.

There were certain gains from these models, resulting in many people getting to the mission field, but the question we need to ask is, "What is changed, and why have we not?" and "Has the logic of this particular organizational pattern been eclipsed by something else?" Does it seem like an age gone by?

The SBC now faces several questions.
We must choose one direction or another.

Are we going to be missiological or bureaucratic? Only missiological fits the Lord Jesus Christ. Otherwise, we will find ourselves out of touch with churches and the world we're trying to reach. The logic of bureaucracy will never take us where we need to go.
Is our identity tribal or theological? We've had many shared theological convictions. SBC tribal identity is no longer the norm. A theological identity will lead to missiological.
Is the basis of our cooperation convictional or confused? We must "grow up" theologically. Must distinguish first order issues. A clash of worlviews now occurs very early in life.
Is our logic going to be more secular or more sectarian? Will we stand out from the culture around us? The SBC did not once need to be sectarian in the South, but that has changed, and we need to reach areas outside the Sun Belt. The church of the Lord Jesus is in a sense always sectarian, comprised of reside aliens never fully at home in the culture.
Are we going to become younger or dead? We're losing at least 2/3 of our young people between adolescence and adulthood. This is a generation that has reduced religion to "moralistic therepeutic deism." We need a level of evangelism and discipleship beyond what the SBC has traditionally seen. The SBC birth rate has shrunk.
Are we going to be more diverse or diminished? Becoming more diverse will require a lot of strategy and uncomfortability. This means we won't be singing out of the same hymnbook. By the year 2050, 25% of all Americans will have a Hispanic grandparent.
Will we become missional or missiological? We can no longer be merely methodological. The church is found faithful when found missional.
Will we be more strategic or anemic? Local churches must be a missiological think tank for our community. More intentioned.
Will we be more bold or more boring? This generation will not be satisfied with boring (same thing, same way, no surprises). The NT Gospel is bold. We're going to have to take risk, which is uncomfortable, especially for a denomination already struggling. Need bold leadership. The comfort zone will lead only to death.
Are we going to be happy or bitter? The SBC has a reputation for denominational crankiness, even in our annual meetings. Don't be cranky for the wrong things. We're going to have to say hard things that appear unloving, intolerant. We cannot afford to waste the opportunity to reach our neighbors by being cranky over extraneous things. There needs to be a love and commonality. There should be evident joy among God's people.

Two problems with the Cooperative Program.
The SBC has both perception problems and reality problems. Only a small portion of CP giving actually makes it to missions.

Our greatest goal is not merely to cooperate. Any entity can do this. The whole purpose is reaching the nations. Are we going to be relevant in the modern world.
We cannot simply tell churches in a new age what they must do and how they must live. We must earn their trust. We are partners of the churches. They must be liberated to give as they will, or they will not give at all.

Concluding thoughts

We are still too North American centric.
We need to return to the primacy of the early church. Where are churches urgently, passionately understanding the mission of God. Our identity is not in the "giving." The giving must be at the end, not the beginning.
We first need a theological rationale. Corporate logic comes at the very end. The SBC is at one of those very interesting moments - primarily made up of "PC guys." The "Apple guy". They don't use the same logic. We cannot be seen as backward and cranky, committed to the wrong cultural identity. We need to be missional. Our mission must be to gather to work with other Christians to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ. We cannot gauge church health by raw numbers on a profile. The question is "does this church have what the NT church has"?

The SBC is at a great crossroads. Discussion of structure cannot come first. Our ethos/mission comes first. Structures must remain open and flexible for the rest of our lives.

Let's not be caught in the dark, realizing we missed a great opportunity while it was still day.

Update: here is the audio from the forum:

Related posts:

Free copy of Finally Alive

2009-08-18T16:55:00.000-07:00

Logos is giving away John Piper's book Finally Alive in Libronix format for FREE.

As we were thinking of ways to promote the John Piper issue, we discussed giving away a free download of Finally Alive for Logos Bible Software to everyone who subscribed this month. The more we thought about the book and John Piper’s commitment to make as many of his resources available for free as possible, we decided to give it away to everyone, not just to those who subscribe. This book is a brand new addition to the Logos format, and you get to be one of the first to receive it! Be sure to download it now, because this offer will expire September 14, 2009.

While we hope that you enjoy this free book and the above copy of John Piper’s cover story, we also hope that you will subscribe to Bible Study Magazine and receive an entire year’s worth of great Bible study articles and resources.

Click here to download the book in Libronix format.

In case you're not aware, all of Piper's books can be downloaded in .pdf format for free from Desiring God.

Harvey Milk day

2009-08-17T14:39:00.001-07:00

Baptist Press recently reported the following:

California lawmakers are discussing the possibility of setting aside May 22 each year as a "day of special significance" honoring Harvey Milk, an openly homosexual San Francisco alderman whose murder in 1978 made him an icon of the "gay rights" movement.

While the observance would not be an official holiday, the bill encourages schools to teach about Milk's legacy -- a fact that hasn't escaped California citizens concerned about the agenda homosexual activists have for California public schools. The proposal would not require parental consent for mandatory student participation.

The text of SB 572 states: "On Harvey Milk Day, exercises remembering the life of Harvey Milk and recognizing his accomplishments as well as the contributions he made to this state" should be conducted; specifically, "all public schools and educational institutions are encouraged to observe ... and ... conduct suitable commemorative exercises."

A Southern Baptist pastor in San Diego told Baptist Press he believes the vague wording of the bill opens the door to almost any kind of "gay pride" observance in which even kindergartners could be required to participate...

"The bill is going to amend the education code to include Harvey Milk Day on May 22. It says, 'It is the intent of the legislature that the exercises encouraged in this section be integrated into the regular school program and be conducted by the school or institution within the amount otherwise budgeted for educational programs,'" said Chris Clark, pastor of East Clairemont Southern Baptist Church. "What that means is that if there's money to do it, the school can do whatever they would like to commemorate Harvey Milk Day. The imagination can kind of run wild with that. There's really nothing that would restrict or narrowly define what they could or could not do."

SB 572 is currently in the State Assembly and is expected to pass and appear on Governor Schwarzenegger's desk for a second time (he vetoed it last year already, but is under a lot of pressure to pass it this year).

If you would like to share your concern about this bill with the governor, simply click here. I don't like the "angry, offended and motivated" opening line of the form letter, but this can be easily edited into something more respectful of our state leaders. We're blessed to live in a country that still permits freedom of speech and conscience, and should exercise this liberty on issues that concern us.

An urgent plea to protect life

2009-08-14T08:00:00.000-07:00

Here's a short film that links the reasoning behind abortion with both slavery and antiSemitism. All three of these tragic movements have exalted the "choice" and "convenience" of a superior race against those who were considered sub-human. But something within us says this is terribly wrong.

The film is not graphic, but the mature theme makes it inappropriate for young children. I was moved to tears as I watched and realized afresh how urgent the pro-life movement is.

Every boy and girl, man and woman, born or unborn, is created in God’s image and should be vigorously protected (Gen. 1:26-27; 9:6; Ex. 20:13). Yet just yesterday, I read an article that reported Obama wants to redirect 100 million dollars away from abstinence programs to fund erotic sex education for young teens. This will surely lead to only more abortions. God have mercy.

Never too early to teach gender roles

2009-08-13T14:00:00.000-07:00

Courtney Reissig has a good article over at the CBMW blog today. Even Sunday School teachers need to begin instilling within boys and girls an appreciation for their distinct identity and roles as male and female.

When we walk down the halls of our church we need to know that the authority of the Bible is at stake in our Sunday school classrooms. What we teach the next generation about God should include what he says about who he made them to be. When you are teaching the creation story to children, I encourage you not to gloss over the fact that there is a man and a woman being created by God with different roles to play. When you are closing your time with your class, you can teach the little ones to thank God that he made them as little boys and little girls—and that these genders are not interchangeable. If you are a parent, you can be working even now to train your little boys to protect little girls, not react against them. And you can teach your little girls that it is good that they want to play with dolls and help in the house—and someday they will help in their own house and take care of real babies, even if they are single.

The little ones in our classrooms, while precious and fun, are all in their hearts opposed to God's design for them. Therefore, manhood and womanhood is not simply a topic to be discussed at the seminary level, or even the adult Sunday school class level. It must start earlier. We have the great privilege of teaching the next generation the truths of God. And it starts in your nursery.

The world certainly wastes no time in pushing their own humanistic, egalitarian agenda. Will the church faithfully rise up for the truth and celebrate God's glorious call for our future men and women?

Norman Geisler library at a ridiculous price

2009-08-13T08:00:00.000-07:00

Now through August 19, you can buy the entire Norman Geisler Library on Libronix for only $22.95 (90% off the list price, $7 off the normal Rejoice Software price).

This set includes the following volumes:

Answering Islam
Baker Encyclopedia of Christian Apologetics
Christian Apologetics
Come, Let Us Reason: An Introduction to Logical Thinking
Introduction to Philosophy: A Christian Perspective
Miracles and the Modern Mind: A Defense of Biblical Miracles
Roman Catholics and Evangelicals: Agreements and Differences
When Critics Ask: A Handbook of Bible Difficulties
When Cultists Ask: A Handbook on Cultic Misinterpretations
When Skeptics Ask: A Handbook of Christian Evidences
Why I Am a Christian: Leading Thinkers Explain Why They Believe
Worlds Apart: A Handbook on World Views

Just the Encyclopedia of Apologetics alone sells for $34 at Amazon.

Click here if you would like to add to your cart with the discount.

I hope this new "fad" catches on!

2009-08-12T17:36:00.000-07:00

David Platt is the 30 year old pastor of the Church at Brook Hills, a growing congregation in Birmingham, Alabama. He was recently interviewed by Collin Hansen in Christianity Today, and his remarks are very encouraging. It's obvious from his sermons and from this interview that Platt loves the Word of God, and that many young people are hungry for it.

Hansen: All good evangelicals affirm the centrality of the Word. Still, we have a severe problem of biblical illiteracy. How do we go from knowing the Word is important to knowing what the Word actually says?

Platt: [Churches] have severely dumbed down the Word, and shown a lack of trust in the sufficiency of the Word in the way we preach. We find it necessary to supplement it with entertaining stories and quips or good practical advice for living the Christian life that are not based in the Word. This deficiency transfers into people content with a little "Word for the Day," in a devotional book at best, as opposed to deep knowledge of Scripture.

We're trying to hit at the problem from a variety of angles at Brook Hills. First of all, in worship we're quoting the Word, singing the Word, and engaging in intensive study. We'll study 55 minutes to an hour. We try to really saturate the community of faith with the Word when we gather together.

I go to other places, such as house churches in Asia, and they study for 11 or 12 hours, knowing they risk their lives. They'll dive in deep. We came back and tried to do something similar here. We call it secret church and do it a couple times a year. We gather together for intensive study with no frills, nothing flashy, no entertainment value. The first time, about 1,000 showed up. We studied Old Testament overview from 6 p.m. to midnight, but usually it goes longer, supplemented by times in prayer for the persecuted church. It's all ages, but the predominant demographic is college students and young singles. It's grown to the point where we need to offer tickets at $5 for reservations and the cost of a study guide. We'll do it again in October with 2,500 folks. It's theological in nature. We've done a night on the Atonement, another on the doctrine of God. This time we're doing spiritual warfare. It's one of my favorite sights as a pastor to look out at 12:30 a.m. and see a room full of 2,500 people, their Bibles open, soaking it in.

Could this return to Scripture and doctrine, accompanied by prayer, be the beginning of a new revival in our day? How encouraging to see this young pastor of a growing church emphasize deep Bible study and exposition. As far as mega-church fads go, I hope this one catches on in more American churches!

Faithfulness and the Kingdom

2009-08-11T09:41:00.000-07:00

On Sunday, we concluded a four-week study on the Kingdom of God. Having already seen that Christ postponed His earthly reign and will be coming again soon, we asked three very important questions:

What will you do in the Kingdom? Not only will believers be citizens of Christ's kingdom (John 3:3), but you will actually reign together with Christ! (2 Tim. 2:12; Rev. 20:6; Dan. 7:27) The Bible indicates you will rule over people, over towns, over nations. There will be learning and building and law-making and innovation. As Randy Alcorn says, "All of us will have some responsibility in which we serve God...We think that faithful work should be rewarded by a vacation for the rest of our lives. But God offers something very different: more work, more responsibilities, increased opportunities, along with greater abilities, resources, wisdom, and empowerment. We will have sharp minds, strong bodies, clear purpose, and unabated joy." (see Alcorn, Heaven, chs. 20-22)
How should you prepare for the Kingdom? In the Parable of Talents (Matt. 25:14-30), Jesus says your faithfulness in this life will directly affect your role in Christ's Kingdom. To go one step further, your faithfulness in the church will directly affect your role in Christ's Kingdom. Yes, the church is that important. The church is the beautiful Bride of Christ, the Body of Christ, the temple of God, the protector of the Gospel, the steward of the Great Commission, and the only institution Christ said He would build. To neglect Christ's church is to fall short of His wonderful plan for your life. It is to abandon your post and go AWOL. In short, it is burying your talent. Perhaps you were involved at one time, but have slowly drifted away from the people of God. Please realize you can never outgrow your need for and stewardship in the church.
What has Christ entrusted to you now? First, His Gospel. You must turn from sin and trust in Christ. Once you have done that, then your whole life has been bought and is owned by Him. There are now three areas in the church where He is specifically testing and developing your faithfulness: time, talent, and treasure.

This week, ask the Lord how you are doing in these three areas. Take an honest assessment. Where are you living up to God's standard? Where do you need to improve? Where do you need to humbly repent, find forgiveness at the cross, and begin to live for Christ's kingdom instead of your own pleasures?

Time (Eph. 5:16; 2 Tim. 2:4). Worship is not a spectator sport. Everyone must be an active player. You are called by God to attend and be engaged in worship on the Lord's Day. Pursue membership if you are not already a member, so that you can achieve God's fullest for your life. Attend our Sunday School and evening Bible Study. Be on guard against excuses that Satan will use to draw you away from God's house and His people, and cut off your circulation from the Body of Christ. We all have weeks when we don't feel like getting up and going to church, when time with friends or projects around the house compete for our attention. But once you arrived at church and enjoyed the rich study, worship, and fellowship, have you ever regretted it?
Talent (Eph. 4:7; 1 Pet. 4:10). Every single person in the Body of Christ has a spiritual gift, and God calls you to be a good steward for the benefit of others. No one can afford to be idle. Your gift is needed, whether it be serving, mercy, faith, teaching, administration, etc. Only when everyone is actively using their gifts can the Body reach optimum health and maturity. There are many opportunities right now where more members are desperately needed: children's teachers, nursery helper, choir member, missions, audio/visual team, etc. Are you using your gifts to their fullest?
Treasure (Phil. 4:18-19; 2 Cor. 9:7). God has blessed you and calls you to give cheerfully and sacrificially to His work. Such an offering is a well-pleasing and acceptable sacrifice to Him. As Donald Whitney says, "The use of your money and how you give it is one of the best ways of evaluating your relationship with Christ and your spiritual trustworthiness. If you love Christ with all your heart, your giving will reflect that" (Spiritual Disciplines, p. 140).

Faithfulness in these three areas will require sacrifice, but they will directly affect your role in Christ's future Kingdom. Will He be able to entrust you with much in His kingdom?

May each of us hear those words, "Well done, good and faithful slave! You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master" (Matt. 25:21).

(Sunday’s sermon has been uploaded to our podcast site and is available for free download or to listen online.)

Failure to count the cost

2009-08-10T18:30:00.000-07:00

Why are there 16 million registered members in the SBC, yet only 6 million can found in our churches on Sunday? I believe many of these members responded to an "easy believism" gospel invitation, but sadly, they never truly counted the cost of becoming a disciple of Christ.

Jesus warns, "Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple. “For which one of you, when he wants to build a tower, does not first sit down and calculate the cost to see if he has enough to complete it?" (Lk. 14:27-28).

Over 100 years ago, J. C. Ryle described this tragic phenomenon:

For want of counting the cost, the hearers of powerful evangelical preachers often come to miserable ends. They are stirred and excited into professing what they have not really experienced. They receive the Word with a “joy” so extravagant that it almost startles old Christians. They run for a time with such zeal and fervor that they seem likely to outstrip all others. They talk and work for spiritual objects with such enthusiasm that they make older believers feel ashamed. But when the novelty and freshness of their feelings is gone, a change comes over them. They prove to have been nothing more than stony–ground hearers. The description the great Master gives in the parable of the sower is exactly exemplified: “Temptation or persecution arises because of the Word, and they are offended” (Matt. 13:21). Little by little their zeal melts away and their love becomes cold. By and by their seats are empty in the assembly of God’s people, and they are heard of no more among Christians. And why? They had never counted the cost.

For want of counting the cost, hundreds of professed converts, under religious revivals, go back to the world after a time and bring disgrace on religion. They begin with a sadly mistaken notion of what is true Christianity. They fancy it consists in nothing more than a so–called “coming to Christ” and having strong inward feelings of joy and peace. And so when they find, after a time, that there is a cross to be carried, that our hearts are deceitful, and that there is a busy devil always near us, they cool down in disgust and return to their old sins. And why? Because they had really never known what Bible Christianity is. They had never learned that we must count the cost. (Ryle, Holiness, chapter 5).

It was for this very reason the SBC passed a resolution on Regenerate Church Membership last year at the 2008 convention. O that God would awaken hearts before it is too late.

Scenes from Afghanistan

2009-08-10T11:03:00.000-07:00

I found this photo journal of the war in Afghanistan very interesting. Our troops and allies are facing some unique challenges there. Michael Yon seems to be doing a good job of reporting on a war the mainstream media has largely ignored.

Here's an excerpt:

RPGs are small, cheap and can defeat most vehicles other than our most heavily armored. In the race between armor and bomb, the bomb eventually always wins. This has been true for centuries and shows no signs of changing. In the Sangin area, we are better on foot wearing only body armor. British citizens today are concerned about the same things that Americans were concerned about during the early phases of the Iraq war: armor. Fact is, we can drive down these roads in the best tanks in the world, and be blown upside-down on and set ablaze. The enemy is increasingly good at blowing vehicles into ditches or rivers to drown the occupants. They did this to the Soviets, too. In many places, such as Sangin, the roads can be a death sentence no matter what you drive, and the enemy can seed IEDs far faster than we can clear the routes.

Dear Lord, let justice prevail and may our soldiers come home safely.

Adoption resources

2009-08-08T09:29:00.000-07:00

Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world. James 1:27

In this culture of death, I see a growing effort by Christians to celebrate life and care for the worthy poor. Here are some great resources on adoption:

ABBA fund assists Christian families with adopting and help churches establish funds
Financial assistance for adoption
Orphan Care Organizations
Adopted for Life: The Priority of Adoption for Christian Families & Churches by Dr. Russell Moore
Together for Adoption Conference, Franklin, TN, Oct 2-3rd, 2009

You can read more on adoption by Justin Kovacs here.

HT: Jeff Mooney

New GCR website has launched

2009-08-06T17:16:00.001-07:00

The Great Commission Resurgence Task Force recently launched a new website, prayforgcr.com. I encourage you to pray regularly for this team and for the Holy Spirit's awakening in each of our churches. No amount of meetings can bring success if we do not humbly seek the Lord's face and find His blessing.

On the site, the task force explains why a "Great Commission Resurgence" is needed for such a time as this:

The churches of the Southern Baptist Convention are yearning for a new day of Great Commission awakening and commitment. They sense both a need and a rare opportunity to come together to reclaim the missional vision that brought us together from the first.
A new generation of Southern Baptists is ready for deployment in the service of the Great Commission – and waiting to see if Southern Baptists are ready to send, support, and propel this generation out to the nations. Will we do what it takes to send those God is calling?
Many of our churches –- perhaps 70% — are plateaued or declining. They need a Great Commission Resurgence starting right where they are. A Great Commission Resurgence has to start right at home.
Southern Baptists have much work to do reaching America in a multicultural, multiethnic, multilingual era. We need a Great Commission Resurgence that will make us do whatever it takes to reach America with the Gospel.
Southern Baptists need a Great Commission Resurgence that will reorder our priorities, refocus our vision, reclaim our mission, and set our hearts on seeing the nations exult in the name of Jesus.

