Truth and Irony

Augustine on Preaching and Teaching

Fri, 31 Aug 2012 12:03:52 -0400

The following quotes come Augustine’s, On Christian Doctrine.

“But in their utterances they should first of all seek to speak so that they may be understood, speaking insofar as they are able with such clarity that either he who does not understand is very slow or that the difficulty and subtlety lie not in the manner of speaking but in the things which we wish to explain and show, so that this is the reason why we are understood less, or more slowly.”

“The speaker should not consider the eloquence of his teaching but the clarity of it.”

“What profits correctness in a speech which is not followed by listeners when there is no reason for speaking if what is said is not understood by those on whose account we speak? He who teaches should thus avoid all words which do not teach.”

“Thus he who speaks when he would teach cannot think that he has said what he wished to say to the person he wishes to teach so long as that person does not understand him.”

“But it is also true that persuasion is victory, for people may be taught and pleased and still not consent…It is necessary therefore for the ecclesiastical orator, when he urges that something be done, not only to teach that he may instruct and to please that he may hold attention, but also to persuade that he may victorious.”

“When the hour in which he is to speak approaches, before he begins to preach, he should raise his thirsty soul to God in order that he may give forth what he shall drink, or pour out what shall fill him.”

"For [good pastors] are precious pearls from God’s treasuries, and the rarer they are, they are..."

Thu, 05 Jul 2012 10:53:58 -0400

“For [good pastors] are precious pearls from God’s treasuries, and the rarer they are, they are so much the more worthy of esteem. Nor can it be doubted that God often punishes our ingratitude and proud disdain, by depriving us of good pastors, when he sees that the most eminent that are given by him are ordinarily despised. Let every one, then, who is desirous that the Church should be fortified against the stratagems and assaults of wolves, make it his care, after the example of Paul, that the authority of good pastors be established; as, on the other hand, there is nothing upon which the instruments of the devil are more intent, than an undermining it by every means in their power.”

- A note from John Calvin to the church on how they should treat their pastors from his commentary on the Epistle to the Philippians.

"Your calling ought to be regarded by you in such a way, that you shall turn away all your powers of..."

Thu, 05 Jul 2012 10:45:04 -0400

“Your calling ought to be regarded by you in such a way, that you shall turn away all your powers of perception from everything that would impede you. It might be in your power to live elsewhere in greater opulence, but God has bound you to the Church, which affords you but a vey moderate sustenance: you might elsewhere have more honor, but God has assigned you a situation, in which you live in a humble style: you might have elsewhere a more salubrious sky, or a more delightful region, but it is here that your station is appointed. You might wish to have to do with a more humane people: you feel offended with their ingratitude, or barbarity, or pride; in short, you have no sympathy with the disposition or the manners of the nation in which you are, but you must struggle with yourself, and do no violence in a manner to opposing inclinations, that you may keep by the trade you have got; for you are not free, or at your own disposal. In fine, forget yourself, if you would serve God.”

- A note to pastors from John Calvin’s commentary on the Epistle to the Philippians

Whose Kingdom is it Anyway?

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 14:37:15 -0500

If following a leader is hard, and it often can be, leading in any capacity is infinitely harder. Its one thing to take responsibility for following someone, but the responsibility that a leader must bear for all those whom he leads is the heavier burden. Its understandable then, how serious leaders must take their charge. Its also understandable how constant the work of shepherding must be, tending this sheep, pursuing that sheep. Its a never ending task. Its often a thankless task. It is a very necessary and pressing task. In the midst of this type of leadership, a subtle intruder can create a mess in a local pasture: the spiritual shepherds of God’s people can become confused as to whose kingdom they are building. We can get so focused on building our particular local body, that we lose sight of a much bigger calling.

This is especially true of small town churches. Church members can often be hard to come by, therefore, pastors and elders tend to guard their sheep very closely. Its easy to hold on tightly to our little sheepfold because we are trying so hard to maintain our little kingdom that we so diligently labor to build. Now, should we be jealous for our members? In a certain sense, yes, we should. We should seek to protect them from false teachers. We should seek to build a wall of gospel community around them and nourish them. What we should not do, however, is always assume that God has given us particular sheep as our own, for our own ends. While we often give lip service to the idea of the ‘Kingdom of God’, this actually challenges us to live as if it is true.

I lament the exit of good families and solid disciples. I always hate to see them go. I have often found myself saying to God, “why did you bring them to my church only to let us pour into them and enjoy their gifts for a short time, and then send them off to someone else?” The short answer: because the kingdom of God is bigger than my church or purpose. God has seen fit to extend a mutual blessing for a time, and then to prepare each of us for the next phase of His plan. I would love to hang on to the sheep I get to shepherd for a while, but that is not what God’s Kingdom is all about. The kingdom of God must be advanced, and sometimes it means letting go of the ones we love the most, so that they can continue the work of the gospel.

The early church that we find in the book of Acts, saw many gifted men and women come and go, and they were happy for the simple reason that the cross was advanced. It saddens me to see faithful disciples answer a call to move on, but it fills me with joy to know that they will move into a new community and blossom just as they did within the one I shepherd. They move on to fill a void in another fold, and a spot opens within the fold I oversee for another sheep to come and find nurture. Its not my kingdom I am building, its God’s. I am not trying to build a following for me, I am seeking to point others to Christ. May we always send off our sheep in the joy that we are a part of something much bigger than budgets, programs, and success. We are a part of the kingdom of God, and it is much greater than self.

