Pilgrims & Pastors

Shakin' Things Up Some More: Pilgrims & Pastors Is Moving!!

2011-03-01T22:39:00.001-05:00

Earlier in the year when I changed the name of the blog, I said, "For now the url will remain what it is, but that will be changing in the near future, so stay tuned!" Well, it's taken longer than I thought, but it's time. And not only is there a url change, there is also a change in blog service. Although there are many features that I enjoy about the blogger service, I have decided to utilize wordpress.com instead. So, with that, the new url is:

https://pilgrimsandpastors.wordpress.com/

Everything has been moved over, but I will also leave this site up as well. There is still much work to do in getting the new Pilgrims & Pastors finished, but enough has been done to go ahead and announce the move. So if you want to continue to stay up to date, you will need to change your subscription to the new blog, which you can do when you visit it and check it out.

So come check it out!

What Books (And Especially the Bible) Can Do For Us

2011-02-25T19:30:00.000-05:00

From Life in Christ:

“I think we ought to read only the kind of books that wound and stab us…. We need the books that affect us like a disaster, that grieve us deeply, like the death of someone we loved more than ourselves, like being banished into forests far from everyone, like a suicide. A book must be the axe for the frozen sea inside us.” Franz Kafka, Letter to Oskar Pollak, January 27, 1904.

A reader of the whole – which is to say the only – Bible concludes, then, that Kafka evidently agreed with God.

2011 Spring Conference: "God, Horrendous Evil, and the Christian Faith"

2011-02-22T11:28:00.005-05:00

"Nonbelievers insist that the reality of horrendous evils in the world cannot be squared with the Church's confession of a God who is both good and powerful. The Church also confesses, in the Apostles' Creed, that Jesus "descended into Hell." But what does the suffering and death of Jesus have to do with natural disasters, genocide, severe disorders and depression, and other horrors of human experience? What do these things have to do with Jesus, and with the Christian lives of even those who do not suffer in these ways? And how does the Church respond in the face of horrendous evil? What is there to say?"

This year's Spring Conference at Reformed Presbyterian Church of Lookout Mountain will be dealing with these questions.

More information forthcoming!

Are You Cultivating a Culture of Grace or a Culture of Law?

2011-02-10T14:10:00.004-05:00

This past Lord's Day, my church began a Sunday school class that is on the topic of developing a culture of grace in the church. For this class, we are utilizing Paul David Tripp's lectures Your Christian School: A Culture of Grace?. In the first lesson, this question was asked, "Are we asking the law to do something that only grace can accomplish?" Behind this question is the truth that the law cannot accomplish what it demands. That is not its purpose. But so often, this is exactly how we approach the law. We think, "If I can just do [ a certain outward behavior] enough, even when I don't want to do it, then eventually there will be an inward positive effect." Or, we think something like this, "If I can just do it for thirty days, then it will become a natural habit that I will do all the time. If I can thank God enough for my difficult trials, then I will truly become thankful." This approach to the Christian walk is a legalistic approach and it just simply won't work.

Jesus says in Luke 6.43-45 that,

For no good tree bears bad fruit, nor again does a bad tree bear good fruit, for each tree is known by its own fruit. For figs are not gathered from thornbushes, nor are grapes picked from a bramble bush. The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.

We cannot transform ourselves at all, let alone through the practice of trying to go from the outside to the inside. When we try to use the law that way, it simply won't work because the law can only point us to what we ought to be or to do, it cannot give us the power to become or accomplish what it requires. Over at In Light of the Gospel, my friend James Grant has posted the following quote by Gerhard Forde (On Being a Theologian of the Cross, p. 107), which summarizes my point well:

“We see that the law simply cannot bring into being what it commands…The law says, ‘Thou shalt love!’ It is right; it is ‘holy, true, good’. Yet it can’t bring about what it demands. It might impel toward the works of the law, the motions of love, but in the end they will become irksome and will all too often lead to hate. If we go up to someone on the street, grab them by the lapels and say, ‘Look here, you’re supposed to love me!’ the person may drudgingly admit that we are right, but it won’t work. The results will likely be just the opposite from what our ‘law’ demands. Law is indeed right, but it simply cannot realize what it points to. So it works wrath. It can curse, but it can’t bless. In commanding love law can only point helplessly to that which it cannot produce.”

This is not to suggest that there is not a proper place for the law in the Christian life. But if that is the question that immediately came to your mind, then I would suggest that prior to asking that question, you first ask the question of yourself that Tripp has asked, "Are we asking the law to do something that only grace can accomplish?". Before we can learn how to properly use the law, we must first make sure we have a proper understanding of the role of grace in our lives, families, churches, etc.

What the law can only point to, grace can and does actually provide. This is what God has promised in the new covenant:

But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the LORD: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people, (Jeremiah 31.33).

And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules, (Ezekiel 36.26-27).

Do you see the connection between the Luke passage and these passages on the new covenant? What we do is a reflection of what is already inside us--the outward is a reflection of the inward. We cannot change the outward to effect the inward, it has to go from the inward to the outward. And this can only be accomplished by God. Left to ourselves we have hearts of stone, which we are powerless to change on our own, and especially through the law. This inability is exhibited by Israel's breaking the old covenant, which is why God provided the new covenant, a covenant whose success is now guaranteed because God will accomplish it. The result of this new covenant is that now, God gives us a new heart (that is grace), he gives us a new spirit (that is grace), he removes our heart of stone (that is grace), he writes his law on our new hearts (that is grace) and he causes us to walk according to his law and be obedient to it (that is grace). By grace, God works on our inside so that, by grace, we can reflect his law in our outward behavior. As Herman Bavinck once said, "Objectively and subjectively, from beginning to end, the work of salvation is a work of God's grace and of his grace alone," (Reformed Dogmatics, 3:486).

Notice, this list is all about what God does. He doesn't say that he gives us a new heart, but then leaves it up to us to write his law on it--he gives and he writes! We cannot use the law to create new hearts within us. We cannot use the law to cause us to walk in obedience. We cannot create changes within us by making changes outside of us. But as he makes changes within us, we can reflect his work on the outside. As John Calvin has said, "For by the transpiration of his power he so breathes divine life into us that we are no longer actuated by ourselves, but are ruled by his action and prompting. Accordingly, whatever good things are in us are the fruits of his grace; and without him our gifts are darkness of mind and perversity of heart, (Institutes of the Christian Religion, III. 1.3, 541).

Now, for some people this is scary and for others this can be upsetting. But this should not be bad news to you--for this is simply the good news of the gospel itself. Life in the new covenant is all about grace. What we cannot accomplish in ourselves, is accomplished for us by Jesus Christ and worked within us through the Holy Spirit:

For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit, (Romans 8.3-4).

Let the gospel be the good news that it is, and look to it for your Christian walk so that you will not try to use the law for something it is not meant to do or can do. So how about you, your family, your church, are you developing a culture of grace, or a culture of law?

An Integrated Reading Schedule of the Westminster Standards

2011-02-02T23:03:00.000-05:00

Have you ever been reading in the Westminster Confession and wondered how that topic or issue was addressed in one of the catechisms? Well, Brandon Wilkins of A Pilgrim's Theology has put together a very helpful schedule for reading through the Westminster Confession and Catechisms that does just that. The schedule takes one through all three documents in a month, allowing the reader to read through the three primary documents in an integrated fashion so that you can see the breadth of what the Standards say on a particular topic or issue all in one sitting. This schedule can serve as a great resource for family worship, officer training, an inquirer's class, etc.

See the schedule here.

The Father of Reformed Biblical Theology

2011-02-02T22:32:00.000-05:00

At my church, I lead a discussion group that is currently reading Geerhardus Vos' Biblical Theology. I was pleased to be asked to do this as Vos is one of my favorite theologians and has probably had the most influence in shaping my approach to scripture and preaching. Although Vos has been acknowledged as the father of Reformed Biblical Theology and has done much in shaping current trends in Reformed hermeneutics (the study of how you interpret the Bible), many are unfamiliar with this key figure. So, here is a brief sketch of his life, ministry and approach to scripture that originally appeared in the Ordained Servant (Vol 8, No. 3, July 1999) and was co-authored by one of my mentors, John Muether and Darryl Hart.

Nineteen ninety-nine marks the fiftieth anniversary of the death of Geerhardus Vos, widely acknowledged as the father of Reformed Biblical theology. A descendent of French Huguenots, Vos was born in the Netherlands on March 14, 1862. He immigrated to the United States in 1881, when his father accepted a call to a congregation of the Christian Reformed Church, and he enrolled in what is now Calvin College, in Grand Rapids. From there he continued his studies at Princeton Theological Seminary (1883-1885), and he eventually earned his Ph.D. from the University of Strassburg in 1888.

After teaching at Calvin for a few years, Vos went on to serve at Princeton Theological Seminary nearly forty years, where he taught many of the founding ministers of the OPC, such as Machen, Murray, Stonehouse, and Van Til. Yet Vos is not normally included in the chain of Old Princeton giants that preceded Machen and the OPC (a list generally restricted to Alexander, Hodge, and Warfield). Vos was "largely a forgotten man," according to one biographer. "Enrollment in his courses at [Princeton] often was sparse compared to those of other professors of a more 'popular' type, because of the weightiness of his lectures."

Another explanation for Vos's relative obscurity was his low ecclesiastical profile. Rarely did he step outside the classroom and into the courts of the church (though he fought Presbyterian attempts to revise the Westminster Confession). Nearing retirement when Machen founded Westminster in 1929, Vos, an opponent of Princeton's reorganization, did not leave Princeton for Westminster, nor did he ever join the Orthodox Presbyterian Church. Instead, he retired to southern California in 1932, and he then moved to Grand Rapids in 1937, where he lived until his death in 1949. Moreover, Vos never wrote for the Westminster Theological Journal or the Presbyterian Guardian. While Machen and other founders of the OPC may never have fully understood Vos's reasons for remaining in the PCUSA, there seemed a greater willingness to forgive him than others who stayed in. (The Guardian provided partial absolution in its obituary for Vos, noting that "when he retired in 1932, he left a valuable part of his library to Westminster Seminary.") Undoubtedly Catharine Vos, the author of the popular Child's Story Bible, has been far more widely read by Orthodox Presbyterians than her husband.

Much like Cornelius Van Til, Vos was an acquired taste. Biblical theology and presuppositional apologetics were new subjects in the curriculum of Presbyterian seminaries. Like Van Til, English was not Vos's native language, and his books quickly went out of print before their rediscovery after his death. His most well known work, Biblical Theology, was edited by his son and published by Eerdmans in 1948, just before his death.

Just as Vos was never a member of the OPC, so many of his best contemporary interpreters lie outside the denomination. James T. Dennison edits Kerux, a journal dedicated to redemptive-historical preaching in the Vosian tradition. At Gordon-Conwell Seminary, G. K. Beale is applying Vos's insights in New Testament exegesis (see for example his latest commentary on Revelation).

Still, it can be fairly said that no non-OPCer this century has influenced the denomination as much as Geerhardus Vos. Orthodox Presbyterians often describe themselves as a hybrid between Old Princeton and Dutch Calvinism. More than anyone else, Vos's long career at Princeton forged links between American Presbyterianism and Dutch Calvinism that were to shape the character of the OPC. Latter day Vosians in the church include Meredith G. Kline and Richard B. Gaffin, Jr.

For Vos, "biblical theology" was short-hand for the study of the history of special revelation. So the starting point of his theology was acknowledgment of the progressive character of the revelation that accompanies God's redemptive activity. Vos likened this progress to the growth of a tree: "It is sometimes contended that the assumption of progress in revelation excludes its perfection at all stages. This would actually be so if the progress were non-organic. The organic progress is from seed-form to the attainment of full growth; yet we do not say that in the qualitative sense the seed is less perfect than the tree."

In historian Mark Noll's words, Vos was "attempting to roll back the assumption, prevailing since the late seventeenth century, that historical consciousness was the natural ally of naturalistic views of the Bible." For Vos, this historical progression culminated in the coming of Jesus Christ, whose work is revealed in the New Testament in terms of present inauguration and future consummation. G. K. Beale argues that while this interpretive approach is now standard (cf. Cullmann, Ridderbos, and Ladd), "Vos appears to be the first European or American scholar to espouse an ‘already and not yet eschatology'" to the theology of Paul. Yet the historical sensibilities in Vos's work has yet to gain full acceptance within the OPC, where suspicions persist that his approach may still concede too much to naturalism. Thus some contemporary exegesis of Scripture (for example, on creation), continues to miss its eschatological dimension.

Though originally a systematician, Vos's first love was biblical theology. Some of his followers suggest that Vosian biblical theology calls into question the very nature of dogmatics. Does Vos require a fundamental recasting of the categories of systematics? Can we even speak of a "system of doctrine" after Vos?

Those who would pit biblical theology against systematics have difficulty explaining Vos's long tenure at Princeton and especially his close friendship with Warfield. And Vos himself would hardly identify his insights as Copernican. He was deeply grounded in the Reformed dogmatic tradition. Far from jettisoning systematic theology, Vos was a staunch defender of Reformed confessional orthodoxy, and he used biblical theology to give fresh and creative defense of dogmatics, such as the doctrines of the covenant, soteriology, and the kingdom of God. The two disciplines were complementary, each transforming the biblical data in different ways. "Biblical theology draws a line of development," Vos wrote. "Systematic theology draws a circle." Following in the footsteps of Vos, Meredith G. Kline sees no hard and fast distinction between biblical theology and systematic theology: "biblical theology involves the systematization of the covenantal data under relatively broad historical epochs."

Vos's biblical-theological identification of the church as a pilgrim people has made the most indelible imprint on the OPC, even while it has provoked some of the OPC's strongest critics. American Christians are prone to judge the success of the church in terms of its influence in the world. For this reason, many have dismissed the OPC as "irrelevant" for its want of a social or cultural agenda. Seen from an eschatological perspective, however, it is more accurate to say that the OPC is committed to the "irrelevance" of the world to the church.

The OPC has been molded by Vos's reminder that, as part of the new eschatological order unveiled in the coming of Christ, the church locates its hope in a kingdom that is not of this world, a kingdom that cannot be shaken. Secured in a life that is hid in Christ in the heavenlies, the church longs for the return of her Lord. This eschatological location of the church as the kingdom inaugurated and awaiting consummation is the legacy of Vos. For that source of solid hope and comfort, the OPC abandoned aspirations for earthly glory. A half-century after Vos's death, political gospels and this-worldly agendas continue to tempt the church. Reformed orthodoxy needs to give a fresh hearing to Geerhardus Vos, perhaps now more than ever.

The Centrality and Importance of the Doctrine of Union with Christ

2011-01-26T10:09:00.001-05:00

[HT: Glen Clarey]

Update On Paedocommunion as a Reformed or Presbyterian Practice

2011-01-25T17:09:00.001-05:00

In a post last month, I quoted James Jordan in saying that the practice of paedocommunion is not a Reformed or Presbyterian practice. Specifically he said that those who want to practice paedocommunion in the PCA "are poison to traditioal presbyterianism," and "if you believe in pc, you’re not in the Reformed tradition at all in a very significant and profound sense. No more than you’re Baptists." Keep in mind here, these are his words not mine.

In response, there was some concern raised that I had provided an uncharitable and incorrect description of paedocommunion because I defined it as "the practice of allowing a child to partake of the Lord's Supper upon the sole condition of baptism. This means that not only is a profession of faith not necessary to receive the sacrament worthily and as a blessing, the sacrament can be received worthily apart from faith and still communicate a blessing of grace."

Well, I do not want to be uncharitable or incorrect, so I offer, once again, the words of James Jordan in how he understands paedocommunion.

[Paedocommunion is] allowing all baptized and non-excommunicated persons to the table of the Lord . . .
If our children eat at our table at home, they belong at Christ’s New Table also. Admission is by baptism, (emphasis mine).
Now, I believe that if we refuse to let our baptized covenant children come to the Lord’s Table, we are subtly but effectively communicating to them that they need to do some kind of works before they will be entitled to participate in this mysterious event. . . . If our children are entitled to sit at table at home, then they belong at the Table in church also.

So, given what Jordan says here about paedocommunion, you can see why I defined it the way I did in order for his words about it not being a Reformed or Presbyterian practice could be rightly understood. Jordan is not speaking of paedocommunion as the practice of allowing younger children who have provided a credible profession of faith from communing. He strongly disagrees with that practice, stating that,

Now, I believe that if we refuse to let our baptized covenant children come to the Lord’s Table, we are subtly but effectively communicating to them that they need to do some kind of works before they will be entitled to participate in this mysterious event. . . . Also, we communicate the idea that participation in this mystical ritual is an attainment, not a gift. But away with such notions! If our children are entitled to sit at table at home, then they belong at the Table in church also.

So, to be clear, Jordan believes that requiring a profession of faith prior to participating in the Lord's Supper is wrong, and is not what paedocommunion means. I was not being uncharitable or incorrect, I was simply defining paedocommunion according to his understanding.

Reformed Presbyterian Church Podcast

2011-01-23T22:37:00.002-05:00

That's right, the RP is now podcasting. You can now find and subscribe to our sermons here. Happy listening.

PCA Funding Plan Fails

2011-01-23T22:28:00.000-05:00

Back in the summer the General Assembly voted to amend its constitution to change the way the Administrative Committee is funded. Right now, giving in the PCA is done on a voluntary basis. Amendment 14-1 would have completely changed that from voluntary giving to involuntary. Amendment 14-2 would redefine "voting membership" for General Assembly by creating new rules for who could vote at GA. According to this amendment, for a teaching elder to get to participate at GA, his church would have to pay the full amount established by the AC committee proposal, plus, he would also have to pay an additional personal tax on top of that. If these conditions are not met, then not only would he not get to vote, but the church would be reported to the GA.

However, even though GA voted in favor of these amendments, for them to be adopted, the presbyteries had to vote on them. For them to pass,2/3 of the 79 presbyteries (53) would have to vote in favor of the amendments. For them to fail, over 1/3 of the presbyteries (27) would have to vote no. Well as of yesterday, the New York State Presbytery became the 27th to vote down 14-1 and the Presbytery of Eastern Carolina became the 27th to vote down 14-2. This means that even thought there are 23 presbyteries that still have to vote, the magical number of 53 cannot be obtained, so the amendments fail.

For a complete list of which presbyteries have voted for and against, see this article at The Aquila Report.

For a thorough recap of all the events leading up to where we are now, see this post at Johannes Weslianus.

Is Paedocommunion a Reformed or Presbyterian Practice? James Jordan Says "NO"

2010-12-07T22:53:00.001-05:00

In case you are not familiar with paedocommunion, it is the practice of allowing a child to partake of the Lord's Supper upon the sole condition of baptism. This means that not only is a profession of faith not necessary to receive the sacrament worthily and as a blessing, the sacrament can be received worthily apart from faith and still communicate a blessing of grace. This practice has been gaining popularity in Reformed and Presbyterian circles as of late. But, is this a practice that is consistent with Reformed or Presbyterian theology?

In a recent moment of clear speech, one of the leading proponents of paedocommunion, James Jordan, says no. Here are several clear statements from Jordan:

I’ve said for years that paedocommunion and non-pc cannot live together any more than infant and adult baptism. And by returning to pc, we drive back 1000 years, and definitely back before the Reformation.

Oh, it’s true enough: We depart from the whole Reformation tradition at certain pretty basic points. It’s no good pretending otherwise. I think the PCA is perfectly within its rights to say no to all [Biblical Horizons] types. We are NOT traditional presbyterians. The PCA suffers us within itself, but we are poison to traditional presbyterianism. We are new wine, and the PCA is an old skin. So, for the sake of the people we are called to minister to, we do our best. But we don’t really “belong” there.

I can’t really put feet on this, but I “feel” sure that the Reformation tradition is rationalistic precisely because it is anti-pc. Or maybe better, these are part of one complex. Being anti-pc was the greatest mistake of all the Reformers (except Musculus, and who cares about him?). This mistake is part of the heart of the Reformation; they knew about pc and rejected it.

But there’s no reason why the presbys should receive us, since sacramentally speaking we are NOT Reformed and NOT presbyterian.

I’m a little bit sympathetic with Duncan & Co. when they suspect some of you guys are not being honest when you try to show that you’re just good traditional Reformed guys. I guess it’s a good thing I did not make it to the Knox Seminary discussion, because I would have openly said, “I’m not on the same page as Calvin and the Reformation in these regards.” Showing that the Reformed tradition is wider and muddier than Duncan wants it to be is fine, but the fact is that if you believe in pc, you’re not in the Reformed tradition at all in a very significant and profound sense. No more than you’re Baptists.

I don't think it gets more clear than that.

Today in Church History: The First Reformed Liturgy of the Lord's Supper

2010-12-07T10:56:00.003-05:00

On December 7, 1524, the Lord's Supper was observed from a Reformed perspective. According to Hughes Oliphant Old, it took place at St. Martin's Church in Memmingen (South Germany) under the oversight of Christoph Schappeler. Under the leadership of this preacher, the imperial free city of Memmingen committed itself to the Reformation early. Schappeler arrived in 1513, and as early as 1522, he was preaching against the Roman Mass.

Little is known about that first service other than that it was in the evening. But what started that night would eventually lead to the development of the Memmingen Service Book of 1529, which was an attempt to arrive at a synthesis of the various existing Reformed liturgies. The liturgy has been preserved:

Metrical Psalm
Salutation
Prayer for the Grace of Praise
Epistle, 1 Corinthians 11
Gloria in excelsis
Prayer for Illumination
Gospel, John 6:47-63
Metrical Psalm or Hymn
Sermon or Communion Admonition
Prayer of Intercession
     for the necessities of the Church
     for the magistrate and all men
     Lord's Prayer
Creed
Prayer for Faith
Dismissals
Confession of Sin and Absolution
Words of Institution
Communion
     Metrical Psalms are sung during communion
Post-communion Admonition
Psalm 113
Ten Commandments
Benediction
Alms

The major influences on this liturgy come from the liturgies from Basel, Zurich, Strasbourg and Constance. One of the features present in the Memmingen Service Book was the "Dismissals." This part of the liturgy was one of the few elements that was present in all the different liturgies that were used for developing the MSB.

The dismissal is what we today call "fencing the table." During the dismissal, there would be an invitation and encouragement of the faithful to approach the Lord's Table, while the unbaptized and unrepentant would be warned to abstain from the holy meal, and often times, leave the service so that only the "faithful" would remain to partake of the Lord's Supper together. The Reformers did this because they did not want the Lord's Supper degraded by having it offered to those who were not prepared--including covenant children.

The dismissal was an integral element in the Reformation of worship because it was an application of Church discipline within the worship service. This was one way for the elders to exercise care in reforming more than the liturgy, but also the lives of those worshiping. So important was this element, that Calvin was ready to leave Geneva rather than not practice it. The dismissal was not the result of being mean-spirited or controlling, but was pastoral. It provided an opportunity to call sinners to repentance and to protect those who were not ready from eating and drinking judgment to themselves.

