Shaping and Sharpening

Sovereignty and Prayer

2010-06-24T22:11:00.003-05:00

This will run in our bulletin in a few weeks. Sorry to spoil the surprise for the CF peoples. I'd love to hear some thoughts on this.

“If God is sovereign, then why pray?” Most Christians at some point have wrestled through this question. It’s natural, right? If God is in control, then why does he need my prayers? If He has already decreed the way things will be, then what are my prayers actually accomplishing? There are certainly answers to these questions, not the least of which is simply that God commands prayer. That should be reason enough. Besides that, the Bible gives us so much insight into prayer and the effects it has. Prayer produces joy for the Christian (Jn 16.24), prayer honors God as the giver (Ps 50.15), and prayer helps to protect us from sin (Mt 26.41). Prayer is essential but not so God’s hands may be untied. Believers benefit from prayer and ultimately God is honored through prayer.

There is another angle on prayer that I would like for you to consider. Have you ever wondered: “If God is NOT sovereign, then WHY would we pray?” Think about it. Prayer assumes sovereignty. You ask God because you believe He can do something about the situation. You pray that God would heal — because you think He can control bacteria and immune systems. You pray for someone to be converted — because you believe God saves and He is able to send someone with the gospel. You pray for safe travels — because you believe God is in control of the roads (which means He controls the people on those roads).

There are many presuppositions packed into a simple request. Indeed, you already believe in sovereignty, otherwise you would not pray at all. In Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God, J. I. Packer says it well: “The prayer of a Christian is not an attempt to force God’s hand, but a humble acknowledgment of helplessness and dependence.” He goes on to say: “In effect, therefore, what we do every time we pray is to confess our own impotence and God’s sovereignty. The very fact that a Christian prays is thus proof positive that he believes in the Lordship of his God.”

God has given you access to Him in prayer. Enjoy His Lordship and remember the words of 1 Peter 5.7: “casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.”

Adoption News

2010-06-18T02:12:00.000-05:00

In two weeks from now, my wife and I will be in some sort of confused state of what time is it as we find our way through international airports. China is a long ways from here, and it seems like it’s already taken forever to get here. We began a process to adopt a little girl about a year and a half ago. After mountains of paperwork, lots of prayer, and even some laughs along the way, it’s go time. Tickets are bought and money is flying around like it’s from a Monopoly game. We can’t wait.

I have to admit I’m not a real “keep up the adoption blog” type of guy. Though there are many of them out there with lots of great information, we haven’t done much publicly that details the ups and downs of this process. That said, since we’re at this point in the game and continually seem to have people who are interested in our story, I thought it was a good time to write a bit about adoption in general and our story in particular. We’ll start with the former.

One of the questions we are continually asked is why do you guys want to adopt?

It’s pretty simple and deeply rooted for us. We want to adopt because there is a little girl in China right now who was left on the side of the road when she was 6 days old. Ok, that’s just too emotional, right? Seriously though, we’re adopting because there are lots of kids who need a home (143 million orphans). We have 2 biological children and no reason to believe we could not have more. But having more children isn’t necessarily our motivation. James 1.26-27 gives us the marks of genuine Christianity. In a representative sort of way, James pulls the two most helpless groups and says a real believer serves the helpless those unable to repay. Just as it was then, these 2 groups are the widows and orphans. I think a distinction is worth making here. James isn’t giving a command, he’s giving characteristics. The response to James 1 isn’t go care for an orphan or widow, the response is go check your heart if you don’t care for the marginalized and helpless of the world. Every Christian doesn’t have to adopt a kid to be obedient. But every Christian should have something inside of them that desires to serve the hopeless and helpless.

Adoption is a such a great picture of the gospel. God adopts us into his family despite our pedigree not because of it. He took those who were his enemies and of another family, and He makes us fully functioning members of His royal family.

Another question we get asked is why China?

I wish I had a super-spiritual answer for you. The short answer is we want to. The longer answer is, well, I guess there’s not a longer answer. But, I can tell a story, how about that? It was almost 2 years ago now that I went to a meeting with Lifeline Children’s Services. Backing up even more, Mindy and I had discussed adoption off and on since we were first married. Though we never really settled the issue and had a ‘plan,’ this was certainly open for discussion. We attended a meeting while living in LA that introduced the Fos-to-Adopt program. We decided we would see if we could have biological children first and then revisit this issue. That’s what happened.