Love Beyond Degree

Thu, 20 Oct 2011 09:25:01 -0400

“I just love that outfit.” “I love this recipe.” The examples are legion. We use the word love in so many different ways and contexts, that it seems as if we have forgotten exactly what it means, or even what it implies. Even when it comes to the love of God, we tend to speak of it the way we do most anything else: tritely and overwhelmingly shallow. While we may acknowledge God’s love as something that is real and perhaps present, why does it often seem to move us so little? One of the most profound truths found in the Bible is that God loved us enough to give Himself for us. One verse in the Bible sums up the gospel truth of God’s love like no other verse in all of Scripture: John 3:16. This verse is widely known and often quoted, yet it seems as if we have missed what God’s Word is saying to us.

Most people know this verse by heart, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” Many Christians quote it, and many preachers preach it, but the question is, do we really understand what John is saying? Having a proper understanding of John 3:16 will shape how we understand the ministry of Christ, the love of the Father, and the power of the gospel.

For many, when they read John 3:16, they read it with the understanding that the focus is on whom God loves. Now, no doubt God’s love does reach the world—which I certainly think is a point to be made here—but that is not the main point of John 3:16. The primary purpose in John 3:16 is to tell how God loves. The word “so” is a Greek word that is more appropriately translated, thus or in this way. So, when we look at the verse we should actually read it as follows: “For God love the world in this way: he gave his only son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” As we see, John’s focus is not to show the width of God’s love—to whom it is extended. Rather, John is showing us the unfathomable depth of God’s love.

The gospel is not merely a call to faith, it is a call to live in the reality of the deep, rich love of God. We must understand that God did not merely say I love you, He demonstrated His love by giving His perfect Son as a sacrifice to atone for sin. Humanity was separated from God by the curse of sin, and God restored our relationship by giving us Jesus. Both the faith and the life that flow through the power of the cross are the result of God’s love. Why do we trust God? Because He showed us His love and trustworthiness through the cross. Why do we enjoy eternal life? Because God’s love for us through the cross has given us new life in Christ. What John gives us here is “love in action.” That is, God has not only confessed to love us, He has proven how much He loves us by giving His Son as a ransom for the souls of His people. This is the vertical side of the equation-the aspect dealing specifically with our relationship with God. There is, however, a horizontal aspect as well-how God’s gift of love effects how God’s people reflect that love to others.

God’s sacrificial love must be the pattern for how we love others. Jesus makes that clear in John 15:13, when He says, “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay his life down for his friends.” What makes this statement so remarkable is that Jesus was about to lay His life down for His people as His own expression of love. Naturally, we will never make the same sacrifice Jesus did because His was redemptive and unique. We are, however, called to show love primarily in sacrificing for the good of others. God the Father laid down the life of God the Son that He might redeem us and call us His friends.

Why do we serve or sacrifice? Will it merit God’s love? Will it make us more appealing to God? Absolutely not! We serve and sacrifice, we love because we are the recipients of the richest, purest, most effectual love of all. To lay down our lives for the good of others is to humbly serve them before we serve ourselves. It is to shoulder their burdens and enter into their struggles with no thought of being repaid. Why is the church called upon to love in this way? Simple, it is the example that has been set before us. The sacrifice of God is the seal of His deep love for His church. Likewise, the church shows that she is God’s by seeking to reflect His love to all people.

The gospel is the message of hope and redemption. It is the good news that sin and death have been crushed by the power of the cross. The foundation upon which the gospel is built is the deep love of God. His love saves us, His love empowers us to trust, and His love liberates us to serve and love others.

jameslesliemiller: Word.

Wed, 08 Jun 2011 09:32:36 -0400

jameslesliemiller:

Word.

Crumbling Foundations in Christian Community: The Power of Petition

Wed, 04 May 2011 09:55:42 -0400

Community has become such a buzz word in the larger conversation of humanity—both broadly and the church more specifically—that we are somewhat numb to it. The definitions of community that exist are legion because community has largely become whatever the speaker, writer, or “expert” says it is. Contrary to popular opinion, community is not a fluid idea that changes. How its applied from place to place or culture to culture may be varied to match norms and mores, but with regards to foundation, community is essentially an objective idea. Christian community is certainly an objective idea because there are a few things that the Bible says will be unmistakable marks of the church.

Again, we find in Acts 2:42 one of those objective identifiers of Christian community. Dr. Luke tells us, And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. Central to Christian community is the worship of God as is made explicit here. Not only is the preaching of the word central, but so is the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper (which is one of the implications of breaking bread together) and the prayers which people make. That is, the community on display here was a community founded upon the worship of the Lord. Community doesn’t simply happen, and it is not built on a contrived idea. Community is intentional and is built on the foundation of Jesus Christ and the cross.