The Reformation was more than just a recovery of theological concepts, but a reformation of worship practice that was based on that theology. It is exciting to remember what happened 486 years ago today. But we need more today than the excitement of a memory, we need the resolve to guard what has been passed along to us. Can we maintain the theology of the Reformation if we don't maintain the worship practices that flesh it out?

Handel's Messiah

2010-12-03T09:11:00.004-05:00

As Christmas season is upon us, there is much music in the air that is typically only heard during this time of year. One of my favorites is Handel's Messiah. A few years ago, NPR aired a live performance of Messiah from the Kimmel Center in Philadelphia, and since then, they have provided that performance for free online. You can listen to it here. (When you follow the link to the performance, there is an introduction to the performance, the actual music begins around 9:30).

In addition to the audio, I have also found a couple of helpful resources on Messiah. First, there is a free guide online that provides you a "worship map" of the performance. The worship map provides you the major parts, lyrics and scripture references to help you move through the entire score. Also, another helpful guide has just been published in book form, Handel's Messiah: Comfort for God's People. The publisher states:

Here you will find fascinating historical background to Messiah, including its unlikely inception, and learn about its reception and impact from Handel's day to our own. Calvin Stapert devotes most of his book to scene-by-scene musical and theological commentary on the entire score, demonstrating how the music of Messiah beautifully intertwines with and illuminates its biblical text. Through these pages Handel's popular and much-loved masterpiece will be greatly enhanced for listeners old and new alike.

You can find a free Google preview of the book here.

If you don't have the time or desire to read the book, then you can simply download it and listen to it. For this month, ChristianAudio.com is graciously providing it as a free download [HT: Jame Grant]. To download the book, you simply have to go here and click on "Download Now."

Artists, Worship, and the Church

2010-11-30T11:44:00.000-05:00

For the past decade, or so, there has been much said about art and worship. You can see this reflected in different ways, for example, artists are now often employed to lead worship, some churches now refer to worship as the "Ministry of the Worship Arts," and one of the major trends is for congregations to take over old abandoned theaters in order to use them for worship. You can read about this in an article that was recently published, "Artists Build the Church," which is centered on Jon Guerra, the "artist-in-residence," not worship pastor, who leads worship at a church called The Line, and Aaron Youngren, the lead pastor, who together
have formed a "determination to tear down the walls between church art and city art so that music can freely flow between the venues."

They both had what they call the frustrating experience of the lack of art in their church backgrounds, and desire to see that changed. Youngren says that his frustration has been summed up well by an essay written by another artist, Makoto Fujimura, "A Letter to North American Churches." And what is this frustration, exactly?

An artist’s relationship with you has not been easy; we are often in the margins of your communities, being the misfits that we are. . . . Instead of having quality artists at the core of your worship, we were forced to operate as extras; as in ‘if-we-can-afford-it-good-but-otherwise-please-volunteer,’ Extras.

What do you think about this? Have artists been unlovingly marginalized in the Church?

See what Carl Trueman has to say here. In his typical British whit, he is spot on.

Quakertown Regional Conference on Reformed Theology: Our Glorious Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ

2010-11-12T11:55:00.008-05:00

The Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals is excited to offer live webcasting of the Quakertown Regional Conference on Reformed Theology. Don't miss out on this opportunity to hear excellent, biblical teaching from well-known pastor-theologians.

November 12-13, 2010

Speakers
Joel Beeke
D.A. Carson
Iain Duguid
Steven Nichols

The webcast will start Friday, November 12, 2010, at 7:00 p.m. and will run through Saturday afternoon, November 13, 2010. Visit AllianceLive.org to register and watch the free webcast.

“…and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father….” John 1:14

Who is Jesus? The pages of Scripture shout out the answer. Son of Man and Son of God. The Way, the Truth and the Life. Prophet, Priest and King. The Bread of Life. The Good Shepherd. King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Redeemer. Savior.

And yet we live in a world that prefers to see Jesus as a gifted teacher, or as a revolutionary, and nothing more. Jesus has been marginalized, stereotyped, and often ignored, to the eternal peril of millions upon millions.

Again, who is Jesus? What has He done for His people? Is He just, as H.G. Wells once said, "the most dominant figure in all history"? Or is he, as the Reformers taught, the Jesus of solus Christus, the one-and-only means by which sinners are saved, the One who claimed, "no one comes unto the Father except through me"?

The 2010 Quakertown Regional Conference on Reformed Theology is devoted to the subject of Our Glorious Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Our desire is to present Christ as the Scriptures present Him. This year’s conference will focus on the glory of Christ, His wondrous incarnation, His life and ministry, His cross and His resurrection.

The Eucharistic Prayer

2010-11-04T14:00:00.001-04:00

Recently I had the joy of attending the first annual Reformation Worship Conference where I got to hear Hughes Oliphint Old, T. David Gordon, Terry Johnson, Jon Payne, Mark Ross, Paul Jones, and David Hall speak on a whole host of different topics concerning worship. My favorite lectures were those by Dr. Old on the reformation of worship in the 16th century.

One of the themes that was developed through all the lectures was the importance of prayer in the reformers' worship. He noted that as the reformers recovered the truth of scripture, they used the scripture to reshape how they worshiped. The reform of liturgy was centered on ministering the word of God to the church and this included using prayer as a means of the ministry of the word. In their prayers, then, the reformers sought to fill their prayers with scripture. In their recovery of biblical worship and prayer, they noted that the Bible contained different kinds of prayer and sought to institute these different types of prayer throughout the liturgy in appropriate places.

In his lecture on John Knox, he emphasized Knox's contribution to the reform of liturgy and the use of prayer in Knox's directory for public worship, the Book of Common Order (1560). Old noted that with this directory, Knox developed "several master strokes," one of which was his attempt to develop a good and true Eucharistic prayer. During medieval Roman Catholic worship, magic and superstition had worked its way into the mass, which led the church to believe that by the performance of certain rites or repeating certain formulas one could avail himself to the power of supernatural forces. In the mass, then, blessing the elements was a magical and superstitious act where the priest would act in changing the bread and wine into the actual body and blood of Jesus. The blessing in the mass was done by the priest to the elements.

The Reformers, however, sought to rid the celebration of the Lord's Table of this influence by beginning communion with a prayer that made it clear that one was not commanding God's grace or controlling God's grace with the rite, but was dependent on God's grace. They saw that it was God who needed to act, not the priest. And they understood that God needed to act in the lives of the believers, not in changing the metaphysical make up of the elements. This emphasis did not diminish the elements, but rather put them in the proper place as means that God used in working in his people. This prayer became known as the Eucharistic prayer--a prayer that included an invocation, thanksgiving, and vow of the covenant.

At the heart of the Eucharistic prayer is thanksgiving, hence, its name. Knox saw that in the last supper celebrated by Christ with his disciples, that Christ blessed the elemtnts and gave thanks. The words eulogeo and eucharisto, translated "bless" and "give thanks" are synonyms that at their heart convey gratitude and thanks. Knox saw that the Lord's Table was a place to celebrate communion with Christ and the church as an act of gratitude. Hence, thanksgiving became the focus, rather than a time of mourning and confession. The Table was a time to celebrate and give thanks to God for his acts of creation and redemption. John Calvin also emphasized the importance of seeing the Table as a place for giving thanks as Christ himself did at the last supper:

Whatever gift we receive from the hand of God is sanctified throught the word and prayer, . . . For nowhere do we read that our Lord ate with his disciples unless it is also mentioned that he gave thanks. By this example we are certainly taught to do the same. This thanksgiving however has to do with somethig highter: for Christ gives thanks to his Father for his works of mercy to man and his gracious gift of redemption: and we are invited by his example, that as often as we come to this sacred table we be stirred up and aroused to recognize God's great works of love to us and that we enter into true gratitude, (cited by Old in The Patristic Roots of Reformed Worship, 300).

By remembering God's gracious works of creation and redemption in prayer, we express thanksgiving for his grace in the past, while at the same time, call upon his grace for the present and the future.

As the Lord's Supper is a time of thanksgiving (a eucharist), we are to follow Christ's example by beginning with a prayer of thanksgiving, where we explicitly ground our thanks in the acts of God in Christ for his church, appealing to him to continue to work in us by his grace that we might walk in the obedience of the newness of life in Christ. Old, shows the importance of this understanding of the Table and the ministry of prayer before it is received in his book Leading in Prayer, "The Lord's Supper should be a feast of praise and thanksgiving. It is here above all that the minister should give attention to leading the congregation in prayer," (225).

To this end, then, I have written the following Eucharistic prayer for this coming Lord's Day:

Blessed are you, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, you are the triune God of all creation, the maker of heaven and earth, of all things, both visible and invisible. And to our King, Jesus Christ, as you are the host of this table, you are the coeternal and cobeginningless Son of the beginningless Father, who in the abundance of your goodness was in the last days clothed in flesh, humbled under the law, crucified on the cross and buried for us, your church, who at the time of your great sacrifice hated and loathed you and your rule. But by your completed work of salvation, you have refashioned our nature that had been corrupted by sin. And now, by your resurrection, you are our source of resurrection life and eternal fellowship with the Father and the Holy Spirit; you always live now before the Father as a visible representation of our righteousness, and to intercede on our behalf.

Blessed Savior, incline your ear, then, to us, hear our words and help us to lift up our hearts to you and render unto you all praise, thanks and glory. We are thankful for the gift of your incarnation, ministry, sacrifice, and for its revelation and demonstration of your love for us. We are thankful that you are risen and have been highly exalted and that you have trampled underfoot the powers of death. We are thankful that you have burst the gates of hell and lead us forth to eternal life and light. We are thankful that you are the firstborn of many from the dead and the first fruits of them that sleep. We are thankful that now you have filled us with your Holy Spirit that we might be joined together with you, our triune God, and with one another in a true mystical body as those united to you both in your death and your resurrection. And we thank you for the promise of your coming again, to finally establish your Kingdom in its consummation. We are thankful that you will raise us up in glory, and that you will openly acknowledge us and vindicate us. We are thankful that you will wipe away our tears and make us perfectly blessed in the full enjoyment of our God and one another unto all eternity.

As we rejoice in your completed work on our behalf, glorify yourself in writing these truths upon our hearts through this communion meal. As you are the true bread that came down from heaven, strengthen our faith to see your body and blood in these elements of the bread and cup; and through our eating your flesh, which is true food, and drinking your blood, which is true drink, draw us unto yourself, that we should not hunger or thirst. And as you are the living bread that gives life, help our faith to be confident that you share your life with us who receive you by faith, believing that death has lost its victory, that we will be raised up on the last day, and that we will live forever with you. And let this precious gift of Holy Communion be unto our healing, enlightenment, protection, purification, sanctification and salvation; and that of our whole spirit, and soul, and body. May you use it to divert us away from evil thoughts, words and deeds, unto a righteous life with increased virtue, stability of faith, living in obedience to your commandments, in the joy of the Holy Spirit. For from you and through you and to you are all things. To you Father, Son and Holy Spirit, be glory both now and forever. In Jesus name we pray, Amen.

Reformation Liturgy for Evening Service October 31, 2010

2010-11-02T22:29:00.004-04:00

On Sunday evening, we remembered the 493^rd anniversary of Martin Luther nailing his Ninety-Five Theses to the doors of All Saints' Church in Whittenberg, Germany on October 31, 1517, which created the spark that would become the blaze known as the Protestant Reformation. To try and help the church see our Reformation roots in worship, we utilized one of the first Reformed liturgies that was developed for providing distinctively Reformed worship. I put together a liturgy that was based on the initial reforms instituted by Martin Bucer in Strasbourg, which have been recorded in his work Grund und Ursach from 1524, together with later insights from his reforms in his 1537 and 1539 liturgies.

To maintain some semblance with our normal service we included an explicit call to worship and response at the beginning of the service. So in the liturgy below, Bucer's liturgy begins at "Confession of Sin, Pardon, and Thanksgiving." Bucer began with the Confession of Sin because he believed that Reformed worship was premised on the recovery of the ministry of the Word of God. In the New Testament, Jesus Christ's ministry was built on the ministry of John the Baptist, which was a ministry calling sinners to repent. If Christ's ministry was built on calling for repentance, and Reformed worship was a continuation of Christ's ministry of the Word, then the worship service should be built on repentance and confession of sin.

Throughout the liturgy, we used prayers written by Bucer. We used his confession of sin, his assurance of pardon (with minor variation), his prayer of thanksgiving, his prayer of illumination and his prayer of intercession. Since we were worshipping in the evening, we also followed his pattern for Lord's Day evening services in doing a scripture reading from a Gospel passage and preaching from the epistles. Also, one of the particular features of the early Reformers was there emphasis on the law—not for pointing out sin from which one should repent (first use of the law), but they used it to set forth positive instruction for teaching the church to express thanksgiving to God by leading a holy life (third use of the law). We did this by singing the Decalogue. The arrangement we used was used in Strasbourg by Bucer and can be found in the Genevan Psalter. Another Reformed distinctive we did was praying the intercessory prayer after the sermon. By praying it at this point, it allowed the minister to apply the sermon passage in a specific way to the congregation. A final distinct feature of early Reformed worship was using a creed for corporate confession after the sermon in response to the Word. We did this by singing the Apostles' Creed, which Bucer typically would do.

Although it was different than the worship we typically offer on the Lord's Day, it was quite a blessing and very helpful for showing us our roots. It can be very easy to take worship for granted, but these men were recovering worship without having a direct example to follow. They had the scripture and the early church to help them, but none of them had ever worshipped in any other way than Medieval Roman Catholicism. In fact, at the beginning of the Reformation, typically what they did was translate the Catholic Mass into the common tongue, only discarding the most obvious features of the mass. What Bucer put together, with the help of Capito and Zell, was later picked up by Calvin and would eventually form the archetype of Reformed worship which has followed even to this day. We owe much to those early Reformers who risked their lives to do what we often complain about. May we recapture their Reformed ethos as we continue to stand on their shoulders seeking to reform the church's worship according to the Word of God.

The Silent Prayer Upon Entering the Church

O God, who has taught us that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed in us; Increase and multiply upon us Your mercy; that, with You as our ruler and guide, we may so pass through things temporal, that we finally lose not the things eternal: Grant this O heavenly Father, for Jesus Christ's sake our Lord. Amen. (Book of Common Prayer, Revised Liturgy of 1689)

*The Call to Worship Psalm 100
"All People That on Earth Do Dwell" (Psalm 100) Hymn 1

*The Invocation and Lord's Prayer

Grant unto us, O heavenly Father, that the remembrance of our redemption may never leave our hearts, but that we may walk in Christ, the Light of the world, far removed from our foolish reason and blind wills, which are vain and injurious darkness. Almighty God, heavenly Father, we give you eternal praise and thanks that you have been so gracious unto us poor sinners, having drawn us to your Son our Lord Jesus, whom thou hast delivered to death for us and given to be our nourishment and our dwelling unto eternal life. Grant that we may never relinquish these things from our hearts, but ever grow and increase in faith to you, which, through love is effective of all good works. And so may our whole life, and especially our worship tonight, be devoted to your praise and the edification of our neighbor; through the same Jesus Christ, your Son, our Lord.

Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.

Confession of Sin, Pardon, and Thanksgiving
Make confession to God the Lord, and let everyone acknowledge with me his sin and iniquity.

Prayer of Confession

Almighty, eternal God and Father, we confess and acknowledge that we, alas, were conceived and born in sin, and are therefore inclined to all evil and slow to all good; that we transgress thy holy commandments without ceasing, and ever more corrupt ourselves. But we are sorry for the same, and beseech thy grace and help. Wherefore have mercy upon us, most gracious and merciful God and Father, through thy Son our Lord Jesus Christ. Grant to us and increase in us thy Holy Spirit, that we may recognize our sin and unrighteousness from the bottom of our hearts, attain true repentance and sorrow for them, die to them wholly, and please thee entirely by a new and godly life. Amen.

Assurance of Pardon Acts 10:42-43

And he commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one appointed by God to be judge of the living and the dead. To him all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.

Let everyone, with St. Peter, truly acknowledge this in his heart and believe in Christ, and rest assured that you have received the forgiveness of all your sins. They have been loosed on earth that they may also be loosed in heaven, and for all eternity. God have mercy upon us and bless us. Amen.

Psalms of Thanksgiving Psalm 103A
*Psalm 46A

*Prayer of Thanksgiving

Almighty, gracious, heavenly Father, we give you eternal praise and thanks that, through your holy Gospel, you have again offered and presented to us your most precious treasure: our Lord Jesus Christ. And we heartily beseech you to grant that we may receive Him and partake of Him in true faith now and forever, and be so nourished that we may be set free from all evil and increase daily in all goodness, to thy glory; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

*Reading from the New Testament Gospel                     Matthew 5
    "Decalogue (Strasbourg)" from the Genevan Psalter See Insert

The Prayer of Illumination & Collection                  Psalm 19B
For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come. . . Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God. Hebrews 13:14,16

The Lord be with you, let us pray.
Our gracious God, we give you thanks for the fruits of the earth in their season and for the labors of those who harvest them. Help us to be ever thankful for your beneficent providence and make us faithful stewards of your great bounty—for the building up of your Kingdom, for the provision of our necessities and for the relief of those who are in need. And as our needs are not merely physical but also spiritual, we give you thanks for your eternal Word. Almighty, gracious Father, forasmuch as our whole salvation depends upon our true understanding of thy holy Word, grant to all of us that our hearts, being freed from worldly affairs, may hear and apprehend thy holy Word with all diligence and faith, that we may rightly understand thy gracious will, cherish it, and live by it with all earnestness, to thy praise and honor; through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.

The Scripture Reading                                                           2 Timothy 3:1-4:5

The Sermon "Desperate Times Call for Divine Measures"
      *"The Apostles' Creed"                                                                  Hymn 742
                                                   (Tune for: Glorious Things of Thee Are Spoken)

*Benediction and Response                                                   Numbers 6:24-26
    *Congregation: Amen
    "Give Thanks unto the Lord, Jehovah" (Psalm 118)             Hymn 613 (Verse 1)

Reformation Rally in Sunnyside, WA

2010-10-15T17:19:00.000-04:00

Shane Lems from The Reformed Reader has announced the following:

Reformation Rally - October 29, 2010

We've got the date down for our 3rd annual Reformation Rally: October 29, 2010 (Friday night).

Time: 7-8 PM

Location: 1750 Sheller Road (in Sunnyside, WA - at the United Reformed Church)

Topic: Worship According to the Word: The Reformation Recovery of Biblical Worship

Speakers: Rev. Matt Barker (Emmanuel OPC in Kent, WA) and Rev. Shane Lems (The URC of Sunnyside)

Other notes: We will also sing several hymns and enjoy snacks and fellowship after the two lectures.

Stay tune for more details - and be sure to pass this info along!

Looks like it will be good. I hope they post the audio. If you're in the area, you may want to check it out.

Tennessee Valley Presbytery Votes Against BCO 14 Ammendments

2010-10-12T14:10:00.000-04:00

This is just to provide a quick update with more detail to follow. At Presbytery today, the TVP voted down BCO 14-1: the vote tally was 20 yes, 29 no, and 2 abstentions. The TVP Also voted down BCO 14-2: the vote tally was 1 yes, 37 no, and 15 abstentions.

I believe this now makes it 9 Presbyterys against and 4 Presbyterys for.

As I said, there will be more details to follow.

Dennison Sermons on History of Salvation

2010-10-02T16:25:00.002-04:00

In an earlier post, I highlighted an interview with Danny Olinger on the life and ministry of Geerhardus Vos, especially with his contribution to Reformed Biblical Theology. What Vos does so well is help with how the Bible fits together by looking at it through the lens of the history of salvation. I commented, "If you have ever struggled with how to understand how the Bible fits together, or have desired to learn how to read the Bible with more understanding, then you have to read Vos." The Bible is the self-revelation of the Triune God, in which he unfolds himself and his plan of salvation progressively through time. Vos uses the analogy of a rose. In the OT you find the seed that over the course of time begins to sprout and grow until you have the rose in full bloom.

In the interview, Danny suggests that one of the best ways to see the Biblical Theology of Vos in action is in the preaching of Charlie Dennison. Mr. Dennison was formerly the Historian for the Orthodox Presbyterian Church and pastor of Grace OPC (where I was previously the intern). In light of that recommendation, I have decided to post here, 27 Sermons that Mr. Dennison preached on "The History of Salvation." These sermons are not for the faint of heart as they are rich in substance and the application of Christ, as they show forth the glory of God in Christ from the beginning to the end of biblical history.

There are no titles, only scripture references. If you like these and would like to listen to more, then check out the Audio Resources at Northwest Theological Seminary. This series is provided here with the gracious permission of Charlie's widow, Mrs. Ginger Dennison.

1. Hebrews 3.12-4.13
2. Genesis 1:26-31, 3:1-7, 5:21-24, 6:5-8, 11:1-9
3. Genesis 12:1-3, 15:1-6, 25:21-26, 32:24-31, 50:15-21
4. Exodus 1:1-14, 12:29-36, 14:10-14, 21-31
5. Joshua 1:1-9, 24:1-15 / Ephesians 3:14-21
6. Judges 2:11-23, 17:1-6 / Ruth 4:13-22
7. I Samuel 1:19-2:10, 16:1-13
8. I Kings 12:21-33 / II Kings 17:7-18
9. II Chronicles 24:1-22 / Micah 3:5-12
10. Exodus 24:1-18
11. Deuteronomy 4:1-24
12. Genesis 32:22-30 / Psalm 45:1-9 / Isaiah 9:6-7
13. I Corinthians 1:18-31
14. John 1:1-14 / Matthew 1:18-2:1 / Luke 2:41-52
15. Luke 4:14-37, 5:1-3
16. John 6:51-71
17. Matthew 16:1-20
18. Matthew 17:1-8, 18:1-6
19. Matthew 21:12-22 / Mark 12:28-34 / Luke 21:20-38
20. Luke 24:1-12, 36-52
21. Acts 5:1-16
22. Acts 7:46-8:3, 26-40
23. Acts 9:1-22
24. Acts 9:31-43, 11:19-30
25. Galatians 2:11-21 / Acts 18:1-11 / I Thessalonians 1:8-10
26. Acts 20:17-38
27. Philippians 3:1-21 / II Timothy 4:6-8, 16-18

The Given Life

2010-10-02T16:05:00.003-04:00

There are several big issues that members of my church are facing right now. As a pastor, it is a reminder that life is not easy and simple or nice and neat. Although it is wise to plan, there is no way to control things so that our plans come to pass. There is no way to keep the unexpected from coming to pass--especially when the unexpected is difficult, challenging and seemingly earth shattering.

It during times like this that I like to reflect on the last line of Wendell Berry's poem "I think of Gloucester, blind, led through the world," which is about new birth,

We live the given life, and not the planned.