Back to 2 years ago. Our church was contacted by Lifeline to see if we’d consider having an information meeting. I got a website and started poking around to make sure these people weren’t looney. (They aren’t, at least most of them.) I wasn’t able to attend this meeting, but ended up going to another Lifeline meeting hosted at another church. We thought we’d go the domestic route when we finally got around to adopting. After attending this meeting, we became very open to the idea of international adoption. Lifeline had agreements with a few different countries.

Between the finances, in-country stay, and age of eligible children, we decided to look further into the China program. So we began the process and away we went.

I wish I could tell you some fantastic feel good story about why China, but really that’s it. We made a commitment to adopt from China early on and haven’t looked back since.

Plenty of people have also asked us, how did you get matched?

This part of the process is probably the most emotional, difficult, and strange. We decided to go the special needs route out of China because of the way special needs children are really desperately hopeless after being ‘labeled’ and also the wait is substantially shorter. Special needs can be a birthmark or a heart defect. All sorts of things can land a child on that list.

We were in the process of getting our Home-study completed and waddling through the rest of the paperwork when we receive word that we may have a referral soon. Basically there is a list of names released by China and the various agencies each get a portion. They take our file and ‘match’ it with a child eligible for adoption. Prior to referral there is a necessary and painful form called the “desired child form.” This is where you get to go through a checklist (literally) and indicate what you’d be willing to take. Everything from missing limbs, to severe handicaps, to cleft lips and palettes are on this list. I found this incredibly difficult and heart exposing.

I kept thinking about my two children and how I would gladly accept any health problem they have as being from the hand of God. We would walk through any and every trial with them. Yet here I am with a pen and seemingly arbitrarily deciding what we want in a child. It had to be done. Obviously there are no guarantees that other problems are not present or will not develop.

One day, really ‘out of the blue’ we get an email that has two pics of this adorable little girl. The first line says something about being found at 6 days old. I really didn’t have to read anymore. We had 48 hours from that point to give the answer on this referral. During this time we had medical opinions to get. She has something called hip dysplasia. As we learned this isn’t all too uncommon but if it hasn’t been properly treated while young, it may require surgery later. We do not know how severe this is right now.

As you’ve guessed by now, we accepted the first referral we received. Since then, it’s been an eternity of almost 9 months till we got our approval to go halfway around the world and find this little person who will be the newest Cagle.

More or our story later...

The Oil: It's really here and still coming

2010-06-02T14:01:00.003-05:00

For 43 days now we've been hearing about a spill in the Gulf. In my optimism, I kept thinking, it just won't be that bad. They (whoever 'they' are) will get this thing stopped and they will come up with some magic solution to make all of this oil go away. My optimism was starting to wane in the past week or so and yesterday was a turning point for me in my view of this thing.

June 1 marked the opening day of red snapper season in the Gulf. This is a day that I thoroughly enjoy. I love offshore fishing, though I really don't have the opportunity to go all that often. I took a vacation day and we made our plans to fish about 20 miles south of Dauphin Island. Then we learn that the fishing has been closed from the Gulf Shores pier all the way over the Louisiana. We debated whether we go out or not but ultimately decided to go ahead and fish out of Perdido Pass, well east of Dauphin Island.

As we were fishing our first spot about 7 miles out, we see what we thought was a grass bed (not uncommon to find). As we get closer, we realize it's a floating glob of oil about 12 feet in diameter. At that moment, it got real. We caught a few fish not far from there. The fishing slowed for a while so we decided to head out another 10 miles or so.

When we go out there, we started seeing more and more oil. It wasn't like a gigantic slick, just little softball size patches all over the place. We began to catch fish (lots of fish!). As our lines went in and out of the water and the fish were hoisted overboard, the oil began to accumulate on everything. The boat was a slimy mess and so were we. This stuff is nasty. It has the consistency of thick chocolate syrup and is just as impossible to get off of your gear and skin.

