Primary Works Consulted
Barrick, William D. “The New Perspective and ‘Works of the Law.’” The Master’s Seminary Journal.(2005:Vol. 16, No. 2.
Berkhof, Louis. Systematic Theology. Carlisle: The Banner of Truth Trust, 2000.
*Bruce, F.F. “Commentary on Galatians.” New International Greek Testament Commentary. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Eerdmans, 1982.
Busenitz, Irvin A. “The Reformers’ Understanding of Paul and the Law.”The Master’s Seminary Journal. (2005): Vol. 16, No. 2.
*Farnell, F. David. “The New Perspective on Paul: Its basic Tenets, History, and Presuppositions.” The Master’s Seminary Journal. (2005): Vol. 16, No. 2.
Hughes, Jack. “The New Perspective’s View of Paul and the Law.” The Master’s Seminary Journal. (2005): Vol. 16, No. 2.
Johnson, Phil. “What’s Wrong with Wright: Examining the New Perspective on Paul.” Unpublished essay, 2005.
Luther, Martin. Commentary on Galatians. Grand Rapids: Kregel, 1979.
*MacArthur, John; Sproul, R.C.; Beeke, Joel; Gerstner, John; Kistler, Don; Justification by Faith Alone. Morgan: Soli Deo Gloria Publications, 2003.
*Moo, Douglas. The Epistle to the Romans. New International Commentary on the New Testament. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1996.
Murray, Iain H. The Old Evangelicalism. Carlisle: The Banner of Truth Trust, 2005.
*Piper, John. Counted Righteous in Christ. Wheaton: Crossway Books, 2002.
Sproul, R.C. Getting the Gospel Right. Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 1999.
Stuhlmacher, Peter. Revisiting Paul’s Doctrine of Justification: A Challenge to the New Perspective. Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2001.
Thomas, Robert L. “Hermeneutics of the New Perspective on Paul.” The Master’s Seminary Journal. (2005): Vol. 16, No. 2.
Waters, Guy Prentiss. Justification and the New Perspectives on Paul, A Review and Response. Phillipsburg: P & R Publishing, 2004.
Westcott, B.F. Saint Paul’s Epistle to the Ephesians: The Greek Text with Notes and Addenda. London: Macmillan, 1906.
White, James R. The God Who Justifies. Minneapolis: Bethany House, 2001.
Wright, N.T. Paul, In Fresh Perspective. Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2005.
_________. What Saint Paul Really Said: Was Paul of Tarsus the Real Founder of Christianity? Grand Rapids, Mich.: 1997.
Friday, July 28, 2006
Wednesday, July 26, 2006
N.P.P. (part 2)
(#1) Let’s first try to understand something about this “New Perspective on Paul”
The NPP on Paul has 3 main spokesmen today:
1. E.P. Sanders (1937-) Arts and Sciences Professor of Religion at Duke University
2. James D.G. Dunn (1939-) Professor of Divinity at the University of Durham, England. Dr. Dunn first coined this phrase (“the NPP”) in a 1982 lecture.
3. N.T. Wright (1948-) the Bishop of Durham, one of the highest ranking bishops in the Church of England.
N.T. Wright is the most popular proponent of NPP. He is the only one (of the 3 mentioned above) to consider himself an “evangelical.” Wright has said of himself, “I see myself as a deeply orthodox theologian.” On the back of his newest NPP book, “Paul: In Fresh Perspective” a writer from TIME magazine endorsed Wright’s book noting, “N.T. Wright is one of the most formidable of traditionalist Bible Scholars.”
Now it’s true, N.T. Wright has written a number of books that have been very helpful and well-researched. He is a very smart individual. Some of his NT scholarship has truly benefited the Church (such as his massive tome on the resurrection and his books that dealt with the historicity of the gospels). But when it comes to his “New Perspective on Paul”, sadly, Tom Wright is outside classic Evangelicalism.
-->So what do you need to know about the New Perspective?
A. They depart from the Grammatical-historical method of exegesis
In place, the NPP proponents utilize Historical Criticism. Dr. F David Farnell notes, “Essentially, the NPP’s central tenet accuses the Reformers of subjective bias, at the same time ignoring the extreme bias of their own approach that promotes subjectivity through historical criticism and the New Hermeneutic.” Historical criticism has an anti-supernatural bias. As a result they discount inspiration and often undermine the inerrancy of the original autographs. (For more detailed info check out my recent lecture on “hermeneutics” or read Evangelical Hermeneutics by Dr. Robert L Thomas).
B. They view the NT “church” through Covenantal lenses.
In other words, the New Perspective believes the church is the “covenant community” of God. They would view the Church as the “New Israel.” For this reason, the NPP has been more alluring to Presbyterians (those holding to Covenant theology) more than its really attracted Reformed Baptists and Dispensationalists.
C. New Perspective leaders believe the Reformed community has badly misunderstood second temple Judaism throughout church history.
The New Perspective essentially teaches that 2nd Temple Judaism was a religion of grace. Tom Wright makes this very clear on page 120 (from his book), “What St. Paul Really Said.” New Perspective leaders would have you believe that first century Judaism was not a works-righteousness system. If they are right here, then the traditional interpretation of Romans and Galatians (by scholars like Augustine, Luther, and Calvin) have been dead wrong. In short, the NP presents a “fresh” understanding of the ancient religion of Judaism.
D. The NPP asserts a firm belief in “covenantal nomism” as the way to understand 2nd temple Judaism.
E.P. Sanders describes covenantal nomism as “the view, that one’s place in God’s plan is established on the basis of the covenant and that covenant requires as the proper response of man his obedience to its commandments, while providing means of atonement for transgression.” In short, Judaism during Jesus’ and Paul’s day, was a religion of grace; but maintenance of that salvation was through covenant (by works). One professor summarizes Covenantal nomism this way, “Getting in by faith, staying in by obedience.” Understanding this distinction is very important!
E. N.T. Wright (and others) redefines classic Texts like Gal. 2:11-21 and Phil 3:1-11.
Tom Wright adds, “The (Gal. 2) passage works far better if we see the meaning of “justified” not as a statement about how someone becomes a Christian but as a statement about who belongs to the people of God, and how you can tell that in the present” (FROM-->Paul: In Fresh Perspective, page 112). According to the New Perspective, Protestants have simply read Luther into Paul’s writings (“What St. Paul Really Said” pg 117). Wright is really accusing the Reformed tradition of 500 years of serious exogesis!
F. More specifically, N.T. Wright redefines the classic Protestant understanding of the important Biblical phrase, “the works of the law” (from Gal 2:16, Rom 3:20, etc).
N.T. Wright and others limit this important theological phrase to circumcision, Sabbath-keeping, and dietary restrictions. They believe these works marked out the people of the covenant. NP teachers believe that, in context, this phrase is about ethnic and social identification NOT legalistic self-righteousness and justification.
Again this is a major departure from the traditional interpretation of this biblical phrase. (Check out Dr. Barrick's journal article on this for more detailed information).
G. The NPP redefines the classic Reformed understanding of “Justification.”
The NPP suggests that justification is more about ecclesiology (the doctrine of the church) than soteriology (the doctrines of salvation). From: What St. Paul Really Said, page 158. Wright translates “pistis Christou” not as human faith in Messiah but as the faithfulness of the Messiah. N.T. Wright also appears to question the historic Reformed teaching on imputation: In one of his recent books he writes, “If we use the language of the law court, it makes no sense whatever to say that the judge imputes, imparts, bequeaths, conveys or otherwise transfers his righteousness to either the plaintiff or the defendant. Righteousness is not an object, a substance or a gas which can be passed around the courtroom…To imagine the defendant somehow receiving the judge’s righteousness is simply a category mistake. That is not how the language works.” From: What St. Paul Really Said, page 98. This is quote is very troubling. Romans 3:22, Rom. 4:6, and 2 Cor. 5:21 are major texts that deal with this issue. Next week we will look at many different passages that discuss this issue. Suffice to say, The NPP redefines the classic Reformed understanding of “Justification.”
H. The NPP sounds more like Roman Catholic dogma than it does classic Protestant theology. Covenantal Nomism (which I described earlier) is very similar to Roman Catholic theology (in certain respects). Dr. Jack Hughes makes this important connection, “Roman Catholic theology teaches that infant baptism places one into the ‘covenant community’ and as long as that person continues to observe the sacraments, he will preserve himself and be saved.” This definition is simplified quite a bit but gets at the heart of the issue at hand. Roman Catholicism of course is a legalistic system which holds to salvation by faith and works.
E.P Sanders and James Dunn seem to believe that Christians today (in the covenant community) are under a “bilateral” covenant: They enter into this covenant by faith but remain in the covenant through works. (Note: What St. Paul Really Said, page 19). Friends do you see the eerie close similarities between Roman Catholic theology and the NPP?
I. And to top things off, The NPP offers a new understanding of the biblical Gospel.
According to N.T. Wright the gospel is “Jesus is the Lord and Messiah.” N.T. Wright redefines the doctrine of imputation and he redefines the concept of Christ’s righteousness…(Note What St. Paul Really Said, pages 41, 60-61, & 98). To Wright, the gospel is not the message of justification (like Augustine, Luther and Calvin believed). The good news is more about Romans 1:1-4 NOT Romans 1:16-17 or Romans 3:21-28. The gospel then is about the Person of Christ rather than the work of Christ. Of course I believe the Bible teaches the gospel is a both/and combination not an either/or concept as NT Wright and other New Perspective folks wrongly believe. But that is getting ahead of myself, so I’ll stop here.
To summarize then:
A) The New Perspective departs from the Grammatical-historical method of exegesis
B) The New Perspective views the NT “church” through “Covenantal” lenses.
C) It believes the Evangelical Church has badly misunderstood Judaism throughout church history.
D) The NPP asserts a firm belief in “covenantal nomism” as the way to understand 2nd Temple Judaism.
E) N.T. Wright (and others) redefines classic Texts like Gal. 2:11-21 and Phil 3 (among many key New Testament passages)
F) More specifically, N.T. Wright redefines the classic Protestant understanding of the important Biblical phrase, “the works of the law” (from Gal 2:16, Rom 3:20, etc).
G) The NPP redefines the classic reformed understanding of “Justification.”
H) In doing all this, the NPP sounds more like Roman Catholic dogma than it does classic Protestant theology.
I) Finally, The NPP offers a new understanding of the biblical “gospel.”
The NPP on Paul has 3 main spokesmen today:
1. E.P. Sanders (1937-) Arts and Sciences Professor of Religion at Duke University
2. James D.G. Dunn (1939-) Professor of Divinity at the University of Durham, England. Dr. Dunn first coined this phrase (“the NPP”) in a 1982 lecture.
3. N.T. Wright (1948-) the Bishop of Durham, one of the highest ranking bishops in the Church of England.
N.T. Wright is the most popular proponent of NPP. He is the only one (of the 3 mentioned above) to consider himself an “evangelical.” Wright has said of himself, “I see myself as a deeply orthodox theologian.” On the back of his newest NPP book, “Paul: In Fresh Perspective” a writer from TIME magazine endorsed Wright’s book noting, “N.T. Wright is one of the most formidable of traditionalist Bible Scholars.”
Now it’s true, N.T. Wright has written a number of books that have been very helpful and well-researched. He is a very smart individual. Some of his NT scholarship has truly benefited the Church (such as his massive tome on the resurrection and his books that dealt with the historicity of the gospels). But when it comes to his “New Perspective on Paul”, sadly, Tom Wright is outside classic Evangelicalism.
-->So what do you need to know about the New Perspective?
A. They depart from the Grammatical-historical method of exegesis
In place, the NPP proponents utilize Historical Criticism. Dr. F David Farnell notes, “Essentially, the NPP’s central tenet accuses the Reformers of subjective bias, at the same time ignoring the extreme bias of their own approach that promotes subjectivity through historical criticism and the New Hermeneutic.” Historical criticism has an anti-supernatural bias. As a result they discount inspiration and often undermine the inerrancy of the original autographs. (For more detailed info check out my recent lecture on “hermeneutics” or read Evangelical Hermeneutics by Dr. Robert L Thomas).
B. They view the NT “church” through Covenantal lenses.
In other words, the New Perspective believes the church is the “covenant community” of God. They would view the Church as the “New Israel.” For this reason, the NPP has been more alluring to Presbyterians (those holding to Covenant theology) more than its really attracted Reformed Baptists and Dispensationalists.
C. New Perspective leaders believe the Reformed community has badly misunderstood second temple Judaism throughout church history.
The New Perspective essentially teaches that 2nd Temple Judaism was a religion of grace. Tom Wright makes this very clear on page 120 (from his book), “What St. Paul Really Said.” New Perspective leaders would have you believe that first century Judaism was not a works-righteousness system. If they are right here, then the traditional interpretation of Romans and Galatians (by scholars like Augustine, Luther, and Calvin) have been dead wrong. In short, the NP presents a “fresh” understanding of the ancient religion of Judaism.
D. The NPP asserts a firm belief in “covenantal nomism” as the way to understand 2nd temple Judaism.
E.P. Sanders describes covenantal nomism as “the view, that one’s place in God’s plan is established on the basis of the covenant and that covenant requires as the proper response of man his obedience to its commandments, while providing means of atonement for transgression.” In short, Judaism during Jesus’ and Paul’s day, was a religion of grace; but maintenance of that salvation was through covenant (by works). One professor summarizes Covenantal nomism this way, “Getting in by faith, staying in by obedience.” Understanding this distinction is very important!
E. N.T. Wright (and others) redefines classic Texts like Gal. 2:11-21 and Phil 3:1-11.
Tom Wright adds, “The (Gal. 2) passage works far better if we see the meaning of “justified” not as a statement about how someone becomes a Christian but as a statement about who belongs to the people of God, and how you can tell that in the present” (FROM-->Paul: In Fresh Perspective, page 112). According to the New Perspective, Protestants have simply read Luther into Paul’s writings (“What St. Paul Really Said” pg 117). Wright is really accusing the Reformed tradition of 500 years of serious exogesis!
F. More specifically, N.T. Wright redefines the classic Protestant understanding of the important Biblical phrase, “the works of the law” (from Gal 2:16, Rom 3:20, etc).
N.T. Wright and others limit this important theological phrase to circumcision, Sabbath-keeping, and dietary restrictions. They believe these works marked out the people of the covenant. NP teachers believe that, in context, this phrase is about ethnic and social identification NOT legalistic self-righteousness and justification.
Again this is a major departure from the traditional interpretation of this biblical phrase. (Check out Dr. Barrick's journal article on this for more detailed information).
G. The NPP redefines the classic Reformed understanding of “Justification.”
The NPP suggests that justification is more about ecclesiology (the doctrine of the church) than soteriology (the doctrines of salvation). From: What St. Paul Really Said, page 158. Wright translates “pistis Christou” not as human faith in Messiah but as the faithfulness of the Messiah. N.T. Wright also appears to question the historic Reformed teaching on imputation: In one of his recent books he writes, “If we use the language of the law court, it makes no sense whatever to say that the judge imputes, imparts, bequeaths, conveys or otherwise transfers his righteousness to either the plaintiff or the defendant. Righteousness is not an object, a substance or a gas which can be passed around the courtroom…To imagine the defendant somehow receiving the judge’s righteousness is simply a category mistake. That is not how the language works.” From: What St. Paul Really Said, page 98. This is quote is very troubling. Romans 3:22, Rom. 4:6, and 2 Cor. 5:21 are major texts that deal with this issue. Next week we will look at many different passages that discuss this issue. Suffice to say, The NPP redefines the classic Reformed understanding of “Justification.”
H. The NPP sounds more like Roman Catholic dogma than it does classic Protestant theology. Covenantal Nomism (which I described earlier) is very similar to Roman Catholic theology (in certain respects). Dr. Jack Hughes makes this important connection, “Roman Catholic theology teaches that infant baptism places one into the ‘covenant community’ and as long as that person continues to observe the sacraments, he will preserve himself and be saved.” This definition is simplified quite a bit but gets at the heart of the issue at hand. Roman Catholicism of course is a legalistic system which holds to salvation by faith and works.
E.P Sanders and James Dunn seem to believe that Christians today (in the covenant community) are under a “bilateral” covenant: They enter into this covenant by faith but remain in the covenant through works. (Note: What St. Paul Really Said, page 19). Friends do you see the eerie close similarities between Roman Catholic theology and the NPP?
I. And to top things off, The NPP offers a new understanding of the biblical Gospel.
According to N.T. Wright the gospel is “Jesus is the Lord and Messiah.” N.T. Wright redefines the doctrine of imputation and he redefines the concept of Christ’s righteousness…(Note What St. Paul Really Said, pages 41, 60-61, & 98). To Wright, the gospel is not the message of justification (like Augustine, Luther and Calvin believed). The good news is more about Romans 1:1-4 NOT Romans 1:16-17 or Romans 3:21-28. The gospel then is about the Person of Christ rather than the work of Christ. Of course I believe the Bible teaches the gospel is a both/and combination not an either/or concept as NT Wright and other New Perspective folks wrongly believe. But that is getting ahead of myself, so I’ll stop here.
To summarize then:
A) The New Perspective departs from the Grammatical-historical method of exegesis
B) The New Perspective views the NT “church” through “Covenantal” lenses.
C) It believes the Evangelical Church has badly misunderstood Judaism throughout church history.
D) The NPP asserts a firm belief in “covenantal nomism” as the way to understand 2nd Temple Judaism.
E) N.T. Wright (and others) redefines classic Texts like Gal. 2:11-21 and Phil 3 (among many key New Testament passages)
F) More specifically, N.T. Wright redefines the classic Protestant understanding of the important Biblical phrase, “the works of the law” (from Gal 2:16, Rom 3:20, etc).
G) The NPP redefines the classic reformed understanding of “Justification.”
H) In doing all this, the NPP sounds more like Roman Catholic dogma than it does classic Protestant theology.
I) Finally, The NPP offers a new understanding of the biblical “gospel.”
Tuesday, July 25, 2006
The New Perspective on Paul (part 1)
The New Perspective on Paul
Opening Introduction
It has been said that nothing dispels a lie more quickly then the truth; & nothing exposes a counterfeit faster then examining the genuine object. Well-crafted counterfeit dollars often go unnoticed by the untrained eye. What every Counterfeiter fears is that someone will examine his bogus bill, while holding a genuine bill next to it. If you look at a genuine bill and compare it with a bogus bill you will expose all the inconsistencies.
Cubic Zirconia is a gemstone that is sometimes confused for a genuine diamond. It glitters and shines like a diamond but is obv. way less valuable! Diamond sellers must be very careful NOT to purchase counterfeit stones. The better they know genuine diamonds, the more equipped they are to purchase real ones. The more they know the qualities and characteristics of genuine diamonds the less likely they'll purchase a counterfeit.