It is good to be reminded that the life of new birth, is a life that springs forth from the death of the son who is raised and exalted to the right hand of his father. The new life found in the son is born out of the context of death and suffering, but leads to exaltation.

What makes it possible for us to live the given life rather than the planned life is a faith that grasps hold of grace--grace that is rooted in the fact that the given life we live is simultaneously the planned life decreed by God for us to live.

The reality of life is that more often than not our plans will not work out the way we hope--when that is the case, how will you respond? Focus on the fact that the planned life is not coming to pass? Or rely on the grace to live the life given in the power of the new birth?

(Ye must be born again.)

I think of Gloucester, blind, led through the world
To the world’s edge by the hand of a stranger
Who is his faithful son. At the cliff’s verge
He flings away his life, as of no worth,
The true way lost, his eyes two bleeding wounds—
And finds his life again, and is led on
By the forsaken son who has become
His father, that the good may recognize
Each other, and at last go ripe to death.
We live the given life, and not the planned.

JC Ryle's The Duties of Parents

2010-09-21T14:53:00.001-04:00

The good folks over at Monergism Books have made a classic on parenting available for free download. Ryle's classic The Duties of Parents is "a primer on raising children and the duties all Christian parents have toward those God has entrusted to them."

You can access the book in pdf here, which is provided through a service at feedbooks.com.

Burn the Qur'an or Love Your Neighbor as Yourself?

2010-09-10T23:11:00.005-04:00

Over at the White Horse Inn, Michael Horton has provided a well thought out response to the recent fuss about burning the Qur'an. In it, he seeks to help frame the debate from a Reformed perspective that is based on the doctrine of the spirituality of the church, or Two-Kingdoms doctrine. Although the issue has been set forth as political and Christians are to engage in the political arena, there is much more at stake than politics and military success. Horton writes,

As citizens of democratic nations, Christians may be concerned about the implications of Qur’an-burning for international peace and justice. However, as citizens of the kingdom of Christ, they have even more reason to denounce such actions. Recall James and John—the “sons of thunder”—asking Jesus if they could call fire down from heaven on a Samaritan village that rejected their message. We read that Jesus rebuked them.

And,

As responsible citizens, we cannot help but be concerned about the political ramifications of Islam—especially since Islam is a geo-political as well as religious movement. Yet as citizens of Christ’s kingdom, we must resist the temptation to confuse U. S. interests with the goals of the City of God.

Horton ends with a great real life illustration that puts the entire nonsense of burning the Qur'an in perspective,

Muslims are our neighbors and regardless of what their religion encourages, our scriptures call us to imitate our Father who sends sunshine and rain on the just and the unjust alike. It is an era of common grace, a space in history for calling all people everywhere to repentance and faith in Christ. Our children play regularly with Muslim neighbors and sometimes the topic of religion comes up in conversation. It is interesting to overhear the interaction. On occasion, the oldest boy will ask me questions about Jesus and why we believe that he rose from the dead. I cannot imagine that the burning of the Qur’an this coming Saturday will help move that discussion along.

In the post, Horton draws the distinction between the City of God and the City of man in order to help remind Christians not to confuse the interests of the U.S. with the interests of the Church.

Apparently, there were many who disagreed with Horton's position. There was so much negative response that it required him to write a second post, which can be read here. In the second post, he further explains his position on the negative consequences of confusing Church and state, using some of the past inconsistencies of Christendom to bolster his point. Horton warns that Christians do not want to resort to similar perspectives to Muslim extremists by assuming and perpetuating the past mistakes of Christendom.

In addition to looking at past mistakes in Christendom, Horton provides an excellent redemptive-historical summary for his position:

Unlike Islam, the biblical faith is an unfolding drama of redemption in which different covenants determine distinct policies and relationships between the kingdom of God and the kingdoms of this age. Under the old covenant pledged at Mount Sinai, Israel was a geo-political theocracy, commanded by God to drive out the idolatrous nations. It was a type of the Last Judgment at the end of the age. Yet Israel broke this covenant and was sent into exile; even when a remnant was allowed to return, the nation was under the oppressive reigns of successive empires. Then the Messiah arrived and in his Sermon on the Mount sharply re-defined the nature of his kingdom. Christ did not come to revive the old covenant (Sinai), but to fulfill it and to inaugurate the new covenant (Zion) with his own blood. No longer identified with a nation, his kingdom is the worldwide family that God promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. It is a “new covenant,” which is “not like the covenant” that Israel swore at Sinai (Jer 31:31-34). It is a kingdom of grace and forgiveness, an era in which the outcasts are gathered for the feast instead of driven out of the land. Even in the face of persecution, it is the hour for loving and praying for enemies, not for hating them or retaliating (Mat 5:43-48). Whereas God promised Israel temporal blessing for obedience and disaster for disobedience, today is the era of common grace. “For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust” (v 45). One day, Jesus will return to judge the living and the dead and the holy wars that God commanded in the Old Testament will pale in comparison with the worldwide arraignment before the Son of God.

Given the present era of the Church, the Kingdom of God grows through the means of grace of preaching the word, administering the sacraments and in prayer. And there are many Christians seeking to do just this around the world, who live in Muslim countries under constant threat. Many of the Christians are former Muslims who still live in their homelands, while others are foreign Christians serving as missionaries. If General Petraeus is concerned about potential violence to soldiers, what about the threat against fellow Christians?

For this reason, Horton ends with three reasons why burning the Qur'an tomorrow is wrong:

Burning the Qur’an is wrong for the following reasons: (1) It confuses the proclamation of Christ with violent conflict, justifying the suspicions of our secular and Muslim neighbors that Christianity is also a quasi-political movement; (2) It puts our neighbors around the world at risk, Christian and non-Christian, military and civilian; (3) It puts our brothers and sisters at greater risk, not for the gospel, but for an easy act of desperation that avoids the difficult sacrifice that fellow Christians around the world are making daily in their witness to God’s saving love in Christ.

As helpful as Horton's words are, there is one who makes Horton's case more authoritatively--the prophet Micah. We should hear the words of the prophet Micah in chapter four, in which he says that in the latter days, the presence of the Lord will be resurrected, that the people of God, consisting of Jews and Gentiles, will stream to God to learn from him and then go out from him with his word. These latter days have dawned in the resurrection of Jesus Christ and first found their fulfillment when his disciples met him atop a mountain and received a commission to take his word to the ends of the earth (Matthew 28.16-20). It should be no surprise, then, that in these latter days, the days inaugurated with the resurrection of Christ, the days in which we now live, that Micah tells us that the Church's past instruments of warfare are turned into instruments of harvest:

. . . they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; (Micah 4.3b).

As the Church who lives in these latter days, continuing to strive to faithfully fulfill the commission given by Christ, let us strive to utilize the right instruments--instruments of harvest and peace, not violence and conflict. We want to bring in the harvest, not burn the harvest fields. Make no mistake, burning the Qur'an does not serve Christ or further the cause of the gospel. In our desire to love God, let us also love our Muslim neighbor as ourselves.

Reformation Heritage Conference with Dr. Joel Beeke

2010-09-09T09:59:00.010-04:00

For the past six years, Grace PCA in Douglasville, GA has hosted a Reformation Heritage Conference. The past conference messages have been archived in mp3 files and can be found at the following links:

2004 RHC: Calvin, Geneva, & Reformed Worship with Dr. Derek Thomas
2005 RHC: American Reformation Heritage with Dr. Darryl G. Hart
2006 RHC: The Scottish Reformation with Rev. Iain Murray
2007 RHC: The German Reformation with Dr. Carl Trueman
2008 RHC: The Reformation & the Means of Grace with Dr. Michael Horton
2009 RHC: Music, Singing, & the Reformation with Dr. Paul Jone

Grace is once again hosting the conference and have announced on their website:

Please join us on September 17-19, 2010 for our Seventh Annual Reformation Heritage Conference. Our speaker will be the Rev. Dr. Joel Beeke, President of Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary in Grand Rapids, MI, pastor of the Heritage Netherlands Reformed Church, and author of more than 60 books. His topic will be the 16th-17th century Dutch Reformations. In addition, Dr. Beeke's wife, Mary, will be speaking at a special women's breakfast on Saturday, September 18th. To register or for more information please call our church office at 770-489-6758.

The schedule looks very good:
Friday evening:
     Session 1: The Dutch Reformation (1545-1619)

Saturday:
     Session 2: Calvin and Dutch Calvinism
     Session 3: The Dutch Further Reformation (1600-1784) w/emphasis on Gisbertus Voetius       and     Wilhelmus a Brakel

The Lord's Day: Dr. Beeke will preach in bother services and teach Sunday school on the subject of family worship
You can download and view the brochure for this year's conference in pdf formart: RHC Brochure 2010.pdf (File Size - 798K)

The cost of the conference is a donation of $10.

Out with the Old, In with the New: Narrowness Cloaked in Openness

2010-09-03T13:39:00.002-04:00

There is much talk in the church today, as there was in the 70's and 80's, about updating the methods used by churches in accomplishing the Great Commission (Matt 28.18-20), as if God only gave a command and didn't also provide the necessary instructions for carrying out the command. The worship wars have expanded their theatre of conflict now to include the nature of the church and how to do evangelism and missions. The mantra of the day is "we must be relevant!". But apparently relevance is a code word for looking like the world--your local coffee shop to be more specific.

Underlying the call for new methods is a new fourth mark of the church. Historically the church has been understood by the three marks of the right preaching of the gospel, the right administration of the sacraments, and faithful church discipline. Yet, today, to these three, a fourth mark is emerging (pun intended) and that is the mark of marketing how one does those things. Some preach the gospel dressed formally and some preach it in flip flops and shorts--never mind that both are apparently meeting with and representing the same God.

Adding marketing to the list of marks provides the justification to flood the religious market with all manner of different styles of churches, so that if one "type" of church is not bringing in the throngs, then we need to offer a different product. This market driven model apparently provides the justification for churches planting new churches on top of one another without any forethought as to what this says to a community about God and his gospel.

Never mind the obvious Arminian foundation of this thinking and strategic plan, does it not cause anyone to step back and think about the wisdom of using models and strategies for church mission that have been around no longer than some of our youngest covenant children? G.K. Chesterton, in his book What's Wrong with the World?, comments on this very tactic saying, "It ought to be the oldest things that are taught to the youngest people." He complained that the child is oftentimes older than the theory he is taught, "the flopping infant of four actually has more experience . . . than the dogma to which he is made to submit."

Chesterton's complaint centered on the new fad of man's intoxication with the new and distaste for the old. "In the modern world we are primarily confronted with the the extraordinary spectacle of people turning to new ideas because they have not tried the old." C. S. Lewis also sought to refute this error, which he referred to as "chronological snobbery." Rather than fall prey to this arrogance, Lewis suggested we should allow the "breezes of the centuries" to blow through our minds,

It’s a good rule after reading a new book never to allow yourself another new one till you have read an old one in between. If that is too much for you, you should at least read one old one to three new ones....Every age has its own outlook. It is especially good at seeing certain truths and especially liable to make certain mistakes. We all therefore need the books that will correct the characteristic mistakes of our own period.... None of us can fully escape this blindness, but we shall certainly increase it, and weaken our guard against it, if we read only modern books....The only palliative is to keep the clean sea breeze of the centuries blowing through our minds and this can only be done by reading old books.

We have lost sight of this wisdom today. Rather than see ourselves rooted in the tried and true faith and practice of our Reformed heritage through a covenantal and organic connection, we would rather utilize a cut flower approach to our mission. Yes, cut flowers are aesthetically beautiful and in that beauty give the appearance of health and vitality. Yet, the nature of cut flowers is that their root system is cut off and they will inevitably die from lack of sustenance and nourishment.

As a result, some, in order to get away from what many refer to as the white middle class Presbyterianism of western modernity, they have turned to white middle class postmodernity that relativizes truth and practice. They deny that God has revealed the means by which the church is to fulfill her mission, and as a result, believe that good intentions, good sociological studies and good market research should be used to best be able to reflect the culture they are seeking to reach. They have merely traded one cultural influence for another. The truth of Christ and his promise to build the church become contingent on the latest market research. The danger here is that as the media shapes the message, the gospel of Christ is being confused with postmodern, relativistic pop-psychology and political activism.

Presbyterian church growth techniques have become a cut flower enterprise that is here today and gone tomorrow, where the younger generation assumes it knows all and those who have gone before are forgotten and dismissed. This situation is the case in some Presbyterian circles as the older, proven ways are being jettisoned for the new emerging (pun intended again) techniques. In Presbyterian missions, this has led to the young men who have not proven themselves in ministry any further than momentarily creating a larger crowd serving as experts in presbyteries, rather than sitting at the feet and learning from those who have gone before them. This includes not only the living elders, but even the dead.

The theory of new equals good, or the new is superior to the old is often touted in terms of being open and not closed-minded. Yet, to borrow from Chesterton once again, "Tradition refuses to submit to the small and arrogant oligarchy of those who merely happen to be walking about . . . Tradition asks us not to neglect a good man's opinion, even if he is our father." Intoxication with the new, although clothed with words of openness, is really narrowness in openness clothing.

Ever thought about how the Bible does not fit the criteria of new equals superior? It is to no surprise, then, that rarely is the Bible mentioned in substantiating the new. God has not only given us a mission, he has revealed how the mission is to be pursued. And just in case you are wondering, the Lord gives us his perspective on this theory in Jeremiah 6.16,

“Stand by the roads, and look, and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is; and walk in it, and find rest for your souls."

Ironically, this generation of Presbyterians is not the first to utilize this theory. The New Side and New School Presbyterians in America in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries already have introduced this theory. The new methods that are emerging today (you guessed it) are actually reacting against these earlier innovations. The New Schooler's in Presbyterianism today find that they are no longer new enough. What seemed to be effective then, is now no longer deemed effective. Maybe the fact that it is no longer deemed successful should direct us to see that it wasn't actually effective back then either. Or, maybe we should just embrace the idea that since it is Christ who has promised to build his church, Christ apparently arbitrarily changes the methods he uses.

In my opinion, the new equals better theory has already been tried and found wanting--the new New Schoolers state this themselves. Let us, then, not fall prey to this subtle pride and arrogance, which has been committed by the people of God throughout her history (just start reading in Genesis 3 where Adam and Eve tried to improve upon God's means for accomplishing the church's mission). Rather than approaching the mission of the church from the perspective of out with the old and in with the new, let us pursue a more humble and wise approach of stick with the old, and test the new until it has proven itself to be true, wise and trustworthy.

Restoring Honesty: A Couple of Good Responses to Glenn Beck's Rally

2010-08-31T23:14:00.006-04:00

If you want to know where the Evangelical church is in America, then just check out the recent Restoring Honor rally led by Glenn Beck this past weekend. Regardless of one's personal perspective on Glenn Beck's politics, his combination of politics and religion is not to be recommended or embraced. You would think that one of the key ingredients in "restoring honor" would be honesty. But apparently honesty concerning God and religion is not important as long as one's political agenda is furthered by the promotion of false gods and false religion.

But regardless of Beck's fusion of the sacred and the secular, what is more disconcerting is the Evangelicals who believe that it is something to drink in to the very last drop. The danger is not just in fusing religion and politics (that's bad enough), but embracing and endorsing a non-Evangelical religion, yay even a non-Christian religion, yay a "generically theistic civil religion" with politics that consists of Evangelical Christians, Roman Catholic Christians, Mormons, Jews and even Muslims. This is not to say that these different groups shouldn't participate and help one another in political engagement, but that said political engagement should remain political and not be religious.

Darryl Hart has already addressed this issue quite well (see here and here). But for a shorter, Baptist version, Russ Moore has provided an excellent reflection on Beck's god and country rally (the lower case "g" is not a grammatical error just in case you were wondering). I highly recommend you read his analysis and seriously think about his rebuttal:

The answer isn’t a narrowing sectarianism, retreating further and further into our enclaves. The answer includes local churches that preach the gospel of Jesus Christ, and disciple their congregations to know the difference between the kingdom of God and the latest political whim. It’s sad to see so many Christians confusing Mormon politics or American nationalism with the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Moore is correct in saying that we don't need to retreat into our enclaves; however, we do need to engage politically in light of our particular religious enclaves and not fall into the trap of thinking any movement based upon a confession of "god" is something worthy of our participation. We must ask what "god" we are confessing; which "god" we are serving; and whose will are we are doing--is it the will of the God of heaven who came to earth to die and be raised for sinners who prayed for his Father's heavenly kingdom and will to come to this world, or the god of this world who knows he cannot rule heaven and so seeks to bring many with him to his doom through a counterfeit religion.

In another response, John Sampson over at Reformation Theology provides a biblical response looking at the participation of Evangelicals at Beck's rally from an Old Testament perspective:

Have you ever seen something like this in the Bible - God saying, "Go meet with the Baal worshippers' and arrange a huge rally, an ecumenical inter-faith service - talk about honor and integrity and family values.. and you can pray to Me, of course, and they can pray to Baal - in fact, hold the priest of Baal's hand as he prays.. that will be such a nice touch.. and its quite ok with me.. I, the Lord your God, the holy One, really don't mind.. that's because it will show so much love to people and it will open hearts to My religion and everyone will so appreciate you not being closed minded elitist bigots. It will do wonders for people's view both of you and of Me. Go do this in My Name."?

Ever seen that? Even a hint of it? No? Me neither.

We need more than honor, we need honesty in our political and religious commitments. This can't be done by promoting a false god and false religion, or in confessing someone else's false god or by participating in that god's sham.

Free Giveaway from Monergism Books

2010-08-06T10:07:00.001-04:00

The God Who Is There Seminar (14-Part MP3 CD)
by D.A. Carson

With the generous permission of The Gospel Coalition, Monergism Books is giving away for free this incredible seminar by Don Carson. You receive the 14 mp3 lectures on one CD. The disc is free, all they ask you to do is cover shipping.

From The Gospel Coalition blog: On February 20-21 and 27-28, 2009, Don Carson presented a 14-part seminar entitled “The God Who Is There.” This series is designed to serve the church by edifying professing Christians while simultaneously evangelizing non-Christians by explaining the Bible’s storyline in a non-reductionistic way.

The series is geared toward “seekers” and articulates Christianity in a way that causes hearers either to reject or embrace the gospel. It’s one thing to know the Bible’s storyline, but it’s another to know one’s role in God’s ongoing story of redemption. “The God Who Is There” engages people at the worldview-level.

Contents

   1. The God Who Made Everything
   2. The God Who Does Not Wipe Out Rebels
   3. The God Who Writes His Own Agreements
   4. The God Who Legislates
   5. The God Who Reigns
   6. The God Who Is Unfathomably Wise
   7. The God Who Becomes a Human Being
   8. The God Who Grants New Birth
   9. The God Who Loves
10. The God Who Dies—and Lives Again
11. The God Who Declares the Guilty Just
12. The God Who Gathers and Transforms His People
13. The God Who Is Very Angry
14. The God Who Triumphs

Prayer and the New Creation: An Eschatological Event

2010-08-05T15:31:00.000-04:00

For those who were not able to attend the prayer service last night, I am including the homily I gave on prayer and the breakdown of the service itself. The homily is based on Psalm 104 and Colossians 3.1-4; 4.2.

In his primer on prayer titled A Method for Prayer, Matthew Henry states that, "Prayer is a principal branch of religious worship, which we are moved to by the very light of nature, and obliged to by some of its fundamental laws," (p. 11). By this, Henry means that by the very fact of our being created by God, there is a natural obligation for mankind to acknowledge the creator. For when we do not, we live as though God is not real. Since we have been created, we are the lesser creature, and therefore, we should acknowledge the one who is greater than we. Prayer, then, would seem to have its starting point grounded upon creation—God as the creator and man as the creature.

Although Henry refers to the Greek philosopher Pythagoras for this understanding of prayer, it is certainly true that the Bible teaches it as well. The Bible is replete with calls to pray unto God because he is the Creator and because of his grand work of creation. One psalm in particular, Psalm 104, is an entire psalm built on this theme to render blessing unto Yahweh because of his majesty, which is demonstrated in his work of creation. To "bless" Yahweh as the creator is to praise or salute him. This verb in the Hebrew is also associated with kneeling. In essence, the word in its action of verbal declaration, as well as, through the mental picture of kneeling, speaks in its most basic meaning of prayer. We are to pray unto God as an expression of our recognition of and dependence upon him as our majestic creator.

And yet, as you read through the psalm, one comes across a most interesting expression of the "creative" power of God, and that is his power to bring to an end what he has begun. In verse 29 we are told, after 28 verses describing God's constructive creative activity that God, that when God turns away his face his creation is dismayed, alarmed terrified. Why? Because when God turns away from his creation, life is lost and returns to the dust. The point: we stand or fall according to the will of God—creation only continues as long as God sustains it by his power. Part of God's creative power rests in his power to bring death.

And yet, this death that God can bring is not the final note of this melancholic turn in psalm, for as soon as death is said to reside in his power, so also is life! Only this time in verse 30 it is renewed life that is the result of God sending forth his Spirit! Creation that dies is a creation that can be renewed! Old creation can become New Creation through the sovereign, creative power of God working through his Spirit. Death leading to life through the Spirit!

The old creation, then points us ahead to a new creation. God's work of creation in the first points us ahead to a second work of creation. The covenant Lord will create again and anew in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ who is the image of the invisible God, the first born of all creation. He is before all things and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of his church, the firstborn from the dead that in everything—in the old creation or the new creation—he might be preeminent. For through the one in whom all the fullness of God dwelled, he has been pleased to reconcile all things to himself, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.

In Christ, death becomes life! It is in Jesus Christ that God accomplishes this drama of redemption. For in him, you who were once alienated and hostile in your minds, doing evil deeds, have been saved in order that he might present you holy and blameless. In Christ, you go from death (old creation) to life (new creation).

In Jesus Christ, our lives are now defined by his life as we enter in to his life by faith. By his resurrection, He is the firstborn of the new creation. As he is the firstborn of the new creation, He is the exalted one who has ascended to the right hand of God to ever dwell in his presence and enjoy his eternal fellowship. And he is the head of his church—he is not the only one exalted to God's right hand and God's fellowship—he is the first one and the preeminent one—but he is not the only one. For those who rest upon and receive Jesus as he is offered to us in this grand story of redemption also share in his resurrection and ascension!

This is what we just heard moments ago when we read from Colossians 3. This participation in Christ's death, resurrection and ascension is the conclusion of all that Paul has been saying in Colossians up to this point. You who are of faith have been (already accomplished) raised with Christ! And raised where? To where Christ is seated, which is at the right hand of God in the heavenly places!

This participation with Christ in his resurrection from the dead and ascension to God's right hand in glory is what now defines you who have trusted in Christ, so much so, so utterly so, that Paul's says your life is now hidden with Christ in God. His life is your life—his story is your story.