This movement is bigger than any one denomination. The GCR may be a Southern Baptist initiative, but it's something many other churches and denominations are watching expectantly to see what the Lord will do.

Will you commit to pray today?

Related posts:

A frightening thought

2009-08-06T13:22:00.001-07:00

"It's frightening to think about how many people have not tasted the goodness of God and his salvation, not because Christians have not had opportunity to share, but because we have been so shallow in what we did share."

- Thabiti Anyabwile, What Is a Healthy Church Member?, chapter 5.

The Kingdom of God in the New Testament

2009-08-05T09:20:00.000-07:00

Two weeks ago, I preached a survey of the entire Old Testament and showed that its unifying theme is the Mediatorial Kingdom of God. But does this theme also appear in the New Testament? Indeed it does, as we saw together on Sunday.

I believe the New Testament reveals three stages to the kingdom:

The Kingdom is Presented (Matt. 3:2; 4:23-24; 10:5-8). With the arrival of the promised Messiah, the establishment of His Kingdom was immanent. John, the disciples, and Jesus Himself all announced that the King had come, and called the people to repent and embrace their Messiah. Throughout His teaching and miracles, Jesus affirmed the exact same aspects of the Kingdom foretold in the Old Testament: spiritual, moral, social, religious, political, and physical. In sections like the Sermon on the Mount, He certainly emphasized the spiritual realities of His kingdom, but He never redefined the kingdom as something exclusively spiritual. He was building on all the Old Testament had already revealed about it.
The Kingdom is Rejected (Matt. 12:22-32; 13:10-13). From the very outset of His public ministry, Jesus aroused the suspicion and hatred of Jewish leaders. They challenged His authority, denied His claims, grew jealous of His following, resented His association with sinners, and rejected His call to humility and repentance. Tragically, God's people rejected His appointed Mediator, even going so far as to call Him a collaborator with Satan! Hence, Christ declared judgment on Israel, and the fulfillment of the Kingdom was postponed. At this point, Jesus began using parables to teach previously unrevealed mysteries of the Kingdom.
The Kingdom is Postponed (Matt. 24:15-16, 21-23, 29-30; 25:31-34). As he approached His death, Christ laid out a clear timeline of future events. He said His second coming will be preceded by a time of unprecedented tribulation. Then, Christ will return in glory, judge the nations, and reign as the final fulfillment of the Mediatorial Kingdom. We still await this glorious promise! Only the timing of these events remains a mystery (Ac. 1:3, 6-8).

What does this mean for us today? How do we, the Church, fit into God's glorious Mediatorial Kingdom if it has been postponed? I will teach next Sunday on some very specific applications to this doctrine, but for now, here are some general truths for meditation and discussion...

We must study the Gospels, because the conditions to enter His Church and His future Kingdom are the same: faith, repentance, rebirth, poverty of spirit, meekness, etc.
We must live with urgency in holiness and evangelism because of the immanence of Christ's return, judgment, and reign.
We can celebrate our new birth into the royal family of God. We are children of the King and heirs to all His glorious promises!
We should realize that Christ is preparing us to rule together with Him. This should drive us to great stewardship and faithfulness. We will look at this more in depth next Sunday.
We can thank God that we are already recipients of some of the blessings of the coming Kingdom. We already have forgiveness, eternal life, peace with God, the indwelling Holy Spirit, and God's law in our hearts. These are the firstfruits of much more blessing to come.

(Sunday’s sermon has been uploaded to our podcast site and is available for free download or to listen online.)

May God help us apply His Word this week in our hearts, in our words, and in our actions.

Jews begin work on bronze altar

2009-08-01T15:26:00.000-07:00

You may not have heard about this, but a group of Jews called the Temple Institute have been diligently working for the last three decades to reconstruct all the furniture for the Temple. (I actually got to see the menorah when I visited Israel ten years ago.) Their hope is to one day rebuild the temple and reestablish sacrifices. Hmmm. Sounds like something I read in Revelation.

The Temple Institute will begin building the sacrificial altar on Thursday, Tisha B’av, a fast day when Jews mourn the destruction of the Temple some 2,000 years ago.

The sacrificial altar was located in the center of the Temple, and upon it the Kohanim (priests) offered the numerous voluntary and obligatory sacrifices commanded in the Bible.

The Temple Institute, which has already built many of the vessels for the Holy Temple, such as the ark and the menorah, has now embarked on a project to build the altar. Construction begins Thursday in Mitzpe Yericho (east of Jerusalem) at 5:30 p.m.

“Unfortunately, we cannot currently build the altar in its proper place, on the Temple Mount,” Temple Institute director Yehudah Glick said. “We are building an altar of the minimum possible size so that we will be able to transport it to the Temple when it is rebuilt."

Even a minimum size altar will work out to be approximately 2 meters tall, 3 meters long, and 3 meters wide. Workers have collected around 10 cubic meters of rocks weighing several tons already.

The rocks were gathered from the Dead Sea area and wrapped individually to assure they remain whole and are not touched by metal, as the Bible requires.

“The Torah says that no iron tools should be used on the altar’s stones,” Glick explained. “The altar represents a connection to life and to the creation of the world. Iron is the opposite – it is used to build tools of war, death, and destruction.”

HT: Todd Bolen

10 reasons I love the library

2009-07-31T08:00:00.000-07:00

A man visiting Iceland asked his taxi cab driver to show him their country's most popular attractions. The cabbie drove for a little while and then pulled up alongside an old, large building.
"What's this?" the visitor asked.
"It's our library," the cab driver announced proudly.
"No, you don't understand. I want to see your country's major attractions."
"Ah, but this is one of our best attractions!"

I heard this story last week, and as far as I know, it's true. Icelanders really take their books seriously. And they remind all of us that libraries are special.

We don't often appreciate them today, but I for one still love public and school libraries. I love my childhood memories of being in the library. I love exploring new libraries in towns that I visit. And I simply don't think the internet can ever completely replace the library. In fact, I believe the internet makes brick-and-mortar libraries more valuable to us.

Now, I must admit I haven't spent much time studying in a library since seminary. Public libraries are often noisy places full of activity - more like a train station than a convent. But in one sense I'm glad they're busy. That means people are using them. Just as a book in perfect condition is of no use, so a quiet and empty library is pointless. Libraries are meant to be public gathering places, where stuff happens and ideas are exchanged.

Here are ten reasons I love the library:

Free books. Of course, the highlight of any library is all the free books available to check-out and renew. Biographies. Novels. Technical manuals. History books. Audio books. For 3-6 weeks, that book is all yours. It's like meeting a new friend. Enjoy it. Learn from it. Journal or tell others something about it. The author may open new worlds of imagination or share an idea that will literally change your life.
Interlibrary loan. In San Bernardino, it's free to request books from other libraries in our same network. So, we have millions of additional titles available at no charge. Just ask the clerk, or place a hold from your home computer, and the library will call you as soon as the book arrives at your local branch. If there's no waiting list, the book usually comes in a week or so.
Book sales. I love browsing the discard shelves and attending Friends of the Library sales. You never know what gems you will discover. We've accumulated many books and sets for our personal family library this way.
Periodicals. Nowhere else can you browse hundreds of magazines and check many of them out for free. I've used their Consumer Reports several times before making a big applicance purchase.
Internet. For those who do not have home internet access, you can have free access for a limited time at the local library. This is great for those who need to check their email, look for job openings, or do online research. (Of course, many people use them to play games, too).
Study areas. You'll probably spend $4 on coffee to study at a Starbucks, but the library is completely free. Cozy chairs are often available for reading and working on your laptop, and tables abound for more in-depth research. Public libraries may be noisy, but these sounds are easily blocked out with a good pair of earplugs or a set of earbuds and some relaxing music
Special activities. Story time, free literacy programs, crafts, reading clubs, and other activities are often hosted at libraries. Last year, my wife and son got to meet Rachel from the Signing Time sign language video series at our local library.
Bulletin boards. The library is a helpful place to announce or learn about community events. Many have bulletin boards or a 3-ring activity binder.
Puppets. Our library has a special kids section, complete with bright colorful cushions and animal puppets. This makes it easier for parents and older siblings to browse, while making the library a fun place for even the youngest members of the family.
The park. Adjacent to our library is the city park. Rarely do we visit the library without a detour by the slides, monkey bars, and swingset. A great way to combine mental and physical exercise!

Dead to sin

2009-07-30T08:00:00.000-07:00

I sometimes hear people who struggle with drug or alcohol addiction say things like "once an alcoholic, always an alcoholic," or "once an addict, always an addict." I suspect it's part of their AA or NA rehab counseling.

It may be true that this person will always be tempted in those areas, but the Bible never treats alcohol or drugs as a "disease," nor does it say this condition is incurable. In fact, the doctrine of sanctification gives great hope, because it teaches than any born again believer becomes dead to sin and can gain victory over whatever deeply rooted problems and behavior exist in their lives (drugs, alcohol, sex, anger, etc.).

The Christian is never bound and gagged to the power of sin.

Romans 6:11-14 Even so consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its lusts, and do not go on presenting the members of your body to sin as instruments of unrighteousness; but present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. For sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under law but under grace.

Concerning this passage, Wayne Grudem explains,

To be dead to the ruling power of sin means that we as Christians, by virtue of the power of the Holy Spirit and the resurrection life of Christ working within us, have power to overcome the temptations and enticements of sin. Sin will no longer be our master, as once it was before we became Christians.

In practical terms, this means that we must affirm two things to be true. On the one hand, we will never be able to say, “I am completely free from sin,” because our sanctification will never be completed (see below). But on the other hand, a Christian should never say (for example), “This sin has defeated me. I give up. I have had a bad temper for thirty-seven years, and I will have one until the day I die, and people are just going to have to put up with me the way I am!” To say this is to say that sin has gained dominion. It is to allow sin to reign in our bodies. It is to admit defeat. It is to deny the truth of Scripture, which tells us, “You also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus” (Rom. 6:11). It is to deny the truth of Scripture that tells us that “sin will have no dominion over you” (Rom. 6:14).

This initial break with sin, then, involves a reorientation of our desires so that we no longer have a dominant love for sin in our lives. Paul knows that his readers were formerly slaves to sin (as all unbelievers are), but he says that they are enslaved no longer. “You who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness” (Rom. 6:17–18). This change of one’s primary love and primary desires occurs at the beginning of sanctification. (Systematic Theology, p. 747)

What a blessing that we are not longer slaves to sin but are now slaves to righteousness and new life in Jesus Christ!

The Kingdom of God in the Old Testament

2009-07-29T08:00:00.000-07:00

If you had to summarize the entire message of the Bible in a single word, what would it be? Last Sunday, we discovered the best word might be “kingdom.” As John Bright says, “The Bible is one book. Had we to give that book a title, we might with justice call it ‘The Book of the Coming Kingdom of God.”

During our morning service, we traced this theme through the entire Old Testament, from Moses to Malachi, seeing three stages of God’s Mediatorial Kingdom.

God Prepares for the Kingdom (Gen. 1:26-28; 12:1-3; 49:8-12). In the Book of Genesis, we are introduced to the idea that God will use human beings to rule over His creation as His mediator. Thousands of years after Adam and Eve fail to rule righteously, God appoints a man named Abram to become the father of a new nation He will rule over. God further announces that His chosen kings will descend from the tribe of Judah.
God Establishes the Kingdom (Ex. 19:4-8; Deut. 17:14-28; 1 Sam. 15:24-31, 34-35; 16:12-13; 2 Sam. 7:8-16). In the early years, God ruled His people directly through Moses and the Judges. Later, when the Israelites asked for a king, God instructed them to choose a righteous man who would read the Scriptures and hide God’s word in his heart. Saul failed miserably as king, but then God selected David, a man after His own heart. God blessed David for his devotion and promised that his offspring would always be rightful heirs to the throne. The anointing of David points to the greater “Anointed One” (Messiah) whom God will appoint as an eternal King.
God Expands the Kingdom (Jer. 23:5-8; 31:31-37). Despite repeated failure and apostasy by David’s descendants, God promised He would never abandon His people or renege on His promises to Abraham and David. God foretold of a new covenant that would be far superior to the one He made with Moses at Sinai. The major and minor prophets called the people to repentance and spoke of future days when hearts would be changed, the curse would be lifted, and God would raise up a son of David to reign in peace and righteousness.

At the beginning of the message, I announced I would be preaching the entire Old Testament in one sermon and encouraged everyone to “fasten their seat belts and put on their crash helmet.” After the service, one member remarked “I think my seat belt flew off!” It certainly was a sermon packed with information, and I was thankful for everyone's attentiveness. But I do hope it captured the “big picture” of our beloved Old Testament and gave us new insight into the central theme of the Bible.

After we look at the kingdom in the New Testament next week, we will spend an entire morning considering the practical implications of kingdom living, but for now, here are a few exhortations:

Be optimistic. The Christian life is not a naïve attitude of “don’t worry, be happy.” It is a joy much deeper than that. We view history not as some random cyclical process, but as a grand story moving in a linear direction, toward a victorious end.
Anticipate Christ's return (2 Tim. 4:8; Rev. 22:20). Don’t become so preoccupied with the depravity of Romans 1:18-32 and 2 Timothy 3:1-5 that you forget the glorious promises of Christ’s return and reign.
Trust God. His Word is reliable. He fulfilled so many promises through Christ’s first advent, and we can be confident He will fulfill the remaining promises in Christ’s second advent.
Study the Old Testament. I pray this overview of the Old Testament will give us a greater appreciation for the Old Testament and whet our appetites for a lifetime of study. The Old Testament is rich and rewarding, because it tells us all about Jesus Christ as Prophet, Priest, and King.

Fighting to please God

2009-07-28T07:41:00.000-07:00

The Christian life is a fight for holiness, a daily battle to put off the old self and put on Jesus Christ.

Though we have been saved and justified in God's eyes through His Son, even our best works still contain sin. We will never reach perfection until glory. But this should not cause us to lay down our weapons and stop fighting. God is pleased with our obedience, despite its imperfections. Hear the words of J. C. Ryle:

Sanctification is a thing which cannot justify a man, and yet it pleases God. The holiest actions of the holiest saint that ever lived are all more or less full of defects and imperfections. They are either wrong in their motive or defective in their performance and in themselves are nothing better than “splendid sins,” deserving God’s wrath and condemnation. To suppose that such actions can stand the severity of God’s judgment, atone for sin and merit heaven is simply absurd. “By the deeds of the law shall no flesh be justified.” “We conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law” (Rom. 3:20–28).

The only righteousness in which we can appear before God is the righteousness of another—even the perfect righteousness of our Substitute and Representative, Jesus Christ the Lord. His work, and not our work, is our only title to heaven. This is a truth which we should be ready to die to maintain.

For all this, however, the Bible distinctly teaches that the holy actions of a sanctified man, although imperfect, are pleasing in the sight of God. “With such sacrifices God is well pleased” (Heb. 13:16). “Obey your parents . . . for this is well pleasing unto the Lord” (Col. 3:20). “We . . . do those things that are pleasing in His sight” (1 John 3:22).

Let this never be forgotten, for it is a very comfortable doctrine. Just as a parent is pleased with the efforts of his little child to please him, though it be only by picking a daisy or walking across a room, so is our Father in heaven pleased with the poor performances of His believing children. He looks at the motive, principle and intention of their actions and not merely at their quantity and quality. He regards them as members of His own dear Son, and for His sake, wherever there is a single eye, He is well pleased. (Ryle, Holiness, ch. 2)

Book review: The Unforgiving Minute

2009-07-24T08:00:00.000-07:00

The Unforgiving Minute is the spellbinding account of a soldier's rigorous training and grueling combat in Afghanistan. It's a dramatic coming-of-age story written by Captain Craig Mullaney, who is a unique mix of one part Army Ranger and one part Oxford Rhodes scholar. (I felt a particular kinship with him because we're the same age. He started at West Point in 1996, only one month before I started at The Master's College. We were both training for battle, though of a different kind.)

Having never served in the military myself, Mullaney's vivid prose gave me a deeper appreciation for our men and women in uniform, and a greater understanding of the Bible's frequent references to war.

Endorsed by General Petraus and Wesley-Clark, this book is an instant classic you will find very hard to put down.

Here's an excerpt, with a great illustration of endurance...

For a moment, sitting on the examining table, I considered quitting. Dozens had already quit. In Ranger parlance, they had LOM'd: dropped out for 'lack of motivation.' At West Point I had always risen to the challenges. The challenges of Ranger School, however, were on a different scale, and I wondered whether I could take two more months of punishment at this voltage. At the moment, motivation was scarce. A medical 'drop' was an honorable reason to leave Ranger School, I rationalized to myself. No one would call me a coward or a failure if I had a legitimate medical excuse. It was the easy way out. I would be on a plane home to Rhode Island in twelve hours, sitting by the pool with a margarita. Covered in mud and sweat, the prospect was especially appealing. Ranger School could wait a couple of years, I told myself. Maybe after Oxford?

Another voice, however, urged me to stay. This sort of decision had an audience of one. Forget what my father would say as he picked me up at the airport. Forget LoFaro, Ostlund, and Charlie. Would I be able to look at myself in the mirror again if I quit? So I stayed in the course, a decision I would curse during every painful march or sleepless night staring out at the dark from a cold patrol base. There were no good days in Ranger School, just variations of bad. It demanded an almost inhuman endurance.... (p. 96)

The universal kingdom of God

2009-07-22T08:00:00.001-07:00

My apologies for getting off track the last couple months with our "Doing the Word" blog posts. June was one of the busiest months of my life, and the first half of July was our family road trip to Colorado, so things are just now settling down to some level of normalcy.

Last week, we looked briefly at John 18:28-40 (Jesus’ civil trial before Pilate) before launching into a multi-week series on the kingdom of God. We noted that there are two main ways the “kingdom” theme is used in the Bible.

The first is in a general sense – that God is creator and ruler of the entire universe. We can call this His “universal kingdom.” On Sunday, we looked at just two examples of this. (A) In 1 Chronicles 29, when David was an old man, he gathered the people of Israel together and took an offering for the temple. The people gave generously and joyfully, and David expressed His praise to the Lord. He declared “Yours is the dominion, O LORD, and You exalt Yourself as head over all…You rule over all, and in Your hand is power and might.” (B) In Daniel 4, when Nebuchadnezzar became puffed up over His achievements, God humbled Him by making him walk on all fours and graze in the field. His hair grew like feathers and his nails like bird claws. Finally, the king humbled himself and confessed, “For His dominion is an everlasting dominion, And His kingdom endures from generation to generation… Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise, exalt and honor the King of heaven, for all His works are true and His ways just.”
The second way is in a more local sense – that since the time of Abraham, God has chosen to call out a people for Himself, and to rule over them through appointed men called “mediators.” This began with Moses, the judges, kings, and ultimately Jesus. We can call this His “mediatorial kingdom,” and we will look more in-depth at this aspect of God’s kingdom beginning next week.

A few application questions:

In what areas does a king have authority?
When you consider that God is a king, how does this make you feel?
Read 1 Timothy 1:17. What attributes of God are mentioned here? How should we act toward our King?
The universal kingdom of God is a great remedy for pride. What gifts or personal accomplishments tempt you to become proud? What is the biblical response?
The universal kingdom of God is also a great remedy for anxiety. What makes you afraid? What fears does your mind drift toward? What is the biblical response?

(Sunday’s sermon will be uploaded soon to our podcast site and will be available for free download or to listen online.)

May God help us apply His Word this week in our hearts, in our words, and in our actions.

10 books every new Christian should own

2009-07-21T23:07:00.000-07:00

Here's a list of ten books I believe every new Christian should own. They would make a great starter library to begin your walk with God and discover the riches of the Bible.

The first two are the best modern translations of the Bible, accompanied by helpful study notes, maps, charts, and other rich background material:

The next four books cover basic Christian beliefs and living:

The last four books are basic reference tools. They don't need to be read from cover-to-cover, but are important Bible study tools to keep close at hand on your shelf.

What is limited atonement?

2009-07-20T12:04:00.000-07:00

Of the five points of Calvinism, the doctrine of Limited Atonement is probably the most debated and least understood.