Of the 4 things mentioned that sum up the community of the early church in verse 42, it is significant that Luke mentions the practice of prayer. It is unfortunate that many often fail to realize just how intimate prayer actually is. When we pray for others, we are entering into their struggle. We are standing with him/her, and shouldering the weight of their burdens with them. We are entering into a spiritual battle with a brother or sister, fighting a war against the world, the flesh, and the adversaries of the church. It is often true that where community is hollow, the prayer life of that community is hollow. Dead community can be linked to prayer habits that are inconsistent or that are nonexistent.

The temptation to complicate the issue of community is great. The great enemy of our souls would try to convince us that we must have a complex system of programs working in order to achieve community. Often times, the very things that we create to enhance our community tear it apart. People who pray for one another, know one another. People who pray together, trust each other because they are walking shoulder to shoulder in a battle with the power of darkness. Prayer certainly draws us closer to God because it demands that we trust in Him alone, but it also draws us closer to one another because we are following the Biblical mandate to bear one another’s burdens. How well do you know those in your community? Ask yourself, how often you are seeking to pray with them and for them. Through prayer, we not only come to know our community on a deeper level, we also show them great love as we walk them to the throne of grace helping them make their petitions known.

A Word for the Weary

Thu, 28 Apr 2011 10:18:40 -0400

I am often mindful of the sufferings of others. I have been been uniquely positioned by God’s sovereign will to walk through the valleys of shadow with those who experience hardship and pain. One of the biggest obstacles that I must overcome is to genuinely identify with the person in their grief and not trivialize their pain with truth that is disconnected from the gravity of the situation. In other words, I have to guard against minimizing the grief with cheap sentimentalism.

Yesterday, the world was witness to the brevity of life and our ultimate need for hope in something that is lasting. Many were effected by the storms. Some I know, and many I don’t, and yet to stranger and loved ones alike, the message is the same. Please understand that this is not my attempt to cheapen the losses that many have faced or to lighten the weightiness of what has happened. Yet, I am convinced that God’s Word speaks comfort and hope to us in the midst of trials, and I offer this passage of Scripture to those who need to be reminded of the eternal, unmovable hope that is the sovereign Lord. In Psalm 46, the psalmist says,

God is our refuge and strength,

a very present help in times of trouble.

Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way,

though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea,

though its waters roar and foam,

though the mountains tremble at its swelling.

There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,

the holy habitation of the Most High.

God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved;

God will help her when morning dawns.

The nations rage, the kingdoms totter;

he utters his voice, the earth melts.

The Lord of hosts is with us;

the God of Jacob is our fortress.

Come, behold the works of the Lord,

how he has brought desolations on the earth.

He makes wars cease to the end of the earth;

he breaks the bow and shatters the spear;

he burns the chariots with fire.

“Be still, and know that I am God.

I will be exalted among the nations,

I will be exalted in the earth!”

The Lord of hosts is with us;

the God of Jacob is our fortress.

To live is to experience pain, loss, trial and hardship. Hope is not found in avoiding the things that hurt; hope and joy are found in the One who transcends all the grief and tribulation. God’s promise is not to keep us from trials, but to be a place of refuge when have them. That is, God invites the weary and hurting to come to Him and through the truth and grace of His Word He provides the bread of life, and the rock of salvation. I grieve with you who are hurting and lamenting, but I rejoice in the God of heaven who invites us to come to Him and find rest for our souls. The grace and peace of the Lord be with you all.

Crumbling Foundations in Christian Community: Recovering What's Primary

Wed, 27 Apr 2011 14:20:42 -0400

Community is not built on the backs of dynamic personalities. It does however seem that way by much of what is practiced. It is the basic assumption of much of Christendom that if we find the right person, people will come in droves to hear him. Certainly having a recognizable name will draw a crowd, but that is not how community is built. The whole “name game” fosters too much competition and dissatisfaction at the local church level. Men who are not as gifted as our more popular brethren are judged by a standard that they are not gifted to meet. Spurgeons and Pipers only come once in a life time, and even those men would confess that true Christian community is not founded on them personally, but rather on specific Biblical principles.

There is no passage of Scripture more clear on true Christian community than what Dr. Luke writes in Acts 2:42-47. What we find in this passage of Scripture is relatively simple to follow and understand. There is a clear indication that these people weren’t simply involved in the lives of one another nominally, rather they had an intimate fellowship. This was not merely a fellowship that was defined by a 1 to 2 hour meeting on Sundays, it was defined by an involvement in one another’s lives at every level. They prayed together. They shared material resources when one had need. They ate meals together. As you look at the passage, a general theme presents itself: they participated in each other’s lives on every front.

Naturally, its not that hard to connect the last sentence in verse 47, And the Lord added to their number, day by day those who were being saved, with the rest of what we read. They grew because they understood the call to be communal. It would be easy however to focus on all the obvious examples of fellowship and miss the very thing that undergirded the community: they devoted themselves to the apostle’s teaching. Luke tells us plainly that they were devoted to teaching first, and fellowship second; and the rest of this short passage fleshes out exactly what their fellowship looked like.