In my estimation, the best way to combat heresy is to know the gospel message, inside and out. The better you know ‘the truth’ the more readily you’ll be able to uncover ‘error.’ One pastor said, “To recognize and expose fatal error is not judgmental, it is discerning. To communicate contrasting truth graciously, is not vindictive; it is loving.” Our own Pastor (Joe Flatt) has reminded us many times that “Every Christian is a theologian.” All of us need to study God’s Word diligently...Some of us simply need to turn off our TVs and open up the Book. According to the A.C. Nielson Co. (this from 1998) the average American watches over 3 hours of TV each day. By age 65 the average American will have spent nearly 9 years of his life glued to the tube. Need anyone answer the question, why is the Church so biblically ignorant?
We need to study the Word to know our God better! This should be motivation enough to have devotions every morning. Study the Scriptures to know your God. We also need to study the Bible for apologetic reasons. We should be ready to defend the Truth whenever necessary. 1 Peter 3:15 says,"But sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence." (Also note Jude 3).
Galatians, chapter 1, makes it very clear that there is only one true gospel. Galatians 1:6-9, "I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel; 7 which is really not another; only there are some who are disturbing you, and want to distort the gospel of Christ. 8 But even though we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to that which we have preached to you, let him be accursed. 9 As we have said before, so I say again now, if any man is preaching to you a gospel contrary to that which you received, let him be accursed."
Nothing is more important to the Church than the gospel of Jesus Christ! If you doubt this reality, do a careful Bible study through Galatians, Romans, or 1 & 2 Corinthians. When the church loses sight of the centrality of the Cross she is not far from grave danger; and if the church embraces or tolerates a heteros (“another”) gospel she is on the road to apostasy. Church history has proven the truthfulness of these assertions.
The next statement I’m about to make is radical but I believe it reflects the heart of Jesus and the Apostles: Every believer should be willing to sacrifice, and if necessary, to lay down their life for the purity of the Gospel!
In Mark 10:29-30, Jesus said, "Truly I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or farms, for My sake and for the gospel's sake, but that he shall receive a hundred times as much now in the present age, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and farms, along with persecutions; and in the age to come, eternal life."
This reality has to grip us! If it doesn’t, then these lectures (during the next two weeks) will be of no interest to you. God’s gospel is infinitely precious (Note: Matthew 13:44-46); When you read through the 4 Gospels you’ll find Jesus preaching the gospel msg. everywhere he goes. The Bible says the gospel is “the power of God unto salvation”(Rom 1:16-17). Its value is incalculable!
Perhaps no human understood this reality better than the Apostle Paul In Acts 20:24 he declared, "But I do not consider my life of any account as dear to myself, in order that I may finish my course, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify solemnly of the gospel of the grace of God."
Paul’s personal encounter with the glory of God and the saving grace of Jesus Christ radically altered his entire life! Thus his purpose in life (Phil 2:21) was totally consistent with God’s passion for His glory (Eph 1:12, Isaiah 43:7)!
In 1 Corinthians 9:23 Paul said, “And I do all things for the sake of the gospel, that I may become a fellow partaker of it.”
You know that gospel has been assaulted in a variety of ways throughout church history.
I. On one spectrum there are ‘antinomian’ attacks- (“this view isolates justification from sanctification”). We see this heresy addressed by the Apostles in James, 2 Peter, and Jude.
II. On the other front, there are those who try and blend justification and sanctification together. This turns salvation into a process. It mixes human achievement w/sovereign grace. We see this heresy addressed by Jesus in the gospels and by Paul in Galatians and Romans (The Judaizers and the Pharisees).
III. One of the more modern day attacks on the euaggelion comes from within Evangelicalism: This movement is called, “The NEW Perspective on Paul.”
(also referred to as the NPP or NPP).
Let me say upfront, this subject is very technical. It is promoted by some very excellent New Testament scholars and thus is almost impossible to summarize and fairly critique in a 30 minute time period. Much of the material I’m discussing tonight comes from the excellent scholarship found in the books I’ve given you in the bibliography section of your notes. Please check out my bibliography for more in-depth research.
My objective during these lectures is really three-fold: (#1) I want to Examine the claims made by advocates of the NPP. What are they teaching? We can not fairly critique them if we don't understand what they are teaching.
(#2) I’d like to Briefly examine the ancient writings of the Church Fathers, the Reformers, and the Puritans.
And finally (#3) We’ll end by comparing all these teachings with HOLY SCRIPTURE, God’s infallible, unchanging word.
Once we accomplish this objective, we’ll quickly realize those who have taught the true biblical gospel and those who’ve invented a “new” one.
Opening Introduction
It has been said that nothing dispels a lie more quickly then the truth; & nothing exposes a counterfeit faster then examining the genuine object. Well-crafted counterfeit dollars often go unnoticed by the untrained eye. What every Counterfeiter fears is that someone will examine his bogus bill, while holding a genuine bill next to it. If you look at a genuine bill and compare it with a bogus bill you will expose all the inconsistencies.
Cubic Zirconia is a gemstone that is sometimes confused for a genuine diamond. It glitters and shines like a diamond but is obv. way less valuable! Diamond sellers must be very careful NOT to purchase counterfeit stones. The better they know genuine diamonds, the more equipped they are to purchase real ones. The more they know the qualities and characteristics of genuine diamonds the less likely they'll purchase a counterfeit.
In my estimation, the best way to combat heresy is to know the gospel message, inside and out. The better you know ‘the truth’ the more readily you’ll be able to uncover ‘error.’ One pastor said, “To recognize and expose fatal error is not judgmental, it is discerning. To communicate contrasting truth graciously, is not vindictive; it is loving.” Our own Pastor (Joe Flatt) has reminded us many times that “Every Christian is a theologian.” All of us need to study God’s Word diligently...Some of us simply need to turn off our TVs and open up the Book. According to the A.C. Nielson Co. (this from 1998) the average American watches over 3 hours of TV each day. By age 65 the average American will have spent nearly 9 years of his life glued to the tube. Need anyone answer the question, why is the Church so biblically ignorant?
We need to study the Word to know our God better! This should be motivation enough to have devotions every morning. Study the Scriptures to know your God. We also need to study the Bible for apologetic reasons. We should be ready to defend the Truth whenever necessary. 1 Peter 3:15 says,"But sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence." (Also note Jude 3).
Galatians, chapter 1, makes it very clear that there is only one true gospel. Galatians 1:6-9, "I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel; 7 which is really not another; only there are some who are disturbing you, and want to distort the gospel of Christ. 8 But even though we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to that which we have preached to you, let him be accursed. 9 As we have said before, so I say again now, if any man is preaching to you a gospel contrary to that which you received, let him be accursed."
Nothing is more important to the Church than the gospel of Jesus Christ! If you doubt this reality, do a careful Bible study through Galatians, Romans, or 1 & 2 Corinthians. When the church loses sight of the centrality of the Cross she is not far from grave danger; and if the church embraces or tolerates a heteros (“another”) gospel she is on the road to apostasy. Church history has proven the truthfulness of these assertions.
The next statement I’m about to make is radical but I believe it reflects the heart of Jesus and the Apostles: Every believer should be willing to sacrifice, and if necessary, to lay down their life for the purity of the Gospel!
In Mark 10:29-30, Jesus said, "Truly I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or farms, for My sake and for the gospel's sake, but that he shall receive a hundred times as much now in the present age, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and farms, along with persecutions; and in the age to come, eternal life."
This reality has to grip us! If it doesn’t, then these lectures (during the next two weeks) will be of no interest to you. God’s gospel is infinitely precious (Note: Matthew 13:44-46); When you read through the 4 Gospels you’ll find Jesus preaching the gospel msg. everywhere he goes. The Bible says the gospel is “the power of God unto salvation”(Rom 1:16-17). Its value is incalculable!
Perhaps no human understood this reality better than the Apostle Paul In Acts 20:24 he declared, "But I do not consider my life of any account as dear to myself, in order that I may finish my course, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify solemnly of the gospel of the grace of God."
Paul’s personal encounter with the glory of God and the saving grace of Jesus Christ radically altered his entire life! Thus his purpose in life (Phil 2:21) was totally consistent with God’s passion for His glory (Eph 1:12, Isaiah 43:7)!
In 1 Corinthians 9:23 Paul said, “And I do all things for the sake of the gospel, that I may become a fellow partaker of it.”
You know that gospel has been assaulted in a variety of ways throughout church history.
I. On one spectrum there are ‘antinomian’ attacks- (“this view isolates justification from sanctification”). We see this heresy addressed by the Apostles in James, 2 Peter, and Jude.
II. On the other front, there are those who try and blend justification and sanctification together. This turns salvation into a process. It mixes human achievement w/sovereign grace. We see this heresy addressed by Jesus in the gospels and by Paul in Galatians and Romans (The Judaizers and the Pharisees).
III. One of the more modern day attacks on the euaggelion comes from within Evangelicalism: This movement is called, “The NEW Perspective on Paul.”
(also referred to as the NPP or NPP).
Let me say upfront, this subject is very technical. It is promoted by some very excellent New Testament scholars and thus is almost impossible to summarize and fairly critique in a 30 minute time period. Much of the material I’m discussing tonight comes from the excellent scholarship found in the books I’ve given you in the bibliography section of your notes. Please check out my bibliography for more in-depth research.
My objective during these lectures is really three-fold: (#1) I want to Examine the claims made by advocates of the NPP. What are they teaching? We can not fairly critique them if we don't understand what they are teaching.
(#2) I’d like to Briefly examine the ancient writings of the Church Fathers, the Reformers, and the Puritans.
And finally (#3) We’ll end by comparing all these teachings with HOLY SCRIPTURE, God’s infallible, unchanging word.
Once we accomplish this objective, we’ll quickly realize those who have taught the true biblical gospel and those who’ve invented a “new” one.
Sunday, July 23, 2006
New Perspective notes (will be released soon)
The NPP lectures notes will be uploaded on Wed.
Thanks,
Caleb
Thanks,
Caleb
Basic Bible Interpretation (pt 3)
IV. The Need for this Particular Study
The Bible truly is God’s Word. As such, it is authoritative and binding for all peoples in all times (that’s why Satan hates it). He loves to undermine and minimize God's book. Throughout history, The Bible has been misinterpreted, thousands of times. Some people have done this intentionally while many more have done so unintentionally.
A) Some Atheists claim the Bible supports their position, after all Psalm 14:1 does say, “there is NO God.”
Of course the first part of the verse says, “The fool has said in his heart, there is NO God.”
B) Jehovah Witnesses and other cult groups say they believe in the Bible.
They quickly point out Colossians 1:15 which says, “Jesus is the image of the invisible God, the first-born of all creation.” J.W.’s teach that Jesus is not eternal (He has an origin), thus He can’t be God. Of course a basic understanding of the original languages and the context of this particular passage clearly reveals what Paul was trying to say: Jesus is the “first-born” in this sense: He is preeminent in rank and supremacy over all His brethren. In addition, verse 16 claims Jesus was present when the universe was created (His eternality). This passage of Scripture does not destroy the Deity of Jesus Christ…On the contrary, it emphatically upholds it!
C) Roman Catholics often point out James 2:24 to show the apparent inconsistencies of Sola Fide (Justification by faith alone);
James 2:24 says, “You see that a man is justified by works, and NOT by faith alone.” Yet when this Epistle is understand in its historical setting, one realizes that James was attacking the errors of the Antinomians (cheap grace); Which is why he repeatedly emphasizes this concept: True saving faith works itself out in sanctification. A person is justified by faith alone BUT NOT by a faith that is alone (the evidence of our justification)!
D) Christians sometimes point out Matthew 7, which says “Judge not, least you be judged.”
This verse is used by some professing Believers to excuse sinful behavior. Others use it as an excuse not to faithfully confront people (after all who I am to judge?). But when understood in its entire context, Jesus is getting at a much different point. Jesus isn’t saying, “Don’t confront a sinning brother” what he is saying is “1st examine your own life(and make it right) BEFORE judging another person. The key word is found in verse 5, (circle the word), “THEN”………..
E) I’ve heard many Christians misapply Matthew 18:20 which says, “For where two or three have gathered together in My name, there I am in their midst."
During scarcely attended prayer meetings someone will inevitably quote this verse in a earnest attempt to bring comfort to all that God is still in their midst (which of course He is). Unfortunately in context this verse is talking about the Lord’s presence (His confirmation) during the church discipline process NOT….
F) One person recorded this somewhat humorous example of how a pastor totally misapplied the Word of God during a Bible conference.
The speaker was preaching from John 11, the story of the resurrection of Lazarus. This was his interpretation, “Lazarus is a symbol of the church, and what we have here is a vivid picture of the rapture of the believers. The resurrection of Lazarus is the church going through the rapture.”
G) Some people try and handle poisonous snakes based on their reading of Mark 16:18 while others speak in tongues because the apostles did so in Acts 2.
-->One thing that’s essential is to recognize the difference between prescriptive and descriptive passages of Scripture.
H) A more common error today is perfectly described for us in a blog posting from a member of our church.
He writes, “I believe one of the key issues today regarding poor hermeneutics is our American tendency to 'need' the quick fix. We aren’t interested in hard-work and seeing the bigger picture; rather, we believe it is our right to have the solution presented to us in a clear/concise way. We want to believe the infomercials showing us how to become millionaires by age 30 or get great abs in 5 minutes a day. We want the maximum benefit with the least amount of work. For Christians, this attitude creates the desire for 'THE verse'. You know… the perfect summary in 10 words or less that gives us the answers we so desperately need to all of our current problems. When we approach scripture this way, we frequently impose our presuppositions on the text. We surgically remove a verse that 'speaks' to us, from the surrounding paragraph, letter, and book.”
All of us have probably been guilty of doing this at some point in our Christian life. We’ve played fast and loose with the biblical text…We’ve wanted a quick answer so we’ve imposed our meaning the Bible. We need to be very careful how we interpret and apply the Bible……….
The Bible truly is God’s Word. As such, it is authoritative and binding for all peoples in all times (that’s why Satan hates it). He loves to undermine and minimize God's book. Throughout history, The Bible has been misinterpreted, thousands of times. Some people have done this intentionally while many more have done so unintentionally.
A) Some Atheists claim the Bible supports their position, after all Psalm 14:1 does say, “there is NO God.”
Of course the first part of the verse says, “The fool has said in his heart, there is NO God.”
B) Jehovah Witnesses and other cult groups say they believe in the Bible.
They quickly point out Colossians 1:15 which says, “Jesus is the image of the invisible God, the first-born of all creation.” J.W.’s teach that Jesus is not eternal (He has an origin), thus He can’t be God. Of course a basic understanding of the original languages and the context of this particular passage clearly reveals what Paul was trying to say: Jesus is the “first-born” in this sense: He is preeminent in rank and supremacy over all His brethren. In addition, verse 16 claims Jesus was present when the universe was created (His eternality). This passage of Scripture does not destroy the Deity of Jesus Christ…On the contrary, it emphatically upholds it!
C) Roman Catholics often point out James 2:24 to show the apparent inconsistencies of Sola Fide (Justification by faith alone);
James 2:24 says, “You see that a man is justified by works, and NOT by faith alone.” Yet when this Epistle is understand in its historical setting, one realizes that James was attacking the errors of the Antinomians (cheap grace); Which is why he repeatedly emphasizes this concept: True saving faith works itself out in sanctification. A person is justified by faith alone BUT NOT by a faith that is alone (the evidence of our justification)!
D) Christians sometimes point out Matthew 7, which says “Judge not, least you be judged.”
This verse is used by some professing Believers to excuse sinful behavior. Others use it as an excuse not to faithfully confront people (after all who I am to judge?). But when understood in its entire context, Jesus is getting at a much different point. Jesus isn’t saying, “Don’t confront a sinning brother” what he is saying is “1st examine your own life(and make it right) BEFORE judging another person. The key word is found in verse 5, (circle the word), “THEN”………..
E) I’ve heard many Christians misapply Matthew 18:20 which says, “For where two or three have gathered together in My name, there I am in their midst."
During scarcely attended prayer meetings someone will inevitably quote this verse in a earnest attempt to bring comfort to all that God is still in their midst (which of course He is). Unfortunately in context this verse is talking about the Lord’s presence (His confirmation) during the church discipline process NOT….
F) One person recorded this somewhat humorous example of how a pastor totally misapplied the Word of God during a Bible conference.
The speaker was preaching from John 11, the story of the resurrection of Lazarus. This was his interpretation, “Lazarus is a symbol of the church, and what we have here is a vivid picture of the rapture of the believers. The resurrection of Lazarus is the church going through the rapture.”
G) Some people try and handle poisonous snakes based on their reading of Mark 16:18 while others speak in tongues because the apostles did so in Acts 2.
-->One thing that’s essential is to recognize the difference between prescriptive and descriptive passages of Scripture.
H) A more common error today is perfectly described for us in a blog posting from a member of our church.
He writes, “I believe one of the key issues today regarding poor hermeneutics is our American tendency to 'need' the quick fix. We aren’t interested in hard-work and seeing the bigger picture; rather, we believe it is our right to have the solution presented to us in a clear/concise way. We want to believe the infomercials showing us how to become millionaires by age 30 or get great abs in 5 minutes a day. We want the maximum benefit with the least amount of work. For Christians, this attitude creates the desire for 'THE verse'. You know… the perfect summary in 10 words or less that gives us the answers we so desperately need to all of our current problems. When we approach scripture this way, we frequently impose our presuppositions on the text. We surgically remove a verse that 'speaks' to us, from the surrounding paragraph, letter, and book.”
All of us have probably been guilty of doing this at some point in our Christian life. We’ve played fast and loose with the biblical text…We’ve wanted a quick answer so we’ve imposed our meaning the Bible. We need to be very careful how we interpret and apply the Bible……….
Saturday, July 22, 2006
Herm. (pt 2)
II. The Good News
Hallelujah friends, God has spoken! The infinite God of the Universe has revealed Himself and His glorious character to finite man! This is a great news! We could not know GOD apart from him revealing himself to us. The primary way God speaks today is through His external Word. Thus it is our great privilege to figure out the spiritual significance of God’s Holy Word. To study the Bible to know its meaning. This of course can only be done through the Holy Spirit’s enablement,
see 1 Cor 1-2. 1 John 2:20 and 1 John 2:27 should provide every believer with hope. All of us can accurately understand the Word of God because of the H.S. The H.S. guides true believers into the Truth!
This does not eliminate the need for diligent study (1 Tim 2:15 makes that clear). This does not eliminate the need for gifted teachers either (Note 1 Cor 12:28 & Eph 4:11); But it does mean you are not totally reliant on us. I hope this reminder is received as good news this evening! God has provided us a light onto our feet and a lamp until our path. We can know something of the mind of Christ and the will of God.
III. A Basic Definition
Before I move forward in this lecture let me 1st try and define this seminary word for you: “Hermeneutics” is simply a set of principles. It’s the science and art of interpreting the Bible. Bernard Ramm adds, “It is a science because it is guided by rules within a system; and it is an art because the application of the rules is by skill, and not by mechanical imitation.” More specifically sound hermeneutics “determine the rules which are legitimate in the interpretive process and those which are not.”