Limited Atonement, also called Particular Redemption, could be explained this way: “It would have required no more obedience, nor any greater suffering, for Christ to have secured salvation for [all]…But He came into the world to represent and save only those given to Him by the Father. Thus, Christ’s saving work was limited in that it was designed to save some and not others, but it was not limited in value, for it was of infinite worth and would have secured salvation for everyone if this had been God’s intention.” (The Five Points of Calvinism: Defined, Defended, Documented) As some have put it, Christ’s death was “sufficient for all, but efficient only for the elect.”

A few salient points:

Adam stood as the federal head (representative) of the entire race, and Christ stood as the federal head of the elect: “…So then as through one transgression there resulted condemnation to all men, even so through one act of righteousness there resulted justification of life to all men” (Rom. 5:12, 17-18)
Definite terms in the Bible teach that Christ died for the elect: “I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep” (Jn. 10:11); “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many” (Mk. 10:45)
General terms in the Bible like “all” and “world,” which are so favored by Arminians, teach that Christ died for all without distinction (e.g. not just for the Jews). These verses do NOT teach that Christ died for all men without exception, i.e. He died to save every lost sinner. If this were true, then we would have to either say Christ failed in His mission, or all people are in fact justified and reconciled, which is universalism. (We Baptists use this terminology as well when we speak of an “all church potluck.” This does not necessarily mean that all will attend, but simply that all are invited.) Biblical examples: "…God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation” (2 Cor. 5:19); “and He Himself is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world” (1 Jn. 2:2). These verses show that forgiveness is freely available to every tongue, tribe, and nation; they are not intended to be a commentary on the inner workings of the atonement.

There is much more that could be said. Any discussion of limited atonement must delve into the mysterious harmony of God’s sovereignty and human responsibility and explore the profound nature of the cross. These are things I don't believe we'll ever fully wrap our minds around.

For those who would like to learn more, I would suggest starting with a couple articles on the subject at Monergism.com.

Related posts:

No greater love - the movie

2009-07-18T15:26:00.000-07:00

Here's the trailer for an upcoming movie called "No Greater Love." It was produced by several Hollywood veterans who are also devout Christians. The director (Brad Silverman) is a personal friend of mine, and one of the supporting actors (Jay Underwood) went to seminary with me. I am very excited about its coming release. It tells a riveting love story that is gospel-driven, while the acting and production look top-notch.

No Greater Love will be available in stores in January and is being distributed by Thomas Nelson. Please pray for this movie to be used greatly by the Lord, and pick up a copy when you see it hit the shelves. I pray Coram Deo Studios will join Sherwood Pictures (Facing the Giants, Fireproof) as another quality Christian alternative to Hollywood.

Update: You can now purchase No Greater Love on sale at Amazon by clicking here

Books for the trip

2009-07-13T17:16:00.000-07:00

No road trip would be complete without some good books to help the miles pass by. Here are some books our family enjoyed the last couple weeks during our travels and while relaxing in Colorado:

Fodor's Essential USA, 1st Edition: Spectacular Cities, Natural Wonders, and Great American Road Trips. Though this travel guide covers all 50 states, it was a great reference for the 6 states we traveled through. Some of our decisions on what attractions to visit came right out of this book. One feature I really liked was the suggested itinerary, depending on how many days you would be in an area: one day, two days, or even up to a whole week. While far from exhaustive, it's a great overview of our country's natural wonders and man-made attractions.

Frommer's Colorado. This book helped us navigate the Colorado Springs and Denver area during our stay with my parents, and during our two day retreat in Monument/Denver.

Russell Hitt, Sensei: The Life Story of Irene Webster-Smith. Natalie read this to me in the car on several of our travel days. A well-written story about a bold missionary to the young geisha girls of Japan in the early 20th century. We're about half way through the book.

C.J. Mahaney (ed.), Worldliness: Resisting the Seduction of a Fallen World. A wake-up call to deny ungodliness and wordly lusts in areas like media, music, clothing, materialism. I especially enjoyed Jeff Purswell's chapter on how we should love the world. Natalie noted this was a very appropriate book to be reading as we drove through Vegas.

Alva McClain, Greatness of the Kingdom. I've just begun reading this book in preparation for an upcoming series I will be preaching on the kingdom of God. McClain is clear and balanced. It's an excellent biblical theology on the complex subject of the kingdom of God.

Douglas Wilson, Future Men. This was a though-provoking guide on training up boys and young men in biblical masculinity. Drawing heavily from the Proverbs, his observations of our culture, and his own experience as a father, Wilson gives much fresh and practical teaching on the subject.

Ron Fontes and Justine Korman, Davy Crockett Meets Death Hug. Speaking of raising future men, here's a great book we're reading with our son Dylan about Davy Crockett and his friend Georgie hunting a ferocious bear.

Arnold Lobel, Frog and Toad Together. A collection of well-illustrated short stories about Toad and his adventures with Mr. Frog.

Elizabeth Prentiss, Stepping Heavenward. Natalie started reading this on the trip, so I asked her to write a description [she apologizes for making it so long, but she highly recommends the book!]. Written by the author of the beloved hymn, More Love to Thee, O Christ, this fictional "diary" is the account of young Katherine's journey toward Christlikeness. Through it all, we are pointed to love Christ more as we follow our new friend on her journey heavenward. It takes us though Katy's teenage years during which she struggles to understand if she truly loves Christ as her Savior. We watch as she strives to overcome her daily sinfulness, finally realizing that just as Christ saved her, only He can grant Katy holiness. We listen in as she shares her frustrations with a path God has given her and the mentors who point her to the good God may have even during times of great trials. For example, Mrs. Campbell (who has outlived her husband and children, and now endures great physical suffering) tells Katy the following on page 212:

"I was bound to my God and Savior before I knew a sorrow, it is true. But it was by a chain of many links; and every link that dropped away brought me to Him till at last, having nothing left, I was shut up to Him and learned fully what I had only learned partially, how soul-satisfying He is."

"You think then,"I said while my heart died within me, "that husband and children are obstacles in our way and hinder our getting near to Christ?"

"Oh, no!" she cried. "God never gives us hindrances. On the contrary, He means, in making us wives and mothers, to put us into the very conditions of holy living. But if we abuse His gifts by letting them take His place in our hearts, it is an act of love on His part to take them away or to destroy our pleasure in them. It is delightful," she added after a pause, "to know that there are some generous souls on earth who love their dear ones with all their hearts yet give those hearts unreservedly to Christ. Mine was not one of them."

Exposing the heart conference

2009-07-10T08:00:00.000-07:00

On Saturday, October 3, our community will have a one-day men's conference called "Exposing the Heart." The speakers will include Chris Mueller, Tye Bridges, Gerry Brown, and myself. Here's a sneak preview:

Are we living as God intended, do we feel we have it together and others don't, and are we more than confident in our devotion and outwardly pious appearances when the truth of the matter is that it comes down to a condition of the heart? The very thing that sustains our life. Our lives and the way we live are directly related to our Heart. Its not always easy to diagnose, but God's Word reveals and exposes the Heart like nothing else. Until we see the condition we won't go for the cure which is in Christ Jesus and the grace He has poured out for us as Christians.

The focus and theme of this year's Morongo Basin Christian Men's Conference will be on "Exposing the Heart". It is based on the teachings from the "Sermon on the Mount". The "Sermon on the Mount" is one of the most well known of all of Jesus' teachings. It has been written about, taught on and preached extensively, and all for good reason, it truly reveals so much about us and our motives as fallen creatures apart from God.

Schedule:

8:00 - 8:30 Conference begins with worship band
8:30-8:40 Opening and prayer
8:40-9:30 Gerry Brown
9:30-9:40 Break
9:40-10:30 Stephen Jones - "Deadly Desire" (Mt. 5:27-30)
10:30-11:00 Break/worship
11:00-11:50 Tye Bridges - "Either Or" (Mt. 7:13-27)
11:50-12:00 Break
12:00-12:50 Chris Mueller - "Sermon on the Heart" (Mt. 5-7)
12:50-1:00 Closing & prayer
1:00-2:00 Free BBQ provided by the Saints motorcycle club

Men, mark your calendars for October 3. It should be a great time of worship and discipleship. For more information, you can visit the website here.

Our first geocaching expedition

2009-07-08T17:12:00.000-07:00

After two years of anticipation, I finally got a Garmin GPS Etrex H for my birthday and have begun the fun, family-friendly hobby of geocaching. Geocaching is scavenger hunting for hidden "caches." I love the concept. It involves exercise and the exploring the great outdoors of God's creation, but requires nothing more than a GPS unit (about $85 for low-end, but accurate models) and an online geocache account (free at geocaching.com).

Here are some pictures of our first "expedition" in Colorado Springs, just down the street from my parent's house. We were rewarded with a beautiful view of the city and Pikes Peak. (On our second hunt, Natalie spotted a deer up-close from 20 feet!)

Arches national park

2009-07-03T09:46:00.000-07:00

Wednesday morning, we spent a couple hours exploring Arches National Park near Moab, UT, on our way to Colorado. The scenery was stunning, and I was surprised to see so many tourists in the heat of summer. Time was limited, so we only took one little walk up to the massive arch known as the "North Window."

Having just finished the book Worldliness, I found this quote by Jeff Purswell very fitting:

Everywhere we look, the world around us bears witness to the Creator, who brought it into existence...A veritable deluge of revelation floods the world from end to end. Commending on the universality of creation's witness, John Calvin observes that God 'revealed himself and daily discloses himself in the whole workmanship of the universe. As a consequence men cannot open their eyes without being compelled to see him.' ... According to Paul [in Rom. 1:19-20], we can discern certain things about God through what he has made. Roaring seas proclaim his might, towering peaks bespeak his majesty, variegated wildflowers whisper of his complexity. In these and a million other ways, 'the things that have been made' testify to the nature of the One who made them (pp. 148-50).

I cannot help but stand in awe at God's splendor, His power, His majesty, His strength, His beauty, and His wisdom displayed through this park.

The road trip begins

2009-06-29T23:06:00.000-07:00

Today we began our road trip to visit my parents in Colorado. Things got off slower than expected. Natalie spent the morning finishing packing while I watched the kids and did some cleaning around the house. We rolled out of Yucca Valley around lunchtime and grabbed some lunch on our way out of town. Thank you Carl's Jr. for those delicious bacon western cheeseburgers.

The afternoon drive went smoothly. We saw a few dust devils spiraling through the desert north of Lucerne Valley. Had a quick pit stop in Barstow and stretched the legs at Home Depot, and then made the long push up the I-15 to Vegas. While the kids napped, we listened to messages by Bryan Chappell and John Piper, and Natalie started reading the missionary biography Sensei. We rolled into town shortly after 5 pm and went straight to the Mandalay Bay resort, where the Shark Reef Aquarium is located.

After scanning a few restaurant menus, we quickly realized that food at the Vegas resorts is very pricey. Thankfully, the aquarium offered a discount where you could purchase ticket admission and get dinner buffet for a discount. Even better, both the meal and the aquarium are free for kids 4 and under. So, while the tickets were still expensive, it was a pretty good deal considering both kids were free.

After dinner, we spent about an hour and a half strolling through the aquarium. We saw a komodo dragon, a crocodile, pirhanas, tiger fish, a sea turtle, an octopus, and of course, lots of sharks. There was also a touch pool with manta rays. It was a great little aquarium. Just right for the attention span of two toddlers. I think Dylan's favorite was the jellyfish. My personal favorite was the sawfish. God sure shows a sense of humor in some of His creatures!

At one point, as we watched a shark swim toward us, Dylan asked me if it was going to "get us." I assured him we were safe on the other side of the glass, and that it wouldn't hurt us. It was a reminder to me that Satan may frighten us, our enemies may threaten us, and evil may surround us, but we do not need to be afraid, because God is with us, and He will always protect His children from the evil one. "Greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world" (1 John 4:4).

Photo credit: Eli Tucker

Tom Ascol on the SBC

2009-06-26T23:03:00.000-07:00

I enjoyed reading this article by Tom Ascol and believe it captures some of the bright moments of this year's SBC annual meeting:

Dr. Al Mohler's motion to commission a task force passed tonight at the Southern Baptist Convention. Specifically, the motion requests that
the Southern Baptist Convention, meeting June 23-24, 2009 in Louisville, Kentucky, authorize the President of the Southern Baptist Convention to appoint a Great Commission Task Force charged to bring a report and any recommendations to the Southern Baptist Convention, meeting in Orlando, Florida June 15-16, 2010, concerning how Southern Baptists can work more faithfully and effectively together in serving Christ through the Great Commission.
There was brief public opposition during the time for debate. The most rancorous opposition came from a pastor who is convinced that the problem with the SBC is the rise of Calvinism in our ranks. He likened it to the Primitive Baptist movement and blamed all the ills the convention on the revival of the doctrines of grace in the convention. His comments were inflammatory and unfounded. They did not carry the day.

A substitute motion was put forward but was fortunately voted down, allowing for an overwhelming affirmation of Dr. Mohler's original motion. The Parliamentarian, Dr. Barry McCarty, later said that the vote was at least 95%-5% in favor.

This was a good move that bodes well for the future of the SBC. Of course, it is just the beginning. Johnny Hunt must now appoint a committee that will take up the responsibility of this assignment. Pray for him and for those whom he appoints. The last thing that the SBC can afford at this point is a study and report that fall short of serious analysis and recommendations. While these recommendations will not be binding on any entity in the SBC just because a task force recommends them, they can become rallying points for the way ahead in marshalling our cooperative efforts more energetically and efficiently in the work of the great commission.

Though in the big scheme of things this vote is not all that important, I believe that it is a harbinger of better days on the horizon. In fact, today is the best day that I have ever spent at a Southern Baptist Convention. In no particular order, following are some of the reasons that I say that.

1. Danny Akin. Dr. Akin spoke at the Founders Breakfast at 6:30AM, the Baptist21 luncheon at noon, at the SBC giving a theme interpretation at 3:30PM and at the 9Marks after-meeting at 10:00PM. No doubt he is tired! But his weariness is reason for Southern Baptists' encouragement. In each assignment, he knocked it out of the park, communicating great insight in a personable, humble and courageous manner. He is the kind of leader that Southern Baptists desperately need right now, and the demands on his time indicate that he is willing to answer the call.

2. Johnny Hunt. He has proven to be a remarkable leader for Southern Baptists this last year. Dr. Hunt makes it very hard not to love him. He is gracious, humble, transparent and enthusiastic in his leadership. He has demonstrated a willingness to work with all Southern Baptists who are willing to unite around the gospel and press forward in the great commission. He has been very gracious and kind to those with whom he disagrees at certain points, setting a tone of genuine love and respect in the SBC that we have needed for a long time. Some have been less than thrilled with his leadership but, from my vantage point, their antipathy has more to do with his unwillingness to tow anyone's party line than with him personally. His love for Christ, pastors and for the conversion of unbelievers is contagious and I, for one, want to catch what he's got! I look forward to his next year of leadership and will continue to pray for him privately, in my home and in our church.

3. Though I have not heard all of the sermons from the pastors' conference or that were preached today at the convention, what I have heard has left me more encouraged about the state of preaching in the SBC than in a long time. There have been wonderful messages preached. Sell your blood if y0u must, but be sure to purchase the CD of David Platt's sermon from last night at the pastors' conference. It was incredible.

4. The IMB. Everyone has heard of the financial shortfall that will result in the decrease in our missionary force by the end of the year. Of the $16 billion that Southern Baptist churches collected last year, less than 2.6% went to the IMB. But that message seems to be rallying Southern Baptists to renew our commitment to getting the gospel to the unreached peoples of the world. I was deeply moved by the IMB report tonight of what God is doing and what the needs yet are. Jim Richards of the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention presented Jerry Rankin with a $100,000 check to help start making up for the shortfall. The pastors' conference took up a special offering to assist with it as well. I believe that Southern Baptists will rally and that this financial crisis will provoke the kind of self-examination that we need at this time in order for us to re-order our priorities.

5. The growing humility within the SBC. I heard agency heads, featured preachers and seasoned pastors saying publicly what has needed to be said for a long time. God doesn't need the SBC. The SBC can fail and be thrown onto the ash heap of ecclesiastical history and the kingdom of God will march on victoriously. It is that kind of awareness and humility that breeds the kind of perspective on the SBC that may well lead us to see our brightest days in the future. Until we get over the SBC we will not be in a position to utilize it for kingdom purposes as we ought.

So, I am hopeful. It seems to me that a fresh wind is blowing. If it is the wind of God's Spirit then may we recognize His work and redouble our efforts to be faithful in following wherever He leads.

10 highlights from the SBC convention

2009-06-24T20:49:00.000-07:00

The 2009 SBC National Convention just ended tonight. This was my first national convention. Here are ten highlights from the past two days:

Strong support for the Great Commission Resurgence task force. This group, composed of 18 SBC leaders, has been appointed by Johnny Hunt to evaluate every SBC program and institution and bring a report to the 2010 convention on how ministry can be done more effectively for the glory of God. The GCR was the leading reason I wanted to attend this year's meeting.
Some great fellowship and great laughs with my dear Christian brothers from California: Bret Capranica, Justin Peters, Tony Chute, Chris Morgan, and Walter Price.
Celebrating the 150th anniversary of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. The school had a special lunch, tours, chapel service, and cake reception this afternoon to commemorate the event. Bret is trying to convince me to pursue a PhD now instead of a DMin. We'll have to see.
Listening to the missions and Disaster Relief reports on how God is using the SBC to show compassion, spread the gospel, and save the lost.
The Wednesday afternoon Baptist Twenty-One panel.
Attending the 9 Marks at Nine panel last night.
Getting lost all over Louisville. I'm a much better driver than navigator.
Attending the Founders Breakfast (my biological clock said it was still 3 am when we left the hotel for breakfast.)
Hearing David Platt's passionate sermon on the power of the gospel Wednesday morning.
Eating at Mark's Feed Store. Wow, those were some killer BBQ ribs. Thanks, Bret!

For more recap of the convention, check out Internet Monk's post here and Ed Stetzer's post here. In a comment on the iMonk site, Tom Ascol wrote yesterday, "Today was the single best day any SBC Convention I have ever attended. I am convinced that God is working in ways that will surprise us all. The sooner those of us within the SBC get over the SBC the better off the SBC will be. I think that is happening."

We've got one last stop. We're planning to visit Cave Hill Cemetery in the morning where Boyce, Broadus, Robertson, and others are buried. It will be a fitting cap to this eventful week. Things have been super busy the last two days, waking at the crack of dawn and staying up way into the night. I'm looking forward to getting back home tomorrow and feel the need to spend some time praying for our convention. To God be the glory for what He has done.

Related posts:

Vacation Bible School 2009

2009-06-19T23:15:00.001-07:00

Here are a few of my favorite photos from this year's VBS Summer Camp. We had 47 kids this year, and when adding all youth volunteers, summer missionaries, and adult workers, we had a total of 73 people involved in the program. What a joyous week of ministry. We are all exhausted, but praising God for His sustaining grace and for the many gospel seeds that were planted.

Tonight was our second time doing a "Family Fun Night" to close out VBS, and we had a great time. A total of 101 attended! Once again, the slide show was a huge hit, and the kids did an amazing job singing all their songs, remembering motions, and reciting verses. We were able to make a few adjustments to last year's program that allowed things to run a little more smoothly. One of my favorite improvements was that the summer missionaries helped "patrol" the bounce house so that I was better able to mingle with all the parents. (Delegation is so important!) Also, we gave out award certificates to all the kids this year, and that went over really well. Everyone got a certificate for participating, and then we handed out two special awards for each class: The Golden Rule award, and the Listening award.

Mishnah madness

2009-06-12T11:38:00.000-07:00

Sometimes, pastors and teachers rely on the Jewish Mishnah to give historical background to the New Testament. According to Encyclopedia Britannica, the Mishnah was the "collection and codification of Jewish oral laws, systematically compiled by numerous scholars (called tannaim) over a period of about two centuries" (see Mishna (Jewish laws)). This effort was done by the rabbis at the end of the second century AD.

For many reasons, Mishah studies and citations should be used very cautiously in biblical studies and preaching. It should not be assumed that everything in the Mishnah accurately describes the situation in New Testament Palestine 150 years earlier.