The concept of fellowship (as stated in Acts 2) is couched between two decidedly worship-centered ideas: teaching and prayer. The foundation upon which true fellowship is built is the apostolic teaching that comes from the Word of God. If we are not devoted to good teaching, that is, teaching founded upon the Word of God, community simply cannot happen. Programs and events cannot be the basis for true Christian community because Jesus designed His community to be founded upon the faithful proclamation of His Word. Pastors are not expendable, but neither should we build the church around their name. We must come to understand the balance of appreciating their call and role in our lives and not make too much or too little of them. True community is the result of the Word of God driving us to love others more deeply. Genuine love is the result of the Word of God penetrating our own hearts and compelling us to act. God raises up men to preach and pastor His people, not simply to exercise control, but rather to build the glorious body of Christ into a rich community.

Crumbling Foundations in Christian Community: The Not So Great Exchange

Wed, 27 Apr 2011 09:40:07 -0400

It is no longer uncommon to hear of pastors who have faithfully labored among local congregations, to be asked to step aside. Sometimes those men have labored for more than twenty or thirty years, and yet, their faithfulness, loyalty, and devotion are rewarded with a rather unceremonious encouragement to resign or retire. There are always two sides to a story, and we can never assume that just because a pastor has been somewhere for a long time that it is right that he continue there. It is disconcerting however, when a pastor has faithfully labored in a gospel-centered ministry, and is told that he is no longer what the church needs because his “success ratio” is not meeting the standard.

Now, sometimes pastors need to be dismissed (or at the very least, strongly admonished and rebuked). No congregation should have to endure a man who is not faithful to lead Biblically in worship, word, and witness. Yet, a grievous trend has become entrenched in the life of the church here in America, and it is deeply affecting our ability to have strong, Bible-centered community.

If you examine the Bible and early church history, you can see that the pastor was charged with the duty of teaching and preaching, caring for the spiritual needs of the flock, and to some degree, making sure that some physical needs were met. Part of his pastoral duty was to encourage the body, but also to instruct and correct it. The pastor would address issues of sin in his people and apply the Scriptures to their lives where they had departed from clear, Biblical ethic. Of course, sin and pride still made this an unpleasant experience, but it was broadly understood that that was part of the pastoral office. People largely submitted to it, and expected it when they strayed from the path of Biblical fidelity.There are documented cases of men like Charles Simeon, who stayed in his call for 54 years, with many of those years being extremely difficult because he was hated. Many of the Puritans remained in their pulpits decades not because they tickled their people’s ears, but rather because there was a different view of the pastoral office.

A great shift took place in the thinking of man, and while we can see traces of it before the Enlightenment, I think the Enlightenment really established the modern view of pastoral ministry. The pastor gradually ceased being a man called by God to proclaim truth to a local body and became a business man, whose task was to build a successful organization by “recharging the batteries” of those who came to hear him in a given week. The tables were quickly turned. No longer was it the pastor who was in the homes of his people examining them with the word of God, he became the examined. It was the pastor who now sat under the scrutiny of the people and if he did not give them what they wanted, he would be dismissed and pronounced, “unsuccessful”, “without a good vision”, or even, “unloving and unconcerned about growth and community.”

Why is Christian community a glimmer of what it once was, or what it was intended to be? Well, it seems that we needn’t look very far to see one of the major issues. The voice of the pulpit has almost been hushed to a whisper because the shepherds whom God has gifted and sent out are expendable. The pastor is often the target of much criticism, but it is understood that he is to offer none in return. Failure is largely laid on the shoulders of the pastor, regardless of the fact that few have sought to support him in ministry. Pastors don’t personally build the church, but as we examine Scripture, the church is not built without them. What must the church do? How must she respond?

Only 10 days to go! Wanna Help?

Tue, 26 Apr 2011 16:31:59 -0400

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Caution, Narrow Ahead

Tue, 22 Mar 2011 16:27:38 -0400

A sure conversation stopper, an ace in the hole, something that will give one an advantage over another in conversation is to play the narrowness card. When the narrowness card is played, it spells almost certain defeat in debate for the opponent. I have always found that critique a bit unsettling. What is it that actually makes a person narrow in his or her views? Who gets to decide what is narrow and intolerant or what is broad and accepting? Narrowness in reality seems to be a subjective judgment. That is, one is narrow by the standard of the accuser because there is no objective standard of narrowness by which to measure narrowness.

As it is often defined, being narrow means that one is not open to other views. Typically, associated with the idea of narrowness is intolerance. Of course, my first question when I hear accusations of narrowness and intolerance is, by what standard is the narrow person being judged? My second question is, what does that say about the accuser, that he/she is accusing someone of being narrow for not accepting all beliefs equally? For as is plain, the accuser is also not accepting all beliefs as valid. It seems a bit hypocritical. By definition, being narrow is having a very focused system of belief. Wouldn’t it be correct then to say that we are all narrow to some degree or another?

Whatever the popular opinion might be, Jesus absolutely intended us to be narrow in our system of belief. Consider what He said in John 14:6, I Am the way, the truth, and the life, no man comes to the Father except through me. Consider what the apostles affirmed in Acts 4:12, speaking of Jesus, they said, And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved. The Bible is filled with the idea that the God of the Bible is the only hope of salvation. Now, does believing this make a person more narrow than the person who pushes the belief that to believe in the Bible is wrong? Absolutely not! The person who accuses the Biblical Christian of narrowness is just as narrow because they are assuming that their own form of belief is right.