And so, Paul calls us to understand our lives in light of sharing in Christ's life so that we might know how to live out our new creation lives. Notice that Paul commands us in light of our new identities to seek the things above—to understand ourselves and the world from the perspective of heaven. We are to have heavenly glasses through which we see God, Christ, ourselves and the world, rather than viewing these things through the lenses of earth.

And one of the specific applications by which we live our new creation lives looking at things through our new heavenly glasses is prayer. Chapter four verse two opens with this command: "Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving." As the commands of scripture are always grounded first in what God has accomplished for us in Christ, it is important to note that this command in 4.2 is grounded in what was said back in 3.1-4. As our prayers are certainly to be offered unto God because he is our Creator Lord, we learn here that our prayers are also to be offered in light of the new creation in our Lord Jesus Christ. Praying, then, is an eschatological act that is an expression of our new eschatological lives. Praying is a function of the new creation, and therefore, it is to be perfumed with the aroma of heaven as we pray. And though we pray about the cares and concerns of our lives and our faith in this world—the prayers we are to offer are certainly not of this world. Rather, our prayers are to be shaped by the things that are above, not on the things that are on the earth, for you have died and now are one who lives in the new creation with your life hidden with Christ in God. You have been raised with Christ and seated with him in the heavenly places at the right hand of God. So pray with the joy and thanksgiving of one who has entered into heaven—who is there and not here. Do you realize that as Christ is there praying as one who possess all the blessings of the heavenly places, and as those in the heavenly places with him, when you pray according to God's will, you are praying for things that are already yours in Christ?!

Prayer, then, as it is now grounded upon the new creation, is not only an expression of our recognition of and dependence upon him as our majestic creator who has the power of life and death; it is a participation in his majestic resurrection life, a participation in his glorious power and might that he used in raising Jesus from the dead; prayer is a participation in his heavenly prayers. So, as those raised with Christ to the new creation, seek the things that are above as you continue steadfastly in prayer in the power of and from the perspective of the new creation.

For the prayer service:

Adoration                                          Psalm 104A
Confession                                         Psalm 102A
Thanksgiving    Psalm 116A
Supplication                                       Psalm 90C
Concluding Doxological Praise Psalm 106.47-48 (tune: All Hail the Power of Jesus' Name)

Save us, O LORD, our gracious God,
From heathen lands reclaim,
That we may glory in Thy praise
And thank Thy holy name.
That we may glory in Thy praise
And thank Thy holy name.

The LORD be blessed, yes, Isr'el's God, through all eternity.
Let all the people say, "Amen."
Praise to the LORD give ye.
Let all the people say, "Amen."
Praise to the LORD give ye.

The Presbyterian Guardian Now Available Online

2010-07-12T14:11:00.001-04:00

The Presbyterian Guardian (1935-1979) was an important voice in the early years of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church in its vigorous opposition to modernism and its proclamation and defense of Reformed orthodoxy. Established on the eve of the founding of the denomination, it was closely associated with the OPC, although it remained an independent magazine.

This magazine is a treasure trove of solid, confessionally Reformed, biblical insights written by churchmen who loved Christ and his Bride. And now, it can be easily accessed for your enjoyment. The Presbyterian Guardian is now available on the OPC's website with all 611 issues available to be downloaded. You can access any one of the issues individually, but the entire collection is also available as one PDF Archive (about 990 MB), which can be downloaded onto one's computer so one can access and search it.

A Cry of Lamentation

2010-07-02T02:34:00.000-04:00

"My joy is gone; grief is upon me; my heart is sick within me, (Jeremiah 8.18).

Call to Confesional Renewal Will Be Heard at PCA General Assembly

2010-06-30T15:25:00.002-04:00

According to Wes White:

. . . the Admin committee voted 28-2-0 to recommend approval of the NW Georgia Presbytery's overture on confessional renewal. This overture will be presented on Thursday as a substitute motion for the permanent committee's motion to reject this overture. We adopted the NW Georgia Presbytery in such a way that it is a stand alone motion and not an alternative to the Strategic Plan.

This is good news to us at RP who adopted this overture as our position on the proposed Strategic Plan. I am quite eager to see and hear the discussion on confessional renewal as I believe it will be very telling for the confessional stance of the PCA.

Ever Thought About God's Eternality and How It Shapes His Love?

2010-06-30T12:51:00.002-04:00

From "Jeremiah's Plaint and Its Answer,"

"The best proof that [God] will never cease to love us lies in that He never began. What we are for Him and what He is for us belongs to the realm of eternal values. Without this we are nothing, in it we have all."

A Superb Summary of the Problems and Concerns Surrounding the PCA Strategic Plan

2010-06-26T12:50:00.001-04:00

Wes White has provided a great distillation of the many and various problems and concerns with the PCA Strategic Plan in his blog post today "Why We Should Vote Down the Strategic Plan." This is the best summary I have seen so far with very clear analysis. Wes sums up his position at the beginning of the post when he says,

In my opinion, this is a very poor lan, with very poor analysis, and with a whole bunch of bad ideas that will take the PCA in the wrong direction. It enshrines the agenda of the progressives in the PCA as the agenda of the PCA.

In his post, Wes provides six basic reasons for why the SP should be voted down, many of which agree with some of what I have posted on this blog(here, here, here, here, here, and here):

The SP's analysis is flawed
It further centralizes power in the PCA
It is filled with bad ideas
It is filled with useless ideas
It is contrary to the constitution of the PCA
The defenses of it are weak at best

In addition to this summary of his disagreement with the SP, he has also posted a helpful summary explanation of the SP and a fairly exhaustive list of internet commentary on the SP with all sides represented.

If you still have questions about the SP, you would do well to read Wes' posts and take advantage of the resources he has assembled.

Do You Want to Hear the Old Testament in Hebrew?

2010-06-26T11:06:00.001-04:00

Many haven't thought about it or don't realize it, but did you know that the Hebrew text is the result of putting sounds on paper? This makes it very important that the interpreter be able to hear the words in addition to seeing them when they are read. In fact, the Hebrew text is literature that is designed to be read out loud. This means that to fully grasp the writer's intention, his words need to be heard as well as seen.

As I have been working on my sermon for this Lord's Day morning on the latter half of Micah 1, I have noticed that there are a lot of word plays being used by Micah. Micah uses poetry to communicate lament and in it uses the two poetic features of alliteration and assonance to bring out his point. Both of these features have to do with sound. Alliteration is the repetition of a consonantal sound at the beginning of a word, so for example, in Micah 1.10 where the ESV reads "tell it not in Gath," Micah's poetry is missed. A better translation would be, "don't gab about it in Gath." The meaning is tied to the two words that begin with the same guttural sound.

Micah also uses assonance. Assonance is when a writer will use a similarity of sounds between syllables or words (for example, rhyming) to really draw your attention to what is being said. "Sally sells sea shells by the seashore," grabs your attention and gets you to listen more intently than saying, "Sally peddles the empty husks of marine life down on the oceanfront." So also in Micah 1.10, instead of the ESV's "weep not all," a better translation is "weeping, weep not," which is another way of saying by no means weep!

A lot of the power of the poetry can and is lost in the translation. So, as I have been studying, I have been reading the section out loud in Hebrew; however, I am not able to hear and feel the poetry as much because, well, I don't read Hebrew out loud very proficiently. So what's a guy to do?

You look online and find a site that has an audio Hebrew Bible. Let me introduce you to the Academy of Ancient Languages website and their Hebrew Audio Bible. In addition to Hebrew, they also have Aramaic, Akkadian, and Greek. I have added this site to our "Study Tools" section in the right hand pane so that it will always be available.

Check it out and enjoy!

[HT: Reformed Reader]

Globalism, The Westminster Standards, and The PCA Strategic Plan

2010-06-25T18:17:00.002-04:00

Do we need to jettison or at least add to the Westminster Standards in order to participate more effectively in the global mission of the Church? In order for the gospel ministry to be more effective, does it need to be freed from North American and European biases that result from a more rigorous Reformed theology? Have the self-consciously confessional Presbyterians mistakenly equated confessional Reformed piety and practice with 16th century Swiss, Scottish or British culture?

In his recent article "Catholicity Global and Historical: Constantinople, Westminster, and the Church in the Twenty-First Century, in the Westminster Theological Journal, Robert Letham provides the historical and global make-up of the Westminster Standards and shows how the Divines purposely placed themselves in the stream of historic, orthodox biblical interpretation by allowing the ancient creeds to guide the Westminster Standards. He notes how they saw themselves as continuing and perpetuating the insights of the Church fathers and the ancient creeds.

After laying out the ecumenical history and content of the Westminster Standards, he turns his attention to those who say that the Church needs to free herself from the influence of Western theology and practice in order to be more effective globally, and that the Church needs to allow the third world theologians to shape today's theology and practice. He notes,

There are those who claim that we are entering an entirely new era requiring a massive paradigm shift in the church’s thought and action. In this case, historical theology is merely a curiosity. It may have a part in an ongoing conversation but the debate has moved on. The past is effectively sidelined since a conversation, as it progresses in subtle and dynamic ways, renders obsolete and irrelevant the comments made five minutes ago. Many voices praise the idea that the church will be freed from its captivity to Western Europe and North America. This misses the point that the foundations of the church were laid by Egyptians (Athanasius and Cyril), Turks (the Cappadocians, Maximus the Confessor), Tunisians (Tertullian, Cyprian, Augustine), and a Syrian ( John of Damascus), to say nothing of the apostles (Middle-Eastern Jews)—these hardly look like Western Europeans, let alone North Americans. This mantra is a coded message, indicating that its utterer wants to move away from the confining dogmas of the Reformation. . . . The ecumenical creeds cannot be reduced to conversation partners at a global round table. Insights there may and will be from various parts of the world. But the nature of the ecumenical councils was quite different—they simply confessed the truth and the church recognized what they confessed. They were acknowledging the apostolic faith, not bringing insights from their culture. The same principle applies to the teachings of the Reformation. (p. 55)

Letham's point is quite timely given the desire on the one hand to make church practice reflective of culture while on the other hand complaining about the cultural captivity of Reformed theology and practice. Maybe what they mean to say is that we would be better served to be held captive to culture that is not North American or European. Funny how the winds of politics seem to be shaping this conversation. But merely exchanging one cultural influence for another is not biblical, but is also not truly catholic or ecumenical.

If we are going to be more "global" it cannot be the result of leaving history behind, even Westminster history. Letham concludes, "Global Christianity in the twenty-first century, to be truly catholic, must be apostolic—grounded in Scripture and built upon the teaching of the church. It is worryingly evident that many who have leaped onto the bandwagon of globalism—mainly in this country—are ready to move beyond the foundations. (p.57)

As the Christian Church, who has been commissioned by Christ to take his gospel to all the globe, it is right for us to desire and spend ourselves in going global. Yet, we need to pursue it wisely. And the wise way includes retaining our history, especially our history of interpretation of the Bible. This history is retained for us in the historic creeds of the Church including the Westminster Standards--both in doctrine and practice. Let us not fall prey to bad practice as a result of a bad understanding of our Standards and of ourselves. Yes we go forth as Americans subscribing to the Westminster Standards, which means but we go forth with a gospel founded upon, shaped by and explained in the creedal and confessional work of many nations.

Reformed Presbyterian Church's Position on Current Debate Concerning "Commissioning (Not Ordaining) Deaconesses"

2010-06-25T15:30:00.002-04:00

In addition to meeting to discuss the "PCA Strategic Plan," the Session of Reformed Presbyterian Church of Lookout Mountain also met to discuss the current debate in the PCA concerning commissioning (not ordaining) deaconesses, since there are several overtures being presented at General Assembly next week that have to do with this controversy.

In discussing the overtures and the ongoing debate as it has continued since last year's GA debate between Tim Keller and Ligon Duncan, the Session determined that the heart of the current debate in the PCA on deaconesses is that there are some in the PCA who want local congregations to have the freedom to commission women to an unordained office of deaconess (for more details on the issue and recent developments with some of the overtures, see this post). Although some are framing the debate in terms of the gender issue, we believed it best to address the issue by looking at it ecclessiologically instead, and have sought to address the idea of commissioning men or women to an unordained office, regardless what you call those men and women. The issue is not about whether or not women can be referred to as deaconesses, but whether or not it is possible or necessary to commission anyone to an unordained office.

So, the position that the Session of Reformed Presbyterian Church of Lookout Mountain is adopting is:

Whereas, we affirm that as a member congregation of the Presbyterian Church in America we are subject to the Church’s Constitution, consisting of the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments, the Westminster Standards and the Book of Church Order, and that the Church’s Constitution sufficiently addresses the various roles for men and women in the church (BCO 26-1); and

Whereas, we affirm that as elders we are to exemplify and lead the Church to be subject to our brothers in the Lord and are to strive for the purity, peace, unity and edification of the Church(BCO 8-3, 21-5, 24-6); and

Whereas, we affirm that both male and female are created in God’s image and have equal redemptive standing before God (Gen. 1:27; Gal. 3:28), and that all believers are gifted and called to participate in certain aspects of the ministry of the church (1 Cor 12, 1 Pt 4.11-12); and

Whereas, we affirm that the Bible and our Church’s constitution provides a structure for how this shared ministry should be carried out, which consists of office holders, “rulers,” and the laity, “those ruled,” which the two working together constitute it a “spiritual commonwealth” (BCO 3-1); and

Whereas, we affirm that the New Testament offices of the Church consist of teaching and ruling elders and deacons (1 Tim 3, Acts 6; BCO 1-4, 4-2, 7-2); and

Whereas, we affirm that the nature of an office as it is a special charge representing Christ to his body entails that one holding an office has been inducted to it by ordination, which is the authoritative admission of one duly called to an office in the Church of God, and that apart from ordination, one cannot hold office in the Church, and therefore that there can be no such thing asan unordained office or officer (Acts 6.6, 13.3; 1 Tim 4.14; BCO 17, 21); and

Whereas, we affirm that the New Testament does not teach or support by way of direct command or example the concept of “commissioning” that is not tied to “ordination” and the Church’s Constitution does not refer to, provide for, or define “commissioning;” and

Whereas, we affirm that by God’s design only men are called to hold office in the Church since only men are to be ordained according to Scripture (1 Tim. 3:1, Tit. 1:6; Acts 6; BCO 7-2, 9-3, 4-4, 12-5, 16-2, 24-1); and

Whereas, we affirm that since the only offices of the Church are teaching elders, ruling elders and deacons, and to hold one of these offices one must be ordained, to speak of an office other than teaching elder, ruling elder or deacon, or to speak of an office or officer that is not ordained, regardless of one’s gender, is contrary to the nature of an office, and is not in accord with the Scripture or the Church’s Constitution; and

Whereas, we affirm that there is already a sufficient provision for lay persons, both men and women, to help in the diaconal work of the Church in BCO 9-7, which reads:
It is often expedient that the Session of a church should select and appoint godly men andwomen of the congregation to assist the deacons in caring for the sick, the widows, the orphans, the prisoners, and others who may be in any distress or need.

Therefore, the Session of The Reformed Presbyterian Church is resolved to reaffirm to our congregation, the Church and the watching world that (1) until or unless there are constitutional amendments to change our BCO with regards to the role of men and women in ordained or unordained office, we are to be faithful to uphold the constitutional views of the Church; and (2)it would be sinful for the Church to amend her Constitution with regards to establishing an unordained office of deaconess or in establishing a provision for “commissioning” women as unordained deaconesses since that is not in accord with what the Scripture and the Church’sConstitution teaches concerning the structure of the church and the nature of a biblical office; and (3) that it is unnecessary for the Church to amend her Constitution with regards to establishing an unordained office of deaconess since there is already a sufficient provision for unordained persons of both genders to participate in such service.

Let us all strive to fulfill our vows to be subject to our brothers in the Lord (#4) and to zealously maintain the purity, peace and unity of the church (#6). And may we do so graciously, humbly and speaking the truth in love.

Reformed Presbyterian Church's Response to "PCA Strategic Plan"

2010-06-25T13:45:00.003-04:00

On Tuesday, June 15, 2010, the Session of Reformed Presbyterian Church of Lookout Mountain met to discuss the "PCA Strategic Plan," which will be presented at General Assembly later this month. If you don't want to wade through all the written materials, a helpful one page summary of the details to be approved can be read here. A helpful summary of the funding plan can be viewed here. You can also find a series of videos presenting the CMC's plan here.

It was the determination of the Session that the PCA Strategic Plan, though well-intentioned, correct in much of what it perceives as challenges facing the PCA, and is being set forth as an honest attempt at answering these challenges in order to make the PCA a stronger, healthier denomination, nonetheless,we believe that it is misguided, will not actually improve things, and is out of step with RP's stated understanding of what the scriptures and our confessional standards teach concerning the identity, worship and mission of the Church.

Because of these concerns, the Session passed the following motion as its position on the PCA Strategic Plan:

The Session is in agreement with the overture of Northwest Georgia Presbytery, "A Call for PCA Renewal," as its response to the PCA Strategic Plan, as that overture reflects our understanding of what the Bible teaches about the identity, worship and mission of the Church.

RP's identity, worship and mission have been summed up by the following:

The Reformed Presbyterian Church of Lookout Mountain is a Reformed, confessional, and covenantal family of believers seeking to trust and obey our Triune God through the power of the Holy Spirit.

And we seek to live out this identity by:

1. Continuously seeking the truth of God's Word, our only guide for faith and practice by:

Seeking to experience daily the Kingdom that our Savior won and secured through His humiliation and exaltation, even as we await the fullness of His Eternal Reign
Emphasizing the importance and primacy of corporate worship on the Lord's Day
Feeding upon God's Word through various regular Bible study groups and meetings for the spiritual nourishment of all the congregation
Calling confidently upon God in regular corporate, family and private prayer on behalf of the Kingdom of God
Continuing in historic orthodoxy, adhering to the Westminster and other Reformed Standards

2. Calling the Sabbath a delight by:

Answering God's call for His people to gather with all His beloved before His Throne for worship morning and evening on the Lord's Day
Rejoicing in a worship dialogue with our Triune God in Word and sacrament
Celebrating the Lord's Supper weekly

3. Embracing our lives as the Covenant People of God by:

Submitting to our God-ordained Church authorities and the proper administration of Church discipline
Devoting ourselves to one another in sweet and costly fellowship
Helping each other fulfill their sacred convenantal obligations in all family relationships
Enjoying and submitting ourselves to the sovereign rule and will of our Triune God

4. Spreading the Gospel in word and deed locally and globally by:

Providing financial, prayer and personal support and opportunities for involvement in foreign missions
Loving our neighbors through active support in local ministry organizations
Living lives that proclaim the Gospel of Christ Jesus

5. Equipping the Saints for a life of service to God and His people by:

Encouraging a lifetime of learning so that we might grasp the wonder of who God is and how much He has given us
Calling the Church to remember her heritage as God's Covenant people
Assisting parents as they seek to train up their children in the fear and admonition of the Lord
Supporting parents in the surrounding community through the ministry of the Classical Studies Center, a classical tutorial school
Training and seasoning young men who are preparing to enter seminary in pursuit of full time Gospel work
Providing a church home away from home for visiting college students

We believe that not only our theology, but also our piety and practice should be self-consciously and confessionally Reformed. Therefore, the Session determined to support Overture 24 from the Northwest Georgia Presbytery, "A Call for PCA Renewal" since it is a better alternative to the PCA Strategic Plan. We would particularly highlight the following section of the overture:

Therefore, the Northwest Georgia Presbytery, meeting on May 22, 2010, overtures the 38th General Assembly to call all its congregations and presbyteries to this simple, straightforward, unambiguously biblical call for renewal as an alternative to the complex and potentially divisive “PCA Strategic Plan,” except for the funding proposal already presented by the Administrative Committee, which this overture wishes neither to condemn nor support. And let us trust that in the coming years God will enable us, by His Spirit, to faithfully employ the spiritual means that He Himself has already provided us.

17 Points for PCA Renewal

A renewed commitment to the centrality of the God-ordained, efficacious means of exegetical, Christ-centered, application-filled, expository preaching (Is. 55:10-11; Ez. 37:1-10; Jn. 21:15-17 Mk. 1:38; Acts 2:42; 20:26-27; I Cor. 1:22-25; 2 Tim. 4:2-4; WLC 67, 154-5).

A renewed commitment to the centrality of the God-ordained, efficacious means of baptism and the Lord’s Supper (Gen. 17:9-11; Ex. 12; Mt. 26:26-29; 28:19; I Cor. 10:16-17; 11:17-34; Col. 2:11-15; I Pet. 3:21; Rev. 19:6-9; WLC 154; 161-177).

A renewed commitment to the centrality of the God-ordained means of private, family and corporate prayer (Ps. 63; Mt. 6:5-15; Mk. 1:35; Acts 6:4; Eph. 1:15-23; Phil. 1:9-11; I Thess. 5:17; I Tim. 2:1; WLC 154; 178-196).

A renewed commitment to - and delight in - the Lord’s Day (Gen. 2:1-3; Ex. 20:8-11; Is. 58:13-14; Mk. 2:23-28; Jn. 20:1;19; Acts 20:7; Rev. 1:10; WCF 21).

A renewed commitment to worship on God’s terms, according to Scripture (Ex. 20:4-6; Lev. 10:1-3; Deut. 12:32; Jn. 4:23-24; Acts 2:42; Col. 2:18-23; Heb. 10:24-25; 12:28-29; WCF 21.1).

A renewed commitment to private, family, and public worship (Ps. 63; Mt. 6:6, 16-18; Neh. 1:4-11; Dan. 9:3-4; Deut. 6:4-6; Eph. 6:1-4; Ps. 100:4; Acts 2:42; Heb. 10: 24-25; WCF 21.5-6).

A renewed commitment to wed our missiology to Reformed ecclesiology (Mt. 28:18-20; Acts 14:19-23; 15:1-41; 20:17, 28; I Cor. 11:17-34; The Pastoral Epistles; Titus 1:5; WCF 25; 30-31).

A renewed commitment to loving, Word-and-Spirit-dependent, prayerful, and courageous evangelism (Mt. 5:13-16; 28:18-20; Acts 4:1-13; I Peter 3:15-16; WLC 154-7).

A renewed commitment to biblical church discipline (Mt. 18:15-20; I Cor. 5:1-13; 11:27-29; II Thess. 3:6, 14-15; I Tim. 5:20; WLC 45; WCF 30).

A renewed commitment to biblical diaconal ministry (Acts 6:1-7; Phil. 1:1; I Tim. 3:8-13).

A renewed commitment to catechize our covenant children in our homes and churches (Deut. 6:4-6; Prov. 22:6; Mk. 10:13-16; Eph. 4:12-13; 6:1-4; WSC).

A renewed commitment to biblical masculinity and femininity (Gen. 2:18-25; Deut. 31:6-7; Prov. 31:1031; I Cor. 16:13; I Peter 3:1-7; Eph. 5:22-33; I Tim. 2:11-15; WLC 17).