When this hits the beaches (not if it will) we are in trouble. Tourism is shot. Seafood is virtually done for. Charter boat captains are through (except those working with the clean-up). Though we had a great day fishing, it was somber for the three of us on that 20 foot boat. We knew this may very well be the last day of snapper fishing for a long time.

It's sad but real. Christians need to respond in a Christ-like way. It's a trial just like a hurricane, earthquake, war, or any other catastrophe. The market will have to reset and our economy will have to retool. But these things don't just happen. This means people go out of business and lose their incomes, this means hotels sit empty and someone now holds a bank note they can't pay.

I pray that as this disaster continues to unfold Christians would be mindful to respond in a way that pleases the Lord. This is what will set up apart. As everyone else is complaining, Phil 2.14 comes to mind to not complain. As others are in despair over the impact, we realize our ultimate hope and provision is in the Lord. In short, may God be glorified in the believers who are affected by this catastrophe.

Friendship Killers

2010-04-22T10:23:00.000-05:00

Everyone has friends. We were created to be social creatures. I saw some amazing stats recently about Facebook. If Facebook were a country, it would be the 3rd largest in the world, behind China and India. Why is a social media site so incredibly popular? It's because God has hard-wired man to live in community. We were never intended to be islands. God knew is was not good for Adam to live alone, so he have him one like him - a human.

The same idea is certainly even more pronounced when we consider the New Testament. We are called the body of Christ. Each one is like a particular part of the body. No part of the body functions independently of the rest. It can't. The hand has no life if it is detached from the arm. The same is true for Christians. As a child of God, you were created to be connected to the body, specifically the local body of believers - the Church.

As we consider our relationships and their ultimate purpose (to move one-another to love and good deeds - Heb 10.19-25), we know that sometimes things can go wrong in these relationships. Even 'Christian' friendships can fall short of this purpose of helping each other grow into Christlikeness. Below we have noted a few things (sins in reality) that tend to be friendship killers.

1. Gossip. Perhaps nothing can tear friendships apart faster than gossip. Either being gossiped about or participating in spreading gossip can be equally devastating. As my grandmother used to say: A dog that will bring a bone will take one. Meaning, if someone is telling you about somebody else's business, please don't be naive and think they are not also telling someone else about you. Gossip erodes trust, promotes disunity, and dishonors Christ. We are to be people who help the gossip fire go out as we refuse to supply new fuel (Prov 26.20-22).

2. Jealousy. Jealous people are not good friends. Jealousy is one of those 'little' sins we tote around and tend to not take very seriously. If you find envy in your heart, identify it as sin and confess that to the Lord. Don't allow this sin to fester. One of the diagnostic questions that helps identify envy is this: How do you respond when a friend gets something you really wanted? Maybe they get the promotion you were hoping for, they get the new gadget you wanted, they buy the house or car you have long desired. In those moments, are you able to rejoice with them, or does it anger you. Identify jealousy and root it out of your heart.

3. Laziness. The reality is it is hard work to have good friendships. They take time and many times we're just lazy and don't put any effort out. Don't be lazy in your relationships.

4. Not Forgiving. You will be hurt by a friend. You will be sinned against, and at some point in time, you will be sinned against by someone you care for deeply. This hurts. You have a choice in these moments. You can allow that to grow into full grown bitterness or you can forgive and appreciate God's forgiveness in your own life. We are called to forgive just as we have been forgiven (Col 3.13). The number of times you have sinned against God should remind us that our forgiveness of others should not have limits. Peter once asked Christ if you should forgive someone up to 7 times for an offense. Jesus' response is shocking, not just 7, but 7 times 70. Does that mean keep a spreadsheet and stop at 490? Absolutely not. The point is you forgive - always.

5. Careless Joking. You often times hear the phrase, with friends like these, who needs enemies? This is usually said after someone is being picked on for something. Friends like to joke around and give each other a hard time. That's fine and good and usually in good humor and nature. But sometimes it can go too far. Our 'joking' around can become a weapon with barbs. These little supposedly innocent jokes can hurt. Proverbs 26.18-19 says that one who throws around hurtful comments then says "I'm just joking" is like one who plays with dangerous weapons and expects no one to get hurt. Your words convey information. They change situations and impact people. Words are not neutral.