Now, to be fair, our belief must be a one-way street, but the manifestation of that belief must be a six lane interstate. That is, the object of our faith and hope must be Christ alone, but the love of Christ, that redemptive love that we have been shown, must be extended to the world. Our minds must be singularly focused on Jesus Christ, and our hearts must be open to love His church and the people of this world through sacrificial service. Having a singular commitment to Christ can never be devoid of a commitment to love our neighbor. The most loving thing we can do for our neighbor is to share the gospel with them both in how we live, and the message that we speak. The most damaging thing we can do to our neighbor is to abandon the simple truth of the gospel in an attempt to make the Christian life more palatable. This world needs the abosolute Truth to conquer the lie, it needs the Redeemer of souls to deliver it from sin, and it needs the Resurrection and the Life to restore life. The world needs the narrow truth to conquer a broad dominion.

Rearview Beauty

Tue, 01 Mar 2011 17:07:00 -0500

Most have heard the old cliche, hindsight is 20/20. There is no great mystery as to what that means. Simply stated, when we have the advantage of experience and the ability to look back over what has been done, we can see clearly how things should have transpired. That is one of the richest gifts of recorded history. History gives humanity that gift and affords us the opportunity of concentrated observation. Now, we must always wade through the biases and incongruities of the historians, but history gives us a chance to examine life and with some measure of accuracy, to appreciate things that were not readily apparent in the moment they happened.

One example of this is seen in the life of the 2nd president of the United States, John Adams. I am currently reading David McCullough’s, John Adams, and I confess, in my American History classes, I was taught very little about Adams. In all candor, it was exactly as John Adams predicted in his lifetime: when the Revolution is mentioned, it would be accredited to Franklin, Washington, and Jefferson. Now however, having had the opportunity to read about John Adams, we can clearly see how integral his role was in seeing the United States formed and nurtured. He was criticized and hated by many in the moment, yet his role in the establishment of the nation is second to none.

Adams was a man of many imperfections, which he readily acknowledged, but he was also a man of principle. In fact, even those who disliked him complimented him on his unwavering steadfastness to what was right. Principle is one of those qualities that we typically revere and cherish in retrospect. That is, we love to look back over history and admire the men and woman who stood upon principle, but often times in the moment they are the target of disdain. At this very point, we must appreciate history. John Adams once said that facts are very stubborn things because eventually they reveal the truth. I wonder, how many present “villains” will be justified in the annals of history as men and women who were steadfast in their stance for what is right…

Principle is a costly endeavor, hence, not very many are willing to stand there. Principle cost Adams another term in office. Principle cost Adams friends and relationships. Yet, the principle of John Adams preserved our foreign policy without war with France, and the principle of John Adams made America a better place. Now he is venerated, but once he was vilified. Similarly, the church is at the precipice of transformation. We have sacrificed much principle for the sake of appealing to the masses, and to what end? We don’t need academics and scholars to sort out all the issues, although, their work in the church is helpful. What we need is simple. To put it in Pauline terms, we need men and women who are steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord because we know our labor in the Lord is not in vain. We are not living for the present, we are living for eternity with Christ and should He tarry, we are living for posterity. History will rectify the the principled; God’s justice demands it. May we stand as our forebears did! May principle and steadfastness define us and not the vain glory that has captured much of humanity.

Ordinary is Great

Fri, 18 Feb 2011 16:13:59 -0500

It is inevitable. When you begin discussing sports, music, or a litany of other things, the question that is often posed and answered is, who is the greatest? Of course, the answer to that question is somewhat subjective, because we tend to measure greatness by different criteria depending on the person. The greatness that is attributed to these people however is usually indicative of the measured success they enjoyed. That is, they won championships, produced hit records, or produced gaudy stats that make their success an incontrovertible fact. We call them great because they were successful. We call them great because they managed to exceed the ordinary.

Credit must always be given where credit is due, but is there really one universal standard that determines success and greatness? An excellent chef who produces great food will most likely be successful. The greatness and the success are really adjectives that describe the chef, not just his food. In other words, he is at the center of the greatness and success. Now, if we think of this in Biblical terms, can we honestly measure greatness and success the way a chef does? I think not. Sadly though, that is how we in the church have grown to think of greatness and success. You can hear it in conversation, “Pastor X is great, he is speaking at 4 different conferences this year. Yeah, he has like 10,000 members at his church.” You see it on retreat and conferences, “Join us this year for X conference. Pastor X who pastors the really big and successful church will be our speaker.” Implicit in this logic is, he is great because he is successful and we all need to do what he does.

The most troubling thing for me is, often times, these leaders who are constantly being stroked begin to think they are indeed the cream of the crop. They see their success as a true mark of greatness and an infallible proof that they somehow occupy a small elite. I suppose that by modern, consumer standards, they are great. They are drawing crowds, writing books, and selling out conferences. But, are they great by the standard of Christ?