A renewed commitment to entrust the leadership of the Church into the hands of the ordained leadership (Jn. 21:15-17; I Tim. 5:17; Heb.13:17; I Pet. 5:1-3; WLC 45).

A renewed commitment to the Reformed Confession which we have avowed, before God and men, to promote and defend as our system of doctrine (I Tim. 6:12; Heb. 4:14; 10:23; Jude 3; Westminster Standards).

A renewed commitment to the mortification of sin and worldliness (Rom. 6:11-14; 8:13; 12:1-2; I Cor. 6:12; Gal. 2:20; Eph. 4:20-24; I John 2:15-17; Gal. 6:14; WLC 76-7).

A renewed commitment to the doctrine of justification by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, apart from works of the law (Gen. 15:6; Hab. 2:4; Rom. 1:16-17; 3:21-26; 4:1-5; 5:1; Gal. 2:15-16; 3:10-14; Phil. 3:1-11; WCF 11).

A renewed commitment to rest, by faith, in Christ alone for salvation, without minimizing Gospel obedience (i.e. the third use of the law) / (Rom. 1:5; 6:1-2; 8:5-8; II Cor. 7:1; Col. 1:28; Eph. 4:1; 5:1-21; Phil. 3:12; I Thess. 5:23; Heb. 12:14; I John 5:3; WCF 19.5-7).

Furthermore, rather than having the Cooperative Ministries Committee propose additional structural changes, let us adopt this plan for renewal (reflected in the seventeen points above) asking our presbyteries and sessions, who are the best originators of denominational change, to study, discuss and implement it. Accordingly, this overture asks our appropriate elected leaders to represent and publicize this to our churches in writing or in counsel as the action of the 38th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in America. By taking this action, we, as elders, intend to send a clear and simple message to our churches, presbyteries, General Assembly, and the world, that the PCA will seek spiritual renewal on God’s terms, trusting solely in His sovereign wisdom and grace.

As we believe this overture closely resembles our own beliefs and commitments, we believe it to be a superior option for the PCA to adopt at General Assembly instead of the Strategic Plan.

May God grant his Church the wisdom, grace and resolve to trust what he has promised to bless.

First Annual Reformation Worship Conference

2010-06-24T20:28:00.003-04:00

This coming fall, October 21-24, the first annual Reformation Worship Conference will be held at Midway Presbyterian Church. The purpose for this conference is:

The speakers include Hughes Oliphint Old, Terry Johnson, Jon Payne, Mark Ross, Paul Jones, and David Hall. The conference opens with a Hymn Festival led by Paul Jones and then doesn't stop for three days!

Check out the website where you can find more details here.

The Case for Commissioning (Not Ordaining) Deaconesses May Have Just Gotten Tougher

2010-06-24T16:35:00.004-04:00

Last year at the PCA General Assembly, the issue of commissioning deaconesses was debated by Tim Keller and Ligon Duncan and has continued since then. One of the things that makes the discussion difficult is that there are many who think the issue is about defining what women are allowed to do in the church and what we are allowed to call the women who serve(deaconess?). However, this is not really what is at the heart of the debate. What is really at the heart of the debate can be seen in Keller's own words from a byFaith article, where he stated, "When we began Redeemer I encouraged our new session to establish a diaconate that included unordained, commissioned deaconesses," [emphasis mine]. Later in the article when he discussed how to understand Phoebe in Romans 16.1, he utilized Robert Strimple's argumentation for understanding her as an "office holder." Still later in the article he noted that he is making a case for a recognized body of deaconing women [emphasis mine]. These statements are just a sampling of what Keller is arguing for, which is a recognized office of unordained women deaconesses commissioned for diaconal work in the church. The purpose here is not to put the spot light on Keller; he is not the only person in the PCA making this case, but his argumentation seems to be representative of what others are saying, as well. So, the issue is really this: there are some in the PCA who want local congregations to have the freedom to commission women to an unordained office of deaconess.

In the ongoing debate on this issue in the PCA, it has become more clear that there is much disagreement about how to understand the provision in the seventh paragraph of the ninth chapter of the Book of Church Order (henceforth, BCO 9-7). In BCO 9-7, there is a provision for the session of a local congregation to select and appoint godly men and women to assist the deacons. Those advocating the commissioning of women to the unordained office of deaconess point to this provision as their Constitutional basis for doing so, and from it, have proposed two basic ideas.

First, many argue that this provides for a class, order, body, or office in which unordained women can serve along side the diaconate, or like a Keller's congregations, serve on the diaconate. The way Keller works this out is by not ordaining the men who serve as deacons, so that everyone, male and female, on the diaconate are unordained. Second, many argue that the provision of BCO 9-7 allows for the women to be nominated and approved by congregational vote leading to a commissioning service where the deaconess is installed. The process looks nearly identical to the process used for calling, ordaining and installing male deacons to the diaconate, only that in the commissioning, there is no laying on of hands (since that is about ordination). The one thing that seems to be clear in the debate at this point is that it is not about the ordination of women as deaconesses in the PCA, and yet, when there are proponents doing things like equating deaconesses with deacons by not ordaining deacons, electing women to unordained office in a way that mirrors election to ordained office, having women train for unordained office alongside men training for ordained office, and when congregations are having commissioning services that include vows to the woman and to the congregation that looks like ordination and installation, the apparent clarity disappears. What also confuses matters is the assumption that there can be such a thing as an unordained office or unordained officer, and the assumption that "commissioning," which is not found anywhere in the BCO, let alone defined in the BCO, is a legitimate and acceptable practice in the Church.

The one thing that is clear right now is that there is a tremendous need for clarity. As the debate has raged on, others have recognize this need for clarity and there have been at least six different overtures on this issue submitted for consideration at General Assembly this year. Well, at least that was the case until yesterday. Yesterday, the Committee on Constitutional Business found three of them, Overtures 2, 9, and 10, to be contrary to the Constitution of the PCA. In my personal opinion, this is a shame. Overtures 2 and 9 would actually have brought some clarity to the debate.

First, Overture 2 was responding to the practice of "several churches in the PCA" who "currently elect and commission women to the office of deacon and call them by the title deacons or deaconess and allow them to serve on the diaconate" and use BCO 9-7 as their basis in doing so. Overture 2 sought to bring clarity by proposing that the Assebmly amend BCO 9-7 to prohibit deaconesses by adding an extra sentence to clarify the provision of 9-7 (the proposed addition is in bold type),

It is often expedient that the Session of a church should select and appoint godly men and women of the congregation to assist the deacons in caring for the sick, the widows, the orphans, the prisoners, and others who may be in any distress or need. These assistants to the deacons shall not be referred to as deacons or deaconesses, nor are they to be elected by the congregation nor formally commissioned, ordained, or installed as though they were office bearers in the church.

It is clear from the argumentation of the overture that women are extremely important and necessary to the work of the Church, acknowledging that "the ability of the church to minister to a lost and dying world depends in large part on the self-sacrificing volunteet spirit of our female members." The intent is not to make it impossible for women to serve and bless the church with their gifts, which BCO 9-7 provides for, but rather, to make the provision more explicit so that it cannot continue to be distorted into something it does not promote or permit. Furthermore, the overture is not just concerned with the unordained women in BCO 9-7, it is also concerned with bringing clarity concerning the unordained men--who they are and how they come to serve.

The committee ruled, however, that amending BCO 9-7 this way was contrary to the Constitution for two reasons. One, it assumed that the term "deaconess" necessarily denotes an office equivalent to that of deacon. This assumption is unwarranted since the Bible uses the term diakonos (deacon) most commonly to refer "to a person being a servant and not an office bearer." Second, the overture was ruled contrary to the Constitution because it was restricting the use of the term "commissioning" (a term that is not defined by the Constitution) as "equivalent to the actions of ordination and installation." The point of the overture was to bring clarity to the discussion by making the very point that the men and women appointed to assist the deacons in BCO 9-7 should not be treated like they hold an office and that the procedure by which they come to serve should not look like ordination and installation, which is a much needed statement right now.

And yet, the ruling can help in moving the discussion along and helping to provide for some clarity in two ways. First, in saying that we should not assume the terms deacon and deaconess to refer to an office holder undercuts one of the arguments put forward by the proponents of commissioning deaconesses. Proponents of commissioning women to the unordained office of deaconess like to point to Romans 16.1 where Phoebe is referred to as a deaconess. They argue that since Phoebe is referred to by the feminine form of diakonos that she held the office of deaconess. But this is the only occurence of a woman in the New Testament being referred to as deaconess. So why leap to the conclusion that office of deaconess is in view there? One could apply the committee's position to this argument this way, "Just because one is referred to as deacon or deaconess, one time in Romans 16.1 and no where else, it does not mean that an office is in view since the terms mostly refer to general service. What the committee's decision does is put the impetus on the interpreter to demonstrate "office of deacon" is in view when the word deacon is used and not just assume it or declare it to be the case. One should not simply assume "office" when they see the word deacon, and this should govern the discussions surrounding Romans 16.1.

Second, even though Overture 2 will not be considered, the committee's second reason for ruling it contrary to the Constitution can still be helpful in addressing the procedure being used by proponents of commissioning women to the undordained office of deaconess. Overture 2 wanted to bring clarity to BCO 9-7 by clarifying that the unordaned men and women assisting the deacons were doing so because of the Session's right to "select and appoint" in contradistinction from them serving because of being "formally commissioned, ordained or installed as though they were office bearers in the church." The ruling of the committee can still help to make this point given that the committee admits that "commission" is not defined in the Constitution. If commissioning is not defined in the Constitution (and by the way it's not even found in it), then why are congregations doing it at all? On grounds are they doing something in a worship service as part of how they structure their ministry that is based on something not provided for, not defined, not even found in the Constitution? Do you want a good reason for why the PCA should not commission women to the unordained office of deaconess? Because the Constitution doesn't prescribe it, allow it, define it or even address it.

But this is also a third way that the committee's actions are helpful. In addition to ruling that Overtures 2 and 9 were contrary to the Constitution, it also found Overture 10 in conflict with the Constitution. In that overture, there were several amendments to the BCO being offered, all of which had to do with the idea of separating ordination from office. It wanted to argue that there can be such a thing as an unordained office and an unordained officer. The committee's response was very clear, "The insertion of 'ordained' to describe the office of elder and deacon in the proposed revision of BCO 7-2 implies that there is an unordained office, which conflicts with BCO 17-1." With regards to the idea of an unordained officer, the committee's response was once again quite clear, when it argued that "the existence of deacons who have not been ordained . . . also conflicts with BCO 17-1. The point here seems clear: there is no such thing as an unordained office or unordained officer, and this should include the idea of an unordained office of deaconess.

These rulings, should help move the discussion along and I hope that those proposing commissioning (something that the Constitution doesn't define and shouldn't look like ordination and installation since they're not the same) women to the unordained office (something that doesn't exist and is in clear conflict with the Church's Constitution) of deaconesses will pay attention to these rulings and allow them to constrain their ideas, practices and pursuits. As it is said in Overture 25, "until or unless there are constitutional amendments to change our BCO, each court is to be reminded to be faithful in upholding the constitutional views of the Church." Let us all strive to fulfill our vows to be subject to our brothers in the Lord (#4) and to zealously maintain the purity, peace and unity of the church (#6).

The Inherent Practicality of Eschatology

2010-06-18T13:44:00.000-04:00

As I have been studying and preaching from Micah, one thing that has struck me over and over again is the role that eschatology and history play in Micah's prophecy. In Micah there is a constant interaction between the two in a way that many of us are not used to thinking. Typically when we think of eschatology and history we think of eschatology as the end of history or we think of history leading to eschatology. But Micah sees it another way. He sees eschatology shaping and guiding history. But even here, he does not do so abstractly, but rather grounds it covenantally. And he does this in two basic ways: through the covenant history of Israel and through the covenant history of the world.

First, he utilizes the covenant history of Israel. Micah as the Lord's prophet serves as the administer of the covenant that God cut with Israel at Mt. Sinai in Exodus and that was renewed in Deuteronomy. This covenant by way of typology was eschatological. It was given in Exodus 19 in the context of a theophany, which means that God manifested his presence, his eschatological presence, in history. This theophanic presence revealed the Lord of the covenant but also what was at stake in the covenant. On the typological level, life and death were being revealed in the covenant. Obedience would lead to life in the land of Canaan, which was typological of life in heaven. Disobedience would lead to being cut off from the land of Canaan, which was typological of hell.

But this arrangement was not just in the covenant, but was already present in the giving of the covenant. God's eschatological presence was both a potential blessing and curse for Israel. So, in his grace and mercy, he revealed to Moses how the people could remain safe (blessing) rather than dieing (curse) in his presence--they were to gather at the foot of the mountain but not touch it. So we see eschatology intruding into history at the giving of the covenant where the substance of the covenant is revealed in the very situation of its ratification.

But the eschatology of the covenant was also manifested in the forward looking expectation of the covenant. The fact that the covenant had terms that were to be kept directs us to understand that God would return at some point to execute the terms of the covenant. In the future, God would judge and meet out either blessing or curse. So, there was a forward looking expectation concealed in the covenant. That which was revealed at the beginning would be manifest again in the future.

Second, he utilizes the covenant history of Israel to teach us about the covenant history of humanity. Now, as I have said, this covenant with Israel, though administering earthly blessing or curse tied to the geographical land of Canaan, serves to help us understand the higher and greater realities of heaven and hell, but also serves to remind us of the more cosmic covenant that God had established with Adam and all his posterity. In the second verse of chapter one, Micah calls for all the nations to hear and pay attention to what God is doing with his covenant people Israel. The reason is because the time of Israel's looking forward to God's return to execute of the terms of the covenant with Israel is at hand--the future day of the Lord is about to no longer be future, it is about to be present. The judgment that God is bringing upon his people for the rebellion of their covenant breaking is to direct the nations to understand the judgment he is going to bring upon them for the rebellion of their covenant breaking.

God had established the covenant of works with Adam in the garden of Eden, and this included everyone who would be born from Adam by natural generation, i.e., everyone human ever born in history that could trace his lineage to Adam. Adam failed this covenant and as a result plunged all of humanity into the misery of sin and death. This covenant in Genesis also had a forward looking expectation of God executing its terms. Adam and all of humanity that fell in him rebelled and so are now liable to the curse of that covenant, which is eternal death. The future judgment is going to intrude into the present and God is going to judge all the nations, and we know this because the future judgment of Israel that was built into the fabric of their covenant intruded into their present. Through God's historical dealings with Israel, we see a portrait of God's historic dealings with mankind. Eschatology that intrudes in history past that speaks of the eschatology of future history will become eschatologically present in the history of all of mankind.

Now, for many, this view of history seems very complicated. It seems difficult to understand. It seems very abstract. So how is it inherently practical? What does this have to do with the mom at home raising her children, or the person at work at their job, or the student at school?

Eschatology is inherently practical because it forms and shapes everyone's life. Our present lives are to be lived in light of God's eschatological intrusions in the past as they help us to understand the consummate intrusion still coming in the future. The stage in which our lives, and every seemingly mundane detail of our day to day existence, is lived out is the stage of God's eschatological intrusions. Each day that we are alive is to be lived presently in the recognition of what God has done in the past and what God will do in the future. We cannot live faithfully as the covenant people of God without constantly reminding ourselves of the terms of the covenant. But we also cannot live faithfully without constantly reminding ourselves of the future consummation of the covenant.

When we don't remember these foundational truths, we only see our lives in the present here and now. And when we do that, we find ourselves tossed to and fro by every wind of doctrine and the wisdom of this present world. For what is there to ground our faith? Our vocation? Our worship? Our mission? Everything we do is contingent on remembering the future that broke into the past and the future that still awaits the present.

In Micah, the life of Israel was lived between the two advents of God--his advent at Mt. Sinai at the giving of the covenant and his advent in judgment when he utilized Assyria to wipe out the northern ten tribes in 722 B.C. and Babylon to take the southern two tribes into captivity in 586 B.C. And yet, the message of Micah in calling us to see life this way is not to discourage but to give hope as his message reveals the hope that comes in that judgment. For in this judgment, which is another type of the coming day of the Lord, we are directed to the day of the Lord that broke into history in the past that now shapes our present. When the Lord, in another theophany, intruded into history and lived among men. When the future became present in his bringing the curse of the covenant--only not against his people, nor against the nations, but against himself as he died the cursed death of the cross. It is this day of the Lord that shapes our present and directs us to the future consummation that is coming.

There has been an execution of curse that leads to life for sinners of all the nations. And yet, there is still a future Day of the Lord that is coming. And as believers find themselves united to Jesus Christ by faith, they are to live between these two advents ever looking backwards and forwards, so that they may live presently, as mothers and fathers and children and employees, etc., with their faith, obedience, vocation, worship and mission grounded firmly in Christ. And so they may not find themselves living under the tyranny of the present and forgetting who they have been made and called to be in Christ.

Geerhardus Vos once wrote, "Only one thing more, and that of supreme importance, needs to be remembered: all eschatological interpretation of history, when united to a strong religious mentality cannot but produce the finest practical theological fruitage," (p. 61). Everything we know about God, our very relationship with God and everything you do in your relationship with God is rooted in eschatology. Eschatology is the beginning, the end and the middle step in living in a saving relationship with God--you cannot live a faithful life in Christ apart from eschatology. Eschatology, then, is inherently practical for living a life of faith in Christ.

Free Ligonier National Conference Webcast

2010-06-17T16:06:00.001-04:00

The Ligonier Ministries' National Conference held every year in Orlando can be viewed live this year for free through their webcast. The theme of the conference is "Tough Questions Christians Face." As a heads up, I was not able to view it using Firefox, but have been able to access it using Internet Explorer.

The webcast schedule:

THURSDAY, JUNE 17

Pre-Conference

9:00 - 9:20 a.m.
The Brave New World of New Media, Ed Stetzer

9:25 - 9:45 a.m.
Principles for Conduct in Communication, Tim Challies

10:00 - 10:20 a.m.
Taking Captive New Media for the Church, Burk Parsons

10:25 - 10:45 a.m.
The Hypersocialized Generation, Albert Mohler

10:55 - 11:55 a.m.
Questions & Answers

Conference

3:10 - 4:10 p.m.
Why Did Jesus Have to Die?, John MacArthur

5:10 - 6:00 p.m.
Is the Doctrine of Inerrancy Defensible?, Michael Horton

8:00 - 9:00 p.m.
Does the Doctrine of Divine Decrees Eliminate Human Will?, John MacArthur

FRIDAY, JUNE 18

8:30 - 9:30 a.m.
What Is Evil and Where Did It Come From?, R.C. Sproul

9:30 - 10:30 a.m.
Why Do Christians Still Sin?, R.C. Sproul Jr.

11:40 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
How Do We Know Which Interpretation Is Right?, Derek Thomas

2:30 - 3:25 p.m.
Is the Bible Just Another Book?, Steven Lawson

4:15 - 5:15 p.m.
Is the Exclusivity of Christ Unjust?, Alistair Begg

7:15 - 8:30 p.m.
Questions & Answers

SATURDAY, JUNE 19

8:30 - 9:40 a.m.
Why Does the Universe Look So Old?, Albert Mohler

9:40 - 10:30 a.m.
Is Calvinism Good for the Church?, Burk Parsons

11:15 a.m. - 12:05 p.m.
If God Is Good, How Could He Command Holy War?, Derek Thomas

12:05 - 1:00 p.m.
Can We Enjoy Heaven Knowing of Loved Ones in Hell?, R.C. Sproul

Christ, Communion and Cannabis?

2010-06-04T17:18:00.002-04:00

Here is a great little blog post by my good friend Mark Garcia. Sometimes it helps us to remember that the Lord's choices were not random nor unimportant. Garcia provides us much for meditation for communion this coming Lord's Day.

"The Tolkien Professor"

2010-05-28T00:18:00.002-04:00

If you like the literature of J.R.R. Tolkien like The Hobbit or The Lord of the Rings, then you will love this. Corey Olsen, who is an Assistant Professor of English at Washington College in Maryland, has put together a website, The Tolkien Professor, dedicated to bridging the gap between academics and general readers of Tokien's work. He shares his insights so that everyday folks can have free access to appreciate better and understand better the stories that have fascinated generations of readers.

There are audio lectures that focus primarily on his classroom lectures on The Hobbit or The Lord of the Rings (there are even helpful readings specific to the lectures), recorded "chats," and a discussion board that allows you to read and participate in discussions on specific topics. And if you want to download the free audio and take them with you, then you can subscribe to The Tolkien Professor podcast here.

If you are interested but not sure where to begin, start with the Intro lecture "How to Read Tolkien and Why," where Olsen discusses Tolkien’s own ideas on story-telling, on how stories should be read and why they are important, which he bases primarily off of Tokien's essay "On Fairy-Stories." And if you are looking for helpful suggestions for further reading, then simply consult the bookstore.

There is a wealth of great and helpful information at the right price; so enjoy!

[HT: James Grant]

"An Alternative Plan for PCA Renewal" from the Presbytery of Northwest Georgia (Updated)

2010-05-27T22:17:00.002-04:00

Over at the Aquila Report, David Hall (Midway PCA in Powder Springs, GA) has posted some Questions and Answers concerning the overture of the Presbytery of Northwest Georgia for an alternative plan to the PCA Strategic Plan. He begins with filling out some the details of what action took place in producing the overture. He explains that the presbytery met to debate and eventually pass two overtures,

The first overture called for a ‘means of grace’ alternative to the proposed Strategic Plan; the second called for a recognition of the sufficiency of our constitution to govern offices and ordination in the church, along with a call to conform our practices to those objective standards until or unless the constitution is amended.

From reading the Q and A, there are two things that stand out to me (besides the great content!). First, I really appreciate the participation of the ruling elders in the presbytery. Hall states that there were more RE's present than TE"s. It is good to see these shepherds taking their calling seriously. And I agree with Hall that often, the opinions and ideas expressed by the RE's provide a more accurate expression of the church than that expressed by the "professional class." I believe this will provide the opportunity for a broader audience to take it seriously.

Secondly, I appreciate the way he describes the debate taking place irenically. And that the intended purpose of their temperate and respectful debate is for the unity of the church and not to exasperate brothers in Christ or broaden the disjunction of those involved. They are not merely seeking to put something forward that is the opposite of the Strategic Plan just to be opposite, in fact, he mentions places where they agree. They are seeking to provide what they (and I) believe to be a biblical and confessional alternative for accomplishing the calling of the church in the Great Commission.

Let me close with his encouraging words, "We commend these to our church, along with our prayers for God’s blessings on our leaders, our churches, and the upcoming General Assembly. We hope many will join in such hopeful and positive sentiments."

You can read the entire Q and A here.