Another key concept that must be understood is the word exegesis: This means to lead the meaning out of the text, to show the way, or to interpret the proper meaning. IN other words, the human interpreter must avoid imposing a preconceived notion into any given text (Eisogesis). Our goal as we study the bible is to determine the original meaning of the text! We want to know what God meant when He, by the Holy Spirit, led the prophets and apostles to write the Holy Scriptures!
The handout I gave you tonight illustrates how an exegetically-driven theology should look! (see my handout for a diagram on this)
Hallelujah friends, God has spoken! The infinite God of the Universe has revealed Himself and His glorious character to finite man! This is a great news! We could not know GOD apart from him revealing himself to us. The primary way God speaks today is through His external Word. Thus it is our great privilege to figure out the spiritual significance of God’s Holy Word. To study the Bible to know its meaning. This of course can only be done through the Holy Spirit’s enablement,
see 1 Cor 1-2. 1 John 2:20 and 1 John 2:27 should provide every believer with hope. All of us can accurately understand the Word of God because of the H.S. The H.S. guides true believers into the Truth!
This does not eliminate the need for diligent study (1 Tim 2:15 makes that clear). This does not eliminate the need for gifted teachers either (Note 1 Cor 12:28 & Eph 4:11); But it does mean you are not totally reliant on us. I hope this reminder is received as good news this evening! God has provided us a light onto our feet and a lamp until our path. We can know something of the mind of Christ and the will of God.
III. A Basic Definition
Before I move forward in this lecture let me 1st try and define this seminary word for you: “Hermeneutics” is simply a set of principles. It’s the science and art of interpreting the Bible. Bernard Ramm adds, “It is a science because it is guided by rules within a system; and it is an art because the application of the rules is by skill, and not by mechanical imitation.” More specifically sound hermeneutics “determine the rules which are legitimate in the interpretive process and those which are not.”
Another key concept that must be understood is the word exegesis: This means to lead the meaning out of the text, to show the way, or to interpret the proper meaning. IN other words, the human interpreter must avoid imposing a preconceived notion into any given text (Eisogesis). Our goal as we study the bible is to determine the original meaning of the text! We want to know what God meant when He, by the Holy Spirit, led the prophets and apostles to write the Holy Scriptures!
The handout I gave you tonight illustrates how an exegetically-driven theology should look! (see my handout for a diagram on this)
Friday, July 21, 2006
Hermeneutics (PT 1)
Applicational Hermeneutics
I. The Problem
We live in a day and age when people want to express there opinions at almost any cost.
(E.G.) Radio shows: Jim Rome, Sean Hannity, Howard Stern, etc.
TV Shows: Phil Donahue, Oprah Winifrey, Dr. Phil, etc.
Internet: everybody seems to have a blog these days.
Americans like to share their opinion in just about every venue imaginable…This attitude has inevitably permeated herself into the church. I think that this can be both a positive thing and a negative thing.
Dialogue teaching is one, of many different ways, the Bible can be taught during: small group settings, Sunday school classes, or even home bible studies. Dialogue & Interaction can be helpful for both the teacher (clarity) and the students (understanding/attention).
Expository exultation (ie. biblical preaching) should never be replaced by these popular teaching methods; But that doesn’t mean other forms of teaching don’t have a place in the life of the church…. (That’s exactly why FBC offers a variety of teaching styles during our Connect hour and FLOCK groups).
I don’t have time tonight to go into all the different ways Postmodern thought has affected the church…Suffice to say it has; in a variety of ways (check out Pastor Flatt's lecture on the Emerging Church for more information).
-->One of the more common errors is a very catchy but potentially unwise small group question:
WHAT DOES THIS BIBLE PASSAGE MEAN TO YOU? (Have you heard this one before?)
Some people believe a passage of Scripture can rightly mean multiple things to different people… Certain teachers would have you believe the Bible can be rightly explained with multiple, contradictory interpretations. So they ask: WHAT’S YOUR personal take on THIS VERSE? What does this passage mean to you? Some ask this question AS IF absolute truth was simply a by-product of modernity…As if truth were relative…Professor Roy Zuck wisely asks, “If the Bible can be made to mean anything we want, how can it be a reliable guide?”
When it comes to interpreting the Bible my fallible opinion and your personal impressions don’t matter too much. One Pastor put it this way, “the meaning of Scripture is the Scripture.” In other words, IF you don’t have the correct interpretation, you don’t have the Scriptures! You can not rightly apply a passage if you have the WRONG interpretation of the biblical text.
Friends, this is one of the reasons why sound hermeneutics are so essential! One of the most important disciplines for Christians to grow in, is learning how to apply sound hermeneutical principles to the biblical text. This is a crucial discipline for all of us to grow in.
This needs to happen regardless of the ministry context:
A) In our Children’s ministries…
B) Ladies Bible Study,
C) During Youth Group,
D) Adult Flocks,
E) Sunday School time
F) at home during family devotions
G) During biblical counseling sessions
H) & obviously in the pulpit on Sunday mornings.
If you’d like one key verse that supports my thesis carefully, study 2 Timothy 2:15, “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, handling accurately the word of truth.”
I. The Problem
We live in a day and age when people want to express there opinions at almost any cost.
(E.G.) Radio shows: Jim Rome, Sean Hannity, Howard Stern, etc.
TV Shows: Phil Donahue, Oprah Winifrey, Dr. Phil, etc.
Internet: everybody seems to have a blog these days.
Americans like to share their opinion in just about every venue imaginable…This attitude has inevitably permeated herself into the church. I think that this can be both a positive thing and a negative thing.
Dialogue teaching is one, of many different ways, the Bible can be taught during: small group settings, Sunday school classes, or even home bible studies. Dialogue & Interaction can be helpful for both the teacher (clarity) and the students (understanding/attention).
Expository exultation (ie. biblical preaching) should never be replaced by these popular teaching methods; But that doesn’t mean other forms of teaching don’t have a place in the life of the church…. (That’s exactly why FBC offers a variety of teaching styles during our Connect hour and FLOCK groups).
I don’t have time tonight to go into all the different ways Postmodern thought has affected the church…Suffice to say it has; in a variety of ways (check out Pastor Flatt's lecture on the Emerging Church for more information).
-->One of the more common errors is a very catchy but potentially unwise small group question:
WHAT DOES THIS BIBLE PASSAGE MEAN TO YOU? (Have you heard this one before?)
Some people believe a passage of Scripture can rightly mean multiple things to different people… Certain teachers would have you believe the Bible can be rightly explained with multiple, contradictory interpretations. So they ask: WHAT’S YOUR personal take on THIS VERSE? What does this passage mean to you? Some ask this question AS IF absolute truth was simply a by-product of modernity…As if truth were relative…Professor Roy Zuck wisely asks, “If the Bible can be made to mean anything we want, how can it be a reliable guide?”
When it comes to interpreting the Bible my fallible opinion and your personal impressions don’t matter too much. One Pastor put it this way, “the meaning of Scripture is the Scripture.” In other words, IF you don’t have the correct interpretation, you don’t have the Scriptures! You can not rightly apply a passage if you have the WRONG interpretation of the biblical text.
Friends, this is one of the reasons why sound hermeneutics are so essential! One of the most important disciplines for Christians to grow in, is learning how to apply sound hermeneutical principles to the biblical text. This is a crucial discipline for all of us to grow in.
This needs to happen regardless of the ministry context:
A) In our Children’s ministries…
B) Ladies Bible Study,
C) During Youth Group,
D) Adult Flocks,
E) Sunday School time
F) at home during family devotions
G) During biblical counseling sessions
H) & obviously in the pulpit on Sunday mornings.
If you’d like one key verse that supports my thesis carefully, study 2 Timothy 2:15, “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, handling accurately the word of truth.”
Thursday, July 20, 2006
Pastor Flatt's essays will be online soon
This summer Pastor Flatt (and I) are doing some critiques on major movements with Evangelicalism.
Look for Pastor Flatt's "critical response papers" online at www.fbccarmel.com
Pastor Flatt has done lectures on the following:
1. The Purpose Driven movement
2. The Emerging Church movement
3. The DaVinci Code
I have talked on
1. Applicational Hermeneutics
2. The New Perspective on Paul (this sunday 7/23).
Look for Pastor Flatt's "critical response papers" online at www.fbccarmel.com
Pastor Flatt has done lectures on the following:
1. The Purpose Driven movement
2. The Emerging Church movement
3. The DaVinci Code
I have talked on
1. Applicational Hermeneutics
2. The New Perspective on Paul (this sunday 7/23).
Friday, July 14, 2006
New Book
Today is my "off" day. Pastor Flatt now gives us Friday and Saturday off! I am reading "Paul: in Fresh Perspective" by N.T. Wright because i am doing a lecture at FBC on the New Perspective next Sunday night. I would rather read other material but i want to read more original source stuff before i offer a critique.
Most Fridays i have work to catch up on anyways but atleast now i can do it from home!
Last Sunday night i lectured on Hermeneutics. Any thoughts on how it went from you who heard it (www.fbccarmel.com)?
Have a great weekend!!
Most Fridays i have work to catch up on anyways but atleast now i can do it from home!
Last Sunday night i lectured on Hermeneutics. Any thoughts on how it went from you who heard it (www.fbccarmel.com)?
Have a great weekend!!
Thursday, July 13, 2006
Paul Lamey on Preaching
What happens when a word reaches beyond any meaningful consensus and everyone makes a claim to its use? This is exactly the problem with the word “expository” as in “everyone claims to be an expository preacher.” It is no stretch to say that many preachers consider themselves expository preachers yet there is little agreement about what the word means. A survey of standard books on preaching will reveal that various authors all emphasize different perspectives (e.g., Robinson, D. A. Carson, Kaiser, Lloyd-Jones, Vines, Olford, Greidanus, Broadus, et al). This was a question we considered at some length in our first D.Min session today and one all preachers should carefully consider.
An examination of terminology raises difficult questions: Can there be biblical preaching that is not expository? Can there be exposition that is not preaching? Is exposition limited to a verse, a paragraph, or something else? Can topical preaching be expositional? The questions could be multiplied at this point. As a reference point I offer Richard Mayhue’s foundational definition from Rediscovering Expository Preaching.
Expository preaching is preaching that focuses predominantly on the text(s) under consideration along with its (their) context(s). Exposition normally concentrates on a single text of Scripture, but it is sometimes possible for a thematic/theological message or a historical/biographical discourse to be expository in nature. An exposition may treat any length of passage.
Following is a helpful summary of the essential elements of expository preaching:
1.The message finds its sole source in Scripture.
2.The message is extracted from Scripture through careful exegesis.
3.The message preparation correctly interprets Scripture in its normal sense and its context.
4.The message clearly explains the original God-intended meaning of Scripture.
5.The message applies the Scriptural meaning for today.
An examination of terminology raises difficult questions: Can there be biblical preaching that is not expository? Can there be exposition that is not preaching? Is exposition limited to a verse, a paragraph, or something else? Can topical preaching be expositional? The questions could be multiplied at this point. As a reference point I offer Richard Mayhue’s foundational definition from Rediscovering Expository Preaching.
Expository preaching is preaching that focuses predominantly on the text(s) under consideration along with its (their) context(s). Exposition normally concentrates on a single text of Scripture, but it is sometimes possible for a thematic/theological message or a historical/biographical discourse to be expository in nature. An exposition may treat any length of passage.
Following is a helpful summary of the essential elements of expository preaching:
1.The message finds its sole source in Scripture.
2.The message is extracted from Scripture through careful exegesis.
3.The message preparation correctly interprets Scripture in its normal sense and its context.
4.The message clearly explains the original God-intended meaning of Scripture.
5.The message applies the Scriptural meaning for today.
Saturday, July 08, 2006
Heroes of the Faith (pt 3)
As I mentioned in my last post this discussion is all about (biblical) balance. It is possible to idolize gifted teachers in a way that would shame the Giver of all good gifts. We must be very careful not to worship our heroes. At the same time, it is entirely appropriate to “honor” faithful servants of the Lord. I will argue in this essay that it also fitting to “imitate” faithful Christian leaders.
We looked at 1 Corinthians 3:5-17 in my previous post. Don Carson summarized this section as follows:
“1. Christian leaders are only servants of Christ and are not to be accorded allegiance reserved for God alone.
2. God cares about his church, and he hold its leaders accountable for how they build it.”
The apostle Paul was not interested in dividing the Church. He gave his very life trying to unite the Church under the banner of Jesus Christ her Head. He did not want a bunch of Paul-groupies causing disunity in the Church. This is one of the reasons why he wrote 1 Corinthians 3:5-17. Yet in this same epistle the apostle Paul called the Corinthians to “imitate” him as he followed Christ (1 Cor 11:1). Paul understood that he was a leader. Pastors are examples and role-models whether they want to be or not. Their can be no Charles Barkley pastors in the ministry (“I’m not a role-model, parents should be role-models”). Paul actually encouraged his readers to imitate his life on numerous occasions (1 Cor 4:16; 1 Thess. 1:6). One pastor puts it this way, “Spiritual leaders must set an example of Christlikeness for all to follow.”
Hebrews 13:17 is pretty straightforward. In this passage of Scripture the author of Hebrews writes, “Remember those who led you, who spoke the word of God to you; and considering the result of their conduct, imitate their faith.” The Greek work for “imitate” is mimeomai from mimos. Here we are told "to mimic" the lives of our own church leaders (those who are worthy of imitation of course).
Of course in chapter 11 the author of Hebrews gave a number of illustrations of men and women who lived tremendous lives of faith. These godly heroes from the past should provide inspiration for all Christians (in the present). Hebrews 12:1-2 says, “Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance, and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
When I think of the Christian heroes I have (Spurgeon, Calvin, Whitefield, MacArthur, Begg, etc) I view them in these categories. Their faithfulness to God encourages me to live with the same type of consistency. Their commitment to the Word in the midst of great opposition is something I hope to imitate and mimic. Their love and passion for Christ is something that I desire as well.
Christian heroes (past and present) can help point us to Christ and motivate us all to live more faithful lives.
We looked at 1 Corinthians 3:5-17 in my previous post. Don Carson summarized this section as follows:
“1. Christian leaders are only servants of Christ and are not to be accorded allegiance reserved for God alone.
2. God cares about his church, and he hold its leaders accountable for how they build it.”
The apostle Paul was not interested in dividing the Church. He gave his very life trying to unite the Church under the banner of Jesus Christ her Head. He did not want a bunch of Paul-groupies causing disunity in the Church. This is one of the reasons why he wrote 1 Corinthians 3:5-17. Yet in this same epistle the apostle Paul called the Corinthians to “imitate” him as he followed Christ (1 Cor 11:1). Paul understood that he was a leader. Pastors are examples and role-models whether they want to be or not. Their can be no Charles Barkley pastors in the ministry (“I’m not a role-model, parents should be role-models”). Paul actually encouraged his readers to imitate his life on numerous occasions (1 Cor 4:16; 1 Thess. 1:6). One pastor puts it this way, “Spiritual leaders must set an example of Christlikeness for all to follow.”
Hebrews 13:17 is pretty straightforward. In this passage of Scripture the author of Hebrews writes, “Remember those who led you, who spoke the word of God to you; and considering the result of their conduct, imitate their faith.” The Greek work for “imitate” is mimeomai from mimos. Here we are told "to mimic" the lives of our own church leaders (those who are worthy of imitation of course).
Of course in chapter 11 the author of Hebrews gave a number of illustrations of men and women who lived tremendous lives of faith. These godly heroes from the past should provide inspiration for all Christians (in the present). Hebrews 12:1-2 says, “Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance, and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
When I think of the Christian heroes I have (Spurgeon, Calvin, Whitefield, MacArthur, Begg, etc) I view them in these categories. Their faithfulness to God encourages me to live with the same type of consistency. Their commitment to the Word in the midst of great opposition is something I hope to imitate and mimic. Their love and passion for Christ is something that I desire as well.
Christian heroes (past and present) can help point us to Christ and motivate us all to live more faithful lives.
Sunday, July 02, 2006
Christian Role Models and Factionalism? (pt 2)
Is it really Idolatrous to have Christian Heroes? (pt 2)
Our God is the creator of the universe. He’s made every single person in the universe different and unique. In other words, none of us are exactly like another human being. This diversity surely is an expression of the creative genius of God. God is glorified in Man’s creative differences.
God has given all of us different talents, gifts, and abilities. When these “spiritual gifts” are used in the local church God is glorified and the body is edified. God has given believers a diversity of gifts for the unity of the body (1 Peter 4:10-11, 1 Cor 12-14). Of course, God has also given each of us different personalities, genetic make-ups, etc. so when two godly pastors preach on the same passage of Scripture it should not sound exactly the same (even when they apply the same hermeneutical principles with great exegetical skill).
It’s important to start here because some people try and imitate Christian leaders (from the past or present) and find themselves frustrated because they can’t duplicate them (at least not very well). Because of this reality some people say it is silly to try and imitate any Christian heroes (past or present). Others say trying “to imitate” or “model” another person shows an underlined attitude of discontentment (i.e. I wish I were made just like so and so). In my judgment this is a both/and deal NOT an either/or situation. Like in so many areas of life this is all about biblical balance.
The Apostle Paul warned the Corinthians against the dangers of factions (read 1 Cor 3). The early Corinthian church was apparently divided over a number of different issues. One of these dividing issues was Christian leadership. Some were saying, ‘I am of Apollos,’ while others declared, ‘Apollos is so ignorant of the Apostles writings, I am of Cephas;” while still others proclaimed, ‘You fools I was trained by our founding father, the great apostle Paul.”
D.A. Carson summarizes 1 Corinthians 3:5-17 very well. He writes, “Two truths can be simply set out:
1. Christian leaders are only servants of Christ and are not to be accorded allegiance reserved for God alone.
2. God cares about his church, and he hold its leaders accountable for how they build it.”
We can learn a lot from these two points. Every man, woman, and child is nothing apart from the grace of God (1 Corinthians 15:10). When God saves us we have the great privilege of being servants of the Master, fools for Christ, children of God. Martin Luther, John Wesley, and Sinclair Ferguson (to name just a few notable churchmen) are only “servants of Christ and are not accorded allegiance reserved for God alone.” We must be very careful not to worship our heroes (yes Calvinists are included in this discussion). One pastor puts it this way, ‘the best of men are still men at best.” Ultimately glory, praise, and honor is only due God (1 Tim 6:16).
Yet the Bible ALSO tells us to “honor” a variety of people and (God ordained) positions. Generally, we are told to give honor to whom honor is due (Romans 13:7). We are commanded to honor our father and mother (Matt 19:9); Honor widows who are truly widows (1 Tim 5:3); Honor elders who labor hard in the Word (1 Tim 5:17); Honor our human masters (1 Tim 6:1); Honor the king and all men (1 Pet 2:17); and honor our wives (1 Peter 3:7). It would be entirely appropriate then to “honor” and “esteem” faithful Christian ministers (see 1 Thess 5:12-13).