The disciples had a similar question for Jesus in Matthew 18:1-5. They asked Jesus, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? The answer that Jesus gives is convicting and even a little shocking. Jesus summoned a child over and had him stand in the midst of them and said, Whoever humbles himself like this little child is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Notice what Jesus doesn’t say, He doesn’t equate greatness with missional success, books written and sold, preaching to thousands, or any other external thing. Being great is being humble. Being great is being unassuming and willing to learn. The greatest in the kingdom of heaven is often considered the least in the kingdom of this world. In the kingdom of God, greatness is for those who are quite ordinary people, but extraordinarily dependent upon Christ. Greatness is not a fruit of success, greatness is a fruit of constant, faithful dependence upon the Lord.

A Neglected Treasure

Tue, 15 Feb 2011 16:42:43 -0500

One of the more neglected exercises in Christendom is, ironically, one of the most needed—prayer. I confess, I rarely pray as I ought because often there is no immediate result, the fruit of my prayers is seemingly not the fruit I desired, or I am so enslaved to the tyranny of the urgent that I assume that I simply don’t have time to stop and fellowship with the Lord. Honestly, when I read of the prayer habits of our forefathers in the faith, I often wonder how they managed to write, preach, and pastor as effectively as they did while praying multiple hours in a day. If you read the prayers of many of these men, you will not find perfunctory, mindless prayers that were prayed to pass time. Rather, we find men whose life flowed from careful study of the Word and countless hours praying through it.

“I don’t pray much because I am not really sure what or how to pray” is something I often hear as a pastor. Legions of books have been written and sold on the subject of prayer and yet, we are still largely not a praying people. It is easier to do Bible studies on prayer than it is to actually pray. Authors give us insight and scratch our itch to know things, but at the end of the day, how is all the literature on prayer really changing our lives? If the the state of the church is any indication of how much we are praying, I would say that we are being puffed up by much literature, but not built up because we are not praying.

There is no greater prayer found in the Bible than the one found in Jonah 2. It is a rich prayer for numerous reasons, but there are 2 in particular that teach us how and what to pray. As simple as it may sound, Jonah teaches the ‘how’ of prayer and it is confidence. In verse 1 Jonah says, I called out to the Lord out of my distress, and He answered me; out of the belly of sheol I cried and you heard my voice. Prayer is made here, not out of joy or even celebration, but out of distress and despair. Jonah was broken and afflicted and yet, what is he telling us? He is saying when I was in need, I was confident that the Lord would answer me. We will often not pray because we don’t want to risk disappointment. We want to make sure we give God an out. Prayer is not for the self-confident and strong. Prayer is for the weak and helpless. Prayer is meant to be a confident cry depending upon the Lord to answer.

Jonah also gives us the ‘what’ of prayer and it is confession. The confessions in this prayer abound. Jonah says, He answered me, You heard my voice, You brought my life up from the pit, Salvation is the Lord’s. Foundational to Jonah’s confessions is the grace of God. Jonah was confident that God would hear him and He confessed God’s grace in the midst of affliction. What prompted Jonah’s confession in the belly of the fish? It was none other than God’s continued grace extended to the prophet in rescue and redemption. Prayer is an opportunity to place our full confidence in the Lord and to bear witness (confess) to the wonders of His grace. The more confident we grow in prayer, the more we confess the goodness of the Lord. Prayer is not a perfunctory exercise to be ‘spiritual’, it is an opportunity to approach God in weakness and find help in His strength. It is an opportunity to die to self and find life in Christ.

The Striking Simplicity of Social Justice pt. 2

Thu, 13 Jan 2011 11:00:07 -0500

It is an inescapable Biblical reality that God is deeply concerned with how we treat one another. In many different places in the New Testament, Jesus equates ill treatment of His people as ill treatment of Him and likewise good treatment. No where is that more clear than when Saul is prostrated on the road to Damascus and Jesus asks him the piercing question, Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me (cf. Acts 9:4)? Paul had never seen Jesus before that moment and the persecution mentioned was against the church. In the gospel of Matthew, in the context of serving the people of Jesus, Jesus says, Truly I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me (Matt. 25:40). God has so deeply intertwined our treatment of His people together with our treatment of Him, that it is inseparable.

So, social justice is more than a fleeting thought of simple human charity, at least for the Christian. We must however be quick to recognize (especially in the passages listed above) that there is a unique relationship between God and His people. It is not true of all men and women equally that all that is done to them is done to God, and yet, that does not excuse Christians from acting justly toward those outside the community of Christ. As in all things, the key is finding balance. Social justice is not the message of the gospel, it is an outworking of the message of the gospel. In other words, the gospel doesn’t hinge on that one issue. What the gospel does do however is liberate us from the tyranny of sin that we might seek to love others well.

Jesus made it plain in John 13, By this, all people will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another. The defining mark of the follower of Jesus is love. We must understand the subtly of the statement. A follower of Christ is a follower because he/she is first loved by God. As we reflect God’s love by loving the covenant community, we show ourselves to be sons and daughters of the God who is Love. But, what does this mean for those outside the community?

The call is no different. The general ethic of the Old Testament regarding the obligation of humanity in general is charity. The Old Testament is filled with passages concerning the obligation of the covenant community to do good to everyone. The Pentateuch (first 5 books of the Bible) makes clear that God’s people are to be charitable to all. Micah, a prophet of God, says He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and love steadfastly, and to walk circumspectly with your God. To do what is good, is to do that which is a reflection of God. In other words, we do justice to people not because it is the gospel, but rather that we might reflect the glory of God to a watching world. We show goodness and steadfast love because it was shown to us in Christ. In the end, social justice is nothing more than one more opportunity to answer the call of Christ, Follow Me!