The Inextricable Relationship Between Covenant Theology and Preaching

2010-05-26T13:14:00.000-04:00

Here are some helpful thoughts on the relationship between covenant theology and preaching. Over at the Greenbaggins blog, insights from Hughes Oliphant Old are being provided on preaching from the history of the church. Old says,

If Craigie is right, then we have in the covenant theology of the Pentateuch the rationale for the reading and preaching of Scripture in worship – namely, that it is demanded by a covenantal understanding of our relationship to God and to each other” (p. 29). If the people are in a relationship with God based on a covenantal agreement, then it is absolutely necessary for the maintenance of that relationship that the terms of the covenantal agreement be regularly read and interpreted to the people.

This statement is very helpful today, given the current distaste for preaching. Many today would rather have a conversation or be lead in a discussion group, rather than have an ordained man (one approved by God-1 Thess 2.4) proclaim the truth of God in the authority of God. Interestingly, there is currently a prominent "Reformed" theologian who has built his theological system around the notion of God as the covenant Lord, who has argued that there is no biblical defense of preaching as a monologue from a single preacher to a congregation who listen, and, therefore, preaching can come in the form of conversation or even drama.

The doctrine of the covenant, then, is inextricably related not only to preaching, but how preaching is to be accomplished. The covenant helps us to understand that God has addressed his people and requires his people to respond. God continues to address his people, and continues to address them through the covenant, so there continues to be a need for the covenant to be proclaimed - and that is what preaching is. The covenant establishes the need for and provides for the right means for preaching. We are not left to ourselves and our imaginations to try and figure out the best way for the covenant to be proclaimed and administered among God's church.

This is not to say that God has not provided a way for the covenant to be displayed and played out before a congregation. If drama you seek, then start practicing the sacraments.

"An Alternative Plan for PCA Renewal" from the Presbytery of Northwest Georgia

2010-05-25T19:07:00.002-04:00

Coming from the Presbytery of Northwest Georgia of the PCA is an overture I can support. The men of the NWGP have provided 17 points for renewal in the PCA--points that promote reformed practice in addition to Reformed theology. Kudos to the men of the NWGP for stating such a clear, biblical and confessional response that is irenic and profitable. There is no need to leave confessionalism behind in order to do Reformed ministry, rather, what is needed is a robust commitment and engagement in Reformed theology, piety, and practice in the life of the church in worship, nurture and missions. We have a rich perspective--why not put it to use? We don't need to be less or other than what we are, and how can we reproduce Reformed churches if we are less than Reformed in the process? Our ministry should reflect the God-centered, covenantal theology of our standards,

. . . the remedy to our denominational maladies is not the implementation of what some see as a fairly complex, mildly therapeutic, sociologically savvy strategic vision. Rather, what the PCA needs - in fact, what every NAPARC denomination always needs - is a clear, uncompromising call to biblical and confessional renewal, renewal that is on God’s terms, not man’s.

The preface is helpful in explaining that those who disagree with the Strategic Plan do not disagree because they are not in favor of missions, but because they believe that God has promised to bless certain means, so the ministry of the church should be focused on those things, and not on things that God has not promised to bless,

Many believe that the current problems in the PCA have less to do with cultural irrelevancy and insensitivity, and more to do with a lack of confidence in the sufficient, efficacious means that God Himself has promised to bless for the health and extension of His kingdom. Perhaps we - the PCA - should examine ourselves, and ask ourselves some searching, even convicting questions - questions that may help us to recognize our current problems: Why the upturn in topical, loosely textual, media/story driven sermons? Why the downturn in exegetical, Christ-centered, lectio-continua Bible preaching? Why the upturn in focus upon missional broadness, social programs and eco-gospel ministry? Why the downturn in substantial prayer in public worship? Why the absence of congregational prayer meetings? Why the upturn in focus upon women possessing greater roles in worship and denominational leadership (“direction and development”)? Why the downturn in sessions boldly calling men to lead their families and Christ’s Church (i.e. public worship, family worship)? The main goal or plan of the PCA for the next forty years should be a courageous, God-centered, joyfully reverent return to Reformed Faith and practice, as set forth in the Westminster Standards and her sister confessions (e.g. The Three Forms of Unity). This is a call to renewal that we should all be able to get behind.

It is not new in the tradition of American Presbyterianism to want to divorce orthodoxy from orthopraxy, a la, the "doctrine divides but ministry unites" chorus of the new school/old school debates of the nineteenth century, so no one should be surprised to see this manifested again. But it is because this is not new that we must understand that it apparently is not going away and there is once again a need for a loving, irenic and faithful response.

You can read the entire overture here. Let me add my "Amen!"

Do You Need Knowledge Or Understanding In Your Suffering?

2010-05-25T12:08:00.000-04:00

Recently, my new office buddy Carolyn recommended a book by Dale Ralph Davis on preaching from Old Testament narrative texts. In the second chapter, he lists nine literary features, or "quirks" as he calls them, that the interpreter needs to be able to recognize in order to get a grasp on the point of a narrative.

Reticence
Eavesdropping
Selectivity
Sarcasm
Imagination
Surprise
Emphasis (Repetition)
Intensity
Tension

In his discussion on "eavesdropping," he notes that often the biblical author will provide insight to the reader that the protagonist in the narrative does not know. The reader, in essence, gets to know what is going on behind the scenes as we watch the protagonist try to figure things out on his own.

One of the examples he provides to show this literary feature is in Job. As many know, Job was put through a great trial and suffered greatly in the process. And this trial was not because of blind fate, bad luck or even Satanic cause--it was God who providentially brought this trial on Job. In Job 1.8, it is Yahweh who brings Job up to Satan, "Have you considered my servant Job . . ." Yahweh initiates but also limits the trial (see 1.12). Prior to Job's trial and suffering, there is a meeting that takes place between God and Satan--a meeting that the reader knows about, but Job doesn't. We are given insight into Job's situation that Job himself does not have, "[Job] goes through his whole struggle in the dark, knowing nothing of the accuser who ridicules his loyalty nor of the fact that Yahweh has steadfastly been for him," (p. 13).

This perspective made me think about Job's suffering in a new light. Job does not know the details surrounding his trial and suffering--and this lack of knowledge is what clouds his faith. He never loses faith--but he does lose his patience, even to the point of demanding that God answer him (Job 31.35). And throughout, it is clear from Job's words that he is trying to recount his actions to find where he went astray--actions that would warrant such judgment from God. And he cannot put his finger on it. He just doesn't know why.

And this is telling for us. When we find ourselves in trial and affliction, it is quite easy for us to grow impatient in the trial--especially with God himself. And this is quite natural--for trial and affliction are not easy or fun. They are difficult and they can cloud our spiritual vision so that we look with our physical eyes rather than our eyes of faith. And when we do this, we set ourselves up for further suffering--for our physical eyes only see what seems to be causing the pain. We look to know the details of why we are suffering by looking only at the realities of this world.

During these seasons of trial, we don't need knowledge--we need understanding. We need to look with the eyes of faith at the other worldly realities that are going on behind the scenes. Job could not see them--but God shows them to us. And he does so because these same other worldly realities are still at work. We get to peer behind the scenes with Job so that we come to understand what is going on behind the scenes in our own suffering.

And the reality is this: God is providentially testing his people, this testing takes place in the midst of spiritual warfare wrestling not "against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places," (Eph 6.12). And this is not to harm us but to strengthen us, to help us peer behind the veil of our own trials with eyes of spiritual understanding. We don't need specific details, we need spiritual understanding that comes from peace with God, knowing that trials and suffering bring us to know Christ and the power of his resurrection, and that we may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible we may attain the resurrection from the dead (Phil 3.10-11).

The peace of God we need comes to us in the gospel. That silly message that tells us that in Christ, life is found through death, that exaltation comes through humiliation, that peace in suffering is found not in knowledge but in understanding--gospel understanding.

Are you feeling wearied in your trials and suffering? Do you find yourself becoming impatient with God and demanding him to answer you? Then step back, think through the gospel afresh. God has provided everything you need for this affliction, so stop frustrating yourself by looking for what he has not told you and trust the behind-the-scenes-insight he has shown you. Find yourself in your afflicted state united to Christ with whom you suffer, be comforted in his resurrection that is yours by faith, and then rejoice in the Lord who is at hand so that you may not "be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus," (Phil. 4.6-7). There is no answer, there is no help, there is no comfort, there is no hope apart from your life being hidden in Christ.

Why Has Guilt, Grace, Gratitude Become Guilt, Guilt, Guilt?

2010-05-11T17:02:00.000-04:00

Many are aware that the historic way of breaking down the Heidelberg Catechism, even the Christian life itself, can be summarized with the three-fold description Guilt, Grace, Gratitude. But for some reason today, it seems like I talk to a lot of people who do not experience this three-fold description, but rather, their experience of the Christian life seems to be Guilt, Guilt, Guilt. Understanding our guilt before God is certainly necessary and a good thing, but it's not everything. In fact, guilt is supposed to take us to the cross where we find the objective work of Christ, and then subjectively embrace it by faith so that by grace, we can rejoice in salvation and walk in the newness of life--guilt leads to grace and grace leads to gratitude.

With this purpose for guilt, and with such amazing grace, why is it that so many Christians feel so guilty all the time?

At his blog today, Kevin DeYoung asks this question and provides four basic reasons why he thinks so many Christians feel so guilty:

We don’t fully embrace the good news of the gospel.
Christians tend to motivate each other by guilt rather than grace.
Most of our low-level guilt falls under the ambiguous category of “not doing enough.”
When we are truly guilty of sin it is imperative we repent and receive God’s mercy.

DeYoung believes that this constant guilt is dangerous because it can harden one's conscience and even lead a person to ignore his conscience. This constant feeling of guilt, which can sear the conscience, can lead people to ignore actual sin from which they need to repent, and hence, miss out on the salve of the gospel, which is what they need.

DeYoung believes that grace is the answer:

. . . the best preaching ought to make sincere Christians see more of Christ and experience more of his grace. Deeper grace will produce better gratitude, which means less guilt. And that’s a good thing all the way around.

Yes it is, but why limit the prescription just to preaching? Why not offer all the means of grace that Christ affords his church? Yes, preaching is important, necessary and foundational, but seeing in communion what is spoken in a sermon is also important, necessary and beneficial.

Do you seem to feel guilty all the time? The bread that came down from heaven makes himself available for you to feed upon him, and hence, be invigorated by the heavenly realities in him. Maybe you're not eating enough.

If It Doesn't Walk Like A Duck (Yada, Yada, Yada) It's Not Presbyterian

2010-05-11T16:35:00.001-04:00

In an earlier post I raise the point that the new Strategic Plan of the PCA is not Presbyterian. William Schweitzer agrees.

The Liturgy of "Contemporvant" Worship

2010-05-11T16:15:00.002-04:00

This is pretty funny--but also pretty pathetic since it's so on target.

"Sunday's Coming" Movie Trailer from North Point Media on Vimeo.

[HT: James Grant]

"'True' and 'Truth' in the Johannine Writings" - Geerhardus Vos

2010-05-05T11:41:00.003-04:00

This morning in the men's Bible study at Pasha Coffee & Tea, the men were discussing 1 John 218-27 with particular emphasis on John's use of "true," "truth," "anointing," and "abiding in you." In all these things, John seems to equate these words together with the Anointed One himself, Jesus Christ. So what does all this mean?

Well, a helpful place to look is Geerhardus Vos' article "'True' and 'Truth' in the Johannine Writings." In that article, Vos helps to show that John uses these terms in relation to Jesus and who he is as the eschatological savior come from heaven to earth and as such, his words share in his "otherworldliness." The truth of Christ and his words has more to do, then, than just speaking of their trustworthy character; his words are heavenly and come from heaven as he did. As such, Christ abides in his people through his truth--truth that is bound up with his word, the Bible. Here are a few snippets:

When Jesus is called “the truth,” it would be a rash judgment to assert that this can mean nothing else than that His words are the supreme, incarnate veracity. The noun can just as well mean, and undoubtedly, in view of the usage of the adjective, sometimes does mean, that the supreme reality of the things that compose His character is incarnate in Him. The fulness of “truth,” which, side by side with “grace,” resides in the Only Begotten, must mean far more than the reliability pertaining to His words;

It cannot be otherwise than that the words of Him who is by nature and origin the “veritable” One should partake of the same character precisely because they are His. His kingdom is not of this world (but of the heavenly world), and for this very reason He came from the higher into the lower world that He should bear witness unto “the truth,” and that every one that is of “the truth” should hear His voice (18:37).

He is simply “not of this world.” And what is true of Jesus is, of course, on the principles of the Johannine teaching throughout, in the statements both of Jesus and of the Evangelist, applicable to the disciples, for in no document is the identification of Jesus with the believer more emphatically affirmed.

What is practically involved is the principle of ultimate spiritual value in regard to destiny. The practical name for this is the principle of “otherworldliness.”

The life of faith is not just about trusting Christ's word, though it does include that, but it is about trusting that his word is at work within us binding us to him so that we understand that the heavenly life of Christ has intruded in us now and is working within us until we enter in to the full consummation of our heavenly inheritance. The truth of Christ shares in Christ's nature and therefore binds us to him, which comes to us in the form of an anointing. So, as the anointing you received from him abides in you . . .and is true . . . abide in him (1 John 2.27).

You can find the article in Vos' Shorter Writings, or read the entire article online for free here.

An Alternative (That's Not New) PCA Strategic Plan

2010-05-04T09:06:00.001-04:00

Since I first introduced a couple of my concerns about the new "Strategic Plan" of the PCA, I have been planning on following up with a positive statement proposing action for the PCA but have not been able to get around to it. Well, now I don't have to.

The Rev. Dr. Jon D. Payne, pastor of Grace PCA in Douglasville, GA (just west of Atlanta) and author of John Owen on the Lord’s Supper and In the Splendor of Holiness: Rediscovering the Beauty of Reformed Worship, and who is deeply committed to the Reformation2Germany project, has offered an alternative proposal for the PCA that reflects my own thoughts and commitments and those of the congregation I serve. He states,

What we need more than anything in the PCA is a warm, winsome, consistent, serious, joyful, positive expression of Reformed and confessional Presbyterianism that unashamedly and courageously applies the theology of our Confession to the way we worship, preach, teach, write, shepherd, discipline, serve, evangelize and plant-churches (Domestic and International).

The need in the PCA is not new "safe places," the creation of gospel eco-systems, withdrawing from those with whom we share doctrine in order to learn from and participate with those with whom we do not share doctrine, or partnering with "groups" that aren't churches. How can a "group" accomplish the Great Commission of Matthew 28.18-20 if they can't administer the sacraments and church discipline?

No, the new alternative that the PCA needs is not new at all, but a return to biblical faithfulness. Remember it is God who is on the mission, and he is building his church through the Christ. And remember, this is all rooted in his plan that he and the other members of the trinity agreed upon before the foundation of the world. He covenanted, he decreed, he accomplished and is now applying what he accomplished--and he does this according to his prescribed means--what he thinks is best. He has not done all this to then leave it up to us to fulfill what he promised to do--what he has left up to us is to do what he has promised to bless and then leave the results up to him--results he predetermined before the foundation of the world. Trust me--none of the elect will be lost!

So what are the 17 points of his (and mine! ha!) alternative proposal that is not new since it is what God has prescribed?

1. A renewed commitment to exegetical, God-centered, Christ-exalting, Holy Spirit-filled, lectio-continua preaching.
2. A renewed commitment to the sacraments of baptism and the Lord’s Supper for the spiritual nourishment, health and comfort of the elect.
3. A renewed commitment to private, family and corporate prayer.
4. A renewed commitment to – and delight in – the Lord’s Day.
5. A renewed commitment to worship God according to Scripture.
6. A renewed commitment to sing the Psalms in private, family, and public worship.
7. A renewed commitment to wed our missiology to our Reformed ecclesiology.
8. A renewed commitment to Spirit-dependent, prayerful, loving, courageous evangelism.
9. A renewed commitment to biblical church discipline.
10. A renewed commitment to family worship.
11. A renewed commitment to biblical hospitality.
12. A renewed commitment to catechize our covenant children.
13. A renewed commitment to biblical masculinity and femininity.
14. A renewed commitment to shepherd the flock of God.
15. A renewed commitment to promote and defend the Reformed Confession.
16.A renewed commitment to the mortification of sin and worldliness.
17. A renewed commitment to rest by faith in Christ ALONE for salvation, without minimizing Gospel obedience.

I heartily agree with Payne's conclusion,"This vision, I believe, would unify our beloved denomination in what God Himself has clearly promised to bless," [emphasis mine].

"The Communion Feast of Peace" - Leviticus 7.11-38 & 1 Corinthians 10.16-18

2010-05-03T20:03:00.001-04:00

Yesterday was my first official Lord's Day at Reformed Presbyterian Church, though I will not be ordained and installed until this Friday (d.v.). One of the things I enjoy about this call is that RP practices weekly communion. As a means of grace, the Lord's Supper is vital to the life and health of the Christian pilgrim. As citizens of heaven who still find themselves on earth--Christian pilgrims find themselves needing nourishment and refreshment for enduring the hardships of the desert pilgrimage. The sin of this world and the ongoing sin in the pilgrim can become a choking dust in the throat of the traveler, and as the psalmist says, the effect of this sin can make one feel like his/her "moisture is dried away."

For the church who finds herself living between God's advent in Christ and entrance into the fullness of our promised inheritance of heaven--we are like the church of the OT who found herself living between the advent of God on Mount Sinai and entrance into the promised inheritance of the land of Canaan. To sustain his people on that journey, God provided the means of grace of the peace offering. A meal that both portrayed and conveyed the very peace God would accomplish for them--not through the substitutionary sacrifice of an animal through the mediation of the Aaronic priesthood, but through the mediation of the priesthood of Jesus Christ who not only mediated the once for all sacrifice, but who was himself the substituionary sacrifice.

As the people would feed on the sacrifice as a portrait of the peace achieved for them by another, they simultanesouly experienced that peace when they ate by faith. The point: as Paul says in 1 Corinthians 10.16-18,

The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ? Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread. Consider the people of Israel: are not those who eat the sacrifices participants in the altar?

Just as they partook of the benefits of the altar, we too, partake of the benefits of Christ when we eat the bread and drink the wine of the Lord's Supper. Although the Lord's Supper is a beautiful picture of the grace of the gospel, it does more than merely portray that grace--it conveys it when received by faith.

What we have in the Lord's Supper is nothing less than a communion feast of peace! So are you feeling weakened because of the ongoing pilgrimage and struggle with sin--then get to the table and feed on your savior, so that as your moisture dries up, you may be replenished!

You can read the entire sermon here.

Presbyterian Parochialism?

2010-05-03T11:20:00.001-04:00

What do you get when you combine the localism of Wendell Berry with the concern for the true care of souls of Martin Bucer? You get the 19th century Presbyterian Thomas Chalmers who advocated a Reformed and Presbyterian parish ministry. Michael Ives has put together a blog based on the parish ministry focus of Chalmers called West Port Experiment, which is named after the efforts of Chalmers in the late 1840s who, after leaving the endowments of the establishment in the Disruption of 1843, implemented a parish model of church extension and paternalistic philanthropy in one of the worst slums of industrialized Edinburgh.

For a great little paper introducing Chalmers' parish evangelism, see Ives' paper "Parish Evangelism: Rediscovering Focus in Evangelistic & Pastoral Effort."

[HT: James Grant]

Free CD Giveaway Over At Mongerismbooks.com

2010-05-01T10:03:00.001-04:00

Over at Monergismbooks.com, they are providing a free CD of Kim Riddlebarger's 16-part lecture series on Amilennialism 101 and his 32-part sermon series on the Book of Revelation--FREE.

Strategic Plan/Identity for the PCA?

2010-04-22T17:34:00.003-04:00

The Cooperative Ministries Committee has unanimously approved its "Strategic Plan" for understanding, evaluating and responding to the slowed numerical growth of the PCA (even the apparent frightening reality that there was even numerical shrinking),

This Strategic Plan seeks to address these realities by helping the PCA identify its challenges, address them with strategies that are consistent with our biblical values, and build denominational support for implementing these strategies. The overall goal is to enable the church to work together to steward its blessings and resources to advance the cause of Christ according to the principles and priorities of his Word.

If one does not wish to read all the analysis and evaluation and get right to the "strategies," a helpful overview can be read here. You can find an article in byFaith Magazine here. You can also find a series of videos presenting the CMC's plan here.

At the heart of the issue here, is the question over identity, or in the words of the committee "a proposed plan for the future of the PCA." There is much that could be said about this plan and there are many points that could be addressed. But, given that this proposal concerns identity, I would like to address a couple of big-picture issues rather than specific details. So, in my mind, a foundational question that must be answered is, "Is the identity that is assumed in these strategies and will be further entrenched by these strategies biblical/confessional?".

First, the plan further centralizes power for making decisions in the PCA's ministry. Centralization of power, even in the church, is never a good thing, but especially within a Presbyterian denomination. Presbyterian is not a top-down ecclessiology, but rather a representative ecclessiology where men ordained to exercise the keys of the kingdom exercise them on behalf of Christ for the church. Presbyterianism spreads the authority equally, where as, centralization takes it away from some and puts it in the hands of fewer men. And this is particularly dangerous given what the Bible says about who is participating in governing the church. Presbyterianism is a representation consisting of sinners saved by grace who still sin. This fact of the ongoing presence of sin and struggle with it further under-girds why centralization is wrong headed. Presbyters already have a impossible calling as is--is it very wise to make that calling even more precarious? Do we want to temp men to abuse power? No matter how godly leadership is, it is still a leadership consisting of sinners who can be easily tempted to abuse authority. If you think this concern is unfounded, then you may want to read more history, yes, even church history. Centralization will put the church in harm's way by creating an environment for authoritarianism, where the will of the few powerful and elite will be forced on the many. And the few powerful and elite always seem to be those with more money. Is this the direction we want to take things? To put the smaller and the weak in a position to be furthered looked over and ignored? Centralization, then, is contra Presbyterian.

Secondly, the plan calls for the PCA to withdraw from NAPARC, the North American Presbyterian and Reformed Council. Theme #3, specific means #4 states:

Means (Specific) #4: Partner with national and international ministries with whom we can most effectively participate in God’s Global Mission by: (a) seek union or appropriate levels of cooperation with Reformed movements making Gospel progress and in harmony with our ethos and goals; (b) withdraw from organizations with whom we share doctrinal history, but not ministry priorities, currently draining our ministry energies (e.g. NAPARC); (c) find new ways to give away our knowledge and resources to bodies of believers being spiritually blessed, [emphasis mine].