Wrath and the Gospel

2010-03-30T11:24:00.000-05:00

If you don't understand something of the wrath of God, you don't understand the gospel. As Christians, we tend to focus on the immanence of the Lord and on attributes like mercy, love, and grace. These are incredible realities that demand our attention.

But think about the back story of the cross. If we remove God's wrath, why was the cross necessary? Yes, focus on the love shown at Calvary, but remember why Calvary had to be. His mercy is only meaningful when we understand what He's withholding.

God required blood to forgive (Heb 9.22). The whole of the OT sacrificial system points us to the ultimate sacrifice that would be made (Heb 10.14). The sacrifice was necessary because God in His wisdom set up a system that required atonement. His wrath must be satisfied, or propitiated.

We tend to ignore or discount the stories of God's wrath, particularly in the Old Testament. But in reality, the work of Christ in the New Testament is the story of ultimate wrath being poured out on Christ. As Isaiah 53.10 says: It pleased the Lord to crush Him. We also must remember that this Jesus who exercised the ultimate humility and meekness will come back to display a wrath of his own. Read Rev 19. This "meek and mild" Jesus comes back with a robe dipped in blood, swords coming out of his mouth, and promises to treat the earth as His winepress. The promise of His coming wrath is just as outstanding and fantastic as any display of wrath we've ever seen before.

Allow your mind to be drawn again to the work of Christ today. And remember God has saved you not simply from yourself; He has saved you from Himself.

What's Your Excuse?

2010-02-28T08:15:00.001-06:00

I am always challenged when I see people with a true passion for the unsaved. Below is an update letter from a missionary friend. Names and locations have been taken out.

So what excuse do we really have for not telling others about Christ?

Just to close, I wanted to share something that convicted me the other day as I was talking to our teachers here in J. We were discussing the language group beside us called B. Since there are several men that are believers here in D and Q, it will be just a matter of time before they will want to take the gospel there. As we talked, I was reminding them to think beyond the initial teaching and consider all that would have to be done. Also, since they have no translation, I told them it would be hard to do the translation. One of the men said to me, “You are right, the translation is a big thing. But the biggest thing is their souls and we have the message that will keep them from hell!” Praise the Lord for such an desire to see the gospel preached! Please be praying with us for a door to be opened to the people right next door to us!

Digging In

2010-02-10T13:59:00.000-06:00

This article will be in our Student Ministry camp booklet next week. I thought some of you may enjoy.

Digging In: Enjoying this Thing Called Quiet Time

You will never mature in your faith if you never prioritize spending time with God. It’s just that simple. Imagine an olympic athlete who only trained once a week. Not possible, right? If you find someone who demonstrates maturity as a follower of Christ, you will find someone who has carved out regular time to renew their minds. We live in a privileged day with the Bible available to us. I have multiple copies of God’s Word, and you probably do too.

One of the reasons we usually give for not taking time to focus on the Lord and spend concentrated time in His Word is the busyness of our lives. I know you’re busy. You have practice, essays, homework, chores around the house, not to mention an intense social life, facebook, and TV shows to watch. Seriously, I know you are busy. One of the beauties of camp is we get to set the schedule. In our schedule we’ve built in time to be still and quiet before the Lord with our Bibles open and pens in hand.

Please know this isn’t a time filler. We have plenty of other things we could do with this time. This is not designed to be some torture device to see if you can stay awake.

Here are a few tips to make this time useful:

Actually read your Bible. Don’t assume you know the verses mentioned. Read. You’ll be surprised at what you notice
Answer the questions. Obvious, right? Again this is not just buffer time to get us to something else.
Don’t lay down. Let me give you a math equation. Not a lotta sleep (+) quiet room (+) laying on floor (+) words on a page = sleeping student.
Write, write, write. I know writing may not be ‘your thing’ but that’s irrelevant. Writing down your thoughts, prayers, and ideas from a passage helps keep your mind engaged and your eyes open. It will help you focus, especially when you pray. This isn’t an essay contest and it’s not for anyone else. If you’ve never tried this, give it a shot.

Grace or Guilt?

2010-01-28T09:56:00.002-06:00

Our article for church bulletin on Sunday.