The Striking Simplicity of Social Justice

Thu, 13 Jan 2011 09:58:20 -0500

It is somewhat intriguing to me to see ideas take shape in the public forum and then catch fire and become the new, driving purpose for whomever wants to be on the correct side of the issue de jour. We really are sheep, and we latch on to whatever those whom we perceive to be leaders tell us is important. Certainly, leadership is a God ordained principle and it is wise to follow leaders as long as they are leading in the right direction. It seems to me however that we have forgotten how to think and weigh out issues. Currently, the issue is social justice. That is, the current litmus test of Biblical fidelity in the public forum is social justice, and how it ought to be central to the mission of the church. It is espoused by many (wittingly and unwittingly) that the gospel is the message that seeks to dispel all the social injustices that take place on a daily basis. Unfortunately, this reveals a very grave misunderstanding of the gospel proclamation.

Let me go ahead and clear up one thing: I hate racism, oppression of the weak, mass poverty, and the mistreatment of any human being. I certainly don’t think those are small issues, nor do I think the church should overlook them. I do feel however that at the behest of secular culture, we have given social justice a place that it was not intended to hold. The gospel has never in its history equalled having a “fair” life that is without problems. As a matter of fact, those who hold onto the Biblical gospel will be discriminated against, despised, oppressed, and made to suffer. The gospel does not eliminate human suffering, on the contrary, in many instances, it actually intensifies it. This therefore begs the question, does the gospel have anything to say to the issue of social justice? To that we must answer an emphatic yes, the gospel does indeed speak to the issue of social justice albeit indirectly.

In the gospel of John, Jesus gave some very important instructions to those who would follow Him. In John 15:4, Jesus said, Abide in me, and I in you. Now, one might ask, what does that have to do with social justice? Fair question, let me answer. Abiding in Christ is essentially loving Him by following His Word, and loving one another as He has loved us. Consider this for a moment. If my consuming passion is to love Jesus by keeping His Word and to love others as He has loved me, my attitude toward Christian and non-Christian alike is going to be radically different. Christians don’t need to be inundated with literature, we need to recapture the essence of what it means to follow Christ.

The easiest thing to do is go on tirades concerning how this or that group is not concerned with social justice, but that only avoids doing the hard, necessary thing. We are called to self examine and expose our own sins and shortcomings to the power of the gospel. If each disciple of Christ took his/her personal call to follow Jesus more seriously, we would see a social justice revolution. We don’t have to rewrite the gospel to achieve social justice, we simply need to follow the command given by Jesus, “follow me!”

To be continued…

The Tyranny of the Habitual

Mon, 20 Dec 2010 10:03:41 -0500

Urgency. We know it all to well because it presses us from day to day. We are driven by it. Our lives are essentially mastered by the whip of urgency. We have been fostered on the milk of busyness. Kids are over scheduled and under rested. Parents are busy balancing work, home, and all the other extracurricular activities that come with being a family. I have often observed the frantic pace of life, and have come to realize that one of the greatest allies to complacency, spiritual lethargy, and apathy is the tyranny of the urgent. Similarly, I have come to see another great force in the stagnation of the heart, and often it is subtle and hard to detect: the force of habit can be a serious stumbling block in our path.

Habit? Besides the obvious bad habits that can work death in a person, what is so dangerous about habits? Habits have a funny way of asserting themselves even when they are not consciously called upon. Habits help to form the basis of our routines. Even people who claim to have no habitual practices make a habit of having no habits. Routine is not a bad thing because it adds structure to a person’s life, but there is a point where habit and routine can seriously hinder our personal growth. Take for example the addict. They have made a habit of substance abuse. A series of daily choices (habit) causes them to live a life that will most certainly end in death. Often, it is not that they don’t desire change, it’s that they don’t know how. A force of habit blinds them from taking steps toward recovery.

Habitual chemical abuse is somewhat obvious. Much more subtle however are the spiritual habits that cause us to be more resistant to transformation. Consider the man in Mark 9:24 who had a son plagued by demonic torment. The demon often led the boy harm to himself. The father of the boy approached Jesus and asked Him to heal his son, that is, if Jesus was able. When Jesus corrected the man for his lack of faith, the man cried, I believe; help my unbelief. Can you see the overarching problem? The man believed in God and even believed that God was able—I believe—but his habit was a general failure to actively trust God—help my unbelief. He could appreciate the philosophy of God’s intervention, but practically, he lived as if God would/could not intervene.

It seems so simple. I am not praying enough, I am gossiping too much, or I am not seeking personal holiness, I will work harder to do those things. Well, we know from experience, it doesn’t work that way. We are not robots, and our walk with Christ is not a mechanism that can simply be adjusted. Transformation must start at the heart level. That means, before actions can change, the seat of our habits (the heart) must change. The object of our hope and trust must change. If we are failing in personal holiness, what is the idol that has captured our hearts and drawn us away? If we are failing to pray, what other relationship are we giving more priority? Changed actions are the result of changed hearts. We can’t ignore habits that lead us away from the cross, but we can’t simply “fix” them either. As Jesus said in Mark 9, All things are possible for one who believes. Transformation comes through actively hoping in the gospel. It is not about us fixing ourselves. It is about us exposing our sin to the gospel and submitting to the One who can transform us into His image.