Case in point: the Jewish trial of Jesus Christ. Most people point out how illegal the proceedings of the Sanhedrin were during Jesus' trial. It certainly was unethical, and it may have been illegal, but it is anachronistic to simply cite the Mishnah in proof that the Jews violated their own law. Robert Thomas explains,

Possibly the Jewish leaders were so obsessed with quickly disposing of Jesus before the Sabbath and Passover Week that they knowingly violated their own procedures. This has been the traditional Christian exploration. More likely, however, the provisions of the Sanhedrin tractate were not operative in Jesus' time. The Mishnah was a collection of orally transmitted laws drawn up toward the close of the second century. By this time the ruling Sanhedrin, as it had existed historically, had ceased to exist and was only an academic institution having no authority. The regulations of the Sanhedrin tractate conflict with other Jewish sources closer to the first century, and its provisions are probably not a reflection of actual Sanhedrin procedures in the first third of the first century. Consequently, it is probably wrong to accuse the Sanhedrin of illegal procedures... (Thomas, A Harmony of the Gospels, p. 336)

Just a little word of caution to help us accurately handle the Word of truth (2 Tim. 2:15). Don't ignore the Mishnah, but do use it with caution and integrity.

Somewhat-related posts:

Imprecatory prayers

2009-06-10T13:35:00.000-07:00

Wiley Drake is a Southern Baptist pastor in California who recently appeared on The Alan Combs Show and made some shocking comments about praying for President Obama's death.

In response, our state convention president Walter Price had this to say:

Imprecation is, in essence, putting a curse on someone or asking God to curse them. Nowhere in the Bible are Christians encouraged to curse anyone, especially those with whom we disagree or those who would do us harm. In fact, we are commanded not to do so and to do just the opposite.

You can read more of Walter's excellent response here.

How, then, do we approach the "imprecatory" prayers found in the Bible? Does God intend us to do the same toward our leaders? Commenting on Psalm 58, Steve Lawson explains:

Government leaders are appointed by God for the good of the people. They are to serve as his agents through whom he works to provide law and order for society (Rom. 13:1-6). But leaders often become corrupt, and they minister injustice to good people. What are God's people to do in such a situation? The Bible calls them to leave vengeance with the Lord in the face of wicked leaders. They are to pursue peace with all men, submitting to those over them as much as possible. They must not take matters into their own hands. Ungodly leaders is an issue with which God must deal. But we can pray that the Lord will rebuke and remove such people." (Holman Old Testament Commentary: Psalms 1-75, p. 298)

To this we should add the prayer for repentance and salvation. No leader, regardless of the amount of wickedness and injustice he has committed, is beyond the reach of God's amazing grace. Just look at the king of Ninevah (Jonah 3:6). Or Ahab (1 Kings 21:27-29). Or Manasseh (2 Chron. 33:11-13). Or Nebuchadnezzar (Dan. 4:34-37).

This is a far different response from the comments made by Pastor Drake. Thank you, Dr. Price, for speaking up on this issue and not letting Drake's interview represent all of us in the convention.

Reflections on my first years as pastor

2009-06-04T09:36:00.000-07:00

This month marks the three-year anniversary of my role as full-time pastor of our church. These have been some of the most wonderful years of my life, because my wife and I have finally been able to fulfill our calling and devote ourselves entirely to the church, using all the gifts and training God has given to us.

This morning, I feel the need just to jot down a few thoughts on a young man's first years of ministry, including some things to do and things to avoid:

Be loving. It is often said that people "don't care how much you know until they know how much you care." This has been proven again and again. Most laypeople could care less about my seminary degree, and even less about my GPA or the number of commentaries on my shelf. They simply yearn for a shepherd who is going to know, love, pray with, talk with, and visit them. Sometimes, it takes a card of encouragement, a home visit, a hospital visit, or even the funeral of a loved one to win the affection and trust of some of your members.
Keep learning. Seminary is a wonderful "seed bed" for developing theologically-minded pastors, but your learning has only just begun by the time you graduate. Then begins the "school of hard knocks." I have found my knowledge and awareness have increased dramatically since seminary through books, blogs, conferences, online sermons, and the people I talk with. Pulling out old college and seminary syllabi and textbooks has also been invaluable. I have learned to appreciate the history of my church and my denomination, highlighting its strengths rather than complaining about its weaknesses. Learning can be very exciting, because now it has immediate application in your ministry.
Form partnerships. I have made great efforts to cultivate relationships with other pastors in our area, both those in the SBC and other evangelical denominations. I participate in the local ministerial, and do my best to attend pastors luncheons, associational meetings, and state conventions. I want to be known as a team player, not a lone ranger pastor. I believe this is a great way to support the larger Body of Christ, encourage one another in gospel ministry, and model Christian unity to our congregations.
Change carefully. All change is not bad. Sometimes, a church is waiting eagerly for their new pastor to cast a vision and make some changes, wondering, "What's taking him so long?" But other times, the church can feel like, "He has no idea how important this is. How dare he change this!" I have tried to make changes in a slow and gracious manner. The bigger the change, the more prayer, discussion, and research has preceded it. I have used our deacon meetings and church council as sounding boards to throw out ideas -- sometimes very bold ones -- and then try to discern if a change would be wise or foolish. However, I did make some early mistakes on trying to make a couple of bold changes too quickly. At the time, I thought the people were ready, but I later discovered that there was still a lot of grassroots resistance that undermined the unity of our church. When major changes are involved, be very patient and almost resist change. Even if you know it is a good change, don't just assume it is right thing and the right time to do it. Much prayer and teaching is necessary before that change is made.
Be forbearing. This is a tough one, and I want to be very careful in how I explain this. In the early years, a pastor must learn to be tolerant of certain sins in the church. We as young pastors have the zeal of Phineas and want to crush all disobedience and get people on fire for God. But a new pastor is just going to have to hold his nose at some things that stink, and learn to minister in spite of certain programs, people, and even doctrinal beliefs in the church that he knows are wrong. In most churches, where church discipline has not been taught, and where a context of loving leadership has yet not been developed, it is just too early to rebuke and exercise church discipline, except in very gross cases of immorality or heretical teaching. Know your people, choose carefully the hills you are willing to die on, and let love cover a multitude of sins (1 Pet. 4:8). Remember that Christ did not unleash all His teaching and rebuke to His disciples at once, but spent three years with them, and even then He said there was more to say, but they were not yet ready to bear it (John 16:12).
Start discipling. As soon as possible, I identified some men and started discipling them. We cannot afford to wait in "entrusting these things to faithful men who will be able to teach others also" (2 Tim. 2:2). After researching what some other churches are doing, I developed a discipleship program and started assigning books to read, Scriptures to memorize, and/or lectures to listen to and discuss. Our group has been a mix of current deacon/leaders and potential future leaders. This has been a special time of sharpening and is crucial for the long-range health of our church. Identifying and training new leaders should start as soon as possible, even if it begins one-on-one with one other man in the church.

These first three years of ministry have included many joys and trials, exciting testimonies and painful lessons. Our church is not yet where I would like us to be, but we also are not where we were. I believe God has allowed us to make some progress toward maturity in Christ, and I pray this will momentum will build in the years ahead.

Like farming, ministry can be very difficult and labor-intensive early in the season, with heavy plowing and sowing and minimal results. But as we continue to serve the Lord and depend upon Him for results, I believe He will bless His Word and bring a great harvest for His glory.

Steering a conversation toward the gospel

2009-06-03T14:12:00.000-07:00

Years ago, when I worked in a customer service call center, we were instructed to always "control the call." In other words, as salespeople, we were to steer the phone conversation as much as possible through questions and suggestions to help lead the customer along and determine what product would best suit them. Some customers were notorious for just "chatting" on the phone, not realizing that other customers were often on hold, waiting to be served.

In our evangelism, the stakes are infinitely higher, because souls are involved. We too as Christians must learn to better "control the conversation." I don't mean forcing the gospel into a conversation in an inappropriate way, but learning through questions and answers to steer a conversation in the right direction, toward spiritual things and eventually toward a presentation of the gospel.

As I said last week, there are four common steps in evangelism: raising awareness, initial contact, pre-evangelism, and evangelism. For those who are not particularly sociable, and who struggle to make conversation, or perhaps are just terrified of being confrontational, it can be very daunting to move from pre-evangelism (relationship-building) to evangelism (actually sharing the gospel). Here are a few tools that may be helpful.

Years ago, in an evangelism class, I learned the acronym ROCI. This is a helpful way to facilitate conversation in any setting, and stands for:

Residence - Are you originally from this area? How long have you lived here? Where did you grow up?
Occupation - Where did/do you work? What's your dream job?
Children - How many kids do you have?
Interests - Do you have any hobbies? What do you like to do in your free time? I noticed you like...

Some of these may naturally lead into a conversation about church, religion, values, and spiritual beliefs.

In the book Building on Firm Foundations, New Tribes Missions list many possible topics that can be intewoven into conversation and prepare a person for the seed of the gospel:

Creation (ask their beliefs about the world, its orderliness, bad things that happen)
God (ask their beliefs about His existence, location, activities, attributes, requirements)
Unseen spirits (ask their beliefs about their existence, what they're like, relationships with people, requirements)
Human beings (ask their beliefs about origin, differences, characteristics, sinful behavior)
Life after death (ask the reason for sickness and death, their beliefs about place of the dead, basis of knowing where a person goes, contact between living and dead, resurrection)

Finally, here are ten great questions from Donald Whitney that can help turn a conversation toward the gospel:

When you die, if God says to you, "Why should I let you into Heaven?", what would you say?Are you interested in what the Bible says about your answer?
If you were to die tonight, where do you think you would spend eternity? Why? Are you interested in what the Bible says about this?
Do you think much about spiritual things?
How is God involved in your life?
How important is your faith to you?
What has been your most meaningful spiritual experience?
Do you find that your religious heritage answers your questions about life?
Do you have any kind of spiritual beliefs? If what you believe were not true, would you want to know it? Well, the Bible says . . . .
To you, who is Jesus?
I often like to pray for people I meet; how can I pray for you?

The Betrayal of Jesus

2009-06-01T10:32:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, we studied the Betrayal of Jesus recorded in John 18:1-11. It was amazing to see how our Lord endured such suffering and injustice, yet remaining firmly in control the whole time. We considered three astonishing facts about Jesus' betrayal that show how He was in control:

Jesus knew Judas' trap, but stepped forward (John 18:1-4). While Jesus was comforting, instructing, and praying for His disciples in the upper room (chs. 14-17), we now learn that Judas was conspiring with the chief priest and gathering a large crowd of soldiers to arrest Jesus. The betrayal appeared as a tragedy, but Jesus "knew all the things" coming upon Him, and had actually arranged and permitted them to unfold in this way.
Jesus had divine power, but surrendered (John 18:5-9). When Jesus declared "I am," He pulled back the veil of His humanity one last time before the cross, revealing His divine glory and reminding everyone who was really in charge here. He could have annihilated this little band of soldiers or called down 120 times as men warriors from heaven, but instead the Lion became a Lamb, and quietly surrendered.
Jesus dreaded God's wrath, but submitted (John 18:10-11). The "cup" of God's wrath that had been on our Lord's mind in the upper room (Mt. 20:22) and in the garden (Lk. 22:42) was necessary to drink. Jesus dreaded this cup of divine fury, but willingly drank it so that we who believe can have God's cup blessing instead.

Questions for thought and discussion:

In what ways do the methods of the chief priests and Pharisees differ from the methods of Jesus?
Have I trusted in Christ, believing that He drank the cup of God's wrath in my place? How should this make me feel about Jesus?
Are there any present trials or tragedies in my life where I can take comfort that Jesus "knows all things" and is firmly in control?
Do I respond to my enemies with anger and violence (like Peter, who cut off Malchus' ear) or love and compassion (like Jesus, who healed Malchus' ear)? Cf. Luke 6:27-36.

Reaching the lost

2009-05-28T08:00:00.000-07:00

As I said several months ago, the mission of our church is to "to make disciples of Jesus Christ who love God and love people, by reaching and teaching everyone."

I have already examined the overarching mission of the church (to make disciples) and have seen what a disciple should be (one who loves God and loves people). Now it's time to consider the process by which a disciple is made.

Matthew 28:19-20 breaks discipleship down into two stages. First, Jesus tells the apostles to preach and evangelize, which culminates in some hearers believing and new converts being "baptized." Second, the apostles were to train these new disciples through a life-long process of "teaching them to obey." This two-step process that Jesus outlined two thousand years ago still continues in His church today. At First Southern Baptist, we call these two steps "reaching and teaching."

For the sake of strategic planning in the church, I've found Peter Bolt's little book Mission Minded (available through Matthias Media) to be extremely helpful. He breaks down evangelism (reaching) and edification (teaching) into several sub categories. Let's look just at the "reaching" phase today.

Bolt observes that most non-Christians naturally progress through four phases in evangelism:

Raising Awareness. This is the very first an unbeliever hears about Jesus, the Bible, the gospel, or a particular church. At this point, there's no personal contact. A church may raise awareness in their community by having a church building, church sign, website, door hangers, an ad in the paper, sending out mailers, etc.
Initial Contact. For the first time, an unbeliever now meets a real person. He no longer associate Christianity merely with a church building, a book, media reports, or a local advertisement, but with a flesh-and-blood person he has actually met. Churches can facilitate contact by being friendly to their neighbors and co-workers, canvassing a neighborhood with surveys, hosting a booth at a local fair, doing service projects, joining local clubs and organizations, etc.
Pre-evangelism. The unbeliever is now getting to know his Christian friend better and a stronger relationship is forming. Deeper issues may start to be discussed like family problems, fears, hopes, dreams, and spiritual beliefs. The Christian may start to drop seeds and respond to some of the common objections or confusing aspects of Christianity. At this point, the Christian is trying to show the love of Christ and "earn the right" to share his faith in a spirit of love and trust.
Evangelism. The ultimate goal of steps 1-3 is to get us to the point where the unbeliever actually hears the good news. If this never happens, then the person has never truly been evangelized. All the good deeds and acts of social justice in the world are impotent to rescue a soul from hell. Only the gospel is the power of God unto salvation (Rom. 1:16-17). Evangelism may happen in one event, or over a series of conversations. But e need to know, explain, and biblically support the basic gospel outline: God is the loving and holy creator of the universe; man has rebelled against God and become separated from Him; Jesus, God's Son became a man to rescue us; He lived perfectly and then died in our place, rising again on the third day; He now calls us to turn from our sins and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. This is the only proper response, and the only way to eternal life.

Obviously, there's no "formula" to saving the lost. There are times when steps 1-3 happen almost instantaneously, or when steps 2-3 can be bypassed altogether. Most importantly, we recognize that while man plants and waters, only God can give the increase. And so our church humbly uses this ministry model, while praying and relying completely on God to do His miraculous work of changing hearts of stone into hearts of flesh.

Glorifying God in the Golden Years

2009-05-26T16:30:00.001-07:00

Last Sunday, we studied the prayer of an old man in Psalm 71, and learned how we can "Glorify God in the Golden Years." There were three points to our outline:

The Protection of the Elderly (Ps. 71:1-13). The psalmist senses that he is in danger as his enemies encircle and plot against him. Though his strength is diminishing, his faith remains strong as he runs to God for refuge. It may seem, at times, that God has forsaken us, but we know that those who have trusted Christ are secure. God already forsook His Son on the cross so that we would never have to be forsaken (Matt. 27:46).
The Purpose of the Elderly (Ps. 71:14-18). The psalmist knows that his many years and life experiences are intended by God to be the source for unending hope and praise, while teaching the next generation about God's character and salvation. As long as God keeps us on the earth, He has an important mission for us to fulfill. Whatever faculties we have left should be used for God's glory.
The Praise of the Elderly (Ps. 71:19-24). The psalmist concludes with an outburst of joy and praise to God. He can hardly contain himself as he remembers the righteousness of God and the great things He has done. He expects the Lord to revive Him once again so he can continue to praise God until His final breath, while he awaits God to humble the proud and put his enemies to shame.

Application questions for the young and middle aged:

What are my thoughts and feelings about old age?
What is the world's perspective of age? What, in contrast, do the following verses say about it? Lev. 19:32; Prov. 16:31; 20:29.
Do I treat the elderly with honor? How could I improve? What are the main barriers I face?
Do I keep a journal or some other way of recording the "great things" (Ps. 71:19) God has done in my life to help me recall them in the latter years?
Do I make myself available to seniors, listening to them and even seeking out their counsel and testimony of God's grace? (Ps. 71:18)

Application questions for seniors:

What are the threats and fears I face right now? What comfort can Psalm 71 bring?
If Psalm 71:8 were written about me, how would it read? "My mouth is filled with ___." Is my speech generally positive or negative? Is it self-centered or others/God-centered? Are my words full of cynicism, gossip, and complaining? Or joy, encouragement, and thanksgiving?
Do I view my life as still having purpose? If so what is it? How does this purpose match up with the glorious purpose described in Psalm 71:14-18?
Do I treat the younger generation with respect or see them as a threat? What are the main barriers I face? How am I willing to change or accommodate my own preferences in order to help reach the next generation?
Do I make myself available to young and middle aged people, talking with them, getting to know them, praying for them, sharing godly counsel, and testifying of God's grace? (Ps. 71:18) How could I improve?
Is my joy evident to others? Does my speech and body language suggest to others that I am genuinely happy? Do I give "shouts" of praise to God through singing and prayer? (Ps. 71:23) How can I be joyful even in difficult circumstances?

1 million stories of compassion

2009-05-22T23:22:00.001-07:00

Compassion International in Colorado Springs made an exciting announcement on Wednesday:

Compassion International, a leading child development and sponsorship organization, reached a major milestone today as they celebrate the sponsorship of their 1 millionth child, an 8-year-old boy from the country of Togo in West Africa.

The newly sponsored child lives with his father outside Togo's capital city of Lomé. Togo, a country whose population is seriously affected by the devastation of AIDS, is the most recent country to join the growing list of nations where Compassion works.

The child's sponsor is from South Korea, the country in which Compassion began its mission 57 years earlier. The sponsor is most recently noted for a gold medal she won at last year's Beijing Olympics.

Each sponsorship typically includes education, spiritual instruction, a nourishing meal, and basic health care. This millionth sponsorship was specially timed to coincide with the one million mark. But while every sponsorship may not be quite so glamorous, every single one is still a heartwarming story of love and compassion in the name of Jesus Christ. May God bless Compassion International and enable them to reach another million children in the years to come.

Keller on ministry idolatry

2009-05-20T08:00:00.000-07:00

Tim Keller was recently interviewed by Towers Online, the news service for Southern Seminary. I really appreciated his warning about the idolatry of success in ministry.

Question: What safeguards should 20-something pastors have in place to avoid the idolatry of ministry fame and the attitude of big numbers equals success?

Tim Keller: If you know it is a danger, that is a very important start. Additionally, when you find yourself unusually discouraged because things aren't growing or people aren't listening to you -- you have to catch yourself. You have to realize "This is an inordinate amount of discouragement, which reveals the idolatry of justification by ministry." Meaning, you say you believe in justification by grace, but you feel like and are acting like you believe in justification by ministry. You have to recognize you are making something of an idol out of ministry. When you do experience inordinate discouragement because things aren't going well, you need to say, "It's okay to be discouraged but not to be this discouraged. This is discouragement that leads to idolatry," and you repent.

Additionally, idols create a fantasy world. You may think that you are just thinking about ministry strategy, but it could be you're fantasizing about success. So be careful about doing too much daydreaming about success, what you would like to see happen. Because it's really a kind of pornography. You're actually thinking about a beautiful church and people acclaiming you: be careful about fantasizing too much about ministry success and dreaming about it and thinking about what it's going to look like.