Carson goes on to say in his book The Cross and Christian Ministry, “It is not that gratitude to Paul or Apollos or some other worker is inappropriate. Rather what Paul finds inexcusable is the kind of fawning and defensive attachment to one particular leader that results in one-upmanship, quarreling, and jealousy. Implicitly, such allegiance is making too much of one person. It verges on assigning that person godlike status…No Christian leader is to be venerated or listed to or adulated with the kind of allegiance and devotion properly reserved for God alone.”
Much more could be said about this passage but I will save those thoughts for my next post.
Our God is the creator of the universe. He’s made every single person in the universe different and unique. In other words, none of us are exactly like another human being. This diversity surely is an expression of the creative genius of God. God is glorified in Man’s creative differences.
God has given all of us different talents, gifts, and abilities. When these “spiritual gifts” are used in the local church God is glorified and the body is edified. God has given believers a diversity of gifts for the unity of the body (1 Peter 4:10-11, 1 Cor 12-14). Of course, God has also given each of us different personalities, genetic make-ups, etc. so when two godly pastors preach on the same passage of Scripture it should not sound exactly the same (even when they apply the same hermeneutical principles with great exegetical skill).
It’s important to start here because some people try and imitate Christian leaders (from the past or present) and find themselves frustrated because they can’t duplicate them (at least not very well). Because of this reality some people say it is silly to try and imitate any Christian heroes (past or present). Others say trying “to imitate” or “model” another person shows an underlined attitude of discontentment (i.e. I wish I were made just like so and so). In my judgment this is a both/and deal NOT an either/or situation. Like in so many areas of life this is all about biblical balance.
The Apostle Paul warned the Corinthians against the dangers of factions (read 1 Cor 3). The early Corinthian church was apparently divided over a number of different issues. One of these dividing issues was Christian leadership. Some were saying, ‘I am of Apollos,’ while others declared, ‘Apollos is so ignorant of the Apostles writings, I am of Cephas;” while still others proclaimed, ‘You fools I was trained by our founding father, the great apostle Paul.”
D.A. Carson summarizes 1 Corinthians 3:5-17 very well. He writes, “Two truths can be simply set out:
1. Christian leaders are only servants of Christ and are not to be accorded allegiance reserved for God alone.
2. God cares about his church, and he hold its leaders accountable for how they build it.”
We can learn a lot from these two points. Every man, woman, and child is nothing apart from the grace of God (1 Corinthians 15:10). When God saves us we have the great privilege of being servants of the Master, fools for Christ, children of God. Martin Luther, John Wesley, and Sinclair Ferguson (to name just a few notable churchmen) are only “servants of Christ and are not accorded allegiance reserved for God alone.” We must be very careful not to worship our heroes (yes Calvinists are included in this discussion). One pastor puts it this way, ‘the best of men are still men at best.” Ultimately glory, praise, and honor is only due God (1 Tim 6:16).
Yet the Bible ALSO tells us to “honor” a variety of people and (God ordained) positions. Generally, we are told to give honor to whom honor is due (Romans 13:7). We are commanded to honor our father and mother (Matt 19:9); Honor widows who are truly widows (1 Tim 5:3); Honor elders who labor hard in the Word (1 Tim 5:17); Honor our human masters (1 Tim 6:1); Honor the king and all men (1 Pet 2:17); and honor our wives (1 Peter 3:7). It would be entirely appropriate then to “honor” and “esteem” faithful Christian ministers (see 1 Thess 5:12-13).
Carson goes on to say in his book The Cross and Christian Ministry, “It is not that gratitude to Paul or Apollos or some other worker is inappropriate. Rather what Paul finds inexcusable is the kind of fawning and defensive attachment to one particular leader that results in one-upmanship, quarreling, and jealousy. Implicitly, such allegiance is making too much of one person. It verges on assigning that person godlike status…No Christian leader is to be venerated or listed to or adulated with the kind of allegiance and devotion properly reserved for God alone.”
Much more could be said about this passage but I will save those thoughts for my next post.
Saturday, July 01, 2006
Is it Idolatrous to have Christian Heroes?
If you were to enter my pastoral office at work you would quickly notice two things. 1. The massive bookshelves that surround my office; and 2. The pictures of Christian preachers (past and present) that look over my shoulder (on my office walls). As a young minister I often look to the past to find Christian inspiration. I love reading about the legacies of the former “giants of the faith”. Godly men like George Whitefield, John Calvin, John Knox, and Charles Spurgeon (all of whom grace my walls) are heroes of mine (for a variety of reasons). These men were solely dedicated to the Word of God; men who gave their very lives for the gospel. Leaders who did not compromise even when it cost them dearly. Powerful Bible preachers and in many regards wonderful Christian role models. These men loved their Savior and lived for his approval. In my estimation they were Hebrews 11 type people.
There are also many modern day preachers who I greatly respect and admire. For this reason I have an autographed picture of my former pastor (John MacArthur), a small cut out picture of D Martyn Lloyd-Jones, and a postcard picture of Alistair Begg posted on my wall. I attended Grace Community Church for close to 13 years so obviously John MacArthur’s ministry is near and dear to my heart. He was my pastor for many years as well as the President of the two institutions I graduated from (TMC and TMS). Lloyd-Jones was a tremendous leader and a fantastic preacher, while Pastor Begg is a charismatic speaker who (in my opinion) really knows how to drive home the biblical application of a Text. I have great admiration and respect for all the pastor-preachers who grace my pastoral walls. In some ways they keep me accountable and humble. They encourage me to persevere and remain steadfast in my ministerial calling. They remind me that nothing matters more than God's gospel.
With that said, there is clearly a major “famine in the land” when it comes to great expository preaching that is both exegetical (i.e. deep), God-centered, Christ-exulting, and clear. Well-known preachers like John Piper, Mark Dever, R.C Sproul, John MacArthur, Al Mohler, Don Carson, and Alistair Begg are exceptions to this trend. {Of course there are many "lesser-known ministers" who faithfully serve God, (&)who are equally committed to this method/model of ministry/preaching (the contributors of this blog I hope are fair examples of this).}
The questions I want to ask and answer are ones that I hear quite frequently these days: Is it wrong to have a modern day (or ancient day) Christian heroes? Is it sinful to talk about having a favorite preacher (past or present)? Does all this “hero worship” inevitably lead to idolatry, human kingdom building, and/or divisive Christian factions? Are Piper-ites and MacArthur-ites and Begg-ites guilty of unbiblical factionalism (see 1 Corinthians 3)? Is it wrong that I have pictures of sinners saved by grace on my walls?
These are some of the questions I hope to tackle during my upcoming posts. Please be patient as it will take some time to develop and answer all these questions fairly.
There are also many modern day preachers who I greatly respect and admire. For this reason I have an autographed picture of my former pastor (John MacArthur), a small cut out picture of D Martyn Lloyd-Jones, and a postcard picture of Alistair Begg posted on my wall. I attended Grace Community Church for close to 13 years so obviously John MacArthur’s ministry is near and dear to my heart. He was my pastor for many years as well as the President of the two institutions I graduated from (TMC and TMS). Lloyd-Jones was a tremendous leader and a fantastic preacher, while Pastor Begg is a charismatic speaker who (in my opinion) really knows how to drive home the biblical application of a Text. I have great admiration and respect for all the pastor-preachers who grace my pastoral walls. In some ways they keep me accountable and humble. They encourage me to persevere and remain steadfast in my ministerial calling. They remind me that nothing matters more than God's gospel.
With that said, there is clearly a major “famine in the land” when it comes to great expository preaching that is both exegetical (i.e. deep), God-centered, Christ-exulting, and clear. Well-known preachers like John Piper, Mark Dever, R.C Sproul, John MacArthur, Al Mohler, Don Carson, and Alistair Begg are exceptions to this trend. {Of course there are many "lesser-known ministers" who faithfully serve God, (&)who are equally committed to this method/model of ministry/preaching (the contributors of this blog I hope are fair examples of this).}
The questions I want to ask and answer are ones that I hear quite frequently these days: Is it wrong to have a modern day (or ancient day) Christian heroes? Is it sinful to talk about having a favorite preacher (past or present)? Does all this “hero worship” inevitably lead to idolatry, human kingdom building, and/or divisive Christian factions? Are Piper-ites and MacArthur-ites and Begg-ites guilty of unbiblical factionalism (see 1 Corinthians 3)? Is it wrong that I have pictures of sinners saved by grace on my walls?
These are some of the questions I hope to tackle during my upcoming posts. Please be patient as it will take some time to develop and answer all these questions fairly.
Friday, June 30, 2006
post-modern ministry (pt 2) by Jerry Wragg
Check out this post at http://paullamey.blogspot.com/
So why is the church so awash in a sea of culture-assessments and postmodern analyses to find out "what we're doing wrong"? One reason, I believe, is the rapid rise of evil in an historically conservative culture which always spawns a desperate counter-attack to preserve all that is treasured and familiar. In other words, the evangelical church has simply not been content with dwindling numbers, strained budgets, increased persecution, academic ridicule, and cultural marginalization. But this is precisely when the temptation to compromise is at its zenith. Instead of seeing such circumstances as "normal" (though not acceptable) in a declining culture of rebellion against God (millenniums of human history demonstrate this), we've made an idol out of "the impact we used to have", gone back to the drawing board of ministry, redefined the purpose of the church, and congratulated ourselves for our new crowds, pragmatically-gotten budgets, and fad-focused hype. Unfortunately, this new generation of ministry "architects" is too sufficiently disconnected from historical ecclesiology and theology to have any idea what they've crafted. They are truly a "generation who knows not Joseph". Who determined that we were doing something wrong? How was it determined? "The church is old-fashioned and out-dated" some will argue. OK, update your illustrations, modernize some of the churches great hymnology, write new songs, use technology, aggressively evangelize, let your presence be known, etc. I agree that these methodologies aren't really the issue. But if everything about the worship of God's people is "up for grabs" and dispensable simply because the culture seems more disinterested than ever, then the emerging church is not a "church" at all, but just another paradigm shift among pagans---a new way of "feeling" like they spiritually and morally matter in this life.
Another reason for this sprint toward “a new kind of church” is the disappearance of the universal necessity of the cross. When ministry becomes an attempt to subjectively “touch” the hearts of individuals rather than bring them face to face with their actual condition and ultimate need, the necessity of the cross is eliminated! Sin is no longer the result of natural corruption but the unfortunate outcome of limited knowledge, unfulfilled expectations, and overwhelming odds. Today’s average postmodern “reachable” is therefore not looking for a savior but a sympathizer who understands their plight from their vantage point. They don’t want a God whose friendship is conditioned upon obeying another master but a supplier who meets them at their desire. Professions of “faith” are merely pledges to join a less stringent religious group whose god demands nothing. Guilt from sin is more of an unfortunate inconvenience in an otherwise deserving, worthy, and loveable life. If a gospel is offered in these “churches”, it is often reduced to an acknowledgment that the historical Jesus “died for sinners”, while the new “convert” retains his/her sense of significant wholeness, allowing God to make him/her feel more deserving, worthy, and loveable. Trusting in the Holy Spirit to regenerate by means of His truth quickly becomes a forgotten essential. David Wells was poignant when he said, “The church [has adopted] strategies that…it is hoped, will make up for the apparent insufficiency of the word and ensure more success in the culture.” Furthermore, if human beings are not thoroughly corrupt and in dire straits with a holy God one wonders why God made such a big deal of Jesus’ death at all. Such a horrific bloodletting for the unavoidable mistakes of otherwise good people? Whatever for?
If today's "purpose-wars" tell us anything, it's that we must let God define the postmodern heart and the means to "reach them". I don’t believe today’s postmodernist truly values anything but themselves. Indeed, that’s what makes them postmodern, believing in no objective reality or meaning outside of the one they create. Reaching their ears with the saving gospel of Jesus Christ is our most awesome privilege and responsibility! But reaching their hearts with the gospel’s life-giving power is God’s sovereign joy. I long to see God move mightily in the hearts of sinners, but I shudder to think that some might find today’s “emerging authenticity” more attractive than truth. In fact, until they face the truth on God’s terms and stop haranguing about what they think the church ought to offer, they can never know saving grace. We should not be surprised that our culture is in a rapid declension away from truth, clarity, logic, and true meaning (2 Tim. 3-4). We must trust implicitly in the saving power of God to regenerate hearts---A work He has not ceased to do as He builds His hell-defying church. If we lose the battle here, we are no different than those who consider the preaching of the gospel as "foolishness".
So why is the church so awash in a sea of culture-assessments and postmodern analyses to find out "what we're doing wrong"? One reason, I believe, is the rapid rise of evil in an historically conservative culture which always spawns a desperate counter-attack to preserve all that is treasured and familiar. In other words, the evangelical church has simply not been content with dwindling numbers, strained budgets, increased persecution, academic ridicule, and cultural marginalization. But this is precisely when the temptation to compromise is at its zenith. Instead of seeing such circumstances as "normal" (though not acceptable) in a declining culture of rebellion against God (millenniums of human history demonstrate this), we've made an idol out of "the impact we used to have", gone back to the drawing board of ministry, redefined the purpose of the church, and congratulated ourselves for our new crowds, pragmatically-gotten budgets, and fad-focused hype. Unfortunately, this new generation of ministry "architects" is too sufficiently disconnected from historical ecclesiology and theology to have any idea what they've crafted. They are truly a "generation who knows not Joseph". Who determined that we were doing something wrong? How was it determined? "The church is old-fashioned and out-dated" some will argue. OK, update your illustrations, modernize some of the churches great hymnology, write new songs, use technology, aggressively evangelize, let your presence be known, etc. I agree that these methodologies aren't really the issue. But if everything about the worship of God's people is "up for grabs" and dispensable simply because the culture seems more disinterested than ever, then the emerging church is not a "church" at all, but just another paradigm shift among pagans---a new way of "feeling" like they spiritually and morally matter in this life.
Another reason for this sprint toward “a new kind of church” is the disappearance of the universal necessity of the cross. When ministry becomes an attempt to subjectively “touch” the hearts of individuals rather than bring them face to face with their actual condition and ultimate need, the necessity of the cross is eliminated! Sin is no longer the result of natural corruption but the unfortunate outcome of limited knowledge, unfulfilled expectations, and overwhelming odds. Today’s average postmodern “reachable” is therefore not looking for a savior but a sympathizer who understands their plight from their vantage point. They don’t want a God whose friendship is conditioned upon obeying another master but a supplier who meets them at their desire. Professions of “faith” are merely pledges to join a less stringent religious group whose god demands nothing. Guilt from sin is more of an unfortunate inconvenience in an otherwise deserving, worthy, and loveable life. If a gospel is offered in these “churches”, it is often reduced to an acknowledgment that the historical Jesus “died for sinners”, while the new “convert” retains his/her sense of significant wholeness, allowing God to make him/her feel more deserving, worthy, and loveable. Trusting in the Holy Spirit to regenerate by means of His truth quickly becomes a forgotten essential. David Wells was poignant when he said, “The church [has adopted] strategies that…it is hoped, will make up for the apparent insufficiency of the word and ensure more success in the culture.” Furthermore, if human beings are not thoroughly corrupt and in dire straits with a holy God one wonders why God made such a big deal of Jesus’ death at all. Such a horrific bloodletting for the unavoidable mistakes of otherwise good people? Whatever for?
If today's "purpose-wars" tell us anything, it's that we must let God define the postmodern heart and the means to "reach them". I don’t believe today’s postmodernist truly values anything but themselves. Indeed, that’s what makes them postmodern, believing in no objective reality or meaning outside of the one they create. Reaching their ears with the saving gospel of Jesus Christ is our most awesome privilege and responsibility! But reaching their hearts with the gospel’s life-giving power is God’s sovereign joy. I long to see God move mightily in the hearts of sinners, but I shudder to think that some might find today’s “emerging authenticity” more attractive than truth. In fact, until they face the truth on God’s terms and stop haranguing about what they think the church ought to offer, they can never know saving grace. We should not be surprised that our culture is in a rapid declension away from truth, clarity, logic, and true meaning (2 Tim. 3-4). We must trust implicitly in the saving power of God to regenerate hearts---A work He has not ceased to do as He builds His hell-defying church. If we lose the battle here, we are no different than those who consider the preaching of the gospel as "foolishness".
Don't emerge just yet (pt 1) by Jerry Wragg
Check out Pastor Wragg's post at http://paullamey.blogspot.com/
“To Impact the culture, we must change the way we do ministry”! We here it declared in every modern church growth book and mega-conference. The guru’s of this recent push are convinced that the present generation of young people have special needs and new values. They tell us that today’s youth are no longer reached by the aging evangelical approach of yesterday, but should be allowed to weigh in on what’s truly important for cultural impact. We are being told that our youth culture now highly esteems qualities like authenticity, credibility, and character more than the trappings of 'religion'. Is this true? Should we begin a thorough demolition of all that has gone before that we might raise up ministries of “authenticity”? I agree that such values may still be generally attractive to many, but no student of the postmodern culture (especially the youth pop-culture) could genuinely conclude that young people truly "value" or even understand character qualities such as authenticity or credibility.
What is "authenticity" anyway? Postmoderns differ greatly here, and many of them speak of it in terms that sound more like they value "non-judgmentalism" and "freedom of expression without scrutiny" (what they deem "the trappings of religion"). I've raised four children, all who've grown up in a postmodern, youth pop-culture kind of age. They've been in a pastor's home all their lives and had to forge a genuine faith of their own just like every true believer. Authenticity (i.e. true genuineness) is not at a premium in the student culture around them. What their unsaved peers value most (at least those who do the most complaining about today's church culture) is their own opinion and personal right to call it "truth" and have it validated. Anyone who disagrees is viewed as judgmental and unable to be "authentic". Furthermore, does today's average postmodern really value credibility? If so, why are their lives so rife with hypocrisy? If I claim to value credibility and find fault with a religion that seems out of touch and hypocritical, yet I make no attempt to model the quality I "value", am I not the greater hypocrite? If an unsaved postmodern attends our ministry looking for "credibility", becomes uncomfortable with our ministry “culture”, and concludes that we've missed it, have we "failed to reach them"? Should we adjust the worship of our God to become "credible" by their definition? Or could it be that what they mean by "credibility" is really a church's "willingness to adopt cultural norms and embrace other lifestyles indiscriminately”?