Maturity Redefined

Wed, 08 Dec 2010 09:51:45 -0500

There are certain “milestones” that all parents experience with their children. What parent doesn’t remember the first steps each of their children took, their first bike ride, and for some, their first day off to school? These occasions in our lives often mark growth and maturity in our children. These periods are transitional periods. Our children transition from total and absolute dependence to progressive independence. We often mark their growth and maturity by the increasing disappearance of helplessness. Children are born absolutely helpless and in need every moment of a parent’s love, attention, and care. What’s interesting however, is in all that the child doesn’t know or yet understand, he/she understands one thing very clearly: I am in need of care and nurture. Hence, they cry for us to feed them, clean them, comfort them, and love them.

A child doesn’t stay that way forever, however. As they grow, they learn mobility and they increasingly become independent of the parent in terms of getting from one point to another. Likewise, they become more skilled at eating, and eventually they learn how to go to the bathroom on their own. Parents train kids to be independent, to do for themselves, and their growth and maturity are increasingly marked by how well they do in these areas. Strength of character and resolve are absolutely essential for the child. Parents understand that as the years pass, they are not going to be there to make decisions for their children, so they teach them the skills they need to pass these pilgrims days as people who are equipped to handle life. While all this is positive and good, there is an increasing spiritual trend at work that causes a major digression in the heart.

In the gospels, Jesus tells us more than once that we are to be like children when we come to Him (cf. Matt. 18; Luke 18). That is, we are to maintain a sense wonder concerning the majesty of God. We are to marvel at the general and special revelation of the Lord. The Lord’s covenant love should fills us with awe that is manifested in rich and robust praise. We are to have a faith that is rooted not in scientific fact, but rather is based upon the word of the Lord revealed to us in Scripture. As much as we are to worship and exercise faith, we are to come helpless. So much of our life is geared toward becoming mature and to us mature means independent, together, knowledgeable, refined, and supply the appropriate adjective. Dare I suggest that we radically redefine what we mean by mature? Being mature has nothing to do with independence. Being mature means that you are wise enough to understand how dependent you are, how much you need, and how utterly helpless you are apart from Christ.

In Matthew 11:28, when Jesus says, Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, He is saying clearly, come to me as you are; come to me needy and wanting. It is not the person who stands tall that shows maturity in Christ, it is the person who is bowed before Him, helpless and in need (cf. Luke 18:9 ff). The mature are the ones who see clearly their poverty of spirit and approach Christ broken, hoping only in His perfection. Maturity does not say, I have this. True Maturity says, I have nothing and am nothing, but Christ is my all in all.

Hope Beyond Healing

Thu, 14 Oct 2010 09:43:15 -0400

A cliche that I am sure we have all heard is, time heals all wounds. I wonder however if people who utter that statement have ever truly been wounded. If indeed that were the case, many of the “wounds” that continue to plague society and individuals would be gone. Time was never intended to heal all wounds. In fact, I would argue that time itself only heightens our realization that our wounds need a deeper, more permanent solution.

Tolkien captured this idea in his fantastic tale, The Lord of the Rings. When Frodo is stabbed by one of the wraiths of Mordor, the blade leaves a wound in his shoulder that Gandalf explains will never fully heal. In other words, for as long as Frodo existed, there would be a scar and even pain where he had once been stung by the blade of Mordor. One need not strain too hard to figure out Tolkien’s philosophy behind such an idea. For Tolkien, healing from the pain did not come in the present age, but full healing lay in the age to come when all things will be made new. Time cannot heal all wounds because that right has been reserved for the One who brings restoration through His covenant love.

Maybe the focus of our hearts should not be on the healing as much as the hope that is held out to us in the gospel. Living wounded need not imply that we live without joy, quite the contrary. It is joy that enables us to continue throughout our pilgrim days. It is the joy of being reconciled to God that gives us strength anew. It is the joy of knowing that God’s mercies are new every morning that gives us perseverance. It is the joy of knowing that even though we walk in the valley of shadow, God is with us. The wound itself can even become a source of joy. As we walk with Christ through the pain and trial we can look back and confess as David did in his old age, I was young and now I am old and I have NEVER seen the righteous forsaken or his seed begging bread.

It seems that our view of wholeness has become confused with health, wealth, and happiness. Wounds are meant to remind us of our own brokenness and our utter need for Christ. Only in my pains do I realize the sufficiency of God’s grace. Only in my weakness do I realize just how much I am not independent. Wholeness is not bound up in feeling good and having no struggles. Wholeness is something that we have if we are in Christ. Being whole is not about being pain free, it is about being satisfied with Christ. A day will come when we will fully know what it means to be whole in mind, body, and spirit. Until that day comes however, our prayers should not be focused on making the pain stop, rather they should focus on asking God to help us walk another mile.