NAPARC is a group of churches that represent different denominations with whom the PCA has fraternal relations for the purpose of assisting one another for building the church of Jesus Christ rather than just focusing on individual denominations. This group represents those with whom the PCA shares the same doctrinal heritage and represents the truest of fellowship and ecumenicism. These are the guys who are standing with us. These are the guys with whom we can participate in clear conscience in church planting and missions because we know they believe what we believe. The reason stated for withdrawal is that even though they do share this doctrinal history, they don't share the PCA's ministry priorities. Because of this, the strategy says that NAPARC is draining the PCA's resources, so to be more effective in planting reformed churches and doing world-wide reformed missions, the plan says we need to stop participating with the other reformed bodies who are striving do the same. What priorities aren't the same? In essence, by withdrawing, it would appear that we are limiting ourselves in ministry.

Unless, by withdrawing from those with whom we share a doctrinal heritage, we join in with groups with whom we don't. Is there a move here to be aligned with non-reformed groups to accomplish reformed evangelism, church-planting and foreign missions for the sake of having greater "influence and growth." What will we be growing? There is already a serious issue in the PCA with the use of non-reformed worship practices and non-reformed church growth strategies. Will we now just go ahead and join in the work of the groups whose methods have already been adopted? According to Theme #3, the answer is yes. The strategy would prefer the PCA learn from and work with the non-Reformed and the Reformed not part of NAPARC. Which is interesting, given that there are no conservative churches in North America that are not part of NAPARC. So who are these Reformed groups? Who is it that makes up the "global church"?

O.k., so this has already gone much longer than originally intended, so I will stop for now. But these two issues are very important. The strategy calls for the PCA as a Presbyterian and Reformed church to pursue evangelism, church planting and missions in a non-Presbyterian fashion that centralizes power and to do so by no longer participating with other conservative Presbyterian and Reformed churches. So, the strategy seems to suggest that the PCA needs to develop a less Reformed, maybe even, non-Reformed identity in order to do Reformed ministry.

Now, please don't come away from this thinking that the whole thing is bad and awful and the plague. But, on the big picture, I am very concerned. For critiques that deal with more specific details, you can read here and here.

The next step is for the "Strategic Plan" to be brought to the floor at GA. It will be interesting to see what the PCA decides to say about herself by her vote.

Shakin' Things Up Here at A Pilgrim's Redress

2010-04-09T14:42:00.002-04:00

Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil . . . ~ Ecclesiastes 4.9

As you notice in the new title "Pilgrims and Pastors," the blog, it is a changin'. "Why the new title?," you may be asking. Well, because the former title was singular and didn't make sense any more now that there are two authors for this blog!

I am very happy to introduce to you Pastor Jeremy Jones. Jeremy is the Associate Pastor at Reformed Presbyterian Church where I have just been called. From listening to many of his sermons and from our conversations, I knew that I had to invite him to write with me here and to share his thoughts. I have been blessed by him and I know you will be too. You will soon be able to learn more about Jeremy when his bio is completed, which you will find above at the "About Jeremy" tab.

So, we needed a new title to reflect the new situation. I didn't want the new situation, however, to be divorced from the brief history of "A Pilgrim's Redress," so I kept the "pilgrim" theme since it is so important to the Bible's description of Jesus Christ and his church. But I also wanted to reflect the new situation in that I am about to be ordained as a minister, which is a big step in my pilgrimage that has taken a lot of blood, sweat and tears. Therefore, since Jeremy and I are Christian pilgrims and will soon be writing as pastors, I thought the new title "Pilgrims & Pastors" was rather fitting.

For now the url will remain what it is, but that will be changing in the near future, so stay tuned!

Jesus is My Girlfriend Worship?

2010-04-06T22:43:00.003-04:00

Sometimes things like this make me wish I was an exclusive Psalm singer. Songs that can be sung to a girl or to any human cannot be sung to God!

O.k., so you're probably wondering what I'm talking about. Well, this past Lord's Day, Rick Warren of Saddleback Church held his Easter service at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, CA. At this Easter "worship" service, Warren had the Jonas Brothers do "a three-song session" (or performance) to close the nearly two hour service, worship service. A service reportedly devoted to worshiping God was closed with a performance by a popular boyband, singing Easter classics like "Hold On," A Little Bit Longer" and "Gotta Find You."

Now apparently the last song was written by a member of Saddleback Church, so certainly it should be about the resurrection, Jesus, or at least about God, right?! Unfortunately, no! Well, at least we're really not sure since the song had been originally sung to a teenage girl in the ABC Family television show Camp Rock. Now if you can sing a song to a girl, and then later sing that same song to God as worship, then either your view of that girl is way too high, or, the more likely scenario is that your view of God is much too low. In fact, it is what the Bible refers to as idolatry.

Below is a video clip that shows the song being sung at the Easter service compared to when it was sung to a girl. I do not endorse the man that introduces the clips nor his cynicism, although the idolatry it reveals is quite flagrant and shocking.

Songs that can be sung to a girl or to any human cannot be sung to God!

Word and Sacrament: Bathing Pilgrims in the Powers of the Age to Come

2010-04-05T22:40:00.000-04:00

"If our churches are not bathing us in the unfading powers of the age to come [through Word & Sacrament], why should it surprise us when people assign greater reality and significance to the age that is passing away? If we think that we can sustain ourselves and our churches simply by trying to make things more user-friendly, we have not reckoned with the enormous power of this present evil age."

Michael Horton, The Gospel-Driven Life, 205

For Whom Did Jesus Die On The Cross Primarily?

2010-04-02T21:42:00.001-04:00

Today is referred to as "Good Friday" because it is a special remembrance of Jesus Christ's death on the cross. So as we spend this special time meditating on the cross, what was the central issue at stake? What was the primary problem that God was fixing through the crucifixion of Jesus? Now, there were many things at stake and many things being accomplished by the cross--but what was at the heart of it all? Romans 3:25-26 answers that question this way,

God put [Christ Jesus] forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

The answer is startling and mind boggling! God's righteousness was the central issue at stake! The primary problem God was solving with the cross was his ability to be just, while declaring those who were inherently unjust as being just. God's primary purpose with the cross was not the salvation of sinners by providing them the righteousness needed to be declared just, but it was keeping himself righteous in the process!

God was at the center of his redemptive acts in Christ. Now this is not the typical perspective of the cross. Often when we hear about the cross, we are told that it is somehow a statement of our value; it is a statement about how lovable we are; it is a statement about how God loves us more than anything else. But this man-centered perspective of the cross is flipped on its head by this passage in Romans.

I had an email exchange with a member of the church where I have been elected as Pastor about God's God-centeredness. We typically like to put ourselves at the center of things because we believe that it is the way to secure our good. But did you realize that we can practice this idolatry even when it comes to our understanding of the cross? We turn something that is centrally about God into something completely about us.

But what we fail to realize is that if God is not primarily in focus with regards to the cross, then there would be no benefit for us in the cross. If God does not first and foremost take care of the problem of securing his own righteousness in being able to declare the unjust as just, then he would be unjust, and unable to declare us as just. The whole system, the whole universe would fall apart . . . if, God was not God-centered. If God is not God-centered (another way to say this is "self-centered"), then we could not receive salvation from him.

On this Good Friday, then, we should keep in mind that the cross is first and foremost about God. Jesus died primarily for God. The cross speaks of his value and how important he is. And the benefit of that self-centered act is that now he is able to love the church by declaring her just. God's care for his own righteousness secures his giving that righteousness to us who have no righteousness of our own. As God fixes his problem, he is able to fix ours.

What an amazing gospel! God gave himself on the cross for himself in order that we too might be accounted as righteous as him and, therefore, enter in to his love for himself. The cross that is good for God is the cross that is good for us. Today truly is a "Good Friday," but more importantly, everyday is now good for those who receive the cross work of Christ and his glorious resurrection by faith.

I remember first being confronted with this perspective in the writings of Jonathan Edwards. If you want to hear a great sermon by one who also was effected by Edwards teaching, then listen to this sermon on Romans 3:25-26 by John Piper.

The Lord's Supper: The Nexus of Heaven and Earth; the Future, the Present, and the Past

2010-04-01T22:02:00.000-04:00

Another hymn that I love to read and meditate on (that for some reason I've never gotten to sing in corporate worship) is the hymn, "Here, O My Lord, I See Thee Face to Face," (Trinity Hymnal, #378). It does a beautiful job of displaying Christ in the elements of bread and wine and the fellowship that brings. Yet, it also has a very biblical-theological presentation of that fellowship. First, it reveals the horizontal plane of continuity of God's redemptive plan in Christ by tying together the past redemptive acts of Christ, the present act of fellowship because of those acts, and the future consummation of the fellowship to which the supper points. Yet, it also beautifully reveals the vertical dimension of God's redemptive plan by bringing together heaven and earth through the worship of the Lord's Supper. There is true fellowship in the heavenly presence of Christ enjoyed by his still earthly pilgrim people. Although the church has not entered into the full consummation that will take place at the end of history (the horizontal plane), the church does not have to wait until the end to enjoy that heavenly fellowship (the vertical) now.

In the Supper, the horizontal and the vertical come together. Each time the church fellowships with Christ and one another around the elements of bread and wine, they enter into the future, while in the present, because of the past, because in that moment, heaven and earth come together.

Oh what fellowship we have with the Christ at his table!

Here, O my Lord, I see thee face to face;
Here would I touch and handle things unseen,
Here grasp with firmer hand th'eternal grace,
And all my weariness upon thee lean.

Here would I feed upon the bread of God,
Here drink with thee the royal wine of heav'n;
Here would I lay aside each earthly load,
Here taste afresh the calm of sin forgiven.

This is the hour of banquet and of song;
This is the heav'nly table spread for me:
Here let me feast, and, feasting, still prolong
The brief, bright hour of fellowship with thee.

I have no help but thine, nor do I need
Another arm save thine to lean upon:
It is enough, my Lord, enough indeed;
My strength is in thy might, thy might alone.

Mine is the sin, but thine the righteousness;
Mine is the guilt, but thine the cleansing blood;
Here is my robe, my refuge, and my peace,
Thy blood, thy righteousness, O Lord my God.

The Lord's Supper: A Sweet and Awful Place

2010-04-01T21:22:00.001-04:00

On this evening, here is a hymn that brings out the paradox of the gospel of Jesus Christ, especially how that paradox is displayed in the Lord's Supper and felt by sinners who are invited to partake of it in joy. This paradox is emphasized in the original wording of the first line found in #271 of the original Trinity Hymnal, "How sweet and awful is the place," but has been lost in #469 of the revised version, which now reads, "How sweet and awesome is the place." Notice the paradox as it is brought out so clearly in the second and third stanzas:

While all our hearts and all our songs
Join to admire the feast,
Each of us cry, with thankful tongues,
"Lord, why was I a guest?

"Why was I made to hear thy voice,
And enter while there's room,
When thousands make a wretched choice,
And rather starve than come?"

Now, there is no doubt that when the church gathers for fellowship with Christ at the Lord's Table for the Lord's Supper it is surely an awesome event. Yet, we must never forget that it is also an awful place to be. Yes, we meet Christ there to be fed from him and to see him in the bread and wine. We are reminded of our fellowship with him in the new creation, and our fellowship with one another and all the members of the church throughout all time who will fellowship together in heaven for eternity. But, we see all of this through the confrontation of the elements, as they show us a broken body and spilled blood. That because of our sin, we are not invited because of anything good in us, and therefore, can only meet with the savior through his awful act of sacrifice and the ongoing awful act of eating his flesh and drinking his blood.

What a sweet privilege and honor to be invited to this feast and to meet with him who gave himself for his bride, and yet, what an awful means of coming to that table and that fellowship.

Below is a beautiful rendition of this great hymn of the Lord's Supper. They are singing the words as they appear in the revised hymnal, so below the video, I have also included the words from the original.

How sweet and awful is the place
With Christ within the doors,
While everlasting love displays
The choicest of her stores.

While all our hearts and all our songs
Join to admire the feast,
Each of us cry, with thankful tongues,
"Lord, why was I a guest?

"Why was I made to hear thy voice,
And enter while there's room,
When thousands make a wretched choice,
And rather starve than come?"

'Twas the same love that spread the feast
That sweetly drew us in;
Else we had still refused to taste,
And perished in our sin.

Pity the nations, O our God,
Constrain the earth to come;
Send thy victorious Word abroad,
And bring the strangers home.

We long to see thy churches full,
That all the chosen race
May, with one voice and heart and soul,
Sing thy redeeming grace.

[HT: Gene Long]

Sacramental Presence and Never-Failing Enjoyment of God

2010-03-31T20:38:00.000-04:00

Commenting on Hosea, Geerhardus Vos writes:

Jehovah strengthened Israel’s arms and taught her to walk [7.15]; although the Giver of all nature-blessings, of corn, wine, oil, silver, gold, wool, flax, Jehovah is distinguished from the Baals, in that He has something more and finer to given than these: loving-kindness, mercy and faithfulness [2.19]; in reality He gives, in and through all these things, Himself after a sacramental fashion [2.23]; He is personally present in all His favours, and in them surrenders Himself to His people for never-failing enjoyment. Biblical Theology, Old And New Testaments, 261.

[HT: Nick Batzig]

Reformed Theology's Tradition of Natural Law

2010-03-30T22:34:00.001-04:00

For those who know me, you know that I believe very strongly in the doctrine of the spirituality of the church, or its popular title today Two Kingdoms theology. To many, though, the title of this post, and me holding to the 2K doctrine as a Reformed pastor is an inherent contradiction. For many, the Neo-Calvinist position of transformationism as taught by Abraham Kuyper (and others) is considered the Reformed view on the relationship between the Church and State. In fact, many are saying that the 2K position is a historical novelty in Reformed circles.

However, David VanDrunen, in his recent book Natural Law and the Two Kingdoms: A Study in the Development of Reformed Social Thought, provides historical documentation to show that not only is the 2K position not a historic novelty, but that the Neo-Calvinist position is actually the novel position. This book is very important in the ongoing dialogue within the Reformed camp on these issues and is a must read.

O.k., so I know you're probably thinking, "I don't have time to read another book right now, especially one on the historical development of Reformed social thought!" I get it. But, if you don't have time to read the book, you can still be informed on the material. A few nights ago, VanDrunen delivered a lecture on the book for the Academy Lecture series held at Christ Reformed Church. You can listen to the lecture here.

Harmony of Events of "Holy Week"

2010-03-30T12:32:00.000-04:00

For many Christians throughout the world, this week represents the "Holy" week on the church calender, since it is the week that covers the last week of Christ's earthly life. It covers the events from Palm Sunday (the day Christ entered Jerusalem and was received by persons waving palm branches) to Easter Sunday (the day Christ rose from the dead). I am not one who practices the "church calender" but I think during this time of year it is helpful to think about these events in Christ's life and ministry, for they present to us the climax of his ministry.

But what about the other events besides the ones that get the attention? Though many are aware of the big events of the week, such as Jesus' entry into Jerusalem (Palm Sunday), the institution of the Lord's Supper (Maundy Thursday), his crucifixion (Good Friday) and resurrection (Easter), there were other things that happened. So if you would like to read about those other events (all of which are important), then you can use this helpful guide based on a chart found in the ESV Study Bible. (If you don't have one of these Bibles yet, then you really should consider getting one--it is chock full of great information and helpful charts like this one. Also, when you buy it, you get access to all that information online).

   Day            Event        Matthew       Mark     Luke      John
Sunday           Entry into Jerusalem                            21:1-11           11:1-10        19:28-44     12:12-18
                         Greeks seek Jesus                                                                                                     12:20-36
                         Jesus weeps for Jerusalem                                                              19:41
                         Jesus enters temple                                                    11:11
                     Jesus returns to Bethany                         21:17          11:11

Monday          Jesus curses the fig tree                       21:18-19         11:12-14
                         Jesus clears the temple                             21:12-13         11:15-17      19:45-46
                         Returns to Bethany with Disciples                                 11:19

Tuesday       Disciples see withered fig tree                 21:20-22         11:20-21
                         Temple controversies in Jerusalem         21:23-23:39    11:27-12:24   20:1-21:4
                         Olivet Discourse on return to Bethany 24:1-25:46      13:1-37          21:5-36

Wednesday    Jesus teaches in temple                                                                          21:37-38
                          Sanhedrin plots to kill Jesus                    26:3-5           14:1-2            22:1-2

Wed/Thurs Preparations for Passover                       26:17-19        14:12-16     22:7-13

Thursday        Passover meal/Lord's Supper                  26:20-35        14:17-26          22:14-30
                         Upper Room Discourse                                                                                            13:1-17:26
                         Jesus prays in Gethsemane                      26:36-46        14:32-42         22:39-46

Friday              Betrayal and arrest (after midnight?)    26:47-56        14:43-52         22:47-53    18:2-12
                         Jewish Trial:
     -- before Annas                                                                                                          18:13-24
                         -- Caiaphas and part of Sanhedrin          26:57-75         14:53-72        22:54-65     18:19-24
                         -- before full Sanhedrin                             27:1-2              15:1            22:66-71
                         Roman Trials:
                         -- before Pilate                                            27:2-14            15:2-5          23:1-5
                         -- before Herod                                                                                       23:6-12
                         -- before Pilate                                          27:15-26          15:6-15        23:13-25     18:28-19:16
                         Crucifixion (approx 9am to 3pm)           27:27-54          15:16-39      23:26-49     19:16-37
                         Burial (evening)          27:57-61           15:42-47      23:50-54     19:38-42
Sunday           Empty tomb witnesses                           28:1-8               16:1-8          24:1-12
                         Resurrection appearances                       28:9-20                               24:13-53     20:1-21:25

Teaching Children Biblical Theology

2010-03-29T21:03:00.004-04:00

This past weekend, my family stayed with some of our closest friends and the topic of training our covenant children in scripture came up. They, like us, were raised Baptist and were taught the Bible as a loosely held together collection of stories that provided moral lessons. And unfortunately, this scenario still takes place today. When the Bible is taught as a loose collection of stories, children don't learn the big picture of what God is doing with history and in history to provide salvation for his people, of which covenant children are a part. They are hindered in understanding their place in the covenant and understanding the rich promises they have inherited.

Secondly, it leads children to miss God and his redemptive acts and instead focus on the people in the accounts--their character (or lack thereof) and their behavior. Most often in children's books,Sunday-school lessons and other teaching materials, the Bible is taught from the perspective of "Be like David," or "Don't be like Saul," or "Do things like Mary; don't do things like Martha." This approach to the Bible inevitably leads to a moralistic and legalistic understanding of the Christian life. It is important to remember that although the Bible does teach ethics and does give commands that are to be obeyed--these things are contingent upon the redemptive work of God in Christ. The biblical order is Christ's work on behalf of the church, and then the church's response because of that work.

For Reformed parents, then, as we seek to train up our children in the scripture, we should keep the covenantal continuity of the Bible in mind in order to rightly utilize the biblical pattern of understanding God's redemptive acts in Christ and then how to live by faith in response to those acts. So we need to teach the Bible; we need to teach the stories of the Bible,; we need to teach about the people in the Bible; but we need to include in this how the stories teach God's redemptive acts in Christ, how those stories fit together to show the over arching plan of God in Christ and then how to properly respond by faith in Christ.

To this end, I want to provide some helpful resources for teaching the Bible from this perspective to children.

For smaller children:

First,Sally Lloyd-Jones, The Jesus Story Book Bible: Every Story Whispers His Name. To see the front and back covers and two sample stories, click here. There is a deluxe edition that also includes the stories narrated in audio on CD. You can listen to samples here. There is also a sample video that can be seen here.

Next, there is Mighty Acts of God: A Family Bible Story Book by Starr Meade. You can see the "Table of Contents," "Note for Parents from the Author," and two sample stories here.

A third option is The Big Picture Story Bible by David Helm. You can see the "Table of Contents" here, as well as several sample chapters.

For older children:

The gold standard for older children is Catherine Vos's, The Child's Story Bible. Catherine Vos was the wife of the father of Reformed biblical theology, Geerhardus Vos. This story Bible is rich and is even a great resource for the parents to read for themselves.

Another good one for older children is Starr Meade's, Grandpa's Box. This book takes the unique angle of communicating the history of redemption through devotional stories told by a grandfather to his grandchildren.

I hope these suggestions help you in teaching children the Bible the way God communicated it and meant for it to be understood!

Introducing "Life in Christ," Another Pilgrim Blog

2010-03-26T23:43:00.004-04:00

My good friend Mark Garcia has finally started to blog! Mark is the minister at Immanuel OPC in Moon Township, PA. Mark is a gifted exegete, biblcial-theologian, communicator and minister of the gospel. His blog, Life in Christ, is dedicated to the "sights and sounds of a pilgrim life." The title of the blog illustrates Mark's perspective of the Christian life as a life lived out in union with Christ, so that the gospel not only "saves" a sinner, but also shapes and directs the ongoing life of the saint. This robust understanding and commitment to the necessity and sufficiency of the gospel is illustrated in a recent post:

The reach of the Fall is wide and painfully deep, and the face of Sin is not one to be smirked at, made light of, dismissed. Appearances notwithstanding, hungry evil does not nibble; it devours and savors every bloody morsel of its conquest. The Gospel, then, must reach as far as that. If the “good news” is a mere peddling of superficial goods – a better name, better sleep, better wife and kids, better anything – then that is good news only to those untouched by horror. If it is not good news to those caught in the jagged teeth of Evil’s extremities, then it is not good news. Yet here is something of the glory of the true Gospel. Only at the extremities of evil do we begin, and yet only begin, to peer into the depths of the love of the One who “descended into Hell.” At the edge of that abyss, that which at first makes us recoil ultimately offers the only true rest from an often nightmarish existence.

No matter the extremity and extent of the evil that is present in this fallen generation, there is no evil and, therefore, no sinner that is beyond the reach of the Christ of the biblical gospel. Mark is only getting started so check out his other posts at "Life in Christ." You can also hear some of Mark's sermons here (especially the series on Deuteronomy!).

There's No Place Like . . . Libraries!

2010-03-26T22:57:00.002-04:00

I love books; I love to read books; but I especially like to read books in places that manifest the pleasure of reading. The blog "Curious Expeditions" has put together an impressive collection of libraries from throughout the world. Below are a couple of samples.

The picture above is Queens College Library in Oxford.

This picture is of the Library of the Benedictine Monastery of Amont, Austria.

There are many more so check them out!

What is the Gospel?

2010-03-26T15:15:00.012-04:00

What is the Gospel? This is the title of a new book that seeks to answer that question. In the "Introduction," Gilbert notes that this writing project arose out of the growing confusion about the gospel and the lack of a unified answer. On pages 18-20, he provides a sample of different answers to illustrate the problem. So, in light of this new book and the time of year, I thought I might provide my answer to the question, "What is the gospel?".

The gospel is the glorious good news that God has done everything necessary for sinful human beings to enjoy eternal fellowship with their holy creator. God created to have fellowship with humans. That communion was conditioned upon perfect, personal and perpetual obedience to God’s law, which would have been won through the obedience of Adam, the covenant representative of humanity. But humanity fell into an estate of sin and misery when their representative Adam, and they in him, rejected God’s law. By this rebellion, sinners inherited the curse of everlasting death instead of the blessing of eternal fellowship with God. But in his great mercy, God did not abandon his plan to have fellowship with humans and leave sinners to perish under the curse of death, so he sent a second representative to achieve for sinners what was lost in Adam, and what they could not achieve for themselves.

