Justin Taylor points to one option for helping with relief efforts in Haiti.
Update: photos from Haiti
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
The Mission of the Church....
Here's the link to my sermon from last Sunday morning, from Acts 6:7, entitled "The Mission of the Church: the Progress of the Word"
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
The Good Fight (the pursuit of holiness)
Matt Chandler, lead pastor of The Village Church in Highland Village, Texas, is interviewed by CT 'on sanctification and making war against sin.'
Chandler's perspective includes the importance of making relationships within the church a key part of the pursuit of holiness.
P.S. -- many Christians are praying for Chandler, who has recently been diagnosed and undergone surgery for brain cancer
Chandler's perspective includes the importance of making relationships within the church a key part of the pursuit of holiness.
P.S. -- many Christians are praying for Chandler, who has recently been diagnosed and undergone surgery for brain cancer
Monday, January 11, 2010
"Supernatural Church"
“I bet you’d agree that a group of talented, charismatic leaders can draw a crowd. Find the right creative team, musicians and speakers, and you can grow any church. It doesn’t even have to be a Christian church. The fact is that without making a conscious choice to depend on the Holy Spirit, we can to a lot. (Although, without the Spirit, we wouldn’t actually be drawing our next breath – but I am talking about cognizant and intentional dependence on our part.) My point is that a growing and energetic gathering is not necessarily evidence of the Spirit’s work.”
“…We’ve created a whole brand of churches that do not depend on the Spirit, a whole culture of Christians who are not disciples, and new group of ‘followers’ who do not follow.
“If all God asked for were faceless numbers to fill the churches, then we would be doing all right. Most of us would feel pretty confident. But simply having a good speaker, a service that is short and engaging, a good venue, and whatever else we add to the mix does not make a ‘good’ or ‘successful’ church. God intended for His bride, those who claim His name, to be much more than this.
“God is not interested in numbers. He cares most about the faithfulness, not the size, of His bride. He cares about whether people are lovers of Him. And while I might be able to get people in the doors of a church or auditorium if I tell enough jokes or use enough visuals, the fact remains that I cannot convince people to be obsessed with Jesus.
“Perhaps I can talk people into praying a prayer, but I cannot talk anyone into falling in love with Christ. I cannot make someone understand and accept the gift of grace. Only the Holy Spirit can do that. So by every measure that actually counts, I need the Holy Spirit. Desperately.”
-- Francis Chan, from the chapter “Supernatural Church” in his book, The Forgotten God (David C. Cook; pp. 141,143)
“…We’ve created a whole brand of churches that do not depend on the Spirit, a whole culture of Christians who are not disciples, and new group of ‘followers’ who do not follow.
“If all God asked for were faceless numbers to fill the churches, then we would be doing all right. Most of us would feel pretty confident. But simply having a good speaker, a service that is short and engaging, a good venue, and whatever else we add to the mix does not make a ‘good’ or ‘successful’ church. God intended for His bride, those who claim His name, to be much more than this.
“God is not interested in numbers. He cares most about the faithfulness, not the size, of His bride. He cares about whether people are lovers of Him. And while I might be able to get people in the doors of a church or auditorium if I tell enough jokes or use enough visuals, the fact remains that I cannot convince people to be obsessed with Jesus.
“Perhaps I can talk people into praying a prayer, but I cannot talk anyone into falling in love with Christ. I cannot make someone understand and accept the gift of grace. Only the Holy Spirit can do that. So by every measure that actually counts, I need the Holy Spirit. Desperately.”
-- Francis Chan, from the chapter “Supernatural Church” in his book, The Forgotten God (David C. Cook; pp. 141,143)
Saturday, January 9, 2010
What It Takes to Put Sin to Death
"But if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live." Romans 8:13
“Men look upon it as an easy task and as that which will be carried on with a little diligence and ordinary attendance. But do we think it is for nothing that the Holy Spirit expresses the duty of opposing sin and weakening its power by mortification, killing or putting to death? Is there not something special in this, beyond any other act or duty of our lives? . . . Everything will do its utmost to preserve its life and being. So will sin too; and if it is not constantly pursued with diligence and holy violence, it will escape our assaults. Let no man think he can kill sin with few, easy or gentle strokes.”
-- John Owen, Works (Edinburgh, 1981 reprint), III:546.