The Bible has high standards for God’s children. We are told to be Holy, to suffer well, and to forgive as Christ forgave. We are told to love our enemies, love our families, and love God supremely. God has expectations for his people. In fact, the reason He has a people is so they can make His name known (1 Pet 2.9-10).

These facts can be overwhelming. We can stack ourselves up against the Scriptures, and feel a sense of guilt and inadequacy that could bury us. It is at this moment we must turn our minds immediately to the gospel. Your obedience will never be perfect, but there is one who has obeyed perfectly. That one is Jesus whose righteousness is imputed to believers. This is the heart of the gospel. This isn’t a “get out of obedience free” card. Quite the opposite. We desire to be as Paul was, pressing on to the goal (Phil 3.12) because we know what the Lord has done for us. I want to run the race to win (I Cor 9.24). I want to do the good things I know to do (Jas 4.17). I want to please the Lord in all things (2 Cor 5.9).

The gospel spurs us to obedience and commitment through grace not guilt. The reason I obey isn’t to be accepted, I obey because I am accepted by God. Making this adjustment will revolutionize your outlook on what it means to live as a Christian. You don’t have to live exhausted and guilt laden by your failures. Confess your inadequacy and sin to the Lord, then recognize your profound need of His grace, and walk in obedience. Your obedience to the Lord must ultimately root itself in the work of Jesus, not simply your desire to “do better.” Imperatives (commands) of the Bible rest on the indicatives (truths). In other words, obedience grows out of our appreciation and understanding of grace.

Do you want to be more obedient to the Lord? Then immerse your thinking in the gospel. “Set your mind on things above” (Col 3.2). The writer of Hebrews gives similar instruction in chapter 12. We are to set aside sin and run the race with endurance always “looking to Jesus.”

Disaster Relief and the Social Gospel

2010-01-20T11:08:00.000-06:00

Disaster Relief and the Social Gospel

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Subjected in Hope: Considering Tragedy and Sovereignty

2010-01-13T16:30:00.000-06:00

Our bulletin article for the week is below. I would highly recommend you listen to John Pipers message on this text that he recently preached at Village Church in TX. One of his best.

Typing the title to this article brings to mind a particular image of a woman trapped in rubble following the earthquake in Haiti this past Tuesday. Even the most robust theology of sovereignty is put to the test as horrific events like this one unfold. Did God know? Could He have prevented this? Does He care? Is the answer to human suffering found in limiting God? My answer is no. God is not limited in ability, knowledge, or goodness. Still we want to know why?

Processing catastrophe like this one is difficult for all of us. I find my thoughts going back to a simple phrase found in Romans 8.20, “in hope.” Paul has explained that because of the catastrophic entrance of sin, the world has now been subjected to futility. Later in this passage we see the world “groans and suffers.” (Rom 8.22) This world is full of futility and pain. It hurts. Earthquakes come. Hurricanes swirl. Tornadoes destroy. Work is hard. Sickness happens. People die. Life is tough. The question again is, why the futility? The answer is found in verse 20. “Creation was subjected to futility...in hope.” Who does things in hope? Not Satan, it is God Himself. We learn in verse 22 that these pains are like childbirth, they are necessary to bring about something beautiful. God has a plan for this futility.

God is using tragedy to produce a beautiful masterpiece. He is not taken aback by anything that happens. If you had a thousand years to live and unlimited resources, you could not improve on God’s plan. His purpose of glorifying Himself and making His name great will be accomplished (Is 46.10). How should we respond to realities like this? I will let Romans 8.23 have the final word: “...we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body.”

You don't have to be smart, pretty, fashionable, athletic, or popular to be useful to God.

2010-01-07T13:48:00.002-06:00

Do you ever feel intimidated spiritually? You think that God has so many qualified people. Most people are smarter than me, better spoken, better looking, and better suited to do the Lord’s work.

If you think that way, repent. God isn’t running a cosmic version of “Christians Got Talent” in order to find representatives. That’s never been his style. God uses the weak and base things and people of the world. In our student ministry meeting last night, we looked at an overview of some of the unlikely heros of God’s redemptive story. God used a man who was a poor public speaker to lead a nation out of captivity (Moses), he used an exiled teenager (Daniel) to stand up for Him in the midst of complete paganism, he used a young teenage girl to birth Jesus, and he turned a zealous persecutor of the church into one of the the chief authors of the NT and the most influential theologian to ever live (Apostle Paul).