Principles for Giving

2009-05-19T11:57:00.000-07:00

Last Sunday's sermon came from 2 Corinthians 9. As we listened to Paul's appeal for the Corinthians to help the poor Christians in Jerusalem, we found three life-changing principles of "giving for the harvest":

We are to give humbly (2 Cor. 9:10). All our money - indeed, everything in life - belongs to God. He is the One who gives us life, breath, time, strength, family, jobs, possessions, etc. Thus, when we give, we should have a heart of humility, thanking Him for the honor of giving back a portion of what is already His.
We are to give generously (2 Cor. 9:5-6, 8, 10-11). God expects us to give bountifully and sacrificially. He makes us rich so we can in turn be generous toward others. But since few of us feel rich and able to give generously, we must learn to see giving as an act of faith, taking a step of obedience, even though we may not know how God will provide. If we wait to give until we have the money, we will never give.
We are to give joyfully (2 Cor. 9:7). God does not want our giving to be with a heart of sorrow, or under pressure, but out of a cheerful (hilarious!) heart. Giving should not be a duty, but a delight, for several reasons: (A) It is an act of worship; a love offering. (B) It is an act of obedience, which brings joy. (C) It is a reminder of Christ's gift to us (2 Cor. 8:9). (D) It is seed planted for a spiritual harvest, caring for the poor, supporting gospel ministers, and reaching the lost with the gospel. (E) It is a guaranteed investment for eternal reward (Matt. 6:20-21).

Questions for thought and discussion (the first four questions come from an article entitled "Money Power," published in Discipleship Journal, Issue 12, 1982):

On a scale of 1 to 5 (1 is lowest and 5 is highest), rate yourself in the following areas: How much of a giving person am I? How wisely do I use my wealth? How willing am I to provide financial support to ministers of God? How willing am I to provide financial support to help the poor? How well do I plan my expenditures? How sacrificial am I willing to be in order to give to others? On a typical day, how grateful am I for what God has given me?
What are some ways I am using my money and possessions to help bring people to Christ and extend the kingdom of God?
Are there any ways in which I may not be using my money wisely in God's sight? What are they?
What changes could I make in order to be wiser and more generous in the way I handle my wealth?
Am I being a good steward of all the possible sources of income and "seed for the harvest" God has entrusted to me? (e.g. salary, investment returns, tax refunds, Social Security, alimony, gifts and inheritances, income from sale of assets, etc.).
Have I considered setting up a charitable trust and reserving a portion of my estate for God's work?

Pastors: the key to a great commission resurgence

2009-05-15T09:53:00.000-07:00

No doubt about it, there are some exciting things going on in our Southern Baptist Convention.

I'm very pleased with the recent Great Commission Resurgence document drafted by Johnny Hunt and certain leading members of the SBC. I read through it carefully and finally signed it this morning. I believe it gives a healthy wake-up call to our convention and lays a sound philosophy of ministry for the future of our convention beyond the doctrine articulated in the Baptist Faith & Message.

I appreciate that leaders recognize a true Great Commission Resurgence will not happen merely through a top-down approach from our seminaries, the executive office, or Lifeway, but through a grassroots movement among local churches, and particularly among local pastors.

Thus, the Annual Meeting will focus this year on pastors, local church, and denominational health rather than a reaction to national politics. In a recent interview with the Florida Baptist Witness, Johnny Hunt said:

...the annual meeting focus should be on how to turn around the denomination, which he said begins with the pulpits.
“There is no evangelistic church without an evangelistic pastor. There is no mission-minded church without a mission-minded pastor. There is no generous church without a generous pastor,” he said.

Although many pastors proclaim the right truths about evangelism, they are not emulating those truths.

“I really believe it’s more of a real work of God in the life of us pastors” that is most needed in SBC life, he said, rather than focusing on denominational entities and executives.

Speaking as a pastor, Hunt said the focus “is going to be on us.”

Optical illusions

2009-05-14T12:06:00.000-07:00

Check out these illusions that were voted the "best optical illusions of the world" for 2009. I especially like the curve ball and the colored dove.

Tabloid archaeology

2009-05-13T08:00:00.000-07:00

Gordon Franz writes,

One day a friend sent me an invitation to a church meeting and asked me if I knew anything about the subject. On the flyer was a picture of a human skeleton with crooked teeth and a rock embedded in his forehead. The title above the skull read: “They’ve Found Goliath’s Skull!”

Has Goliath's skull really been discovered? To find out, you'll have to read rest of the story here.

This is a good example of what Franz calls "Tabloid Archaeology," and unfortunately, many Christians buy into this stuff hook, line, and sinker. If it sounds good and seems to give credibility to the Bible, then no matter its source (email, blog, tabloid, video) or level of scholarship, we assume it must be true and with great excitement pass it on to our friends.

To avoid future embarassment, we can all be grateful for a new website Franz has developed called Life and Land Seminars. It has a lot of material on Bible backgrounds, but some articles deal specifically with sensational theories and discoveries. The site is formatted like a blog, so navigation can be tricky. But if you use the search bar in the top right corner, you should be able to search and find any pertinent articles quickly. Think of it like a "Snopes" for biblical archaeology. Here's a few other debunking articles Franz has written:

Does “The Lost Shipwreck of Paul” Hold Water? – A critique of the theory of Robert Cornuke.

Mount Sinai is Not at Jebel Al-Lawz in Saudi Arabia (and parts 2 and 3) – A careful refutation of the theory of Ron Wyatt that has captivated many gullible Bible believers.

Did the BASE Institute Discover Noah’s Ark in Iran? – The historical and geographical problems with a recent theory promoted in Christian circles.

The So-Called Jesus Family Tomb “Rediscovered” in Jerusalem – A lengthy analysis of the Talpiyot tomb that recent movie producers have claimed belonged to Jesus of Nazareth.

HT: Todd Bolen

The High Calling of a Mother & Grandmother

2009-05-12T10:02:00.001-07:00

In honor of Mother's Day last Sunday morning, we considered the "High Calling of a Mother & Grandmother." Here was my sermon outline:

Four people in a family - 2 Timothy 1:5 and Acts 16:1-2 introduced us to a family of four: Lois, a believing grandma; Eunice, a believing mom; Timothy, a believing son; and Timothy's father, an unbelieving dad. We were encouraged to see how God used a mother's and grandmother's faith to be instrumental in saving young Timothy.
Four areas of training children - From the description of Jesus' development in Luke 2:52, we saw four areas that every mother should train her child: mental, physical, spiritual, and social.
Four kinds of people in our church - We concluded by considering how these truths would apply to four groups of people in our church: moms, grandmas, women without children, and men.

Thought & Discussion Questions:

Are there any similarities between Timothy's spiritually "mixed family" and mine? Are there people in my household who do not share my passion for God? What can I learn from Eunice' example?
Mothers, do you pray regularly for your children? How are you doing in training your children in these four areas of mental, physical, spiritual, and social? Where do your children naturally excel? Where do they struggle? What is one area you can begin to improve immediately?
Grandmothers, are you loving and serving your children as they now raise their kids, and supporting other younger moms in the church? Read Titus 2:3-5 and consider how you should apply this. Who is one young mom in the church that you can specifically pray for and encourage?
Women without children, do you feel disappointed that you do not have children of your own? What is your attitude toward mothers and grandmothers? Are you joyful and content in your present circumstances? Has God called you to consider adoption, or to help other moms who are raising kids?
Men, what is your mindset toward child-rearing? Do you consider it primarily a woman's duty, or are you providing spiritual leadership in the home and church? Are you serving and praying for your wife? Are you teaching your daughters to become future moms and women of God? Could you serve more faithfully in children's ministry so that moms can have their spiritual batteries recharged?

Sunday’s sermon has been uploaded to our podcast site and is now available for free download or to listen online.)

May God help us apply His Word this week in our hearts, in our words, and in our actions.

Praying for our leaders

2009-05-07T09:29:00.000-07:00

Today is the National Day of Prayer, a special day set aside each year to gather publicly and intercede for our nation and leaders. Our local ministerial sponsored a community prayer service this morning at the local park to honor the occasion and lift up our praises and requests to God.

Not sure how to pray for the nation? Why not begin with 1 Timothy 2:2, which says to pray "for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity."

If God guides and blesses our leaders, it will result in peaceful life where the gospel can spread more freely. John MacArthur writes on this passage, "When it manifests love and goodness to all and prays passionately for the lost, including rulers, the church may experience a certain amount of religious freedom. Persecution should only be the result of righteous living, not civil disobedience" (MacArthur Study Bible, note on 1 Timothy 2:2)

Gary Bergel shares 30 ways to pray for people in authority:

1. That they be God fearing and recognize that they
are accountable to Him for each decision and act
(Prov. 9:10).
2. That they be granted wisdom, knowledge, and
understanding (Jas. 1:5).
3. That they be presented with the gospel and a loving
Christian witness (Ro. 10:14).
4. That, if unsaved, they be drawn to a saving encounter
with Christ; if born-again, they be strengthened and
encouraged in their faith (1 Tim. 2:4, Eph. 1:17-23).
5. That they recognize their own inadequacy and pray
and seek the will of God (Prov. 3:5-8, Lk. 11:9-13).
6. That they be convicted of sin, transgression, and
iniquity (Ps. 51:17, Jn. 8:9).
7. That they heed their conscience, confess their sins,
and repent (Prov. 28:13, Jas. 4:8).
8. That they read the Bible and attend prayer meetings
and Bible studies (Ps. 119:11, Col. 3:2).
9. That they value and regard the Ten Commandments
and the teachings of Christ (Ps. 19:7-11, Jn. 8:31-32).
10. That they respect and honor their own parents if
living (Eph. 6:2-3).
11. That they respect authority and practice
accountability (Ro. 13:1-7).
12. That they be given godly counsel and God-fearing
advisors (Prov. 24:6).
13. That they be honest and faithful to spouses and
children (Mal. 2:15-16).
14. That they be practicing members of local
congregations (Heb. 10:25).
15. That they desire purity and avoid debauchery,
pornography, perversion, and drunkenness
(1 Cor. 6:9-20, Titus 2:12).
16. That they be timely, reliable, and dependable
(Mt. 21:28-31).
17. That they be honest in financial, tax, and ethical
matters (1 Cor. 6:10, 1 Tim. 6:6-10).
18. That they seek pastoral care and counsel when
needed (Heb. 13:7).
19. That they seek out and nurture godly friendships
(Ps. 1:1-3).
20. That they have thankful and teachable spirits
(Ro. 1:21).
21. That they be generous and have compassionate hearts
for the poor and needy (Ps. 112:9, Lk. 10:33-37).
22. That they redeem their time and know priorities
(Eph. 5:15-17).
23. That they desire honesty, integrity, and loyalty
(Psalm 26, Prov. 11:3).
24. That they have courage to resist manipulation,
pressure, and the fear of man (Prov. 29:25, 2. Tim. 1:7).
25. That they be shielded from occultism, New Age cults,
false religions, and secret societies (Is. 1:29, 2:6).
26. That they be presented with biblical worldviews and
principles (Eph. 3:10).
27. That they endeavor to restore the sanctity of life,
families, divine order, and morality in our nation
(Eph. 5:22-6:4).
28. That they would work to reverse the trends of
humanism in our nation (1 Chron. 12:32, Is. 59:19).
29. That they desire humility and meekness and be
willing to serve and cooperate (Jn. 13:14, Titus 3:1-2).
30. That they be prepared to give account to Almighty
God (Heb. 9:27).

(You can order copies of this, and many other helpful prayer cards, through the Navpress website.)

Let's follow God's call to pray for our nation and leaders not only this day, but every day. He alone can bring repentance and true reform in the hearts of all who need Him.

Virgin lips

2009-05-06T12:17:00.001-07:00

Here's something radically counter-cultural. A new movement is on the rise to encourage Christians to abstain from kissing until marriage.

It's obvious our culture has become hyper-sexualized in a very short time. Al Mohler writes,

In the space of little more than a single generation, we have seen the breaking down of virtually every social and cultural support for sexual abstinence. Arousal and intimacy come with the romantic longing that marks the deepening relationship between a man and a woman. Young couples no longer court on the porch swing with the girl's parents sitting inside and very close at hand. Now, most young couples face the temptation of romantic contexts in which intimacy--and this means sexual intimacy--is a likely outcome.
The Virgin Lips Movement represents a serious effort to push back against this expectation and to create boundaries that will protect virtue and honor marriage.

What do you think? Is the Virgin Lips Movement putting Matthew 5:29-30 into practice, i.e. taking radical steps to avoid sin? Or is it legalism? Should parents expect this of their children?

I don't think it would be legalistic at all to have such a standard for one's own relationship. After all, we all must set clear boundaries of purity and never violate our consciences. "He who doubts is condemned if he eats [or kisses], because his eating [or kissing] is not from faith; and whatever is not from faith is sin (Rom. 14:23). There could be great wisdom in establishing and avoiding this threshold of physical intimacy. However, I could see the VLM quickly becoming legalistic if couples begin to impose this vow on others, adding an extra-biblical standard by which all relationships are judged to be sinful or righteous.

The real issue is a matter of the heart - not merely outward behavior. Certain boundaries must exist to avoid fueling lust and temptation, but these boundaries will vary from person to person and from couple to couple.

Randy Alcorn, in his excellent book The Purity Principle, says,

For years I didn't go in a particular doorway to our local supermarket because of a magazine rack. Later, my mental discipline became strong enough that I could keep my eyes away. But until then I honored my boundary. It was inconvenient, but a small price to pay to guard my purity.

We have a television, but we don't have cable. Not because we believe it's wrong, but because we don't want more temptation in our home.

I'm not telling you what you have to do. Boundaries will vary from person to person. A boundary may be not standing in a checkout line where certain magazines are displayed. Or not driving in a certain part of town. Or never going on a business trip alone.

Boundaries keep temptation from getting a foothold. They are based on the premise that our sexual purity cannot be strengthened if we keep doing what we've always done! We must change our habits. We are sentries charged with protecting something immensely strategic... (p. 44)

The Virgin Lips Movement is a great reminder that all of us must stand guard, glorifying God in our bodies and remaining pure in every relationship.

The Need for Church Unity

2009-05-05T08:10:00.000-07:00

Last Sunday morning, we looked at John 17:20-26, the final part of Jesus’ High Priestly Prayer. In these verses, He prayed for “all who would believe,” including you and me! We saw Him pray for the church’s unity in two areas:

Our present unity – Jesus prayed that our unity would reflect the unity within the Holy Trinity (v. 21). We can expect both unity and diversity in the Body of Christ. The basis of this unity is the very indwelling presence of God in us, His “glory.”
Our future unity – Jesus is delighted as His closing request in the prayer to ask for us to be together with Him, forever and ever, and to see His glory (v. 24).

Thought & Discussion Questions:

Have I truly believed in Christ through the word of His apostles? (v. 20)
In what ways should a church show unity? Diversity?
How would I rate the unity in my home? (Excellent? Fair? Poor?)
How would I rate the unity in our church? (Excellent? Fair? Poor?)
Is our church’s unity providing a good witness to the community? Why or why not?
Am I growing in the keys to unity found in Ephesians 4:2, i.e. Humility? Gentleness? Patience? Tolerance in love?
With whom do I really struggle to show these fruits?
Do I need to confess a sin or reconcile with anyone in the Body? (Matt. 5:23-24)
Who is someone outside my “clique” or “comfort zone” I can reach out to this week to foster greater unity in our church?

(Sunday’s sermon has been uploaded to our podcast site and is now available for free download or to listen online.)

May God help us apply His Word this week in our hearts, in our words, and in our actions.

How to live in the world

2009-05-04T11:39:00.000-07:00

Jonathan Dodson gives some great practical ideas on how we should be living "in the world, but not of the world" (John 17:15-18), aka living missionally, or engaging our culture:

Eat with non-Christians
Walk, don't drive
Be a regular
Hobby with non-Christians
Talk to your co-workers
Volunteer with non-profits
Participate in city events
Serve your neighbors

You can read the whole article here.

Some related posts I've written on this topic:

Swine flu and the church

2009-05-01T11:39:00.000-07:00

We’ve been hearing a lot about swine flu lately and you may be wondering if the church is a safe place for you and your children to attend.

First of all, this is an opportunity to keep a sound mind and put our trust in God. “For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline” (2 Timothy 1:7). We never have reason to grow anxious or paranoid. “Do not be afraid of sudden fear, nor of the onslaught of the wicked when it comes; For the Lord will be your confidence and will keep your foot from being caught.” (Proverbs 3:25-26). God has already numbered our days and determined our health. Swine flu cannot thwart God’s sovereign schedule for our lives.

As far as local health risk, our county Department of Public Health issued an advisory on April 28 reporting that “No cases of this virus have been identified in San Bernardino County at this time.” They simply encourage people to take normal, common-sense precautions to minimize the spread of germs:

Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.
Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hands cleaners are also effective.
Try to avoid close contact with sick people.
If you get sick, stay home from work or school [or church, in our case] and limit contact with others to keep from infecting them.
Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread that way.
It is not necessary to wear a mask unless you are in close contact with someone who has been confirmed to have Swine Influenza A virus infection.

We encourage everyone to attend church as usual on Sunday. It may be wise to have some extra liquid sanitizer bottles available in the restrooms and in the nursery area. But beyond this, there is no reason for concern or need for extra precautionary measures.

Interview, pt. 3

2009-05-01T08:00:00.000-07:00

On Wednesday and Thursday, I shared parts one and two of a recent interview I had with a member of our church who was completing a school project on church leadership. Here's the conclusion to the interview...

5. Are you leading consistently and biblically?

a. Is your leadership based on biblical principals?

Yes, as much as possible, I try to base my leadership on biblical principles. I do not support an executive model, where a pastor rules from the top down, with an attitude of intimidation and condescension toward others. Nor do I support a marketing model, where a pastor is checking opinions, taking polls, and forming focus groups of current or potential churchgoers to see what is trendy. Nor do I not support a purely democratic model, where everyone has an equal voice in every decision.

God has given leadership to the church so all things can be done decently and in order (1 Cor. 14:40). Spiritual leadership is best pictured by a shepherd, who must lead from the front. I must be an example in both character and doctrine to my flock so they will trust and imitate me, as I seek to imitate Christ (1 Cor. 11:1).

b. Do you stand firm in your leadership role against those who try to go against you and the church?

When it is a biblical or philosophical issue, I must stand firm. I do not want to be a pleaser of men, but a pleaser of God (Gal. 1:10). I am called by God to fight the good fight, keep faith, and a good conscience (1 Tim. 1:18-19), and can expect criticism and hostility in the process (John 15:19). I am to do this in a way that is “kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged, with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition” (2 Tim. 3:24-25).

If it is merely a matter of preference, then I try to be very open and flexible, asking what others think and looking for some consensus. I want to always be open to new ideas, suggestions, concerns, criticisms, etc. Sometimes, change is very good, just to get us out of a rut. Some of the best ideas and changes this church has made since I arrived originated from other people. If I had not listened to them, it would have hindered our health and growth.

c. Are you bold and do you let God convict you instead of listening to others and their opinions?

I believe I am bold and led by God rather than timid and led by people. People’s opinions will shift from one minute to the next. You have to learn in ministry not to take yourself too seriously, nor the compliments and criticisms of others too seriously. If you live and minister for God, it is a wonderfully liberating thing, because He alone becomes the audience you are concerned about. To avoid discouragement or hypocrisy, I frequently have to remind myself I am here to please God, not men.

6. Are you leading by the strength of your character?

a. Do you have a genuine love for the people and for God?

I deeply love the Lord and His church. I count it a tremendous privilege every day to serve God in full-time ministry. There’s nothing I would rather do. It is such a blessing to shepherd the flock of God. The burdens of ministry are heavy at times, as you deal with people’s sin and feel pulled in so many directions, but the joy is incomparable. God always seems to give you a word of encouragement just at that moment when you need it most. And I look forward to the day when First Southern Baptist will be made perfect and will become my “hope and joy and crown of exultation in the presence of our Lord Jesus” (1 Thess. 2:19).

b. Do you lead by example so the congregation will listen to you as the Pastor and see Christ in you?

I can’t expect anything from the church that I’m not first doing myself. It is extremely destructive for a pastor to have a “do as I say, not as I do” mentality. Many people have fallen away from the faith and left the church completely because of this. I’m not excusing their rejection of God or His church, because they will still be held accountable, but I do know there will be a heavy judgment on any pastor who has caused even one little one to stumble (Matt. 18:6).

Every area of my life should be an example and above reproach (1 Tim. 3:2). I’m far from perfect (chief of sinners would be more accurate), but I am striving to become more like Christ. I’m right there in the trenches, with my people, fighting sin and temptation every day and seeking to put on the full armor of God. I do hope as they watch me, they will learn to love Christ and be all-satisfied in Him.

c. Are you afraid that people won’t follow if you make changes and take complete control as the leader of the church and truly listen to God’s will for the church?