HT: Ray Ortlund
“Men look upon it as an easy task and as that which will be carried on with a little diligence and ordinary attendance. But do we think it is for nothing that the Holy Spirit expresses the duty of opposing sin and weakening its power by mortification, killing or putting to death? Is there not something special in this, beyond any other act or duty of our lives? . . . Everything will do its utmost to preserve its life and being. So will sin too; and if it is not constantly pursued with diligence and holy violence, it will escape our assaults. Let no man think he can kill sin with few, easy or gentle strokes.”
-- John Owen, Works (Edinburgh, 1981 reprint), III:546.
HT: Ray Ortlund
Friday, January 8, 2010
An Insightful Column from Michael Gerson...
...a follow-up to the subject of my post yesterday: "Brit Hume's Tiger Woods remarks shine light on true intolerance"
Here is just the conclusion:
"...In this controversy, we are presented with two models of discourse. Hume, in an angry sea of loss and tragedy -- his son's death in 1998 -- found a life preserver in faith. He offered that life preserver to another drowning man. Whatever your view of Hume's beliefs, he could have no motive other than concern for Woods himself.
"The other model has come from critics such as Shales, in a spittle-flinging rage at the mention of religion in public, comparing Hume to 'Mary Poppins on the joys of a tidy room, or Ron Popeil on the glories of some amazing potato peeler.' Shales, of course, is engaged in proselytism of his own -- for a secular fundamentalism that trivializes and banishes all other faiths. He distributes the sacrament of the sneer.
"Who in this picture is more intolerant?"
Here is just the conclusion:
"...In this controversy, we are presented with two models of discourse. Hume, in an angry sea of loss and tragedy -- his son's death in 1998 -- found a life preserver in faith. He offered that life preserver to another drowning man. Whatever your view of Hume's beliefs, he could have no motive other than concern for Woods himself.
"The other model has come from critics such as Shales, in a spittle-flinging rage at the mention of religion in public, comparing Hume to 'Mary Poppins on the joys of a tidy room, or Ron Popeil on the glories of some amazing potato peeler.' Shales, of course, is engaged in proselytism of his own -- for a secular fundamentalism that trivializes and banishes all other faiths. He distributes the sacrament of the sneer.
"Who in this picture is more intolerant?"
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Brit Hume's Christian Witness (related to Tiger Woods)
Justin Taylor has two interesting posts related to Brit Hume's (Fox News) recent public witness regarding the redemption offered by Christ (in relation to Tiger Woods).
I appreciate Hume's bold witness, and his realization that the separation of church and state (a political idea) does not at all mean that Christians cannot live out and declare their Christian faith in 'the public square'
"Brit Hume, Tiger Woods, and Jesus Christ"
"Christianity Today's" Q&A with Brit Hume
I appreciate Hume's bold witness, and his realization that the separation of church and state (a political idea) does not at all mean that Christians cannot live out and declare their Christian faith in 'the public square'
"Brit Hume, Tiger Woods, and Jesus Christ"
"Christianity Today's" Q&A with Brit Hume
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
The Shadow Cast by the Cross
“Christ’s salvation is of such a kind that it expresses the ultimate reality of guilt and exposes it in all its stark actuality. It exposes it in terms of the wrath of God, but at the same time manifests in the midst of it all the infinite and overwhelming love of God, and enacts the union of God and man in a union and communion that nothing can undo.
"In forgiveness Jesus Christ offers himself on behalf of and in the place of the sinner, and the gulf of human sin and guilt is spanned, but in throwing a bridge over the abyss, the depth and breadth of it are made still more evident.
"That is why Golgotha casts such a dark shadow over the world. That is why the cross unmasks the inhumanity of man, at once exposing sin and guilt and dealing with them at their worst — in mankind’s ultimate attack upon God in Jesus Christ — and out of the heart of that there come two words that reveal the infinite guilt of humanity and the infinite love of God. ‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?’ ‘Father forgive them, for they know not what they do.’”
—T.F. Torrance, Incarnation: The Person and Life of Christ (Paternoster, 2008), 255, 256
(HT: Mark D. Thompson)
"In forgiveness Jesus Christ offers himself on behalf of and in the place of the sinner, and the gulf of human sin and guilt is spanned, but in throwing a bridge over the abyss, the depth and breadth of it are made still more evident.