When we see stories like this, we are reminded of God's absolute sovereignty, even in whom He chooses to employ into His plans. It should be noted also that He doesn't always even need willing participants. He used a group of angry and vindictive religious leaders to spear head the efforts to kill His son and ultimately bring redemption. He used an unbelieving King named Cyrus. He once used a donkey to speak to a prophet.

These examples remind us that it is a profound privilege to be employed at ANY level in God's purposes.

What is the take away from this? Don’t fall into the trap that someone else will do the work you know you need to do. Be obedient to what you know. Step out and stand strong for God. Find someone today and talk about Jesus. Find a believer to encourage. Find someone to serve. Take some time to find yourself satisfied in God and live in joy resting in HIS power, not your abilities. Beg God to be honored in your life. Confess sin quickly; fight temptation and look for ways to renew your thinking in Christ.

Why Adopt?

2009-12-22T11:07:00.000-06:00

Recently I had to fill out a questionnaire for something related to our adoption. One of the questions was simply, why do you want to adopt? Since we've been in this process for over a year now, it's been a while since I really stopped to think about that question.

I'm sure there are many questions that have swirled around since we announced that we'll be adopting. Most people wonder if there is a medical reason we cannot have more children. That's not the case. In fact (at risk of being misunderstood), we're not necessarily adopting because we want to have more children (obviously we're thrilled to be adding to our family!!). Our desire to adopt roots itself in our adoption into God's family. I was adopted as His child not because of my worth, pedigree, or DNA. He adopted me because He loved me.

The Bible places a high priority on caring for those who are unable to care for themselves. James 1.26-27 is the classic passage on the essence of genuine religion (Christianity). It is to care for orphans, widows, and the keep oneself pure. The point clear: a Christian is one who cares for those who can't repay. First century orphans and widows were among the most destitute of categories. Christians don't just serve people who have hefty bank accounts or some admirable status in the world. James will talk about this also explicitly in chapter 2.

I don't think every Christian has to adopt to be godly, but I think many should consider it. The question is not have you adopted or not, or do you care for a particular widow or not, the question is do you serve others with no expectation for return on your efforts? Adopting a child for my family doesn't mean lifetime obedience now achieved to James 1. It's simply something we want to do as our thinking has been informed by the Bible.

We have the privilege of offering a home to one who would not have a home. This little girl will hear the gospel. I pray our adoption will serve as a picture of the gospel as we open our home someone not of our flesh.

Just Let it Grow

2009-12-16T01:01:00.001-06:00

Emphasizing life change and holiness after someone is saved is admirable. It's hard to imagine that someone could say they are "in Christ" and have been made new then do not have a subsequent life change. This is biblically inconsistent. This is why many emphasize looking for "fruit" in someone's life to validate a profession of faith. Let me be sure to say this: if you are saved, you can, should, and must bear evidences of salvation, not to be saved but because you are saved.

But I'm also concerned because I think our emphasis can easily slip off base. While strongly affirming faith alone and grace alone, we can fall into a practical legalism in our sanctification efforts. This was exactly the Galatian problem. Flesh isn't always nasty stuff like lust, anger, greed, and jealousy. Flesh is also self righteousness that can look unsuspectingly like "fruit."

What am I saying? To just "let go and let God?" No. Simply this: the emphasis shouldn't be on fruit, it must be on the source of the fruit. Affixing a bushel of apples to a dead tree doesn't fix the problem. You need a new tree or you need a miracle to occur in the old one. You can't just go adding fruits.

If you are not a fruit bearing Christian, it's not because you're not working hard enough at bearing fruits. It's because you are not walking in the Spirit (Gal 5.16 - note this is BEFORE the fruit of the Spirit is laid out in 5.22). You are not bearing fruit because you are not focussed on Christ and your redemption. Peter gives us a glimpse into this reality in 2 Peter 1. He walks through various virtues that should be present. If these things are not here, it's because you've become shortsighted, and forgotten your purification from sins (1.9) or you are not redeemed at all! (1.10) You have little reason to be assured of your salvation if you are not walking in newness of life.