I’ve never really thought about this fear. God blessed me with a great team of godly men who serve as deacons in our church. I know I can trust them and glean great wisdom from them. If they were not supportive of something, then it would be highly, highly unlikely I would ever sense it was “God’s will” to move forward with it anyway. If, on the other hand, I have consulted with my fellow leaders and we really agree we need to move in a new direction and have biblical precedent for it, then I do believe I would step forward and lead with confidence, even if it put my reputation or “popularity” at risk.

I’m uncomfortable with the statement “take complete control as the leader of the church and truly listen to God’s will.” It sounds like something a cult leader would say. I always want to encourage people to search the Scriptures for themselves and discern if I am right or wrong. If I’m wrong, I want to be told. If I’m right, I expect to be followed. I don’t want people to just take my word for it. There’s no authority in that. I want a church full of Bereans, who “received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so” (Ac. 17:11).

God has given the church both leaders and a congregation to provide a healthy check and balance. Even the apostles, when proposing the first deacon ministry, gave instructions which “found approval with the whole congregation” (Ac. 6:5). Now, I realize unanimous approval is not always possible, but there should be a general sense that both the leaders and congregation agree to move forward in a new direction. If the people are not with you, then you may need to take more time to teach on the issue and explain the biblical reasoning for it.

Interview, pt. 2

2009-04-30T08:00:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, I began the first of three posts that share a recent interview I had with a member of our church who was completing a school project. I found some of the questions very interesting and since the whole interview dealt with leadership and pastoral ministry, I thought I would share my responses this week in a series of three posts. Here's part two...

3. Do you lead in humility

a. What do you do during the day that helps you maintain a spirit of humility?

Pride is a daily battle. No, hourly is probably more accurate. It’s so easy to feel smarter, more important, more influential, more irreplaceable than I actually am. This is one reason Paul warned against young Christians becoming pastors, because they can easily “become conceited and fall into the condemnation incurred by the devil” (1 Tim. 3:6). The public spotlight of pastor can seem glamorous at first and is especially dangerous for our pride. But Christ reminded His disciples that true greatness is servant leadership (Matt. 18:4).

Spending time with the Lord in His Word and in prayer helps keep me humble. Watching, learning, and listening to my wife helps me identify my own sin, selfishness, and lack of wisdom. Also, as much as possible, I try to stay realistic, “not thinking more highly of myself than I ought to think” (Rom. 12:3), but recognizing my own limitations. I try to share authority and responsibility with others and realize that everyone in the Body of Christ has been uniquely gifted by God.

b. Do you have a servant’s heart or do you sometimes let your position/power as a Pastor get in the way?

As much as possible, I seek to lead and live with a servant’s heart. I never want to think myself above the people I shepherd, or above certain tasks. I am merely a clay pot carrying a priceless treasure (2 Cor. 4:7).

It is important to remember that authority does not equal importance. For the sake of order, God may give greater authority to a husband over a wife, a pastor over his flock, and a boss over his employee, but this does not mean they are more important or more special in God’s eyes. There is no spiritual hierarchy. As Christians, we are all equally created in God’s image, equal as sinners, equally deserving of death, equally debtors to the grace of God, and equal as members of the one true Body of Christ (Gal. 3:28). When I remember our equality in Christ, all reason for pride is swept away.

4. Are you leading others to the “Greatness of God”?

a. Do you help others pursue the vision God has for them or the will God has for them?

Much of God’s will is clearly revealed in the Scriptures (Ps. 40:8; 1 Thess. 4:3; 1 Pet. 2:15). As I preach and counsel from His Word, I am instructing people in His will, “transforming them by the renewing of their minds, so they will be able to prove what the will of God is” (Rom. 12:2).

When it comes to specific decisions in life, I seek to be a friend, a mentor, a source of wisdom, and a prayer support to people as they seek to honor God. I desire to bring God’s word to bear on every area of their lives and perhaps help them thing through an issue or explore an opportunity they otherwise would not have considered.

Just recently, I had the privilege of meeting and praying regularly with a young man who was interested in a particular career. I spent much time talking with him, asking questions, giving advice, and connecting him with people who would be more competent in helping him pursue God’s will.

b. Do you seek the potential out in others that you don’t see in yourself?

I try to recognize my own limitations and identify the potential of others. God usually blesses a church with a diversity of gifts and personalities so they will complement each other. That diversity can become a source of competition and conflict, but it shouldn’t. It was intended by God to strengthen the church. So, I might be strong in leadership and teaching, but someone else might be stronger in listening and identifying needs. I might be strong in organization, but someone else might be stronger in spontaneity and creativity. I might be strong in doctrine, but someone else might be stronger in mercy. I need them to use those gifts, and need to view their strengths and differences as an asset, not a threat.

One challenge in regard to potential is to keep Christians challenged and growing, constantly moving beyond their comfort zones, but not pushing them too much or too fast. Jesus spent three years with His disciples, and even then, said “I have many more things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth” (John 16:12-13). I want people to see the work God is doing in their lives, and be encouraged by the progress they have made, but not overwhelm them with too many challenges and too many changes too quickly. Potential is a matter of stewardship. If a person in the church is faithful in the small things, they will increasingly be given greater time, attention, and responsibility.

You can check back tomorrow for part three of this interview.

The next-best thing to being in Chicago

2009-04-29T12:07:00.000-07:00

For those of us who weren't able to make it to Chicago last week for The Gospel Coalition conference, we can still listen and benefit from all the plenary and breakout sessions. Here's the full list with audio links:

SEMINARS

Tim Keller, "The Grand Demythologizer: The Gospel and Idolatry" (Acts 19:21-41)
John Piper, "Feed the Flame of God’s Gift: Unashamed Courage in the Gospel" (2 Timothy 1:1-12)
Phil Ryken, "The Pattern of Sound Words" (2 Timothy 1:13-2:13)
Mark Driscoll, "Rightly Dividing the Word of Truth" (2 Timothy 2:14-26)
K. Edward Copeland, "Shadowlands: Pitfalls and Parodies of Gospel-Centered Ministry" (2 Timothy 3:1-9)
Bryan Chapell, "Preach the Word!" (2 Timothy 3:10-4:5)
Ajith Fernando, "Gospel-Faithful Mission in the New Christendom"
Panel Discussion: Tim Keller, John Piper, Ligon Duncan and Crawford Loritts (chair: Stephen Um)
Ligon Duncan, "Finishing Well" (2 Timothy 4:6-22)
Don Carson, "That By All Means I Might Win Some': Faithfulness and Flexibility in Gospel Proclamation" (1 Corinthians 9:19-23)

WORKSHOPS

Two workshops are available in video (as well as audio):

C. J. Mahaney, "The Pastor’s Charge"
Joshua Harris, "Ministering in a Church-Hopping Society"

The rest of the sessions are available in audio only:

Thabiti Anyabwile, "The Decline of African-American Theology"
Buster Brown, "Preaching in a Christianized Culture"
Steven Chin, "Working Faithfully Under a Senior Pastor"
Graham Cole, "Homosexuality and the Bible: Texts, Hermeneutics, and Pastoral Wisdom"
K. Edward Copeland and Charlie Dates, "Mentoring Younger Pastors"
Andy Davis, "The Gospel and Social Action"
Joshua Harris, "Ministering in a Church-Hopping Society"
David Helm, "Biblical Reflections on Building a Staff"
Bill Kynes, "Complementarianism: Definition and Priorities"
Crawford Loritts, "Staying Faithful, Staying Relevant: The Use and Abuse of Polemical Preaching"
Tom Nelson and Matt Perman, "The Gospel and Money"
Colin Smith, "Transformational Expository Preaching"
Stephen Um, "On Ministry and Revolving Doors: Practical Challenges and Ideas for Ministry in a Mobile Society"
Sandy Willson, "Gospel Mission to the World: Arrogance or Love?"

Three of the sessions are not available yet because of corrupt audio files:

Michael Bullmore, "The Functional Centrality of the Gospel"
Tim Savage, "Power in Weakness: The Heart of Gospel Ministry"
Scotty Smith, "A Biblical Theology of Worship: On Preference and Other Matters"

Well, that should fill up my MP3 player for a while.

HT: Justin Taylor

Interview, pt. 1

2009-04-29T08:00:00.000-07:00

I was recently interviewed by a church member for a school project she had to complete. I found some of the questions very interesting and since the whole interview dealt with leadership and pastoral ministry, I thought I would share my responses this week in a series of three posts. Here's part one...

1. Are you leading with “Confidence in God’s call” (on your life)?

a. Are you solely relying on Christ in your teaching?

As I study and preach each week, I’m often reminded of Christ’s words in John 15:5: “I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.” I know that Christ alone is the source of truth, and that He alone is the one who can open the eyes of the listeners to understand and obey the truth. I am sometimes tempted to rely on my own knowledge and abilities, but by God’s grace, I do my best to trust in God. As Paul said, we can plant and water, but God must cause the growth (1 Cor. 3:6). This is one reason prayer is such an important part of ministry – because it teaches us to stop working in our own strength and depend more fully upon God.

b. Are you being yourself in the way you teach or are you mimicking someone else’s style of teaching?

I think this is sort of a “both-and.” I do try to “be myself” in front of other people, speaking authentically and preaching from the heart. I don’t want to be fake, because people will see right through that. At the same time, I know that my own style is constantly evolving and hopefully growing steadily more effective. Part of sermon delivery is to experiment, try new things, and learn what is most effective for me as a speaker and to my specific audience. All of us are influenced by certain mentors who we either consciously or unconsciously emulate. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with this. After all, “A disciple, when he is fully trained, will be like his teacher” (Luke 6:40).

I know I have been influenced and probably reflect the style of my father, Dr. John MacArthur, R. Kent Hughes, and my former pastor Scott Ardavanis, to name a few. At the same time, I try to combine those styles and add my own personality into something that is uniquely “Stephen Jones.” When you listen to preachers on the radio, you will notice that no two speakers are alike. I think this is a beautiful example of the diversity of the Body of Christ, and how God uses many different people with different styles in his church.

c. Are you confident in where God has you at this time?

I am confident the Lord has called me to full-time ministry in a local church. There’s nothing I would rather be doing. I love teaching and preaching, love serving and shepherding God’s people, and love making an eternal impact for the glory of God and the spread of His kingdom. Sure, there are days when you grow discouraged and long for more visible fruit, but a big part of ministry is acting in faith and being diligent in the work God has called you to do.

2. Are you leading by “Equipping other Leaders”?

a. Are you formally or informally training? (Formally: long term, ex: Jesus and disciples; Informally: short term, casual, when convenient)

I am striving to do both. After all, this is the main duty of a pastor, to “equip the saints for the work of the ministry” (Ephesians 4:12). The very mission statement of our church is to “make disciples of Jesus Christ by reaching and teaching everyone.” Once a person has accepted Christ, I feel my duty is to help them grow in their Christian walk and move toward greater maturity in Christ. This is a life-long process of teaching or “discipleship”.

My primary area of formal training is studying and preaching each week. This is how I can reach the most people and make the biggest impact. The purpose of preaching is to teach God’s Word, instruct in sound doctrine, develop discernment, and help people learn how to study and apply God’s truth in their own lives. I also desire to move each member along our discipleship process, from evangelism, to early Christian follow-up, to ongoing nurture, to training in ministry (where they are actually being trained to help others). I have a formal discipleship group called SaLT (Servant-Leadership Training) where I meet with several men each month to take them through a systematic program and equip them for ministry in the church. I would eventually like to do more practical, hands-on training as well.

Despite these more formal aspects of training, much of my ministry is quite informal in nature. Talking with people after church, visiting them at home or in the hospital during the week, making phone calls, sending notes, and having people over to the house are all ways I seek to build relationships and informally train and model Christian living to my flock.

b. Do you have leaders trained up for when the church grows and you won’t be able to handle as much, such as youth group, Sunday school classes, etc?

They say the whole purpose of ministry is to work yourself out of a job. I’m seeking to do just that. As much as possible, I am praying for, training, modeling, and equipping other men to share the load and eventually take over the reins. None of us are here forever, so we are always trying to invest in the next generation, training up faithful men so they will be able to teach others also (2 Tim. 2:2). We are blessed at our church to already have several godly deacons who share responsibilities with me, and through ministries like SaLT and Young Adults Bible Study, I am working to train up others who will hopefully become future leaders in the church.

(Check back in tomorrow for part two)

Church in the spotlight

2009-04-28T17:00:00.000-07:00

Our church has been featured this month as "Church in the Spotlight" by the Inland Empire Southern Baptist Association. Pictures and a brief church history have been published in their Clarion newsletter and are available on their website.

We praise God for the prayers and support of our local association, and how the Lord is using them to strengthen local churches like ours.

Doing the word

2009-04-28T14:32:00.000-07:00

We all know God’s command in James 1 to “prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves.” But often, doing the word is not as easy as it sounds. It’s so easy for me to “look myself in the mirror” as James says, but then walk away, forgetting what I’ve seen. Collectively, it’s easy for us to hear God’s Word on Sundays, nod our heads in agreement, close our Bibles, go our separate ways, start another busy week, forget what we heard, and never take any specific course of action.

I would like to do a better job of providing tools for our church to apply God’s Word in our lives. Michael Fabarez, in his book, Preaching That Changes Lives, says to pastors, “We must do all that we can to assist our people in acting upon the truth we dispense. Therefore, it behooves us to design and supply tools that will assist them in this process. Providing your congregation with a few useful aids for application is well worth your time and effort” (p. 175).

So, today I've begun my attempt to help us better act on the truth. I will be writing a weekly note called “Doing the Word," which I will either hand out on Sunday or email out early in the week. I will try to briefly summarize Sunday’s message and then offer a few practical application questions. These questions could be discussed as a family or used in private reflection and prayer. I hope you find them edifying.

===============

On Sunday, we studied John 17:13-19, asking what is the Christians’ relationship to this world, and discovering the crucial role of the Word of God. There were three points:

We are SEPARATE from the world (vv. 14, 16)
We are SENT into the world (v. 18)
We are SANCTIFIED by the Word (vv. 17-19)

Here are some thought and discussion questions, which I shared during the sermon:

Am I being increasingly sanctified from the world by the Word? How is progress evident in my life?
Which “wrong approach” to the world do I tend to take? Withdrawing myself from it? Conforming to it? Trying to moralize it?
Am I taking my commission to the world seriously? Who has God specifically brought into my life to reach?
Do I see the dangers of the world? Where am I most susceptible to worldly influences?
Since God’s Word is true, am I truly devoting myself to it in my personal walk? My family? The church? How could I do better?

In wrath remember mercy

2009-04-24T14:27:00.000-07:00

Last Sunday night I had the privilege of preaching at First Baptist Church of San Jacinto. I chose to speak on faith in times of crisis from Habakkuk 3:16-19. It's a reminder we all need in this world so full of sorrow and disappointment.

As I explained the historical background of Habakkuk, I was reminded afresh of the severe judgment God sent upon Judah because of their sin. First, he raised up the dreadful Babylonians. Then, He controlled the weather patterns to bring devastating famine. It was a two-front war. God does not play around with sin. He abhors it, and judges it seriously.

But even in the darkest moment, as he trembled at the thought of judgment, the prophet Habakkuk trusted the Lord, and rejoiced in the God of His salvation (Hab. 3:18).

This week, as I reflected on the passage, I was reminded of an earlier statement in Habakkuk's prayer. In chapter 3 verse 2, the prophet pleaded, "In wrath remember mercy." And amazingly, that is exactly what God did. Even in the moment of wrath, God showed mercy to His people. How? Jeremiah 29 tells us.

God sent His people into captivity. This whole chapter is written to "all the exiles whom I have sent into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon" (Jer. 29:4). God did not obliterate the Jews, but rather sent them to a faraway land. He remained faithful to His covenant with Abraham to make a great name and a great people (Gen. 15:1-3).
God made their lives comfortable. In Jeremiah 29:6-7, God instructed His people to build houses, take wives, and seek the welfare of the cities where they dwelled. In Babylon, the Jews did not endure slavery like they had in Egypt. Their lives were actually quite comfortable. I'm not saying they lived in the Ritz-Carlton, but they did enjoy a remarkable level of freedom and prosperity.
God limited their captivity. In Jeremiah 29:10, God promised that the Jews would be allowed to return to their homeland after 70 years. When this interval of time had passed, Daniel interceded, and God answered (see Daniel 9).
God made Himself available to them. God did not abandon the Jews, but said that when they repented and prayed to Him, He would listen (Jer. 29:12). When they sought Him, He would be found by them. He was standing by ready and waiting, like the father of the prodigal son, to reconcile and restore His wayward people.

How thankful we can be that God does not always give us what we deserve. He often shows mercy even in the midst of wrath. Truly, our God is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and truth! (Exodus 34:6)

The passion of the Christ

2009-04-23T11:44:00.000-07:00

Someone recently asked me if I had ever seen Mel Gibson's movie The Passion of the Christ, and if I would recommend it. Below was my response:

Actually, I have not seen it yet. Somebody at church bought it for us, but you sort of have to be in the right mood to sit down and watch something like that. I don't know if Natalie will want to watch it with me or not. I'm sure you know the violence is very graphic.

Last Easter Sunday, I was seated at breakfast with another pastor and some Christians who saw the movie and they said it was very good. It brought many people to silence or to tears, and really gave them a new appreciation for Christ's loving sacrifice.

I do want to be careful that my love for Christ comes from Scripture and not a Catholic-influenced movie. Some have also criticized the movie for showing so much brutality without explaining the theology behind it.

But that being said, I do plan to watch it someday as I think it is a good tool to depict the scene of the cross -- something which has become far too soft and cuddly and glamorized in our culture instead of what it really was - a horrific torture device.

How about you? Did you ever see the movie? What did you think?

A tribute to true beauty

2009-04-22T10:13:00.000-07:00

Cal Thomas analyzes the Susan Boyle YouTube phenomenon and what it teaches us about our culture. Here's an excerpt:

Slowly, the gorgeous Amanda Holden rises to applaud and the contrast could not be starker. Two women are standing, one the incarnation of all we define as beautiful, the other exuding a depth of beauty that Holden and the entire audience wishes it possessed. The faux beauty is paying tribute to the reality.

You can read the whole thing here.

Proverbs puts it this way: "Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the LORD, she shall be praised" (Prov. 31:30).

Are you pursuing a beauty that is only skin-deep? Do you invest more time attending to your body than attending to your soul? Do you assume whatever looks good or feels good must be beneficial? Are you chiefly concerned about the external appearance and frame of your body, your family, your church? Let us remember, "man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart" (1 Sam. 16:7)

Jesus Himself chose inner beauty above external beauty. "He had no stately form or majesty that we should look upon Him, nor appearance that we should be attracted to Him" (Isaiah 53:2). Yet Christ was the perfect Son of God, having no spot or blemish in character. Because of this, He alone was qualified to pay our debt of sin and take our punishment upon the cross.

Homebound newsletter

2009-04-21T15:52:00.000-07:00

After my April 1 post about ministering to the homebound and elderly, I did some more thought and research and concluded that CD and DVD technology is just too much of a barrier to help reach our homebound.

So, I'm deferring to the good ol' printing press. Starting this month, I plan to write a monthly newsletter called "Family News" for all our homebound and hospitalized church members (about 20 of them). This may take a little of my time away from blogging, but it will be well worth it, because it will reach a totally different demographic in our church.

I may still invest someday in a simple MP3 player for hospitalized folks. But I think a simple, two-page newsletter will be the most effective way for our homebound seniors to receive updates, hear praises, learn how to pray, and get a regular dose of Scripture. I have tried to make the layout sharp and professional, so it will be an encouragement to our members and also a good witness to others in the community who may see it lying around in a hospital room or nursing facility.

You can view the entire first edition here.

A strategy for the SBC

2009-04-17T10:45:00.000-07:00

I simply must break my blogging "vow of silence" to share this.

Yesterday, Danny Akin, president of Southeastern Seminary, delivered a chapel message called "Axioms for a Great Commission Resurgence." He shared twelve points that define what we must be and do as Southern Baptists in the 21st century if our convention is to survive and if our King is to be glorified:

I. We must commit ourselves to the total and absolute Lordship of Jesus Christ in every area of our lives (Col 3:16, 17, 23-24).