I find that when postmoderns speak about how the 21st century church ought to "emerge", they camp on two major themes: Their disillusionment over the hypocrisy of the evangelical church (sadly, a legitimate complaint), and the urgent need to jettison every vestige of Christian heritage in favor of what they deem "cutting edge" and therefore "relevant". Moreover, they tend to use the above as an excuse to justify their new ideas instead of offering sound biblical proof as to why the church ought to morph as they suggest. I speak with unsaved college students (who are curious and like to debate the issues) all the time, and what is clear from our interaction is that they value worldliness, autonomy, and the fewest scruples possible, all the while sensing the emptiness of these things. Whenever talk of biblical credibility and character arises they are suddenly in a dilemma. Their conscience bears them witness that the truth is being spoken, but a rebellious heart and sinful habits drown it out. Is this the time to ask them in what context or in what way they prefer to hear these things? A lost man doesn't even know how to make sense of all the converging desires within him, much less what he really needs. That's why the scriptures are so thorough on the convicting work of the Spirit. Before the Spirit's drawing, I had all kinds of religious notions but no clue as to real spiritual realities (holiness, sin, judgment, saving grace, the Church, etc.). No postmodern can ever "determine" what kind of church can "reach" his/her culture, and to believe they can is like asking a fish to describe its surroundings and expecting it to mention the water!
“To Impact the culture, we must change the way we do ministry”! We here it declared in every modern church growth book and mega-conference. The guru’s of this recent push are convinced that the present generation of young people have special needs and new values. They tell us that today’s youth are no longer reached by the aging evangelical approach of yesterday, but should be allowed to weigh in on what’s truly important for cultural impact. We are being told that our youth culture now highly esteems qualities like authenticity, credibility, and character more than the trappings of 'religion'. Is this true? Should we begin a thorough demolition of all that has gone before that we might raise up ministries of “authenticity”? I agree that such values may still be generally attractive to many, but no student of the postmodern culture (especially the youth pop-culture) could genuinely conclude that young people truly "value" or even understand character qualities such as authenticity or credibility.
What is "authenticity" anyway? Postmoderns differ greatly here, and many of them speak of it in terms that sound more like they value "non-judgmentalism" and "freedom of expression without scrutiny" (what they deem "the trappings of religion"). I've raised four children, all who've grown up in a postmodern, youth pop-culture kind of age. They've been in a pastor's home all their lives and had to forge a genuine faith of their own just like every true believer. Authenticity (i.e. true genuineness) is not at a premium in the student culture around them. What their unsaved peers value most (at least those who do the most complaining about today's church culture) is their own opinion and personal right to call it "truth" and have it validated. Anyone who disagrees is viewed as judgmental and unable to be "authentic". Furthermore, does today's average postmodern really value credibility? If so, why are their lives so rife with hypocrisy? If I claim to value credibility and find fault with a religion that seems out of touch and hypocritical, yet I make no attempt to model the quality I "value", am I not the greater hypocrite? If an unsaved postmodern attends our ministry looking for "credibility", becomes uncomfortable with our ministry “culture”, and concludes that we've missed it, have we "failed to reach them"? Should we adjust the worship of our God to become "credible" by their definition? Or could it be that what they mean by "credibility" is really a church's "willingness to adopt cultural norms and embrace other lifestyles indiscriminately”?
I find that when postmoderns speak about how the 21st century church ought to "emerge", they camp on two major themes: Their disillusionment over the hypocrisy of the evangelical church (sadly, a legitimate complaint), and the urgent need to jettison every vestige of Christian heritage in favor of what they deem "cutting edge" and therefore "relevant". Moreover, they tend to use the above as an excuse to justify their new ideas instead of offering sound biblical proof as to why the church ought to morph as they suggest. I speak with unsaved college students (who are curious and like to debate the issues) all the time, and what is clear from our interaction is that they value worldliness, autonomy, and the fewest scruples possible, all the while sensing the emptiness of these things. Whenever talk of biblical credibility and character arises they are suddenly in a dilemma. Their conscience bears them witness that the truth is being spoken, but a rebellious heart and sinful habits drown it out. Is this the time to ask them in what context or in what way they prefer to hear these things? A lost man doesn't even know how to make sense of all the converging desires within him, much less what he really needs. That's why the scriptures are so thorough on the convicting work of the Spirit. Before the Spirit's drawing, I had all kinds of religious notions but no clue as to real spiritual realities (holiness, sin, judgment, saving grace, the Church, etc.). No postmodern can ever "determine" what kind of church can "reach" his/her culture, and to believe they can is like asking a fish to describe its surroundings and expecting it to mention the water!
Monday, June 26, 2006
Sermon Charge (pt 2)
III. Third, you are a college student:
Ecclesiastes tells young people to “REJOICE in the days of their youth” (Eccl 11:9-10).
Yes it is spiritual to: Love life! To have a ton of fun! To truly enjoy the prime of life. You’ll only be a college student once, so live it up!!
Just remember the Biblical balance; Ephesians 5:16 commands us to, “Make the most of our time since the days are evil” Ecclesiastes 11:9 goes on to say, “Rejoice, young man, during your childhood, and let your heart be pleasant during the days of young adulthood. And follow the impulses of your heart and the desires of your eyes. Yet know that God will bring you to judgment for all these things.” “Whatever you do, do all to His glory (1 Cor 10:31).” See your HW and your studies as a stewardship matter...Just don’t let your books get in the way of your fun too much!
IV. Fourth, soon you will be a dormmate and a roommate.
One of the most refining aspects of college often takes place in the dorm room:
A) Here you will be tested, tried, and perhaps even tempted.
B) Here you will learn what it truly means to DIE to self.
Jesus said if anyone wishes to come after me, let him first DENY HIMSELF….(Luke 9:23)
Find ways to serve your roommate. Love her unconditionally.
Learn how you can become more like Jesus by embracing this relationship whole-heartedly
Even when you have the best roommate in the world their will be times when you feel like murdering someone…. My advice to you is simple: Resist that temptation!
Embrace your difficult circumstances knowing they’re from the Lord (James 1:2-6).
C) In the dorms you will learn how you can humbly implement the principles found in Philippians 2:3-4, “Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind let each of you regard one another as more important than himself; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.”
D) Here you will learn how to resolve conflict Biblically-
Try to practice the “4 biblical rules of communication” from Ephesians 4.
1. Be honest!
2. Keep current!
3. Act, don’t react!
4. Attack the problem, NOT the person!
View your roommate & your dormmates as God’s sovereign agents, sent by Him to help you grow!
E) In your dorm room you will learn how to repent and how to forgive (Matt 5:23-24)
And Finally (F) In the dorms you will discover how diverse the body of Christ truly is. God has sovereignly saved: Jocks, nerds, merit scholars, home-schoolers, international students, americans, misfits, and more… God’s glory is surely displayed in this diversity (Rev 5:9). Seek out Christian friends who are red hot for Jesus- Even if they are (humanly speaking) radically different than you!
The sooner, we the church, learn to embrace God’s creative diversity the sooner we’ll be able to function as one (Eph 4:16)
(Graduate) Please know your church family will be praying for you. We are here for you if you ever need us. We are only a phone call away….
But let me close by reminding you of my favorite Bible verse in all of Scripture (Joshua 1:9). May you cling to this verse whenever you feel lonely, homesick, confused, or scared. I have seen God keep this promise in my own life as I’ve moved from WI to CA; CA to WA; WA to CA; CA to FL; FL to CA; and CA to IN.
God said to Joshua before he possessed the land of Canaan;
“Have I not commanded you be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified, do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you may go.”
If God be for you- who or what can stand against you (Romans 8:28-39)?!?
Ecclesiastes tells young people to “REJOICE in the days of their youth” (Eccl 11:9-10).
Yes it is spiritual to: Love life! To have a ton of fun! To truly enjoy the prime of life. You’ll only be a college student once, so live it up!!
Just remember the Biblical balance; Ephesians 5:16 commands us to, “Make the most of our time since the days are evil” Ecclesiastes 11:9 goes on to say, “Rejoice, young man, during your childhood, and let your heart be pleasant during the days of young adulthood. And follow the impulses of your heart and the desires of your eyes. Yet know that God will bring you to judgment for all these things.” “Whatever you do, do all to His glory (1 Cor 10:31).” See your HW and your studies as a stewardship matter...Just don’t let your books get in the way of your fun too much!
IV. Fourth, soon you will be a dormmate and a roommate.
One of the most refining aspects of college often takes place in the dorm room:
A) Here you will be tested, tried, and perhaps even tempted.
B) Here you will learn what it truly means to DIE to self.
Jesus said if anyone wishes to come after me, let him first DENY HIMSELF….(Luke 9:23)
Find ways to serve your roommate. Love her unconditionally.
Learn how you can become more like Jesus by embracing this relationship whole-heartedly
Even when you have the best roommate in the world their will be times when you feel like murdering someone…. My advice to you is simple: Resist that temptation!
Embrace your difficult circumstances knowing they’re from the Lord (James 1:2-6).
C) In the dorms you will learn how you can humbly implement the principles found in Philippians 2:3-4, “Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind let each of you regard one another as more important than himself; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.”
D) Here you will learn how to resolve conflict Biblically-
Try to practice the “4 biblical rules of communication” from Ephesians 4.
1. Be honest!
2. Keep current!
3. Act, don’t react!
4. Attack the problem, NOT the person!
View your roommate & your dormmates as God’s sovereign agents, sent by Him to help you grow!
E) In your dorm room you will learn how to repent and how to forgive (Matt 5:23-24)
And Finally (F) In the dorms you will discover how diverse the body of Christ truly is. God has sovereignly saved: Jocks, nerds, merit scholars, home-schoolers, international students, americans, misfits, and more… God’s glory is surely displayed in this diversity (Rev 5:9). Seek out Christian friends who are red hot for Jesus- Even if they are (humanly speaking) radically different than you!
The sooner, we the church, learn to embrace God’s creative diversity the sooner we’ll be able to function as one (Eph 4:16)
(Graduate) Please know your church family will be praying for you. We are here for you if you ever need us. We are only a phone call away….
But let me close by reminding you of my favorite Bible verse in all of Scripture (Joshua 1:9). May you cling to this verse whenever you feel lonely, homesick, confused, or scared. I have seen God keep this promise in my own life as I’ve moved from WI to CA; CA to WA; WA to CA; CA to FL; FL to CA; and CA to IN.
God said to Joshua before he possessed the land of Canaan;
“Have I not commanded you be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified, do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you may go.”
If God be for you- who or what can stand against you (Romans 8:28-39)?!?
A sermon charge to H.S. graduates (PT 1)
"We are gathered here tonight to praise God for the infinite grace that has been displayed in your life!
We want to congratulate you on all your accomplishments; We want to thank you for your faithfulness to this Church and to our youth group in particular; & tonight as your teen pastor, I’d like to briefly encourage you from Holy Scripture as you prepare to leave home and begin an exciting journey at Grace College.
I think the best way I can accomplish this goal is by looking at the various roles you have (or will soon have) and discover what God’s Word has to say about each of these important responsibilities:
This is my personal charge to you that I trust will reflect God’s priorities (not merely my opinions)….
I. First and foremost you are a child of God:
“For by grace you have been saved through faith and that not of yourself lest anyone should boast.” (Eph 2:8) God graciously saved you and I know you’ve dedicated your life to His service! You are a Christian, a disciple of Christ’s.
It has been a privilege to see you “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.” You’ve been blessed with a remarkable memory and a sharp mind. Your passion for reading books and learning is exemplary; Your creative use of your imagination is a wonderful endowment…
-->Continue to use these gifts for God’s glory! (1 Peter 4:10ff)
With that said:
1) Never allow yourself to think you’ve somehow arrived.
Philippians 3:12 says, “Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own.” Keep on pressing on!
2) Avoid comparing your spiritual walk with others; Rather focus your attention on the Author and the Perfecter of your faith.
Christ-likeness is the standard and our objective (1 Peter 1:14-16). Also remember the inspired words of Paul in 1 Thess 4:10, “But we urge you, brethren, to excel still more…”
“Excel still more” in your faith
From my own personal experience, I know that Christian college students are especially vulnerable to spiritual pride… After all the Apostle Paul said, “that knowledge (alone) puffeth up.”
3) Continue then to grow in humility, gentleness, and grace as you no doubt will grow in knowledge, understanding, and theological wit… (See C.J. Mahaney’s book Humility: True Greatness)
4) I encourage you to seek wise counsel from godly dorm friends, your RD, and your parents; BUT ONLY after you’ve 1st asked God for wisdom and direction.
Proverbs 3:5-6 remind us to, Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And do not lean on your own understanding. 6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight.
If, and when problems arise in your life, make sure that first you take everything to the Lord.
It’s a great blessing being able to attend a solid Christian college. I encourage you to take full advantage of this wonderful opportunity. Learn all you can from your new Christian friends, your Christian professors, and your RAs.
5) Constantly remind yourself though that with great privilege, comes great stewardship.
Jesus said to “whom much is given, much is required” (Luke 12:48)
6) As a child of God don’t forget how important daily bible devotions are to your spiritual growth.
It’s easy to dry up even when you’re in the right place-
Don’t neglect the Bible! For it was the Word of God that made you wise unto salvation and it is the sacred Scriptures that will sanctify your very soul (2 Timothy 3:15-17).
1 Peter 2:2 says, “like new born infants LONG for the pure milk of the Word that by It, you may grow in respect to your salvation.”
Pray that your love for Jesus Christ will deepen as a result of these times!!
7) One last thing: Don’t let anyone tell you that Bible classes, chapel, dorm devotions, and parachurch ministries can usurp the central role of the local Church!
The Scriptures are clear that Christ’s bride has a unique place in God’s Kingdom program. The local church is the visible representation of the body of Christ! Make it a priority to plug yourself into a biblical church! One where you can be feed, discipled, and cared for; One where you can use your spiritual gifts & talents for the edification of the local church and the glory of God!
If you do these things I truly believe you will grow into the Proverbs 31 women that all of us desire you to become!
Never forget, you are first and foremost a child of God!
II. Second, you still are your parent’s daughter:
Like most Christian college students I’m guessing you are still very much financially dependent on your parents?!?
That of course means that you’re still obligated to obey and honor them as Ephesians 6:1-3 says; Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 2 Honor your father and mother (which is the first commandment with a promise), that it may be well with you, and that you may live long on the earth.
When you’re up at night eating ice-cream, painting toe nails, or maybe just cramming for a chemistry quiz take a moment to stop and thank God for giving you Christian parents. Try and find a free moment every week (or so) to call your mom. Take a minute or two to send your dad a post-card reminding him how much you love and miss him; & if you have any free time don’t forget to send an email to your lonely siblings, esp. your older brother! "
By C Kolstad
We want to congratulate you on all your accomplishments; We want to thank you for your faithfulness to this Church and to our youth group in particular; & tonight as your teen pastor, I’d like to briefly encourage you from Holy Scripture as you prepare to leave home and begin an exciting journey at Grace College.
I think the best way I can accomplish this goal is by looking at the various roles you have (or will soon have) and discover what God’s Word has to say about each of these important responsibilities:
This is my personal charge to you that I trust will reflect God’s priorities (not merely my opinions)….
I. First and foremost you are a child of God:
“For by grace you have been saved through faith and that not of yourself lest anyone should boast.” (Eph 2:8) God graciously saved you and I know you’ve dedicated your life to His service! You are a Christian, a disciple of Christ’s.
It has been a privilege to see you “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.” You’ve been blessed with a remarkable memory and a sharp mind. Your passion for reading books and learning is exemplary; Your creative use of your imagination is a wonderful endowment…
-->Continue to use these gifts for God’s glory! (1 Peter 4:10ff)
With that said:
1) Never allow yourself to think you’ve somehow arrived.
Philippians 3:12 says, “Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own.” Keep on pressing on!
2) Avoid comparing your spiritual walk with others; Rather focus your attention on the Author and the Perfecter of your faith.
Christ-likeness is the standard and our objective (1 Peter 1:14-16). Also remember the inspired words of Paul in 1 Thess 4:10, “But we urge you, brethren, to excel still more…”
“Excel still more” in your faith
From my own personal experience, I know that Christian college students are especially vulnerable to spiritual pride… After all the Apostle Paul said, “that knowledge (alone) puffeth up.”
3) Continue then to grow in humility, gentleness, and grace as you no doubt will grow in knowledge, understanding, and theological wit… (See C.J. Mahaney’s book Humility: True Greatness)
4) I encourage you to seek wise counsel from godly dorm friends, your RD, and your parents; BUT ONLY after you’ve 1st asked God for wisdom and direction.
Proverbs 3:5-6 remind us to, Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And do not lean on your own understanding. 6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight.
If, and when problems arise in your life, make sure that first you take everything to the Lord.
It’s a great blessing being able to attend a solid Christian college. I encourage you to take full advantage of this wonderful opportunity. Learn all you can from your new Christian friends, your Christian professors, and your RAs.
5) Constantly remind yourself though that with great privilege, comes great stewardship.
Jesus said to “whom much is given, much is required” (Luke 12:48)
6) As a child of God don’t forget how important daily bible devotions are to your spiritual growth.
It’s easy to dry up even when you’re in the right place-
Don’t neglect the Bible! For it was the Word of God that made you wise unto salvation and it is the sacred Scriptures that will sanctify your very soul (2 Timothy 3:15-17).
1 Peter 2:2 says, “like new born infants LONG for the pure milk of the Word that by It, you may grow in respect to your salvation.”
Pray that your love for Jesus Christ will deepen as a result of these times!!
7) One last thing: Don’t let anyone tell you that Bible classes, chapel, dorm devotions, and parachurch ministries can usurp the central role of the local Church!
The Scriptures are clear that Christ’s bride has a unique place in God’s Kingdom program. The local church is the visible representation of the body of Christ! Make it a priority to plug yourself into a biblical church! One where you can be feed, discipled, and cared for; One where you can use your spiritual gifts & talents for the edification of the local church and the glory of God!
If you do these things I truly believe you will grow into the Proverbs 31 women that all of us desire you to become!
Never forget, you are first and foremost a child of God!
II. Second, you still are your parent’s daughter:
Like most Christian college students I’m guessing you are still very much financially dependent on your parents?!?
That of course means that you’re still obligated to obey and honor them as Ephesians 6:1-3 says; Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 2 Honor your father and mother (which is the first commandment with a promise), that it may be well with you, and that you may live long on the earth.
When you’re up at night eating ice-cream, painting toe nails, or maybe just cramming for a chemistry quiz take a moment to stop and thank God for giving you Christian parents. Try and find a free moment every week (or so) to call your mom. Take a minute or two to send your dad a post-card reminding him how much you love and miss him; & if you have any free time don’t forget to send an email to your lonely siblings, esp. your older brother! "
By C Kolstad
Friday, June 09, 2006
"Modesty Matters" by Dan Phillips
Dan Phillips
Sister... show mercy!
A great post taken from http://teampyro.blogspot.com/
Preface: "What are you -- nuts?!" Just thought I'd lead with the question you'll be wondering in a few minutes. I am about to stick my finger in the fan, about up to my elbow, and I know it. But I really think someone needs to say this -- and why not me? I have less to lose than many who've thought the same thing, but daren't say it.