Jesus Christ, who was God, entered history, lived a life of perfect righteousness in perfect obedience to God’s law. He rendered unto God what Adam and all of humanity failed to do and by his obedience he merited the blessing of eternal fellowship with God. But not only did he complete the righteous requirement for fellowship, he also satisfied God’s just demands by taking upon himself the penalty owed by sinners because of their rebellion. Although perfectly righteous and just, Jesus took the curse of sin upon himself on the cross, where the just died in the place of unjust sinners. But Jesus did not remain dead in the grave, for he was raised three days later. As the righteous one who took sin upon himself, sin could not keep him down. He rose from the dead as a declaration of his righteousness and as a testimony that the Father received his sacrifice, and as the first born of the dead, he was the first to enter into the promised blessing of eternal fellowship with God in a new creation.

Jesus Christ obeyed where sinners could not obey, and he paid the penalty for sin that sinners owe. By his righteous life, sacrifice on the cross, and glorious resurrection from the grave unto life in the new creation, sinners can be forgiven of their rebellion, be accepted by God as having perfectly obeyed his law and enter in to eternal fellowship with God in the new creation. What is true of Christ becomes true of the sinner, but only when the sinner receives and rests upon Christ alone by the sole instrument of faith. By faith alone, a sinner can be declared just by God, forgiven of sins, adopted into his family, renewed in the image of God, share in his heavenly glory, and empowered to persevere in this new pilgrimage of faith, until faith gives way to sight upon entrance into the fullness of an eternity of perfect love and communion with the triune God and the church that never ends.

Health Care Reform and Fear

2010-03-24T13:03:00.003-04:00

My friend Russ Moore has provided some good thoughts on how to respond and not to respond to the recent development in health care reform, "Don't Be Afraid."

Schreiner on Preaching and Biblical Theology

2010-03-23T16:19:00.004-04:00

Tom Schreiner was one of my New Testament professors when I attended Southern Seminary. One of the things I really enjoyed about his approach to the New Testament was that he purposely sought to read it using a redemptive-historical hermeneutic. While at Southern, I was wrestling with the biblical theology of Geerhardus Vos and Meredith Kline on my own, and although Schreiner's biblical theology and hermeneutic was not exactly the same as theirs (it seemed to lack the eschatological dimension), it was helpful to hear and learn his approach as a means to helping me better understand my private reading in Vos and Kline.

In the article "Preaching and Biblical Theology" in The Southern Baptist Journal of Theology (the theological journal of Southern Seminary), Schreiner provides a helpful perspective for why biblical theology is so necessary and foundational for preaching the Bible:

If we do not preach the OT in terms of the whole canon, we will either restrict ourselves to moral lessons from the OT, or, what is just as likely, is that we will rarely preach from the OT. . . . if we do not preach the OT canonically, in light of biblical theology, it will too often be passed over in Christian preaching. And in doing so, we not only rob ourselves of wonderful treasures from the word of God, and but we also fail to see the depth and multifaceted character of biblical revelation. We put ourselves in a position where we do not read the OT as Jesus and the apostles did, and hence we do not see that the God’s promises are yes and amen in Jesus Christ.

Reading the OT canonically does not mean that the OT is not read in its historical cultural context. The first task of every interpreter is to read the OT in its own right, discerning the meaning of the biblical author when it was written. Further, as we argued above, each OT book must be read in light of its antecedent theology, so that the storyline of scripture is grasped. But we also must read all of scripture canonically, so that the OT is read in light of the whole story—the fulfillment that has come in Jesus Christ. We always consider the perspective of the whole, of the divine author in doing biblical theology and in the preaching of God’s word. We read the scriptures both from front to back and back to front. We always consider the developing story as well as the end of the story.

Our task as preachers is to proclaim the whole counsel of God. We will not fulfill our calling if as preachers we fail to do biblical theology. We may get many compliments from our people for our moral lessons and our illustrations, but we are not faithfully serving our congregations if they do not understand how the whole of scripture points to Christ, and if they do not gain a better understanding from us of the storyline of the Bible. (1o/2: Summer 2006, 97-98).

You can read the entire article here.

"From Servants to Children of God"

2010-03-09T15:55:00.003-05:00

As I have been reading through the correspondence of Stonewall Jackson to his wife, I have been struck time and again by his fine redemptive-historical insights and and perspective on the Christian life. In a letter dated August 15, 1859, Jackson relays to Mary Anna the insights he gleaned from a sermon preached by the famed Southern Presbyterian minister, James Henley Thornwell:

. . . he took his text from Genesis, seventeenth chapter, seventh verse, which he presented in a bold, profound, and to me original manner. I felt what a privilege it was to listen to such an exposition of God's truth. He showed that in Adam's fall we had been raised from the position of servants to that of children of God. . . . He represented man as a redeemed being at the day of judgment, standing nearest to the throne, the angels being farther removed. And why? Because his Brother is sitting upon the throne he is a nearer relation to Christ than the angels. And his being the righteousness of God himself. I don't recollect having ever before felt such love to God. I was rather surprised at seeing so much grace and gesture in Dr. Thornwell. I hope and pray that much good will result from this great exposition of Bible truth.

The reason this is so striking to me is because of the current trend among some who purport to be the heirs to Southern Presbyterianism to discount so harshly redemptive-historical preaching. And yet, here is Jackson reporting on a sermon preached by a Southern Presbyterian that is redemptive-historical to the core! An exposition of the OT that finds its fulfillment in the life of Christ and then points believers to find their life hidden in that Christ in the heavenly places.

What a glorious reality is the gospel! Those who are naturally in Adam servants and cut off from the family of God, are because of the faithful son raised up and given a place in the Father's house--a place at his right hand, where Christ, his surety is enthroned forever.

Jackson's response is quite appropriate, then, not because he went out and did some specific task, or determined to correct some moral problem as some today advocate, but rather, his response was one of love.

"Trust Our Kind Heavenly Father"

2010-03-09T15:24:00.003-05:00

In the spring of 1859, Mary Anna Jackson became very ill and her husband, Stonewall Jackson, determined to send her to New York in order to get her the best medical care. While she was there, Jackson returned to Lexington, VA and wrote her often. In a letter dated May 7, 1859, he sought to encourage her faith in the midst of her medical trial:

You must not be discouraged at the slowness of recovery. Look up to Him who giveth liberally for faith to be resigned to His divine will, and trust Him for that measure of health which will most glorify Him and advance to the greatest extent your own real happiness. We are sometimes suffered to be in a state of perplexity, that our faith may be tried and grow stronger. 'All things work together for good' to God's children. See if you cannot spend a short time after dark in looking out of your window into space, and meditating upon heaven, with all its joys unspeakable and full of glory; and think of what the Saviour relinquished in glory when he came to earth, and of his sufferings for us; and seek to realize with the apostle, that the afflictions of the present life are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. Try to look p and be cheerful, and not desponding. Trust our kind Heavenly Father, and by the eye of faith see that all things with you are right and for your best interest. The clouds come, pass over us, and are followed by bright sunshine; so, in God's moral dealings with us, he permits us to have trouble awhile. But let us, even in the most trying dispensations of His providence, be cheered by the brightness which is a little ahead. Try to live near to Jesus, and secure that peace which flows like a river. You have your husband's prayers, sympathy, and love. . . . I trust that our Heavenly Father is restoring my darling to health, and that when she gets home, she will again be its sunshine.

It is interesting to see how Jackson calls his wife to understand her sufferings in conjunction to the sufferings of Christ and to look to heaven with the eyes of faith for encouragement. Humiliation leading to exaltation . . . the gospel being the ground of our hope in times of trial . . . finding one's earthly life shaped by the heavenly life to come . . . Jackson would have made a fine redemptive-historical preacher!

What is the Sabbath and why do we have it?

2010-03-06T21:02:00.004-05:00

Tomorrow is the Christian Sabbath, and as I think about it and prepare myself for it, I am reminded of a great quote by Geerhardus Vos:

Before all other important things, therefore, the Sabbath is an expression of the eschatological principle on which the life of humanity has been constructed…The Sabbath brings this principle of the eschatological structure of history to bear upon the mind of man after a symbolical and a typical fashion. It teaches its lesson through the rhythmical succession of six days of labour and one ensuing day of rest in each successive week. Man is reminded in this way that life is not an aimless existence, that a goal lies beyond. This was true before, and apart from, redemption. The eschatological is an older strand in revelation than the soteric, (Biblical Theology, p. 140).

The structure of the Christian week begins with the Sabbath, because the work needed for entering into the Sabbath has been completed by Christ. Now, as a result, the church gathers on the first day of the week for worship, fellowship and rest so that we are reminded that this life is lived out of the rest accomplished for us. But it also structures our lives so that we see that in our living out of our rest--it is headed somewhere.

Tomorrow we have the privilege of a grand foretaste of what is already ours in Christ and what has been at the heart of God's creative and recreative activities. The Sabbath, and that heavenly fellowship to which it points, are not after thoughts in God's mind and intentions. Before God created and redeemed, he existed as the Trinitarian God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, in which he was self-existent and enjoyed the fullness of his own fellowship. He created, though, and created in order to bring his church into that fellowship. That is why he created and that is what tomorrow points to and anticipates. It is not something that God decided to do only after man fell into sin--tomorrow is a foretaste of God's original intentions.

Heaven and eternal fellowship between the triune God and the church is, therefore, what should structure our enjoyment of the day for what it is. Tomorrow is a day of worship, fellowship, and rest that restructures our lives in this world to be lived in light of the world to come, in which, the enjoyment of that world intrudes into our lives here and now.

"You stole my Jesus fish, didn't you?"

2010-03-05T11:04:00.002-05:00

An important event in Church History. C'mon people, let me hear your thoughts!

[HT: The Sacred Sandwich]

The Chuck Norris Bible

2010-03-05T10:33:00.002-05:00

Nowadays, churches have a wide selection of Bibles from which to choose to provide in their pews. Well, this one is just plain awesomeness:

Just in case it is not obvious--this is a joke.

[HT: The Sacred Sandwich]

"He Chooses Our Inheritance For Us" - Psalm 47.4

2010-02-15T11:54:00.002-05:00

From the reading for the evening of November 11 in Spurgeon's devotional classic Morning and Evening:

Believer, if your inheritance be a lowly one you should be satisfied with your earthly portion; for you may rest assured that it is the fittest for you. Unerring wisdom ordained your lot, and selected for you the safest and best condition. . . .

Remember this: had any other condition been better for you than the one in which you are, divine love would have put you there. You are placed by God in the most suitable circumstances . . . . Be content with such things as you have, since the Lord has ordered all things for your good. Take up your own daily cross; it is the burden best suited for your shoulder, and will prove most effective to make you perfect in every good word and work to the glory of God. Down, busy self and proud impatience; it is not for you to choose, but for the Lord of Love!

New Horizons: "Faith and Child Training"

2010-02-02T22:30:00.003-05:00

As a follow up to the previous post, this month's edition of New Horizons also has some helpful articles on child training.

Faith and Child Rearing
by Mark S. Melton
Forming Covenant Identity in Children
by Benjamin W. Miller
A Lord's Day Handbook for Practical Parenting
by G. Mark Sumpter
The Coddling of Children
by Carl R. Trueman
Church Power
by "Uncle Glen"

Of the different articles on child training, I would call your attention particularly to Mark Sumpter's article on "A Lord's Day Handbook for Practical Parenting." In it he notes the tendency that many parents have in their approach to Christian nurture to focus on training during the week in order to get our children ready for worship. When we do this, we unwittingly separate our child training from worship--but Sumpter argues that we should reverse this. He notes that "maybe we've been overlooking a glorious gift from God that is right under our nose each Lord's Day. Fathers and mothers are sitting on the proverbial gold mine with lessons for nurture and training from public worship."

From worship, Sumpter argues that we can instruct our children in discipleship training in seven basic areas:

Respect for authority
Stewardship
Marriage and Family
Communication and Understanding
Gifts, Callings and Occupations
Peacemaking and Unity
Beauty and Aesthetics

Sumpter does not claim that this list is exhaustive, but it is certainly foundational. The point here is to become more intentional in how we view our children in worship. In Reformed circles, the doctrine of the covenant is very important and there is often a very good focus on including children in worship--but sometimes what is lacking is the understanding that it is formative for them in nurturing that gospel seed implanted in them, just as it is formative in the faith of adults.

Sumpter concludes with a great encouragement to parents: "take our Lord's Day work of worship home! Worship is God's means for covenant nurture." In it, "He provides us with a handbook for discipleship training."

Resources on Marriage and Family

2010-02-02T22:11:00.005-05:00

I was recently asked what my favorite books are on child training and marriage. My honest response to this question is that I haven't found my "favorite" books yet, but, I have found several that have been very helpful. Below, you will find the top three books per category that I recommend.

For child training:

A Christian Directory by Richard Baxter
Shepherding a Child's Heart by Tedd Tripp (I am also interested in reading Instructing a Child's Heart, but haven't yet)
Withhold Not Correction by Bruce Ray

For marriage:

A Christian Directory by Richard Baxter.
Reforming Marriage by Doug Wilson
Strengthening Your Marriage by Wayne Mack

You will notice that A Christian Directory is listed under both categories. Back towards the end of the seventeenth century, the puritan pastor Richard Baxter wrote a large volume attempting to discuss all the different areas of living the Christian life. The volume is broken down into four main sections. First, private duties; second, family duties; third, church duties; and fourth, civil duties. Given that it was written several hundred years ago and is so large, it can be intimidating to pick up--but the section on family duties is worth it.

Well, I just saw today that the second section has been published as its own book with slight revisions as The Godly Home. If you are interested, you can read the Introduction and a sample chapter here.

Books and Coffee Beans

2010-01-30T11:21:00.003-05:00

"You've got to create a space in which reading can take place, where you have your stuff."

Here is a great little video tour of Dr. Al Mohler's personal library. When I was a student at Southern Seminary, I got to see his library, but since that time, much work has been put into arranging and cataloging it. In the video he provides a great tip for keeping your books in their best shape, which consists of keeping roasted coffee beans in the study! He also provides a great summary towards the end of the importance of the pastor's library and the conversations it provides the pastor with theologians from today and from the past.

Al Mohler - Study Video from Together for the Gospel (T4G) on Vimeo.

[HT: James Grant]

Tribute to a Godly Wife

2010-01-28T14:53:00.005-05:00

Many people are aware of the famous Confederate officer Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson. He is known for his bold stand at the first battle of Manassas, which earned him his nickname "Stonewall." He was known for bold maneuvers that allowed him to defeat much larger armies with his smaller "Stonewall Brigade." He was known for striking fear in the enemy as he often gave the command for his forces to "Give them [the northern invaders] the bayonet," and to scream like furies when they engaged in battle.

But many are unaware of the tender, human side of Jackson and the importance of his Christian faith in shaping his understanding of duty and honor. Well in a book I just picked up the other day in the Jackson museum on campus at the Virginia Military Institute, one finds that it was his wife Mary Anna Morrison Jackson that played a huge role in shaping who Jackson was. In Beloved Bride: The Letters of Stonewall Jackson to His Wife, provides this tribute to Mrs. Jackson:

Any portrait of Jackson would be woefully incomplete without giving full understanding to the depth of his love for Anna Morrison Jackson. such a portrait would be missing his heart. The Thomas-Anna relationship . . . [was] a central and vital web in the tapestry of his soul. . . . For Jackson, Anna was a living and breathing example of God's goodness and beneficence, of the absolute beauty of life on this earth, of the piece of God's plan that allowed for happiness and fulfillment in this life. Anna not only shared his faith, she epitomized his faith, she sweetened his faith. . . . Her presence in his life brought balance. Her influence and guidance did not inhibit the qualities that made "Stonewall" Jackson a warrior among warriors, but greatly enhanced the virtues that made Thomas Jackson a man among men.

One can see this in Jackson's own words in a letter he wrote to Mary Anna on April 25, 1857:

In my daily walks I think much of you. I love to stroll abroad after the labors of the day are over, and indulge feelings of gratitude to God for all the sources of natural beautywith which he has adorned the earth. Some time since, my morning walks were rendered very delightful by the singing of the birds. The morning carolling [sic] of the birds, and their sweet notes in the evening, awaken in me devotional feelings of praise and thanksgiving, thought very different in their nature. In the morning, all animated nature (man excepted) appears to join in expressions of gratitude to God; in the evening, all is hushing into silent slumber, and thus disposes the mind to meditation. And as my mind dwells on you, I love to give it a devotional turn, by thinking of you as a gift from our Heavenly Father. How delightful it is thus to associate every pleasure and enjoyment with God the Giver!

Among the many things that strikes me about the correspondence I have read thus far, is the reality that these gentle and tender words and praises are coming from a man among men. It is instructive to read how this fierce warrior was not ashamed to express himself so openly to his bride and leaves me to wonder what Mary Anna was like to be able to have such an effect on this "Stonewall."

But equally striking is how Jackson is so completely devoted to his bride. Jackson's love and devotion provides a good picture of what Paul tells us of the love between Christ and his church in Ephesians 5.25-30,

Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, because we are members of his body.

May there be such tribute given to all the wives--and might all the husbands promote such love and thankfulness as well.

Conference on the Lord's Supper

2010-01-21T21:12:00.004-05:00

The Institute for Reformed Worship of Erskine Theological Seminary in cooperation with Independent Presbyterian Church in Savannah, GA will host a conference on “The Lord’s Supper in Reformed Faith and Worship,” Feb 4-5. Dr. Hughes Oliphant Old will give three lectures dealing with Calvin and Knox on the doctrine and administration of the Lord’s Supper:

Calvin's Doctrine of the Lord's Supper, Thursday, February 4, 2010, 4:00 p.m.
Calvin's Celebration of the Lord's Supper, Thursday, February 4, 2010, 7:00 p.m.
John Knox and the sign of the Table, Friday, February 5, 2010, 11:30 a.m.

Dr. Terry Johnson, Senior Minister of Independent Pres will deliver a lecture on "The Theology of the Lord's Supper and Its Administration" on Friday, February 5, 2010 at 9:00 a.m., and Ron Parrish, Associate Pastor of Independent Pres will deliver a lecture on "John William and the Evangelical Use of the Lord's Supper" on Thursday, February 4, 2010 at 7:00 p.m. The cost is $75. For more info click here.

This should be a great conference. Unless something miraculous happens I will not get to attend, so I certainly hope they make recordings available.

“An Unfinished Advent: Praying for the Completion of Christmas” Psalm 72 & Matthew 2:7-11

2009-12-28T22:57:00.005-05:00

Yesterday, for the third time in three months, I had the privilege of filling the pulpit for Covenant OPC in New Bern, NC. As in the other times, it was a blessed time of worship and fellowship. It is always such a joy to worship with and preach for a congregation that hungers for the word of God.

Given that it was the Lord's Day after Christmas and the fact that I didn't get to preach last Lord's Day, I took the opportunity in the morning service to preach about Christmas, sharing my thoughts that I had during this season. The main observation I had this year is that there seems to be a general misunderstanding of Christmas. Many Christians seem to have a limited perspective when it comes to reflecting on the birth of Christ. The limited perspective that I am referring to is not so much about a proper theological understanding of the virgin birth or even the right understanding about God taking on to himself flesh.

So, what limited perspective am I talking about? Well, you can listen to it here to find out.

Jonathan Edwards Free Online Resource

2009-12-22T19:44:00.003-05:00

For fans of Jonathan Edwards and fans of free resources, there is now a great website for you. The Jonathan Edwards Center at Yale University has put together a website that provides free access to many of Edwards' writings and some really good biographical material. One of my favorite features is the Sermon Index they have compiled (I used it today to read his sermon on Psalm 72.6 since I am preaching Psalm 72 this Lord's Day). It has sermons filed by date or by scripture reference. I am including the index for scripture reference below for easy access. They also provide an index for his "Miscellanies," and their is also a search option. Go check it out.

[HT: Nick Batzig]

Jonathan Edwards Saw It Without Reading Vos

2009-12-22T15:58:00.007-05:00

In the introduction to his sermon on Psalm 72.6 "Like Rain upon Mown Grass," Jonathan Edwards makes this observation about reading the psalm christocentrically:

It is observable that the Holy Spirit, in some of the Psalms, has a twofold aim
and intendment, the one more immediate and the other more ultimate. They
have respect more immediately to some person that is an eminent type of
Christ. But their principle and more ultimate respect is to Christ
himself. So many of the Psalms have a more immediate respect to David; but
the main respect is to Christ, the son of David. So some of the Psalms
have a more immediate respect to Solomon, but ultimately respect Christ,
(Sermons and Discourses, 1739-1742, available
online).

The importance of recognizing this christocentric principle is in understanding the main thrust of the Holy Spirit is to communicate truths about Christ, his reign and his kingdom, and not necessarily about Solomon's kingdom. By reading the Psalm christocentrically, Edwards understands that the blessings of the psalm are eschatologically focused.

Jesus comes down from heaven like rain from the sky. Jesus's heavenly person and benefits become the priority of the psalm. Just as the grass is nourished and quenched by rain from the sky, so believers are nourished and refreshed by his heavenly presence and work. This presence is twofold: first, in the incarnation of the first advent and second, in his coming in the second advent on the great day of judgment. The result in one of his applications is to encourage believers, because they have experienced the blessing of Christ come down from heaven, to forsake worldliness and renounce the vanity of exaltation in this life. Life in Christ is a life of humbly looking to Christ and not the world or the self for one's blessings and for righteousness. Look to Christ who alone can revive the soul and be refreshed!

Edwards christocentric reading naturally leads to the eschatological unfolding of the Psalm. Now, if only Edwards would have applied this to every psalm! If only he could have read Vos.

Where Does the Story of Christmas Begin?

2009-12-21T12:42:00.002-05:00

With every Christmas season there is much that surrounds us that reminds us of the birth of Jesus. There are live nativity scenes at churches, little knick-knack nativity scenes in homes and a lot of talk about the birth narratives of Jesus as found in the Gospels. But what all of this can do is create the confusing notion that the narrative of the incarnation is a New Testament narrative that begins in Bethlehem. This near-sighted reading, however, robs the narrative of its history and its power.

So where does the narrative of the incarnation begin in the Bible? Check out what Dr. Mohler has to say in his post, "Where Does the Story of Christmas Begin?"

Is the "Virgin Birth" Essential to the Christian Faith?

2009-12-21T12:31:00.004-05:00

Read what Kevin DeYoung has to say.

Posted using ShareThis

Wendell Berry Would Be Proud

2009-12-14T22:43:00.003-05:00

[HT: Justin Taylor]