"That is why Golgotha casts such a dark shadow over the world. That is why the cross unmasks the inhumanity of man, at once exposing sin and guilt and dealing with them at their worst — in mankind’s ultimate attack upon God in Jesus Christ — and out of the heart of that there come two words that reveal the infinite guilt of humanity and the infinite love of God. ‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?’ ‘Father forgive them, for they know not what they do.’”
—T.F. Torrance, Incarnation: The Person and Life of Christ (Paternoster, 2008), 255, 256
(HT: Mark D. Thompson)
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Affirming the Worth of Work
Pastor Thabiti Anyabwile has a good (and counter-cultural) post here in which he affirms and celebrates the worth and joy of work and working, particularly, in his case, the work of pastoral ministry.
Monday, January 4, 2010
Just do it... (Read the Bible)
“Begin reading your Bible this very day. The way to do a thing is to do it, and the way to read the Bible is actually to read it. It is not meaning, or wishing, or resolving, or intending, or thinking about it; that will not advance you one step. You must positively read. There is no royal road in this matter, any more than in the matter of prayer. If you cannot read yourself, you must persuade somebody else to read to you. But one way or another, through eyes or ears, the words of Scripture must actually pass before your mind.”
~ J.C. Ryle
Practical Religion, “Bible Reading”, 131.
~ J.C. Ryle
Practical Religion, “Bible Reading”, 131.
"A Prayer for the New Year"
Trevin Wax offers this Prayer for the New Year -- an adaptation of a number of the Resolutions of Jonathan Edwards.
HT: Justin Taylor
HT: Justin Taylor
Sunday, January 3, 2010
A Word to Worriers from Spurgeon
Charles Spurgeon:
'You are meddling with Christ’s business, and neglecting your own when you fret about your lot and circumstances.You have been trying “providing” work and forgetting that it is yours to obey.
'Be wise and attend to the obeying, and let Christ manage the providing.
'Come and survey your Father’s storehouse, and ask whether he will let you starve while he has laid up so great an abundance in his garner?
'Look at his heart of mercy; see if that can ever prove unkind!
'Look at his inscrutable wisdom; see if that will ever be at fault.
'Above all, look up to Jesus Christ your Intercessor, and ask yourself, while he pleads, can your Father deal ungraciously with you?
If he remembers even sparrows, will he forget one of the least of his poor children?
'“Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he will sustain thee. He will never suffer the righteous to be moved.”'
HT: Doug Wolter; Justin Taylor
'You are meddling with Christ’s business, and neglecting your own when you fret about your lot and circumstances.You have been trying “providing” work and forgetting that it is yours to obey.
'Be wise and attend to the obeying, and let Christ manage the providing.
'Come and survey your Father’s storehouse, and ask whether he will let you starve while he has laid up so great an abundance in his garner?
'Look at his heart of mercy; see if that can ever prove unkind!
'Look at his inscrutable wisdom; see if that will ever be at fault.
'Above all, look up to Jesus Christ your Intercessor, and ask yourself, while he pleads, can your Father deal ungraciously with you?
If he remembers even sparrows, will he forget one of the least of his poor children?
'“Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he will sustain thee. He will never suffer the righteous to be moved.”'
HT: Doug Wolter; Justin Taylor
Saturday, January 2, 2010
Recommended reading on Prayer
A number of friends I respect highly recommended a good book in prayer, entitled "A Praying Life" by Paul E. Miller (NavPress). I've just about finished the book myself now, and I agree that it's probably the best book on prayer and praying that I've ever read. It's a highly practical book, both convicting and encouraging, and you can tell that wise theology lies beneath the surface of the very life-related teaching and examples the fill the book.
Friday, January 1, 2010
Excellent Online 'Devotional' Resource
"For the Love of God" by D.A. Carson is a daily devotional designed to walk a person through the Bible in a year while assisting the reader in discovering the riches of God’s Word. Originally published by Crossway Books (volume 1 in 1998 and volume 2 in 1999), this “blog” is really not a blog at all, but a free digital version of the devotional provided by The Gospel Coalition and Crossway Publishers. Their (and my) hope is that this daily devotional will deepen your understanding and appreciation of God’s Word—for the love of God.
Not only are the very practical daily readings clearly based on Scripture, but they also will help you read through the entire Bible in a systematic way.
Not only are the very practical daily readings clearly based on Scripture, but they also will help you read through the entire Bible in a systematic way.
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