This is likely to get the water hotter than the first or second Wright posting did. If I was accused of "ignorance" in daring to Touch The Academy's Anointed... well, just wait. And it won't matter that I will dance more precisely than ever before. (See? "Dance." Already have some Baptists mad at me.)
So here we go.
What will change, and what won't. Spring's springing, and summer looms. Mercury rises, fashions change. But one thing that won't change, unless I'm badly and happily mistaken: some good and regular churchgoers will not dress as helpfully as they could.
I chose that word with care: "helpfully." I am not talking about sin, shame, indecency, wantonness, or the like. Perhaps I could, with some justification, in some cases. But that's for another time -- and probably another writer. At this point, I just want to talk about being helpful.
Sister, if there's one thing you and I can certainly agree on, it's this: I don't know what it's like to be a woman, and you don't know what it's like to be a man. We're both probably wrong where we're sure we're right, try as we might. So let me try to dart a telegram from my camp over to the distaff side.
"Sheol and Abaddon are never satisfied, and never satisfied are the eyes of man" (Proverbs 27:20). Solomon doesn't use the Hebrew words that would indicate males exclusively, so this and Ecclesiastes 1:8 may apply across the gender-board. Libbie pointed out very ably that we men wrongly assume that we alone battle with temptations entering through the eye-gate.
But. But if men aren't alone in the battle, they may have a particular weakness for this aspect of it. Consider passionately-godly King David, whose psalms express aspirations after God beside which our own are pale, bloodless things. One day King David is in the wrong place, at the wrong time; sees a naked woman bathing next door, and boom! -- he's gone (2 Samuel 11). Family, kingdom, God -- all forgotten, consumed in the flash-flame a lust that was only visual in its inception.
And what of that Israelite Philistine Samson and his own "eye trouble?" He sees a fetching young pagan, and bellows at his dad, "Get her for me, for she looks good to me" (Judges 14:3 NAS). Where did Samson's passions take him? How did his course end?
Unless all the men I've known personally or at a distance are completely unrepresentative, it's a lifelong struggle, a lifelong weakness. As I recall from a Proverbs lecture on mp3, Bruce Waltke says that his dad, at around age 100, told him, "Bruce, I still have the same struggles I did when I was 50." It was sobering for Dr. Waltke to hear; sobering for any man! (In fact, put me down for "disheartening.")
Where am I going with this? Oh, don't try to look so innocent. You know exactly where I'm going.
So here comes this brother into the assembly of the saints, hoping for a rest from the battles of the week, a moment to regroup, sing, pray, get the Word, fellowship. He looks up to the choir, or to his left or his right -- and in a tick of the clock, he's facing the same struggle he faced every time he turned on his TV, opened a magazine, or went down a city street. He's seeing things that make it far too easy for him not to keep his mind focused where it needs to be focused.
And he's not in a nightclub, he's not at a singles' bar, he's not at the beach. He's in church.
Now, some very direct disclaimers:
• Every man's sin is his own, and every man's struggle is his own (Proverbs 14:10)
• No one makes a man think or feel anything (Proverbs 4:23)
• It is each individual's responsibility to guard his own heart (Proverbs 4:23)
• Beauty is a wonderful gift of God (cf. Exodus 28:2; Song of Solomonn 1:8, 15, etc.)
Having said all that: while it may be true that I'm holding the matches, you won't help me if you pile twigs all around my feet and douse them with lighter fluid. To be more specific: if you know I've had trouble with drunkenness, you won't offer me a glass of wine. If you know I battle covetousness, you won't take me window-shopping in high-end stores I've no business frequenting.
So I put this question: what are some sisters thinking, in how they dress?
As the ladies pick clothes, they'll consider what's pretty, what's flattering, what's attractive. Who could blame them? But, "attractive" to whom? In what way? To what end? With what focus?
Consider the questions again. "Is it pretty?" Good question, no evil in it. "Is it comfortable, is it complimentary, is it fun?" No problem. I'd just suggest you add one more question: "Is it helpful, or is it hurtful, to my brothers in Christ? Will this unintentionally contribute to their having a focus that is harmful to their walk?"
Now, lookie here:
In that day the Lord will take away the finery of the anklets, the headbands, and the crescents; 19 the pendants, the bracelets, and the scarves; 20 the headdresses, the armlets, the sashes, the perfume boxes, and the amulets; 21 the signet rings and nose rings; 22 the festal robes, the mantles, the cloaks, and the handbags; 23 the mirrors, the linen garments, the turbans, and the veils. (Isaiah 3:18-23)
...likewise also that women should adorn themselves in respectable apparel, with modesty and self-control, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly attire, 10 but with what is proper for women who profess godliness--with good works. (1 Timothy 2:9-10)
Do not let your adorning be external--the braiding of hair, the wearing of gold, or the putting on of clothing-- 4 but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God's sight is very precious. (1 Peter 3:3-4)
Immediately we'll swing in, as we always do, and say, "Now, the writer's not saying that women can't dress nicely, or wear jewelry, or blah blah blah." And we'll all disown our Fundie forebears who focused on nylons and lipstick, and came up with precise hemline measurements. We'll want to make sure that we're not advocating a new line of Burqaware for evangelical women. All that will be true and valid enough.
But I'm concerned that, in our anxiety to be sure to prevent the wrong interpretation, we effectively cut off all interpretation. We have swung from making the passages say silly things, to not letting them say anything. These passages have to mean something! They must have some application! What is it?
Surely the emphasis of the passages is warning against vanity, externality, sensuality; and on highlighting and promoting focus on a godly character as true beauty. Who you are; not just what you look like. Remember: "As a ring of gold in a swine's snout, So is a beautiful woman who lacks discretion" (Proverbs 11:22 NAS).
Oh boy, I'm going to make it worse now. Deep breath....
What are you clothes saying about you, sister? What are they supposed to say to your brothers? "Hey, look at this?" Well, they actually are trying to look at the Lord; it's not good for them to be looking at that. No, it's not your fault that they have a problem. We established that. And it's really great that God has made you beautiful. I hope your husband (present or future) shows you how grateful he is for that about you.
But you can help the brothers who aren't your husband, or you can not-help them. Which are you doing? If you're not married, and a man looks at you, is he thinking, "What a great character"? Or are you giving him reason to think about something else?
I know many of the responses. "You don't know what it's like to buy women's clothes, you ignorant man!" Mostly true. My first just-for-fun purchase for my wife was, well, it was appalling. What a good sport my wife was. I took it back to the store immediately, and made a much better subsequent choice.
But this: "You can't find anything modest! It's all too revealing! It's impossible to get something that looks nice, yet isn't too tight, or too short, or too-something / not-something-enough!"
Sorry, but baloney.
I put "modest women's clothing Christian" in Google, and 453,000 pages come up. Yes, some are funny and quaint at best. But are they all Amishwear? "Can't find?"
More fundamentally: I do not accept that anyone has to wear clothes that are too tight or too sheer or too short -- unless you are the largest and tallest woman living in the hottest part of the planet. Because I see larger, taller women walking around in hot weather, and they're all wearing clothes, every last one. They got those clothes somewhere, I reason. You could too.
"But -- but they won't look good on me! The shoulders will be wrong!"
I'm not sure that's necessarily true, but let's accept it and pose a counter-question. You tell me. Which is worse: your shoulders hanging a half-inch too low? Or a blouse/shirt that simply (shifting into turbo-delicate) provides need-to-know information to those with a need-to-not-know?
I'm sure we all agree that there are clothes that show what others have no helpful business seeing. Here's what to show, in clothes-selection: show a Godward focus, discretion, a godly character; And show mercy.
Parting thought. Darlene pointed me to a statement by Arthur Pink, which makes everything I've just said look awfully mild. But there's no denying that he has a point. I'll close with it:
Again, if lustful looking be so grievous a sin, then those who dress and expose themselves with desires to be looked at and lusted after-as Jezebel, who painted her face, tired her head, and looked out of the window (2 Kings 9:30)-are not less, but even more guilty. In this matter it is only too often the case that men sin, but women tempt them so to do. How great, then, must be the guilt of the great majority of the modern misses who deliberately seek to arouse the sexual passions of our young men? And how much greater still is the guilt of most of their mothers for allowing them to become lascivious temptresses?
Now, note, Pink and I speak to different ends. I speak to those who I assume are inadvertently dressing in an unhelpful manner. Pink speaks to those whose intent is to allure. Between the two of us, I can pray we've provided food for thought, prayer, reconsideration, and needed change.
By DAN PHILLIPS
Sister... show mercy!
A great post taken from http://teampyro.blogspot.com/
Preface: "What are you -- nuts?!" Just thought I'd lead with the question you'll be wondering in a few minutes. I am about to stick my finger in the fan, about up to my elbow, and I know it. But I really think someone needs to say this -- and why not me? I have less to lose than many who've thought the same thing, but daren't say it.
This is likely to get the water hotter than the first or second Wright posting did. If I was accused of "ignorance" in daring to Touch The Academy's Anointed... well, just wait. And it won't matter that I will dance more precisely than ever before. (See? "Dance." Already have some Baptists mad at me.)
So here we go.
What will change, and what won't. Spring's springing, and summer looms. Mercury rises, fashions change. But one thing that won't change, unless I'm badly and happily mistaken: some good and regular churchgoers will not dress as helpfully as they could.
I chose that word with care: "helpfully." I am not talking about sin, shame, indecency, wantonness, or the like. Perhaps I could, with some justification, in some cases. But that's for another time -- and probably another writer. At this point, I just want to talk about being helpful.
Sister, if there's one thing you and I can certainly agree on, it's this: I don't know what it's like to be a woman, and you don't know what it's like to be a man. We're both probably wrong where we're sure we're right, try as we might. So let me try to dart a telegram from my camp over to the distaff side.
"Sheol and Abaddon are never satisfied, and never satisfied are the eyes of man" (Proverbs 27:20). Solomon doesn't use the Hebrew words that would indicate males exclusively, so this and Ecclesiastes 1:8 may apply across the gender-board. Libbie pointed out very ably that we men wrongly assume that we alone battle with temptations entering through the eye-gate.
But. But if men aren't alone in the battle, they may have a particular weakness for this aspect of it. Consider passionately-godly King David, whose psalms express aspirations after God beside which our own are pale, bloodless things. One day King David is in the wrong place, at the wrong time; sees a naked woman bathing next door, and boom! -- he's gone (2 Samuel 11). Family, kingdom, God -- all forgotten, consumed in the flash-flame a lust that was only visual in its inception.
And what of that Israelite Philistine Samson and his own "eye trouble?" He sees a fetching young pagan, and bellows at his dad, "Get her for me, for she looks good to me" (Judges 14:3 NAS). Where did Samson's passions take him? How did his course end?
Unless all the men I've known personally or at a distance are completely unrepresentative, it's a lifelong struggle, a lifelong weakness. As I recall from a Proverbs lecture on mp3, Bruce Waltke says that his dad, at around age 100, told him, "Bruce, I still have the same struggles I did when I was 50." It was sobering for Dr. Waltke to hear; sobering for any man! (In fact, put me down for "disheartening.")
Where am I going with this? Oh, don't try to look so innocent. You know exactly where I'm going.
So here comes this brother into the assembly of the saints, hoping for a rest from the battles of the week, a moment to regroup, sing, pray, get the Word, fellowship. He looks up to the choir, or to his left or his right -- and in a tick of the clock, he's facing the same struggle he faced every time he turned on his TV, opened a magazine, or went down a city street. He's seeing things that make it far too easy for him not to keep his mind focused where it needs to be focused.
And he's not in a nightclub, he's not at a singles' bar, he's not at the beach. He's in church.
Now, some very direct disclaimers:
• Every man's sin is his own, and every man's struggle is his own (Proverbs 14:10)
• No one makes a man think or feel anything (Proverbs 4:23)
• It is each individual's responsibility to guard his own heart (Proverbs 4:23)
• Beauty is a wonderful gift of God (cf. Exodus 28:2; Song of Solomonn 1:8, 15, etc.)
Having said all that: while it may be true that I'm holding the matches, you won't help me if you pile twigs all around my feet and douse them with lighter fluid. To be more specific: if you know I've had trouble with drunkenness, you won't offer me a glass of wine. If you know I battle covetousness, you won't take me window-shopping in high-end stores I've no business frequenting.
So I put this question: what are some sisters thinking, in how they dress?
As the ladies pick clothes, they'll consider what's pretty, what's flattering, what's attractive. Who could blame them? But, "attractive" to whom? In what way? To what end? With what focus?
Consider the questions again. "Is it pretty?" Good question, no evil in it. "Is it comfortable, is it complimentary, is it fun?" No problem. I'd just suggest you add one more question: "Is it helpful, or is it hurtful, to my brothers in Christ? Will this unintentionally contribute to their having a focus that is harmful to their walk?"
Now, lookie here:
In that day the Lord will take away the finery of the anklets, the headbands, and the crescents; 19 the pendants, the bracelets, and the scarves; 20 the headdresses, the armlets, the sashes, the perfume boxes, and the amulets; 21 the signet rings and nose rings; 22 the festal robes, the mantles, the cloaks, and the handbags; 23 the mirrors, the linen garments, the turbans, and the veils. (Isaiah 3:18-23)
...likewise also that women should adorn themselves in respectable apparel, with modesty and self-control, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly attire, 10 but with what is proper for women who profess godliness--with good works. (1 Timothy 2:9-10)
Do not let your adorning be external--the braiding of hair, the wearing of gold, or the putting on of clothing-- 4 but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God's sight is very precious. (1 Peter 3:3-4)
Immediately we'll swing in, as we always do, and say, "Now, the writer's not saying that women can't dress nicely, or wear jewelry, or blah blah blah." And we'll all disown our Fundie forebears who focused on nylons and lipstick, and came up with precise hemline measurements. We'll want to make sure that we're not advocating a new line of Burqaware for evangelical women. All that will be true and valid enough.
But I'm concerned that, in our anxiety to be sure to prevent the wrong interpretation, we effectively cut off all interpretation. We have swung from making the passages say silly things, to not letting them say anything. These passages have to mean something! They must have some application! What is it?
Surely the emphasis of the passages is warning against vanity, externality, sensuality; and on highlighting and promoting focus on a godly character as true beauty. Who you are; not just what you look like. Remember: "As a ring of gold in a swine's snout, So is a beautiful woman who lacks discretion" (Proverbs 11:22 NAS).
Oh boy, I'm going to make it worse now. Deep breath....
What are you clothes saying about you, sister? What are they supposed to say to your brothers? "Hey, look at this?" Well, they actually are trying to look at the Lord; it's not good for them to be looking at that. No, it's not your fault that they have a problem. We established that. And it's really great that God has made you beautiful. I hope your husband (present or future) shows you how grateful he is for that about you.
But you can help the brothers who aren't your husband, or you can not-help them. Which are you doing? If you're not married, and a man looks at you, is he thinking, "What a great character"? Or are you giving him reason to think about something else?
I know many of the responses. "You don't know what it's like to buy women's clothes, you ignorant man!" Mostly true. My first just-for-fun purchase for my wife was, well, it was appalling. What a good sport my wife was. I took it back to the store immediately, and made a much better subsequent choice.
But this: "You can't find anything modest! It's all too revealing! It's impossible to get something that looks nice, yet isn't too tight, or too short, or too-something / not-something-enough!"
Sorry, but baloney.
I put "modest women's clothing Christian" in Google, and 453,000 pages come up. Yes, some are funny and quaint at best. But are they all Amishwear? "Can't find?"
More fundamentally: I do not accept that anyone has to wear clothes that are too tight or too sheer or too short -- unless you are the largest and tallest woman living in the hottest part of the planet. Because I see larger, taller women walking around in hot weather, and they're all wearing clothes, every last one. They got those clothes somewhere, I reason. You could too.
"But -- but they won't look good on me! The shoulders will be wrong!"
I'm not sure that's necessarily true, but let's accept it and pose a counter-question. You tell me. Which is worse: your shoulders hanging a half-inch too low? Or a blouse/shirt that simply (shifting into turbo-delicate) provides need-to-know information to those with a need-to-not-know?
I'm sure we all agree that there are clothes that show what others have no helpful business seeing. Here's what to show, in clothes-selection: show a Godward focus, discretion, a godly character; And show mercy.
Parting thought. Darlene pointed me to a statement by Arthur Pink, which makes everything I've just said look awfully mild. But there's no denying that he has a point. I'll close with it:
Again, if lustful looking be so grievous a sin, then those who dress and expose themselves with desires to be looked at and lusted after-as Jezebel, who painted her face, tired her head, and looked out of the window (2 Kings 9:30)-are not less, but even more guilty. In this matter it is only too often the case that men sin, but women tempt them so to do. How great, then, must be the guilt of the great majority of the modern misses who deliberately seek to arouse the sexual passions of our young men? And how much greater still is the guilt of most of their mothers for allowing them to become lascivious temptresses?
Now, note, Pink and I speak to different ends. I speak to those who I assume are inadvertently dressing in an unhelpful manner. Pink speaks to those whose intent is to allure. Between the two of us, I can pray we've provided food for thought, prayer, reconsideration, and needed change.
By DAN PHILLIPS
Tuesday, May 30, 2006
Equipping the Saints for the work of the ministry
(By John MacArthur)
Quoted from FROM http://www.gracechurch.org/sfellowship/pulpitcm/front.asp?id=21
"I have often spoken out against all the pragmatic and "seeker-sensitive" approaches to contemporary worship because they tend to diminish the proper place of preaching and replace it with quasi-spiritual forms of sheer entertainment (music, comedy, drama, and whatnot). Any trend that threatens the centrality of God's Word in our corporate worship is a dangerous trend.
But one of the most disturbing side effects of the seeker-sensitive fad is something I haven't said as much about: When one of the main aims of a ministry philosophy is to keep people entertained, church members inevitably become mere spectators. The architects of the modern megachurches admit that they have deliberately redesigned the worship service in order to make as few demands as possible on the person in the pew. After all, they don't want the "unchurched" to be intimidated by appeals for personal involvement in ministry. That's the very opposite of "seeker sensitivity."
Such thinking is spiritually deadly. Christianity is not a spectator sport. Practically the worst thing any churchgoer can do is be a hearer but not a doer (James 1:22-25). Christ himself pronounced doom on religious people who want to be mere bystanders (Matthew 7:26-27).
Something is seriously wrong in a church where the staff does all the "ministry" and people are made to feel comfortable as mere observers. One of the pastor's main duties is to equip the saints to do the work of the ministry (Eph. 4:12). Every believer is called to be a minister of some sort, with each of us using the unique gifts given us by God for the edification of the whole church (Rom. 12:6-8).
That's why Scripture portrays the church as a body—an organism with many organs (1 Corinthians 12:14), where each member has a unique role (vv. 15-25), and all contribute something important to the life of the body. "And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it" (v. 26).