II. We must be gospel centered in all our endeavors for the glory of God (Rom 1:16).

III. We must take our stand on the firm foundation of the inerrant and infallible Word of God affirming it’s sufficiency in all matters (Matt 5:17-18; John 10:35; 17:17; 2 Tim 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:20-21).

IV. We must devote ourselves to a radical pursuit of the Great Commission in the context of obeying the Great Commandments (Matt 28:16-20; 22:37-40).

V. We must affirm the Baptist Faith and Message 2000 as a healthy and sufficient guide for building a theological consensus for partnership in the gospel, refusing to be sidetracked by theological agendas that distract us from our Lord’s Commission (1 Tim 6:3-4).

VI. We must dedicate ourselves to a passionate pursuit of the Great Commission of the Lord Jesus across our nation and to all nations answering the call to go, disciple, baptize and teach all that the Lord commanded (Matt 28:16-20; Acts 1:8; Rom 1:5; 15:20).

VII. We must covenant to build gospel saturated homes that see children as a gift from God and as our first and primary mission field (Deut 6:1-9; Psalm 127; 128; Eph 6:4).

VIII. We must recognize the need to rethink our Convention structure and identity so that we maximize our energy and resources for the fulfilling of the Great Commission (1 Cor 10:31).

IX. We must see the necessity for pastors to be faithful Bible preachers who teach us both the content of the Scriptures and the theology embedded in the Scriptures (2 Tim 4:1-5).

X. We must encourage pastors to see themselves as the head of a gospel missions agency who will lead the way in calling out the called for international assignments but also equip and train all their people to see themselves as missionaries for Jesus regardless of where they live (Eph 4:11-16).

XI. We must pledge ourselves to a renewed cooperation that is gospel centered and built around a biblical and theological core and not methodological consensus or agreement (Phil 2:1-5; 4:2-9).

XII. We must accept our constant need to humble ourselves and repent of pride, arrogance, jealousy, hatred, contentions, lying, selfish ambitions, laziness, complacency, idolatries and other sins of the flesh; pleading with our Lord to do what only He can do in us and through us and all for His glory (Gal 5:22-26; James 4:1-10).

Amen and amen. You can read the whole transcript here.

This may be a watershed moment in our Southern Baptist Convention. Dr. Alvin Reid has already called this moment a "tipping point."

I, for one, want to do whatever I can as a local pastor to support the cause of Christ, the spread of His kingdom, and the health of our churches by supporting Dr. Akin's twelve-fold call to action.

Quiet

2009-04-15T20:17:00.000-07:00

Things may be quiet around here for a while. My mom is visiting us for another five days and all of us are fighting off colds. Ministry is keeping me very busy right now, and blogging just wouldn't be the best use of my time. In addition to shepherding the flock and preparing for weekly sermons, I've been working a lot on summer VBS and an outreach booth we're going to have at the Grubstake Days fair in May. I'm also getting ready for a young adults retreat I'll be leading in June.

The more I look at my calendar, the more I feel overwhelmed and in need of God's grace. I hope to blog again soon!

Book review: Living the Cross-Centered Life

2009-04-09T08:00:00.000-07:00

How often do you think about and really dwell upon the cross? Once a week? Perhaps monthly at the communion table? Or once a year, on Good Friday?

C. J. Mahaney, in his book Living the Cross Centered Life, shows us that the cross should remain at the very center of our lives:

In the mist of our various responsibilities and many possible areas of service in the kingdom of God, one overarching truth should motivate all our work and affect every part of who we are: Christ died for our sins...

This, Paul says, is the main thing. Nothing else - not even things that are biblical and honorable - are of equal or greater importance than this: God sent His Son to the cross to bear His wrath for sinners like you and me.

If there's anything in life we should be passionate about, it's the gospel...That's why our attention must continually be drawn back to what John Stott calls "the great and most glorious of all subjects - the cross of Christ." (pp. 14-15)

To use a building metaphor, the cross is not merely the foundation of our faith. It is also in the walls, the ceiling, the floor, and the furnishings. It is all-pervasive.

Do you consider the cross to be "the great and most glorious of all subjects"? Do your thoughts and affections confirm this? I must confess that too often, mine do not. Hours and days go by when the cross has become stale, unappreciated, or overshadowed by more exciting topics or more pressing concerns. And that is why Mahaney's book is so desperately needed.

After stressing the importance of the cross (Intro - ch. 2), Mahaney explains its meaning (chs. 3-5), revisits its most poignant scenes (chs. 6-8), and shows how it is incredibly practical for us today. He teaches that only the cross can give meaning and hope to our suffering (ch. 9), offer assurance and joy (ch. 10), freedom from the law (ch. 11), and a clean conscience (ch. 12). The book closes with some practical suggestions on how to cultivate a more cross-centered mindset (ch. 13) and a final plea to keep the gospel the main thing (ch. 14).

Those who have seen or heard C. J. Mahaney know this is not mere theoretical information. It is intensely practical, fiery truth that has been impressed upon his own heart. I believe the same could be said of Mahaney that was once said of the Apostle Paul: that he has "determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified" (1 Cor. 2:2). And for that reason, I believe Mahaney is uniquely qualified to write this book.

Living the Cross-Centered Life has helped me see all of Scripture, and interpret all of life, through the lens of the gospel. On this day and every day, may we never leave the foot of the cross.

A ransom for many

2009-04-08T08:00:00.000-07:00

Why do Christians spend so much time remembering Christ's death? Here's a short video with the clear answer.

THAT'S EASTER Life to Death from St Helen’s Church on Vimeo.

HT: Justin Taylor

New promo video

2009-04-07T14:42:00.000-07:00

I just made a short promo video for our church using a service called Animot o. You just upload the photos and select the audio track, and it does the rest. They have longer videos available for a cost, but the 30-second short videos are free. This should be a nice addition to our church website homepage...

Logos March Madness tournament

2009-04-07T08:00:00.000-07:00

Logos Bible Software just finished a creative promotion based on the NCAA March Madness theme. They started with 64 digital books or collections, and asked users to vote on which titles should receive the greatest discounts.

The tournament champion was The Complete Works of Francis Schaeffer. You can see the entire list of winners here, along with several good discounts. Schaeffer's works are on sale for a whopping 75% off, while the Final Four are 45% off, and the Elite Eight are 40% off.

Heidi is walking

2009-04-06T13:52:00.000-07:00

I'm re-posting this video via YouTube. The Facebook video player was not very reliable.

This video of Heidi was recorded on Tuesday, March 17. The night before, she had taken three steps, but this was her longest walk ever. It's amazing how much more sure-footed she has become just in the last three weeks!

Palm Sunday - a turning point in history

2009-04-03T08:00:00.000-07:00

The first Palm Sunday was a real turning point in history. On that day, at the Triumphal Entry, Jesus publicly presented Himself to the Jewish people as their king.

Here's an article I recently wrote about the holiday that appeared in our local newspaper, the Hi Desert Star:

A king rides on a donkey. Crowds cheer and wave palm branches. Children shout “Hosanna to the Son of David!” Have you ever wondered what Palm Sunday is all about?

Next Sunday, April 5, churches across the world will celebrate the Christian holiday known as Palm Sunday. It’s the day that commemorates Jesus’ “Triumphal Entry” into Jerusalem almost two thousand years ago. When Jesus rode a donkey into the capital city, He was presenting Himself as King to the Jewish people. This humble man from the village of Nazareth was showing everyone, “Yes, I am the descendant of King David. I do have royal blood. I am the rightful heir to the throne.” And the people were clearly excited about this.

As Jesus passed by, thousands cheered and waved branches. These palm branches were a Jewish symbol of hope and patriotism, much like we would wave the American flag in a parade today. In fact, this probably felt like Independence Day to the Jews. They thought that with the arrival of King Jesus, they would finally be free from Roman tyranny and heavy taxation without representation.

But then something tragic happened. Just five days later, Jesus was arrested and nailed to a cross to die as a criminal. Though He had done nothing wrong, He was falsely accused, tortured, then killed. Why? Because the human race had a much bigger problem that Jesus came to this earth to deal with.

Jesus did not come just to bring political freedom. He came to bring spiritual freedom. When Jesus died on Good Friday, He willingly set aside His royal glory to pay the heavy price for our sin and take God’s punishment that we each deserved. Three days later, He finished the work, rising from the dead on Easter morning so that all who believe in Him can be saved. All hail King Jesus!

Photo credit: Jonathan & Jill

400 years of Baptist faith

2009-04-02T17:45:00.000-07:00

Last Sunday, our church hosted Dr. Tony Chute, a history professor from Cal Baptist University, to celebrate 400 years of Baptist faith. Did you know the Baptist church turned 400 this year? It was started in 1609 by John Smyth in Holland. Three years later, the first Baptist church in England was planted by Thomas Helwys in 1612. The Southern Baptist Convention, however, did not arrive until two centuries later, in 1845.

David Dockery, in his book Southern Baptist Consensus and Renewal, explains the relevance of Baptist history for today, particularly for Southern Baptists:

[W]e as Southern Baptists in the early years of the twenty-first century are infected with historical amnesia - we do not know our history, we do not know our theological identity, we basically only understand the programmatic expression of what it means to be a Baptist as we related from local church to local church...Today Southern Baptists need to begin to build a new theologically and historically informed consensus that will help us understand our past, our identity, and our beliefs - so that we can move forward to carry the Gospel around the world and "disciplize" the nations in the twenty-first century.

On Sunday, our church took a tiny step to shake off the historical amnesia and improve our knowledge of church history. Through Tony's message, we learned that Baptists have accomplished four main things in the last 400 years. Basically, each century brought one major contribution:

In the 1600's, Baptists defended regenerate church membership.
In the 1700's, Baptists stressed the importance of religious liberty
In the 1800's, Baptists mobilized for global missions
In the 1900's, Baptists battled over the inerrancy of the Bible in all areas

I wonder, what will be our greatest contribution in the 21st century? May this be the century we grow in our unity, mature in our doctrine, and increase in our efforts to evangelize every nation, tribe, tongue, and people.

Ministering to the homebound and elderly

2009-04-01T10:06:00.000-07:00

Every community has its own personality. Ours is a unique blend of retired seniors, military families, independent artists, low-income families, and rural desert-lovers.

One of the joys and challenges we face in ministering to this area is a lot of senior citizens who are beginning to slow down and become increasingly "homebound." As I scan through our church directory, I see at least twenty-one members who are currently hospitalized, ill, or significantly disabled, and who rarely, if ever, make it to church.

It can be an overwhelming task to minister to all these people. Especially since they are a group that loves time and attention, but will rarely be able to "give back" to others in the future. I have also noticed that many of them struggle with reading their Bibles or listening to sermons, sometimes because of physical handicaps, and sometimes because they are tired, unmotivated, and untrained in these disciplines.

How then do we care for the homebound and elderly? Well, nothing replaces the value of a face-to-face encounter. These people need to see their pastor, their deacons, and their church family with an occasional home or hospital visit. They need to feel our touch, hear our laugh, and see our smile. They need to hear us read the precious truths of Scripture to them, and to help fix their eyes on Christ and deal biblically with home and health problems. They need to know they are still loved and not forgotten, neither by God nor by their church. When a personal visit is not possible, a phone call or hand-written card may be an acceptable substitute, but they need as much human contact as possible.

I'm also exploring how new technologies can be used to more effectively minister to our elderly. I realize that most seniors are not tech savvy, nor do they have any desire to be. They have seen many things change during their lifetimes and have learned to adapt remarkably, but they simply do not have the interest in the latest gadgets and gizmos like young people do. Many of them will never read this blog post, nor will they ever check out our church website, my twitter feed or facebook account. Most seniors do not have iPods. Many find it unneccesary, too complicated, or too expensive to have internet or an email address. Some don't even own a DVD player or CD player. If any of these comments shock you, then you are probably too out of touch with the seniors of your church.

How, then, can new technology possibly be used to minister to the elderly? The key word is simplicity. Whatever is done, it must be simple. Incredibly simple. Simple enough for today's 2- or 3-year old to operate. Because that's the technological literacy level of most senior adults.

I don't know for sure how this will work, but I've been talking with someone at church about the idea of recording a monthly audio or video address to send to all our homebound. It would include a short greeting from myself, a few updates of recent highlights and happenings around the church, and then I would read through several chapters of the Bible and make a few comments. For some, this may be the only Bible intake they get. I would close with a few prayer requests for current church needs. The whole thing would last maybe 20-25 minutes. We could burn it to a CD and even buy a cheap CD player for them if they don't have one. Any thoughts??

(Update: my April 21 post shares the final result of this discussion)

Why we don't obey Christ's call to "Go"

2009-03-26T08:00:00.000-07:00

Marty responded to last Thursday's post with this question:

I know that I too often fail to go. Part of my omission is that I feel under prepared. However, that sense of inadequacy should drive me to pursue with violence to be prepared to give an answer of the hope that is within me. Do you think that preparation is the biggest reason that people do not go? What can we do to be prepared?

I can relate to feeling unprepared and inadequate for the task. Which is pretty convicting. Because if I (a pastor who has been saved for over 25 years; has listened to countless sermons; has read books and attended workshops on evangelism; has graduated from a Christian college and seminary; and has shared my faith on many occasions), if I feel unprepared, HOW MUCH MORE unprepared will most laypeople feel!

I think the #1 reason we don't go is fear. Fear of talking to strangers. Fear of what to say. Fear of how to say it. Fear of when to say it. Fear of being misunderstood. Fear of questions we can't answer. Fear of sounding like a Bible-thumping fundamentalist. Fear of putting ourselves in compromising situations. Fear of rejection. Fear of persecution.

Some of these fears can be remedied through better study, practice, and preparation. Others demand more spiritual courage. All of them require prayer, wisdom, and an utter dependence on the Spirit of God. Some of these fears will only subside as we begin to obey Christ and repeatedly share our faith.

Another reason we don't "go" as we ought is busyness. We get so caught up with the busyness of jobs, of family, of commuting, of ministry, of studying, of hobbies, of entertainment, that we leave little or no time for purposeful evangelism. We get so busy doing stuff -- even good stuff -- that we miss the divine appointments all around us. We must be careful. Busyness can actually be a Satanic strategy to sear our consciences and disguise our fear of obeying Christ's command to Go. If we're too busy to share our faith, then something else needs to be cut out of our schedules.

A call to prayer

2009-03-25T08:00:00.000-07:00

Walter Price, pastor of Fellowship in the Pass in Beaumont and current president of our Southern Baptist state convention, has called for a special day of prayer on Wednesday, April 15:

In light of the current moral, spiritual and economic decline of our nation, I am calling all CSBC churches to a season of focused prayer. April 15 is a significant date for all tax-paying citizens – it is also a Wednesday and many churches will be holding their scheduled prayer meeting.

Let’s dedicate an entire service on this day as a time of prayer for our nation. We should also dedicate a specific time in every Sunday service following this date for a similar special prayer focus as well.

What a powerful opportunity for our churches to join our hearts and voices together across this great state in prayer. God’s Word reminds us that we are to “Call to the Lord and He will show us great and mighty things” (Jeremiah 33:3). We are in a unique position as the people of God. The church is the one group in America that has good news and carries the message of true, lasting hope. With so many depressing reports coming from the secular news media, it is time for God’s people to respond with the good news of God’s abundance and sufficiency, even in a time of crisis.

Imagine the spiritual energy as every church, large and small, city and rural, joins together in this timely prayerful response. We should be careful not to craft the prayer services as identical models to follow, but we should embrace a few common elements as we pray together. Consider adding these five items to your prayer focus on April 15:

Families facing financial struggles as a result of job loss and cutbacks
Churches to respond with sensitivity and compassion to those in need
Local, state and national elected officials to use wisdom in leadership
Opportunities to share the Good News of Jesus clearly and effectively
Humility, repentance and a true spiritual awakening in our nation

This call to prayer is being issued in the other state conventions across this nation by their presidents as well. I pray that we will join our hearts, minds and spirits together to call upon our holy and righteous Heavenly Father to grant us mercy and give us grace to help in our time of need.

Walter Price, pastor, Fellowship in the Pass Church, Beaumont

Hannukah video

2009-03-24T15:07:00.001-07:00

Last Sunday night, I taught on the Rise of the Maccabees as we continue our study through the Intertestamental Period.

Here's the Hannukah video I mentioned during the lesson (and which I could not get to play on Sunday night!). It gives a great little overview of the Jewish holiday, including its origin and modern elements that have been added.

According to John 10:22-23, Jesus himself took part in this festival, which celebrated the re-dedication of the temple in 165 BC.

We are called to "Go"

2009-03-19T13:18:00.000-07:00

I'm thinking a lot today about Christ's commission to "Go therefore and make disciples" (Matt. 28:19). Jesus did not command us to draw people into our settings, but rather, to go where the people are, in settings that will be natural and comfortable to get to know them to discuss the things of God.

Notice how this command to "Go" applies in a tribal setting. New Tribes Missions says, "While there may be situations when it is preferable for the people to gather at the home of the missionary or in a specially-erected building, it is usually better to conduct pre-evangelism sessions in the peoples homes or wherever the villagers most naturally and commonly gather. It may be under a large shady tree in the center of the viallage or at the town plaza during the hottest time of the day...The locale may change according to the seasons and the work being done by the people...By going into their homes, sitting where they sit, and communicating within the framework of the tribal culture, we are showing them, by example, that the message of the Scriptures is meant to be taught and practiced within the structure of their culture..." (Building on Firm Foundations, Vol. 1, p. 111, 124)

But what about 21st century America? How do we obey Christ's command to "Go"? If most of our church's pre-evangelism and evangelism is happening in Sunday School, Sunday morning worship, mid-week Bible study, or door-to-door visitation, it would seem we are asking people to interact in a setting that is completely unnatural and uncomfortable to them. How much better it would be for us to engage the culture by building relationships and sharing the gospel in their own natural environment.

I don't know how this will work itself out practically in our church, but I'm growing concerned that we must be much more aware of the cultural barriers we face as we seek to reach our own neighbors with the gospel.

One new resource I'm very excited about is a little booklet put out by Matthais Media called The Essential Jesus. It's an attractive version of the Gospel of Luke with three introductory pages and then a closing summary of the gospel at the end. You can download a preview of the entire book here. If you buy them in bulk, they're available for as little as 95 cents each.

I'm eager for creative ways to use this tool in the future, perhaps as a free giveaway at a local fair booth or as a possible book study at a local coffee shop. But even with this great tool, I realize there is now a whole generation of people who will not even spend the time to read a free, 80-page book. So, we must constantly explore newer and more effective ways to connect and reach unbelievers.

How to face death

2009-03-16T08:25:00.000-07:00

David Powlison has written a good little booklet on how to face death or help others who are facing death. The key ingredient is the hope of the gospel. Here's an excerpt:

Your friends and relatives cannot go with you as you die, but the One who is closer than a brother promises to never leave you or forsake you. Jesus has a first hand knowledge of what you are facing. He will be with you as you face death and as you die. His life, death, and resurrection are your guarantee that beyond death’s door is a glorious new life. This is the reality of your faith. Your faith is not a nice theory, or a bunch of sweet, comforting, religious platitudes. God himself will be with you in the moment when death stretches its fingers toward you.

You can read the whole thing here.

Photo credit: Natalie Maynor

40 books to strengthen your walk

2009-03-12T11:32:00.001-07:00

Looking for books to add to your personal or church library? Do you want to read, but aren't sure where to begin or what's good? Monergism offers a list of 40 books they consider "both devotionally and theologically rich and have deeply impacted our ministry such that we want to set these apart as recommendations to you as a good place to start building a Christ-honoring library of books for your home."