I can't read that verse without thinking of Dizzy Dean. He was a Hall-of-Fame baseball pitcher, whose career peaked in the 1930s. His 1934 season has never been excelled by any pitcher in history. Dean won thirty games that year, a feat that hasn't been repeated since (though Dizzy himself came close, winning 28 games the following year). But in the 1937 All-Star game, he took a hard line drive off his toe, and the toe was broken. It should not have been a career-ending injury, but Dean was rushed back into the lineup before the fracture was completely healed, and he pitched several games favoring the sore toe. That led to an unnatural delivery that seriously injured his pitching arm. The arm never fully recovered. Dizzy Dean's major-league career was essentially over in four years.
Something similar happens in any church where there are non-functioning members. The active members of the body become overextended, and the effectiveness of the whole body suffers greatly. Even the most insignificant member, like a toe, is designed to play a vital role.
That truth has been one of the main foundations of my approach to ministry for many years. When I first became pastor of Grace Community Church in 1969, I taught a series on Ephesians, and we spent a great deal of time studying the principle of Ephesians 4:11—that the pastor's duty is to equip the saints, and it is their duty to shoulder the work of the ministry.
Our people quickly embraced that simple idea, and it transformed our church in a remarkable way. For one thing, we began to see dramatic growth. Within a matter of months, attendance on Sundays had ballooned to almost 1,000. About that same time, a well-known evangelical magazine asked a reporter to write an article about the growth of our church. He visited our services for several weeks, carefully observed how the ministry functioned, interviewed scores of people, and then wrote an article titled "The Church with 900 Ministers."
That title perfectly summarized what has made Grace Church unique for all these years. Nowadays we have several thousand ministers, but the principle is still the same. Everyone is expected and encouraged to be involved in active ministry. Almost no one in our church would ever view ministry as the exclusive domain of professional clergy. If you want to be comfortable as a mere spectator, Grace Church is not the church for you.
I am not making a case for egalitarianism. Much less would I argue against the need for full-time vocational pastors who devote their whole lives to prayer, the study of the Word of God, and the training and equipping of the saints (cf. Acts 6:4; 1 Timothy 4:14-15; 5:17). The church needs leaders, and God has specifically called men to leadership and set them in places of authority in the church (cf. Hebrews 13:7, 17).
But the New Testament pattern is clear and inescapable: Every Christian is gifted and called to ministry. The spiritual gifts we are given are not for our own sake, but for the benefit of the whole body (1 Corinthians 12:4-7). "Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them" (Romans 12:6, emphasis added).
In my experience, it is not difficult to motivate gifted people to minister. The gift of mercy, for example, might practically be defined as the desire combined with the ability to show mercy. A person truly gifted to teach wants to teach. All the average person needs is encouragement and opportunities to employ his or her gifts. If faithful leaders properly train, equip, and guide people to the right ministry opportunities, the church will flourish.
If you are a church leader, I hope you have embraced your duty to equip people for ministry. It is, after all, one of your main duties—if not the single most important task for leaders in today's church.
If you're a lay person, I hope you'll find a place where you can use your gift in the work of the ministry. Maybe you'll be used by the Lord to start an epidemic of lay ministry in your congregation."
Quoted from FROM http://www.gracechurch.org/sfellowship/pulpitcm/front.asp?id=21
"I have often spoken out against all the pragmatic and "seeker-sensitive" approaches to contemporary worship because they tend to diminish the proper place of preaching and replace it with quasi-spiritual forms of sheer entertainment (music, comedy, drama, and whatnot). Any trend that threatens the centrality of God's Word in our corporate worship is a dangerous trend.
But one of the most disturbing side effects of the seeker-sensitive fad is something I haven't said as much about: When one of the main aims of a ministry philosophy is to keep people entertained, church members inevitably become mere spectators. The architects of the modern megachurches admit that they have deliberately redesigned the worship service in order to make as few demands as possible on the person in the pew. After all, they don't want the "unchurched" to be intimidated by appeals for personal involvement in ministry. That's the very opposite of "seeker sensitivity."
Such thinking is spiritually deadly. Christianity is not a spectator sport. Practically the worst thing any churchgoer can do is be a hearer but not a doer (James 1:22-25). Christ himself pronounced doom on religious people who want to be mere bystanders (Matthew 7:26-27).
Something is seriously wrong in a church where the staff does all the "ministry" and people are made to feel comfortable as mere observers. One of the pastor's main duties is to equip the saints to do the work of the ministry (Eph. 4:12). Every believer is called to be a minister of some sort, with each of us using the unique gifts given us by God for the edification of the whole church (Rom. 12:6-8).
That's why Scripture portrays the church as a body—an organism with many organs (1 Corinthians 12:14), where each member has a unique role (vv. 15-25), and all contribute something important to the life of the body. "And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it" (v. 26).
I can't read that verse without thinking of Dizzy Dean. He was a Hall-of-Fame baseball pitcher, whose career peaked in the 1930s. His 1934 season has never been excelled by any pitcher in history. Dean won thirty games that year, a feat that hasn't been repeated since (though Dizzy himself came close, winning 28 games the following year). But in the 1937 All-Star game, he took a hard line drive off his toe, and the toe was broken. It should not have been a career-ending injury, but Dean was rushed back into the lineup before the fracture was completely healed, and he pitched several games favoring the sore toe. That led to an unnatural delivery that seriously injured his pitching arm. The arm never fully recovered. Dizzy Dean's major-league career was essentially over in four years.
Something similar happens in any church where there are non-functioning members. The active members of the body become overextended, and the effectiveness of the whole body suffers greatly. Even the most insignificant member, like a toe, is designed to play a vital role.
That truth has been one of the main foundations of my approach to ministry for many years. When I first became pastor of Grace Community Church in 1969, I taught a series on Ephesians, and we spent a great deal of time studying the principle of Ephesians 4:11—that the pastor's duty is to equip the saints, and it is their duty to shoulder the work of the ministry.
Our people quickly embraced that simple idea, and it transformed our church in a remarkable way. For one thing, we began to see dramatic growth. Within a matter of months, attendance on Sundays had ballooned to almost 1,000. About that same time, a well-known evangelical magazine asked a reporter to write an article about the growth of our church. He visited our services for several weeks, carefully observed how the ministry functioned, interviewed scores of people, and then wrote an article titled "The Church with 900 Ministers."
That title perfectly summarized what has made Grace Church unique for all these years. Nowadays we have several thousand ministers, but the principle is still the same. Everyone is expected and encouraged to be involved in active ministry. Almost no one in our church would ever view ministry as the exclusive domain of professional clergy. If you want to be comfortable as a mere spectator, Grace Church is not the church for you.
I am not making a case for egalitarianism. Much less would I argue against the need for full-time vocational pastors who devote their whole lives to prayer, the study of the Word of God, and the training and equipping of the saints (cf. Acts 6:4; 1 Timothy 4:14-15; 5:17). The church needs leaders, and God has specifically called men to leadership and set them in places of authority in the church (cf. Hebrews 13:7, 17).
But the New Testament pattern is clear and inescapable: Every Christian is gifted and called to ministry. The spiritual gifts we are given are not for our own sake, but for the benefit of the whole body (1 Corinthians 12:4-7). "Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them" (Romans 12:6, emphasis added).
In my experience, it is not difficult to motivate gifted people to minister. The gift of mercy, for example, might practically be defined as the desire combined with the ability to show mercy. A person truly gifted to teach wants to teach. All the average person needs is encouragement and opportunities to employ his or her gifts. If faithful leaders properly train, equip, and guide people to the right ministry opportunities, the church will flourish.
If you are a church leader, I hope you have embraced your duty to equip people for ministry. It is, after all, one of your main duties—if not the single most important task for leaders in today's church.
If you're a lay person, I hope you'll find a place where you can use your gift in the work of the ministry. Maybe you'll be used by the Lord to start an epidemic of lay ministry in your congregation."
Saturday, May 27, 2006
What are you currently reading?
Most of my reading time takes place at home after work/ministry. What are you currently reading (outside the Bible)? How have you enjoyed those books? What did you learn? etc...
Books I am currently reading:
1. No Place for the Truth (by David F. Wells).
2. The Cross and Christian Ministry (by D.A. Carson).
3. Women's Ministry in the Local Church (by Ligon Duncan)
4. Knowing God (By J.I. Packer)
5. The Holiness of God (by R.C. Sproul)
6. Growing Up Christian (by Paul Graustein)
My study through Knowing God has been VERY refreshing. Theology Proper is so crucial to maintaining a healthy relationship with the Father.
The Holiness of God (my first time reading it) has been really convicting. I bring God way down way too often. Thankfully He is not like me in SOO many ways.
No Place for Truth has been a long but very good read. If you love history and evangelical theology this is a must read. It has been very insightful as i seek to better understand the modern culture as well as the Church.
Women's Ministry in the Local Church has been ok. It is way too "Covenantal" (in really to many places)... Their are some really great thoughts scattered throughout the book but all in all it has not been one of my favorite books on the subject.
The Cross and Christian Ministry has been a good challange to me in many ways. Honestly i have not made my way very far in this book so more to come
Books I am currently reading:
1. No Place for the Truth (by David F. Wells).
2. The Cross and Christian Ministry (by D.A. Carson).
3. Women's Ministry in the Local Church (by Ligon Duncan)
4. Knowing God (By J.I. Packer)
5. The Holiness of God (by R.C. Sproul)
6. Growing Up Christian (by Paul Graustein)
My study through Knowing God has been VERY refreshing. Theology Proper is so crucial to maintaining a healthy relationship with the Father.
The Holiness of God (my first time reading it) has been really convicting. I bring God way down way too often. Thankfully He is not like me in SOO many ways.
No Place for Truth has been a long but very good read. If you love history and evangelical theology this is a must read. It has been very insightful as i seek to better understand the modern culture as well as the Church.
Women's Ministry in the Local Church has been ok. It is way too "Covenantal" (in really to many places)... Their are some really great thoughts scattered throughout the book but all in all it has not been one of my favorite books on the subject.
The Cross and Christian Ministry has been a good challange to me in many ways. Honestly i have not made my way very far in this book so more to come
New Member in Our Family
Friends,
Our beautiful daughter is now home with us. Andrea gave birth on Tuesday, May 23rd at 12:13am. Evelyn Marie Kolstad was 8 pounds 12 ounces and 21 1/2 inches long. She looks more like her mother (Thanks be to God) and is doing pretty well. She still thinks night is day and day is night so that is not very fun. Andrea is recovering from the C-section slowly but surely. Please praise God for this great gift.
Love in Him,
Caleb, Andrea, and Evelyn
Our beautiful daughter is now home with us. Andrea gave birth on Tuesday, May 23rd at 12:13am. Evelyn Marie Kolstad was 8 pounds 12 ounces and 21 1/2 inches long. She looks more like her mother (Thanks be to God) and is doing pretty well. She still thinks night is day and day is night so that is not very fun. Andrea is recovering from the C-section slowly but surely. Please praise God for this great gift.
Love in Him,
Caleb, Andrea, and Evelyn
Friday, May 12, 2006
T4TG (PT 4)
The Together for the Gospel conference was a great experience. Seven of Evangelicalisms brightest lights gathered together to encourage, admonish, motivate, and convict thousands of church leaders (and some future church leaders). Whenever you bring together Mark Dever, Al Mohler, C.J, Maheny, Ligon Duncan, John MacArthur, R.C. Sproul, and John Piper it’s an occasion to rejoice in.
Pastor Mark Dever talked about “the pastor’s understanding of his role.” He did a quick exposition through 1 Corinthians 4 showing the “Three Marks of a Real-Minister.” Those marks were a cross-centered message (vv. 1-7), a cross-centered life (vv. 8-15), and a cross-centered follower (vv. 16-21). Mark reminded us that the cross is the center, but praise God it is not the end!
Ligon Duncan lectured on the importance of preaching from the Old Testament. He gave 8 major points during his lecture: 1. Please do not neglect the O.T. 2. Preach the O.T. expositionally. 3. Preach Christ from the O.T. 4. Preach one plan of Redemptive history from the O.T. 5. Preach grace from the O.T. 6. Preach the character of God from the O.T. 7. Preach experientially from the O.T. 8. Preach the Christian life from the O.T.
Dr. Al Mohler lectured on “preaching with the culture in view.” This was a very well balanced lecture, one that every Christian minister should listen to. Mohler pointed out 2 extremes we need to avoid: 1. Simply ignoring the culture altogether (e.g. Amish paradise). 2. Allowing culture to dominate our ministries (e.g. the Emergent church movement). Dr. Mohler reminded us that you can not withdraw entirely from culture even when you try. Culture allows human beings to relate to one another (so don’t view it as an entirely negative concept).
Like many other areas in the Christian walk this is all about balance friends; “Culture can’t be our main concern, but it can’t be avoided either.” Mohler suggested we read Augustine’s “City of God.” We must realize that people are part of culture. Therefore, “we can not withdraw from the people because THEY are the object of God’s love.”
Mohler ended his lecture explaining why culture (right now) presents some serious problems from the Christian preacher. Understanding these matters helps the preacher to be precise and more relevant (biblically speaking). Ultimately we have to respond according to whatever culture God places us in. We live in perilous times but we have the Holy Scriptures to protect and guide us on our way. The gospel is a transcultural message and it is essential for every person to embrace it in faith.
Pastor Mark Dever talked about “the pastor’s understanding of his role.” He did a quick exposition through 1 Corinthians 4 showing the “Three Marks of a Real-Minister.” Those marks were a cross-centered message (vv. 1-7), a cross-centered life (vv. 8-15), and a cross-centered follower (vv. 16-21). Mark reminded us that the cross is the center, but praise God it is not the end!
Ligon Duncan lectured on the importance of preaching from the Old Testament. He gave 8 major points during his lecture: 1. Please do not neglect the O.T. 2. Preach the O.T. expositionally. 3. Preach Christ from the O.T. 4. Preach one plan of Redemptive history from the O.T. 5. Preach grace from the O.T. 6. Preach the character of God from the O.T. 7. Preach experientially from the O.T. 8. Preach the Christian life from the O.T.
Dr. Al Mohler lectured on “preaching with the culture in view.” This was a very well balanced lecture, one that every Christian minister should listen to. Mohler pointed out 2 extremes we need to avoid: 1. Simply ignoring the culture altogether (e.g. Amish paradise). 2. Allowing culture to dominate our ministries (e.g. the Emergent church movement). Dr. Mohler reminded us that you can not withdraw entirely from culture even when you try. Culture allows human beings to relate to one another (so don’t view it as an entirely negative concept).
Like many other areas in the Christian walk this is all about balance friends; “Culture can’t be our main concern, but it can’t be avoided either.” Mohler suggested we read Augustine’s “City of God.” We must realize that people are part of culture. Therefore, “we can not withdraw from the people because THEY are the object of God’s love.”
Mohler ended his lecture explaining why culture (right now) presents some serious problems from the Christian preacher. Understanding these matters helps the preacher to be precise and more relevant (biblically speaking). Ultimately we have to respond according to whatever culture God places us in. We live in perilous times but we have the Holy Scriptures to protect and guide us on our way. The gospel is a transcultural message and it is essential for every person to embrace it in faith.
Wednesday, May 10, 2006
Pastor as theologian (PT 1)
Taken from Pastor Al Mohler's blog:
The Pastor As Theologian, Part One
A great read:
"Every pastor is called to be a theologian. This may come as a surprise to some pastors, who see theology as an academic discipline taken during seminary rather than as an ongoing and central part of the pastoral calling. Nevertheless, the health of the church depends upon its pastors functioning as faithful theologians--teaching, preaching, defending, and applying the great doctrines of the faith.
The transformation of theology into an academic discipline more associated with the university than the church has been one of the most lamentable developments of the last several centuries. In the earliest eras of the church, and through the annals of Christian history, the central theologians of the church were its pastors. This was certainly true of the great Reformation of the sixteenth century as well. From the patristic era, we associate the discipline and stewardship of theology with names such as Athanasius, Irenaeus, and Augustine. Similarly, the great theologians of the Reformation were, in the main, pastors such as John Calvin and Martin Luther. Of course, their responsibilities often ranged beyond those of the average pastor, but they could not have conceived of the pastoral role without the essential stewardship of theology.
The emergence of theology as an academic discipline coincides with the development of the modern university. Of course, theology was one of the three major disciplines taught in the medieval university. Yet, so long as the medieval synthesis was intact, the university was always understood to be in direct service to the church and its pastors.
The rise of the modern research university led to the development of theology as merely one academic discipline among others--and eventually to the redefinition of theology as "religious studies" separated from ecclesiastical control or concern. In most universities, the secularization of the academy has meant that the academic discipline of theology has no inherent connection to Christianity, much less to its central truth claims.
These developments have caused great harm to the church, separating ministries from theology, preaching from doctrine, and Christian care from conviction. In far too many cases, the pastor's ministry has been evacuated of serious doctrinal content and many pastors seem to have little connection to any sense of theological vocation.
All this must be reversed, if the church is to remain true to God's Word and the Gospel. Unless the pastor functions as a theologian, theology is left in the hands of those who, in many cases, have little or no connection or commitment to the local church.
The Pastor's Calling
The pastoral calling is inherently theological. Given the fact that the pastor is to be the teacher of the Word of God and the teacher of the Gospel, it cannot be otherwise. The idea of the pastorate as a non-theological office is inconceivable in light of the New Testament.
Though this truth is implicit throughout the scriptures, this emphasis is perhaps most apparent in Paul's letters to Timothy. In these letters, Paul affirms Timothy's role as a theologian--affirming that all of Timothy's fellow pastors are to share in the same calling. Paul emphatically encourages Timothy concerning his reading, teaching, preaching, and study of scripture. All of this is essentially theological, as is made clear when Paul commands Timothy to "Retain the standard of sound words which you have heard from me, in the faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. Guard, through the Holy Spirit who dwells in us, the treasure which has been entrusted to you" [2 Timothy 1:13-14]. Timothy is to be a teacher of others who will also teach. "The things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also" [2 Timothy 2:2].
As Paul completes his second letter to Timothy, he reaches a crescendo of concern as he commands Timothy to preach the Word, specifically instructing him to "reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction" [2 Timothy 4:2]. Why? "For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths" [2 Timothy 4:3-4].
As Paul makes clear, the pastoral theologian must be able to defend the faith even as he identifies false teachings and makes correction by the Word of God. There is no more theological calling than this--guard the flock of God for the sake of God's truth.
Clearly, this will require intense and self-conscious theological thinking, study, and consideration. Paul makes this abundantly clear in writing to Titus, when he defines the duty of the overseer or pastor as one who is "holding fast the faithful word which is in accordance with the teaching, so that he will be able both to exhort in sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict" [Titus 1:9]. In this single verse, Paul simultaneously affirms the apologetical and polemical facets of the pastor-theologian's calling.
In reality, there is no dimension of the pastor's calling that is not deeply, inherently, and inescapably theological. There is no problem the pastor will encounter in counseling that is not specifically theological in character. There is no major question in ministry that does not come with deep theological dimensions and the need for careful theological application. The task of leading, feeding, and guiding the congregation is as theological as any other vocation conceivable.
Beyond all this, the preaching and teaching of the Word of God is theological from beginning to end. The preacher functions as a steward of the mysteries of God, explaining the deepest and most profound theological truths to a congregation which must be armed with the knowledge of these truths in order to grow as disciples and meet the challenge of faithfulness in the Christian life.
Evangelism is a theological calling as well, for the very act of sharing the Gospel is, in short, a theological argument presented with goal of seeing a sinner come to faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. In order to be a faithful evangelist, the pastor must first understand the Gospel, and then understand the nature of the evangelist's calling. At every step of the way, the pastor is dealing with issues that are irrefutably theological.
As many observers have noted, today's pastors are often pulled in many directions simultaneously--and the theological vocation is often lost amidst the pressing concerns of a ministry that has been reconceived as something other than what Paul intended for Timothy. The managerial revolution has left many pastors feeling more like administrators than theologians, dealing with matters of organizational theory before ever turning to the deep truths of God's Word and the application of these truths to everyday life. The rise of therapeutic concerns within the culture means that many pastors, and many of their church members, believe that the pastoral calling is best understood as a "helping profession." As such, the pastor is seen as someone who functions in a therapeutic role in which theology is often seen as more of a problem than a solution.
All this is a betrayal of the pastoral calling as presented in the New Testament. Furthermore, it is a rejection of the apostolic teaching and of the biblical admonition concerning the role, and responsibilities of the pastor. Today's pastors must recover and reclaim the pastoral calling as inherently and cheerfully theological. Otherwise, pastors will be nothing more than communicators, counselors, and managers of congregations that have been emptied of the Gospel and of biblical truth."
This is Part One of a three-part series. Wednesday: The Pastor's Concentration
The Pastor As Theologian, Part One
A great read:
"Every pastor is called to be a theologian. This may come as a surprise to some pastors, who see theology as an academic discipline taken during seminary rather than as an ongoing and central part of the pastoral calling. Nevertheless, the health of the church depends upon its pastors functioning as faithful theologians--teaching, preaching, defending, and applying the great doctrines of the faith.
The transformation of theology into an academic discipline more associated with the university than the church has been one of the most lamentable developments of the last several centuries. In the earliest eras of the church, and through the annals of Christian history, the central theologians of the church were its pastors. This was certainly true of the great Reformation of the sixteenth century as well. From the patristic era, we associate the discipline and stewardship of theology with names such as Athanasius, Irenaeus, and Augustine. Similarly, the great theologians of the Reformation were, in the main, pastors such as John Calvin and Martin Luther. Of course, their responsibilities often ranged beyond those of the average pastor, but they could not have conceived of the pastoral role without the essential stewardship of theology.
The emergence of theology as an academic discipline coincides with the development of the modern university. Of course, theology was one of the three major disciplines taught in the medieval university. Yet, so long as the medieval synthesis was intact, the university was always understood to be in direct service to the church and its pastors.
The rise of the modern research university led to the development of theology as merely one academic discipline among others--and eventually to the redefinition of theology as "religious studies" separated from ecclesiastical control or concern. In most universities, the secularization of the academy has meant that the academic discipline of theology has no inherent connection to Christianity, much less to its central truth claims.
These developments have caused great harm to the church, separating ministries from theology, preaching from doctrine, and Christian care from conviction. In far too many cases, the pastor's ministry has been evacuated of serious doctrinal content and many pastors seem to have little connection to any sense of theological vocation.
All this must be reversed, if the church is to remain true to God's Word and the Gospel. Unless the pastor functions as a theologian, theology is left in the hands of those who, in many cases, have little or no connection or commitment to the local church.
The Pastor's Calling
The pastoral calling is inherently theological. Given the fact that the pastor is to be the teacher of the Word of God and the teacher of the Gospel, it cannot be otherwise. The idea of the pastorate as a non-theological office is inconceivable in light of the New Testament.
Though this truth is implicit throughout the scriptures, this emphasis is perhaps most apparent in Paul's letters to Timothy. In these letters, Paul affirms Timothy's role as a theologian--affirming that all of Timothy's fellow pastors are to share in the same calling. Paul emphatically encourages Timothy concerning his reading, teaching, preaching, and study of scripture. All of this is essentially theological, as is made clear when Paul commands Timothy to "Retain the standard of sound words which you have heard from me, in the faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. Guard, through the Holy Spirit who dwells in us, the treasure which has been entrusted to you" [2 Timothy 1:13-14]. Timothy is to be a teacher of others who will also teach. "The things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also" [2 Timothy 2:2].
As Paul completes his second letter to Timothy, he reaches a crescendo of concern as he commands Timothy to preach the Word, specifically instructing him to "reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction" [2 Timothy 4:2]. Why? "For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths" [2 Timothy 4:3-4].
As Paul makes clear, the pastoral theologian must be able to defend the faith even as he identifies false teachings and makes correction by the Word of God. There is no more theological calling than this--guard the flock of God for the sake of God's truth.
Clearly, this will require intense and self-conscious theological thinking, study, and consideration. Paul makes this abundantly clear in writing to Titus, when he defines the duty of the overseer or pastor as one who is "holding fast the faithful word which is in accordance with the teaching, so that he will be able both to exhort in sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict" [Titus 1:9]. In this single verse, Paul simultaneously affirms the apologetical and polemical facets of the pastor-theologian's calling.
In reality, there is no dimension of the pastor's calling that is not deeply, inherently, and inescapably theological. There is no problem the pastor will encounter in counseling that is not specifically theological in character. There is no major question in ministry that does not come with deep theological dimensions and the need for careful theological application. The task of leading, feeding, and guiding the congregation is as theological as any other vocation conceivable.
Beyond all this, the preaching and teaching of the Word of God is theological from beginning to end. The preacher functions as a steward of the mysteries of God, explaining the deepest and most profound theological truths to a congregation which must be armed with the knowledge of these truths in order to grow as disciples and meet the challenge of faithfulness in the Christian life.
Evangelism is a theological calling as well, for the very act of sharing the Gospel is, in short, a theological argument presented with goal of seeing a sinner come to faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. In order to be a faithful evangelist, the pastor must first understand the Gospel, and then understand the nature of the evangelist's calling. At every step of the way, the pastor is dealing with issues that are irrefutably theological.
As many observers have noted, today's pastors are often pulled in many directions simultaneously--and the theological vocation is often lost amidst the pressing concerns of a ministry that has been reconceived as something other than what Paul intended for Timothy. The managerial revolution has left many pastors feeling more like administrators than theologians, dealing with matters of organizational theory before ever turning to the deep truths of God's Word and the application of these truths to everyday life. The rise of therapeutic concerns within the culture means that many pastors, and many of their church members, believe that the pastoral calling is best understood as a "helping profession." As such, the pastor is seen as someone who functions in a therapeutic role in which theology is often seen as more of a problem than a solution.
All this is a betrayal of the pastoral calling as presented in the New Testament. Furthermore, it is a rejection of the apostolic teaching and of the biblical admonition concerning the role, and responsibilities of the pastor. Today's pastors must recover and reclaim the pastoral calling as inherently and cheerfully theological. Otherwise, pastors will be nothing more than communicators, counselors, and managers of congregations that have been emptied of the Gospel and of biblical truth."
This is Part One of a three-part series. Wednesday: The Pastor's Concentration
T4TG (pt 3)
The Together for the Gospel conference was a first time event that celebrated both the unity and the diversity of Christ’s church. 2800 church leaders united under the banner of one thing: the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ. The diversity of this event was evident when listening to the panel discussions that took place throughout the main plenary sessions (5 panel sessions took place over 2 short days). Mark Dever (a Reformed S. Baptist), Al Mohler (a Southern Baptist), C.J. Mahaney (a Reformed Charismatic), and Ligon Duncan (a Presbyterian) were the principle leaders behind this gathering. They modeled for us how we as Evangelical gospel ministers can disagree on secondary matters yet come together and contend for what matters most (Jude 3). This conference was all about Biblical unity and Christ-exalting diversity.
C.J. Mahaney (in my mind) was clearly the most uneducated person among the “mighty men” (which included MacArthur, Sproul, and Piper); yet his sermon on 1 Timothy 4:16 had the greatest impact on my own soul. As D.A. Carson recently wrote, “The message of the cross proves that God’s folly has outsmarted human wisdom; His weakness has overpowered human strength.” The cross has saved many nobodies (1 Cor. 1:26-31), praise God for this! After a typical (strange) Mahaney intro, C.J. jumped into 1 Timothy 4:16, here he provided a number of excellent insights into the application of “watch your life.” C.J. said that it’s easier to study doctrine then to examine our heart, our motives, our attitudes, etc. Many pastors spend countless hours reading theology books, browsing theological blogs, and preparing biblical sermons. God calls us to watch our doctrine but not in isolation.
Mahaney reminded us that we cannot watch ourselves by ourselves. In other words, we need Christian accountability. He challenged Sr. Pastors to not set themselves above their fellow pastors and elders like Popes or Kings. Too many Sr. Pastors use their position as a shield to ward off any rebuke or criticism. Lay people or even fellow elders following Galatians 6 are accused of being unsupportive or worse yet insubordinate (by some "Sr." Pastors). This type of attitude is deadly to the soul.
I’m thankful an elder at my church recently confronted me over something I did in an unbiblical manner. He gently corrected me and then he held me accountable to do what was right. In my estimation he showed great courage (though I realize I’m only an Ast. Pastor). :)
Nonetheless, all of us would do well to meditate on 1 Timothy 4:16: Practically how are you applying the first part of verse 16? Do you even have a strategy? We don’t grow in doctrine by watching TV, surfing the internet, or by playing an excessive amount of golf. Similarly, we can not really watch our lives (our hearts), simply by reading exegetical commentaries and other good Christian books. We have to be deliberate in this battle for our own souls before we will ever rescue the souls of others.
We need to encourage others to wound our egos. We need to ask people to lovingly identify sins in our lives (that we may not clearly see). All of us are like automobiles folks, we all have blindspots! Personal mortification should take place before most anything else. That’s why the Apostle Paul wrote, “Pay close attention to yourself and to your teaching; persevere in these things; for as you do this you will insure salvation both for yourself an those who hear you.”
C.J. Mahaney (in my mind) was clearly the most uneducated person among the “mighty men” (which included MacArthur, Sproul, and Piper); yet his sermon on 1 Timothy 4:16 had the greatest impact on my own soul. As D.A. Carson recently wrote, “The message of the cross proves that God’s folly has outsmarted human wisdom; His weakness has overpowered human strength.” The cross has saved many nobodies (1 Cor. 1:26-31), praise God for this! After a typical (strange) Mahaney intro, C.J. jumped into 1 Timothy 4:16, here he provided a number of excellent insights into the application of “watch your life.” C.J. said that it’s easier to study doctrine then to examine our heart, our motives, our attitudes, etc. Many pastors spend countless hours reading theology books, browsing theological blogs, and preparing biblical sermons. God calls us to watch our doctrine but not in isolation.
Mahaney reminded us that we cannot watch ourselves by ourselves. In other words, we need Christian accountability. He challenged Sr. Pastors to not set themselves above their fellow pastors and elders like Popes or Kings. Too many Sr. Pastors use their position as a shield to ward off any rebuke or criticism. Lay people or even fellow elders following Galatians 6 are accused of being unsupportive or worse yet insubordinate (by some "Sr." Pastors). This type of attitude is deadly to the soul.
I’m thankful an elder at my church recently confronted me over something I did in an unbiblical manner. He gently corrected me and then he held me accountable to do what was right. In my estimation he showed great courage (though I realize I’m only an Ast. Pastor). :)
Nonetheless, all of us would do well to meditate on 1 Timothy 4:16: Practically how are you applying the first part of verse 16? Do you even have a strategy? We don’t grow in doctrine by watching TV, surfing the internet, or by playing an excessive amount of golf. Similarly, we can not really watch our lives (our hearts), simply by reading exegetical commentaries and other good Christian books. We have to be deliberate in this battle for our own souls before we will ever rescue the souls of others.
We need to encourage others to wound our egos. We need to ask people to lovingly identify sins in our lives (that we may not clearly see). All of us are like automobiles folks, we all have blindspots! Personal mortification should take place before most anything else. That’s why the Apostle Paul wrote, “Pay close attention to yourself and to your teaching; persevere in these things; for as you do this you will insure salvation both for yourself an those who hear you.”
Friday, May 05, 2006
Books I've recently read/Book I'm currently reading
Most of my reading time takes place at home after work/ministry. What are you currently reading (outside the Bible)?
I don't read as much as i should or would like but here is what i've read in the past 6+ months:
1. The Church: One, Holy, Catholic, & Apostolic (by Dever, Ryken, Phillips).
2. Whatever Happened to the Truth (by Mohler, Kostenberg, etc).
3. Dear Timothy: Letters on Pastoral Ministry (edited by Tom Ascol).
4. Becoming Conversant with the Emerging Church (by D.A. Carson).
5. TMS Journal on the New Perspective
6. The Old Evangelicalism (by Ian Murray).
7. From Pride to Humility (by S Scott).
8. Numerous "Jude commentaries" (authors vary)
9. Christian Counselor's Manuel (Jay Adams)
Books I am currently reading:
1. No Place for the Truth (by David F. Wells).
2. The Cross and Christian Ministry (by D.A. Carson).
3. Women's Ministry in the Local Church (by Ligon Duncan)
4. Knowing God (By J.I. Packer)
5. The Holiness of God (by R.C. Sproul)
I don't read as much as i should or would like but here is what i've read in the past 6+ months:
1. The Church: One, Holy, Catholic, & Apostolic (by Dever, Ryken, Phillips).
2. Whatever Happened to the Truth (by Mohler, Kostenberg, etc).
3. Dear Timothy: Letters on Pastoral Ministry (edited by Tom Ascol).
4. Becoming Conversant with the Emerging Church (by D.A. Carson).
5. TMS Journal on the New Perspective
6. The Old Evangelicalism (by Ian Murray).
7. From Pride to Humility (by S Scott).
8. Numerous "Jude commentaries" (authors vary)
9. Christian Counselor's Manuel (Jay Adams)
Books I am currently reading:
1. No Place for the Truth (by David F. Wells).
2. The Cross and Christian Ministry (by D.A. Carson).
3. Women's Ministry in the Local Church (by Ligon Duncan)
4. Knowing God (By J.I. Packer)
5. The Holiness of God (by R.C. Sproul)
Wednesday, May 03, 2006
T4TG (PT 2)
I had the privilege to represent my home church (www.fbccarmel.com) at the recent Together for the Gospel conference (T4TG). The event took place in Louisville about 10 minutes away from Southern Seminary. T4TG was hosted by Al Mohler, Mark Dever, Ligon Duncan, and CJ Mahaney. They invited three of their heros (MacArthur, Sproul, and Piper) to join them for this conference. These leaders have an accurate understanding of the evangelical landscape. They know the gospel is constantly under attack from those outside the church and by some within the church as well.
John MacArthur encouraged these leaders to write an official statement affirming what they believe concerning the fundamentals of the faith. I’ve included the opening prologue below:
We are brothers in Christ united in one great cause - to stand together for the Gospel. We are convinced that the Gospel of Jesus Christ has been misrepresented, misunderstood, and marginalized in many churches and among many who claim the name of Christ. Compromise of the Gospel has led to the preaching of false gospels, the seduction of many minds and movements, and the weakening of the church's Gospel witness.
As in previous moments of theological and spiritual crisis in the church, we believe that the answer to this confusion and compromise lies in a comprehensive recovery and reaffirmation of the Gospel - and in Christians banding together in Gospel churches that display God's glory in this fallen world.
We are also brothers united in deep concern for the church and the Gospel. This concern is specifically addressed to certain trends within the church today. We are concerned about the tendency of so many churches to substitute technique for truth, therapy for theology, and management for ministry.
We are also concerned that God's glorious purpose for Christ's church is often eclipsed in concern by so many other issues, programs, technologies, and priorities. Furthermore, confusion over crucial questions concerning the authority of the Bible, the meaning of the Gospel, and the nature of truth itself have gravely weakened the church in terms of its witness, its work, and its identity.
We stand together for the Gospel - and for a full and gladdening recovery of the Gospel in the church. We are convinced that such a recovery will be evident in the form of faithful Gospel churches, each bearing faithful witness to the glory of God and the power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
2800 pastors and lay leaders joined together in this common affirmation of Christian unity. Of course their are many ungodly ecumenical movements that seek to downplay truth for the sake of so-called peace/unity; this is NOT one of those movements. Nate Busenitz posted some great thoughts on this very issue at http://faithandpractice.blogspot.com/ (see 4/25/06 post). It’s great to see Christians come together with a common faith and a common mission. Despite our disagreements over issues like tongues, believers baptism, eschatology, infant salvation, etc. we do stand together for the gospel.
John MacArthur encouraged these leaders to write an official statement affirming what they believe concerning the fundamentals of the faith. I’ve included the opening prologue below:
We are brothers in Christ united in one great cause - to stand together for the Gospel. We are convinced that the Gospel of Jesus Christ has been misrepresented, misunderstood, and marginalized in many churches and among many who claim the name of Christ. Compromise of the Gospel has led to the preaching of false gospels, the seduction of many minds and movements, and the weakening of the church's Gospel witness.
As in previous moments of theological and spiritual crisis in the church, we believe that the answer to this confusion and compromise lies in a comprehensive recovery and reaffirmation of the Gospel - and in Christians banding together in Gospel churches that display God's glory in this fallen world.
We are also brothers united in deep concern for the church and the Gospel. This concern is specifically addressed to certain trends within the church today. We are concerned about the tendency of so many churches to substitute technique for truth, therapy for theology, and management for ministry.
We are also concerned that God's glorious purpose for Christ's church is often eclipsed in concern by so many other issues, programs, technologies, and priorities. Furthermore, confusion over crucial questions concerning the authority of the Bible, the meaning of the Gospel, and the nature of truth itself have gravely weakened the church in terms of its witness, its work, and its identity.
We stand together for the Gospel - and for a full and gladdening recovery of the Gospel in the church. We are convinced that such a recovery will be evident in the form of faithful Gospel churches, each bearing faithful witness to the glory of God and the power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
2800 pastors and lay leaders joined together in this common affirmation of Christian unity. Of course their are many ungodly ecumenical movements that seek to downplay truth for the sake of so-called peace/unity; this is NOT one of those movements. Nate Busenitz posted some great thoughts on this very issue at http://faithandpractice.blogspot.com/ (see 4/25/06 post). It’s great to see Christians come together with a common faith and a common mission. Despite our disagreements over issues like tongues, believers baptism, eschatology, infant salvation, etc. we do stand together for the gospel.
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