These are not light Christian reading, but rich classics. Here's the list:

Truth For All Time - John Calvin

The Everlasting Righteousness - Horatius Bonar

The Holy Spirit - John Owen **

Chosen For Life - Sam Storms

When Grace Comes Home - Terry Johnson **

Knowing God - J.I. Packer

Saved by Grace - Anthony Hoekema

Sovereignty of God - A W Pink

Crook in the Lot - Thomas Boston **

The Christian in Complete Armour - William Gurnall **

The Bruised Reed - Richard Sibbes

Bondage of the Will - Martin Luther

The Religious Affections - Jonathan Edwards

History of the Work of Redemption - Jonathan Edwards

Reformed Doctrine of Predestination - Loraine Boettner

Redemption Accomplished and Applied - John Murray

The Enemy Within - Kris Lungaard

Mortification of Sin - John Owen

The Bible and the Future - Anthony Hoekma

A Case for Amillennialism - Kim Riddlebarger

God of Promise: Introducing Covenant Theology - Michael Horton

A Body of Divinity (Paperback) - Thomas Watson **

The Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism - Tim Keller

Always Ready: Directions for Defending the Faith - Dr. Greg L. Bahnsen

Pilgrims Progress - John Bunyan

Gospel and the Kingdom - Graeme Goldsworthy

Biblical Theology - Geerhardus Vos

Systematic Theology - Wayne Grudem

New Systematic Theology - Robert Reymond

Justification and Regeneration by Charles Leiter **

How People Change - Timothy S. Lane & Paul David Tripp

Addiction: A Banquet in the Grave - Ed Welch

Shepherding a Childs Heart - Ted Tripp

Today's Gospel: Authentic or Synthetic - Walter Chantry

Tell the Truth - Will Metzger

Lectures to my Students - C.H. Spurgeon

The Cross and Christian Ministry - D.A. Carson

Institutes of the Christian Religion (2 Vol Set) by John Calvin **

The Gospel Mystery of Sanctification by Walter Marshall

Finally Alive by John Piper

I've only read about eight of these books so far. Several others I own, but have not read yet. Overall, the list does represent some excellent material, both past and present.

As always, read with discernment and search the Scriptures like a Berean (Ac. 17:11). Some of these titles will present a Reformed eschatology and ecclesiology, while I believe the Bible consistently teaches a more Baptistic ecclesiology and dispensational eschatology. But overall, I think this list would be very edifying and strengthening to your walk.

More corrupting that abortion

2009-03-12T08:22:00.000-07:00

Regarding embryonic stem cell research, bioethicist Eric Cohen is quoted by Kairos Journal:

[A]lthough the pro-life movement has rightly spent its energy combating abortion, it would do well to begin giving some attention to embryonic stem-cell research as well. Pro-lifers have had substantial success convincing the public that abortion is a horrible and even inexcusable practice. Embryo research, on the other hand, seems relatively innocuous; but that is an illusion. Its insidious nature makes it more corrupting than abortion.

President Obama's tragic decision this week to permit government funding for embryonic stem cell research has brought this ethical dilemma back into the public spotlight.

The Bible teaches that all life is sacred and to be protected because all humans are created in the image of God (Gen. 1:27). This is true at every stage of life -- whether floating in the test tube of a laboratory, growing in the womb of a mother, or laying on the bed of a convalescent home.

It is never right to torture or sacrifice an innocent human life for the purpose of extending or improving the lives of others. God alone has the prerogative to give life and take it away (1 Sam. 2:6; Job 1:21).

When we get into the business of creating and killing life, even with the best of intentions, we are wielding a power that is reserved for God Himself.

Book Review: The Faithful Preacher

2009-03-11T08:00:00.000-07:00

Last year at Together For the Gospel, I received a copy of The Faithful Preacher by Thabiti Anyabwile (pronounced an-yahb-wee-lay). I must admit this book was not what I first expected. I thought it would be a biography in the line of Piper's "Swans Are Not Silent" series. Instead, I found a compilation of sermons by three African-American preachers, each with a brief biographical introduction.

While I would have enjoyed reading more about the personal lives of these three men, I still found The Faithful Preacher to be a convicting and edifying read. Each man had a unique theme to his ministry.

Lemuel Haynes lived at the time of the American Revolution. Once an indentured servant, Haynes became the first African-American to be ordained in 1785. He had the remarkable duty of pastoring an all-white church for 33 years. Haynes gave special emphasis to conducting our ministry with an eye on eternity. "The work of a gospel minister has a peculiar relation to the future. An approaching judgment is that to which every subject is pointing and that renders every sentiment to be inculcated vastly solemn and interesting. Ministers are accountable creatures in common with other men; and we have the unerring testimony of Scripture that 'God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil' (Eccles. 12:14). If none of our conduct is too minute to be known, we may well conclude that important affairs relating to the work and office of gospel ministers will not pass unnoticed" (p. 29).

Daniel A. Payne, born in the South in the early 19th century, was raised by his great aunt due to the early death of his parents. Payne had a passion for educating blacks, but was forced to leave South Carolina after a tragic law was passed in 1835 that made it illegal to educate slaves. For over 40 years, Payne served as a bishop in the African Methodist Episcopal Church and eventually as president of Wilberforce University in Ohio. He sharply rebuked pastoral laziness and ignorance, setting a high standard for the man of God: "To sum up all our ideas in a single sentence, he must be holy, studious, instructive, and wise, ever keeping his heart in contact with the Spirit of God, ever drinking from the pure fountains of truth. He teaches himself, that he may be able to teach others also" (p. 101).

The third and final character of the book was Francis Grimke, born to a slave mother and eventually serving as a pastor in Washington, D.C. for 60 years. Living through the Civil War, Reconstruction, World War I, and the Depression, Grimke decried racial prejudice and exhorted pastors to remain faithful to the gospel of Jesus Christ. "If we are not going to preach the gospel and teach the Word of God faithfully, we have no business in the ministry. And the sooner we get out of it, the better" (p. 181).

By reprinting these men's sermons and giving brief biographical sketches, Anyabwile has introduced us to three unsung heroes of the ministry; three men who overcame racial barriers to boldly serve Christ's kingdom; three preachers who eloquently defended the faith once for all handed down to the saints (Jude 3). Truly, these were men of whom the world was not worthy (Heb. 11:38).

May we heed their words and imitate their example, that Christ's message may continue to spread in the 21st century.

Favorite quotes from Shepherd's Conference

2009-03-10T07:00:00.000-07:00

Shepherd's Conference last week was an enriching time. Over 4,000 men were present, representing 45 different countries.

The Lord impressed many truths upon my heart that I'm still meditating on. Here are some favorite quotes from the seminars and main sessions I was able to attend:

"There is no creation science. Science cannot explain creation." - John MacArthur

"A ministry's attitude toward Genesis 1-2 reveals their attitude toward the rest of Scripture" - John MacArthur

"If you deny the creation account, you diminish praise to God" - John MacArthur

"Walk on the grass, kill the deer, drill for oil" - John MacArthur, after explaining that environmentalism dishonors God's command to subdue the earth and is killing millions of people

"The further we walk, the better the fishing" - cited by Irv Busenitz, who showed that the deep study of the Old Testament holds great reward

"The Bible was meant to be read forward, not backward" - Walt Kaiser, cited by Irv Busenitz, on how to properly read and interpret the Bible

"Some of us will eat a lot of crow at the marriage supper of the Lamb" - Irv Busenitz

"Damaging the church is rarely intentional" - Tom Pennington

"Paul never let his Calvinism get in the way of his care" - Rick Holland

"Satan always uses our language, and his dictionary" - Rick Holland

"Christianity is fundamentally a rational religion, which is why we teach" - Rick Holland

"The aim of apologetics is to present the gospel, not just argue for theism. We must win converts to Jesus Christ" - Nate Busenitz

"Don't pursue respectability at the expense of biblical fidelity" - Nate Busenitz

"An age of question marks is allergic to the exclamation mark" - Al Mohler, on why our culture is so resistant to expository preaching

"Preaching is your responsibility to get God's Word from your lips to the congregation's ears. The Spirit will get it from their ears to their heart." - Martin Luther, cited by Al Mohler

"To depart from the gospel is to depart from God Himself" - Steve Lawson

"If Jesus is not the only way to salvation, He's no way to salvation. For He said He was the only way. And no liar could be a Savior." - Steve Lawson

"This is not a time for dialogue. This is a time for declaration." - Steve Lawson

"If we please God, it does not matter who we displease. If we displease God, it does not matter who we please." - Steve Lawson

"To design a God who gives people sovereignty outside Himself is to design a different God" - John MacArthur

"The existence of evil actually makes God more glorious." - John MacArthur, showing how the existence of evil puts all of God's attributes on clearer display and causes us to sing with greater passion

If you would like to learn more about this year's conference, you can read the live-blog here, listen to MP3s here, or see photos here.

Photo credit: Lukas VanDyke

Walk for Life 2009

2009-03-09T08:00:00.000-07:00

On Saturday, March 21, Dylan and I will be doing the "Walk for Life" to support the High Desert Pregnancy Clinic. This will be our second year in a row.

The Walk for Life is the biggest fundraiser of the year for the clinic, and your help is appreciated. Recently, the director of the clinic wrote,

We have ... seen an increase in calls asking about abortion. These clients are scared! Many already have children and can’t see how they could afford one more. This makes our jobs that much more difficult to help them see that a child is a gift from God and that for most women, they do regret aborting that child. These women are in survival mode, they feel the responsibility of taking care of the children they already have. But, still they refuse to acknowledge the child within. We try to help them see that the baby within is just as much their child as the ones in the home. In many cases they do decide to keep their baby.

For those who do not decide to keep their baby and there are a few, we ask them to come in for Post Abortive Counseling if they begin having difficulty with their decision.

Pray for these Women, their decision to abort does effects the relationship with their living children and their husbands. They are often are pregnant again within a year trying desperately to replace the child they aborted or they become distant and aloof towards their family, trying to mask the pain in their hearts, by believing that nothing matters any more. There are millions of women who feel like this and do not know how to make the pain go away.

We here at HDPC are working with God to help heal them, to bring them to the saving knowledge of Jesus and the forgiveness that only He can provide. We can’t do this without your support! We need your prayers and your financial gifts to keep our doors open. I know in these tough times everyone is suffering financially but without YOU we could not keep this ministry open. Our Volunteers give of their time to provide quality care and guidance to our clients. Please help us by giving to the Lord’s work we are providing!

If you're interested in sponsoring us with a small donation, just email me at stephen@fsbcyv.org. Thanks!

Does God elect some to damnation?

2009-03-06T10:12:00.000-08:00

Pastor David Sqyres brought up a couple important points in response to Wednesday's post on the fairness of God's election.

First, David noted, "I'm not sure if the issue is that of it being 'fair' or 'unfair' but of it being Biblical. If it's Biblical, we accept that God is just and fair beyond our understanding."

Excellent point. It is true that God determines what is fair. He is the very basis and absolute standard of what is fair, just, and right in this world. Thus Paul warns in Romans 9:20 "Who are you, O man, who answers back to God? The thing molded will not say to the molder, 'Why did you make me like this,' will it?" We should be content to trust in the divine will regarding election because this is what the Bible teaches. Yet, it does put our hearts to rest to see that God is in fact fair (even from a human perspective), and that He is consistent in all His nature and dealings as both a loving and holy God on the matter of election. So, although we need to be extremely humble and careful in questioning God's fairness over the matter of election, I believe the question does help us better understand how all His attributes work together in harmony to accomplish our redemption.

David brought up another point: "I might note, if I may... that all of the verses cited refer to God's choosing for salvation. It does not speak of a negative election; ie: Predestine for hell." This raises a great question. Does God elect some to salvation and elect others to damnation?

In short, I believe God sovereignly and graciously chooses some to be saved, while passing over others to suffer the just wages of their sin. It is not as though humans were neutral creatures, and that God arbitrarily elected some to suffer in hell and in the same way elected others to enjoy eternal bliss in heaven. Rather, the Bible says we were all deserving of hell because of our sin, but that God graciously chose to snatch some out of the pit and save us by the atoning work of His Son on the cross.

Theopedia, quoting from R. C. Sproul, says,

The term double predestination has been used to refer to the dual concepts of election and reprobation in Reformed theology. This is largely a pejorative term which leads to misconceptions of the Calvinist (or Reformed) doctrine. It has been used as a synonym for a "symmetrical" view of predestination which sees election and reprobation being worked out in an equally parallel mode of divine operation.

The distortion of double predestination suggests a parallelism of foreordination and predestination by means of a positive symmetry, which may be called a positive-positive view of predestination. This is, God positively and actively intervenes in the lives of the elect to bring them to salvation; and in the same way God positively and actively intervenes in the life of the reprobate to bring him to sin.

This distortion makes God the author of sin who punishes a person for doing what God monergistically and irresistibly moves man to do. This is not the Reformed view of predestination, but a gross and inexcusable caricature of the doctrine. Such a view may be identified with what is often loosely described as Hyper-Calvinism and involves a radical form of supralapsarianism. Such a view of predestination has been virtually universally and monolithically rejected by Reformed thinkers.

The classic position of Reformed theology views predestination as double in that it involves both election and reprobation but not symmetrical with respect to the mode of divine activity. A strict parallelism of operation is denied. Rather predestination is viewed in terms of a positive-negative relationship.

In the Reformed view God from all eternity decrees some to election and positively intervenes in their lives to work regeneration and faith by a monergistic work of grace. To the non-elect God withholds this monergistic work of grace, passing them by and leaving them to themselves. He does not monergistically work sin or unbelief in their lives. Thus, the mode of operation in the lives of the elect is not parallel with that operation in the lives of the reprobate. God works regeneration monergistically but never sin.

Wayne Grudem says it this way:

When we understand election as God’s sovereign choice of some persons to be saved, then there is necessarily another aspect of that choice, namely, God’s sovereign decision to pass over others and not to save them. This decision of God in eternity past is called reprobation. Reprobation is the sovereign decision of God before creation to pass over some persons, in sorrow deciding not to save them, and to punish them for their sins, and thereby to manifest his justice...reprobation is viewed as something that brings God sorrow, not delight (see Ezek. 33:11), and the blame for the condemnation of sinners is always put on the people or angels who rebel, never on God himself (see John 3:18–19; 5:40). So in the presentation of Scripture the cause of election lies in God, and the cause of reprobation lies in the sinner. Another important difference is that the ground of election is God’s grace, whereas the ground of reprobation is God’s justice. Therefore “double predestination” is not a helpful or accurate phrase, because it neglects these differences between election and reprobation. (Wayne Grudem, Systematic Theology, p. 686f)

After quoting Romans 9:18, Baptist theologian James Dagg explains,

The natural tendency of human depravity is such, that the heart grows harder under the general mercies which God bestows, unless he superadds to all the other benefits which he confers, the renewing grace of the Holy Spirit, by which the heart is changed. This renewing grace he gives or withholds at his sovereign pleasure.

And Calvin himself writes,

Since God inflicts due punishment on those whom he reprobates, and bestows unmerited favor on those whom he calls, he is free from every accusation; just as it belongs to the creditor to forgive the debt to one, and exact it of another. The Lord therefore may show favor to whom he will, because he is merciful; not show it to all, because he is a just judge. In giving to some what they do not merit, he shows his free favor; in not giving to all, he declares what all deserve. (Institutes, III, xxiii)

So the answer to our original question is "yes." God does elect some to damnation. But not in the same way He elects some to eternal life. Election and salvation is a free and unmerited gift, an act of grace contrary to what we deserve. Reprobation, on the other hand, is the rightful payment for what we already deserve. It is God sovereignly (and in some sense even reluctantly) bypassing or witholding His mercy and grace in order to manifest His glory and justice.

Election and reprobation are difficult topics for our hearts and minds to bear, but they should drive us to worship God in His sovereign grace and to evangelize the lost with greater urgency and compassion.

An alternative to government bailout

2009-03-05T08:00:00.000-08:00

Cal Thomas, with typical wisdom, offers an alternative to the government bailout of the auto industry:

Let them die a slow death, with the emphasis on slow. Tell workers (management always seems to land on its feet) that they have a fixed amount of time to look for new jobs. Government will help them with training and education, but government cannot prop up companies that no longer make products people want to buy in large enough numbers for them to remain profitable.

...Americans have benefited from capitalism. Our government should not be undermining an economic system that has produced more prosperity for its citizens than any nation on earth. It cannot forever prop up companies that make products not enough people wish to buy. If a growing number of people prefer cars not produced by GM and Chrysler, how will a government rescue plan make them more likely to buy them?

I couldn't agree more.

Is unconditional election fair?

2009-03-04T08:00:00.000-08:00

Last Sunday, I preached on John 15:16, where Jesus declared, "You did not choose Me but I chose you, and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit, and that your fruit would remain, so that whatever you ask of the Father in My name He may give to you."

The idea that God sovereignly chooses some for salvation while bypassing others, and that this choice is not conditioned upon any future faith or works of the believer, is known as "unconditional election." I believe in this doctrine because the Bible clearly and consistently teaches it (cf. Deut. 7:7-8; John 10:3; Ac. 13:48; Rom. 8:30; Eph. 1:5; 1 John 4:10).

But some wonder how God's election can possibly be fair. Doesn't God's choice eliminate our sense of "free will" or human responsibility? Is it possible a person could want to be saved, but not be elected by God? Charles Spurgeon answers this objection in a very helpful way:

But there are some who say, “It is hard for God to choose some and leave others.” Now, I will ask you one question. Is there any one of you here this morning who wishes to be holy, who wishes to be regenerate, to leave off sin and walk in holiness? “Yes, there is,” says some one, “I do.” Then God has elected you. But another says, “No: I don’t want to be holy; I don’t want to give up my lusts and my vices.” Why should you grumble, then, that God has not elected you to it? For if you were elected you would not like it, according to your own confession.

If God, this morning, had chosen you to holiness, you say you would not care for it. Do you not acknowledge that you prefer drunkenness to sobriety, dishonesty to honesty? You love this world’s pleasures better than religion; then why should you grumble that God has not chosen you to religion? If you love religion, he has chosen you to it. If you desire it, he has chosen you to it. If you do not, what right have you to say that God ought to have given you what you do not wish for?

Supposing I had in my hand something which you do not value, and I said I shall give it to such–and–such a person, you would have no right to grumble that I did not give it to you. You could not be so foolish as to grumble that the other has got what you do not care about. According to your own confession, many of you do not want religion, do not want a new heart and a right spirit, do not want the forgiveness of sins, do not want sanctification, you do not want to be elected to these things: then why should you grumble? You count these things but as husks, and why should you complain of God who has given them to those whom he has chosen? ("Election," Spurgeon's Sermons, Vol. 2, p. 75-76)

George Lucas' next movie

2009-03-03T08:00:00.000-08:00

As an avid Star Wars fan, I was interested to learn last week that director George Lucas' next film will be on the Tuskegee Airmen. The early title for this project is 'Red Tails,' after the fighter unit's nickname. The story of these heroic men who overcame racial prejudice and the German Luftwaffe, combined with Lucas' own love for action and his attention to detail, has the right stuff for a great Hollywood film.

Half off MacArthur study Bibles

2009-03-02T09:06:00.000-08:00

Today only, Monergism is offering all New American Standard MacArthur Study Bibles at a 50% discount.

If you don't own one yet, today's the perfect opportunity to get one for yourself. Or, why not do some super-early Christmas shopping and get one for a friend?

I believe the MacArthur Study Bible, along with the ESV Study Bible, should be on every Christian's bookshelf. Both of these tools offer a wealth of Biblical information, and much of their content does not overlap.

HT: Tim Challies

Same sex marriage hearing on Thursday

2009-03-02T08:00:00.000-08:00

Here's an update from ProtectMarriage.com:

Proposition 8 was put before the people of California, and by a wide margin of 600,000 votes became a part of the California Constitution (Article 1, Section 7.5). Next Thursday, March 5, the California Supreme Court will hear oral arguments to determine whether the sovereign will of the people should be upheld, and whether marriage between only a man and a woman will stand.

This is the most important legal issue impacting families in a generation. The outcome of this case is “do or die” for traditional marriage. If the California Supreme Court were to overrule the vote of the people (for the second time) it would not be long before homosexual marriage is the law of the land across this country.

Please be in prayer for our Supreme Court Justices next Thursday as they hear arguments on this historic case. Pray for the legal team led by Ken Starr who will be making a case for the constitutionality of limiting marriage to one man and one woman. Pray for those who oppose this amendment, that they will understand our motivation is to affirm traditional marriage and preserve the traditional family, not to attack or offend any person or group. Most importantly, pray that no matter what the outcome, churches and individual Christians will be a gospel witness, showing obedience to God and love toward those who disagree.