Perhaps an illustration may help. My daughter recently came home from AWANA with a little cup of dirt with grass seeds planted in it. They were doing some type of object lesson showing how God made stuff grow. She wanted to dig up the seeds everyday to see if they had sprouted and if it was "working." I tried to explain that you just can't dig it up everyday. Likewise, fruit will be produced on a healthy and mature believer. We do what we can to fix our minds on Christ, remember our redemption, walk in the Spirit, obey what we know to obey, and the Spirit produces His fruit. Remember it's the fruit of the Spirit, not the deeds of the flesh.

United to Christ

2009-12-15T06:47:00.001-06:00

I have spent the past few months teaching a class on Christology. It has been an incredible time in the Word, first for me, and hopefully some others have benefited from it.

This past week we looked at the doctrine of the believer's union with Christ. This is one of the most profound concepts in Scripture. It is intensely personal and draws out of us gratitude, wonder, and joy. How I could be in Christ and Christ in me, considering my sinful state is an idea that is so deep the greatest theologians haven't plunged the depths but so sweet and simplistic that a child can comprehend. The bottom line is certainly the heart of the gospel: God treated Jesus as if He had lived your life so He could treat you as if you had lived His.

Paul wrote often of the believers union with Jesus. Being 'in Christ' is at the center of any discussion about salvation. There are many different avenues of this union to explore, but the one that keeps surfacing in my thoughts is our Judicial Union with Him. When God the Judge looks at me, he does not separate man the sinner from the Righteous Savior. In this Judicial sense, we are righteous. That is, perfectly righteous from the time of conversion (imputed righteousness).

This idea give me hope, it relieves guilt, it motivates me to fight sin, it inspires me to love the Savior more, it causes me to want others to enjoy this union, and it leaves me in awe again of my standing despite my sinning.

Here is a link to my notes from class on Sunday. If you find them helpful, please feel free to use them in whatever setting you like. I found Millard Erickson's, Christian Theology and a sermon by Michael Horton to be extremely helpful in shaping my thoughts. Please respect copyright of any cited works.

Wear the Pants

2009-12-14T09:06:00.001-06:00

Someone sent this to me this morning. What a great quote. I don't get paid by Dockers, but I'm considering going to buy another pair now.

"Once upon a time, men wore the pants, and wore them well. Women rarely had to open doors and little old ladies never had to cross the street alone. Men took charge because that’s what they did. But somewhere along the way the world decided it no longer needed men. Disco by disco, latte by foamy non-fat latte, men were stripped of their khakis and left stranded on the road between boyhood and androgyny. But today there are questions our genderless society has no answers for. The world sits idly by as cities crumble, children misbehave and those little old ladies remain on one side of the street. For the first time since bad guys, we need heroes. We need grown ups. We need men to put down the plastic fork, step away from the salad bar, and untie the world from the tracks of complacency. It’s time to get your hands dirty. It’s time to answer the call of manhood. It’s time to wear the pants."

http://www.us.dockers.com/season/landing.aspx

More Than Overdraft Protection

2009-12-09T11:58:00.001-06:00

This is a copy of our bulletin article for this week.

Those first days of having a bank account are filled with little life lessons. Many learn the hard way that just because you have a checkbook or a bank card doesn’t mean you have money. Banks offer a service for just such a person, it’s called overdraft protection.

Unfortunately, I think we often think of God’s grace and forgiveness like overdraft protection. We sin and God gives us some grace to cover that sin. We sin again and we get a little more grace to cover this new round of sin. The picture of God’s forgiveness isn’t that. You see, all overdraft protection does is bring us back to zero.

God has done so much more than zero our account. He has imputed the righteousness of Christ to our account. Unlimited, perfect righteousness is now available. He hasn’t just fixed our puny accounts, it is more like handing us the account number for a treasure that is better than FDIC insured. This treasure was secured by the sacrifice of Jesus and is guaranteed by God Himself (2 Cor 5.21).

Some will say if we have such forgiveness already secured by grace, then why bother with holiness and obedience? Why not just continue in sin? Paul anticipates and blasts this response to God’s grace. Romans 6.1 and 6.15 respond in the same manner: “May it never be!” In the original language, this is the strongest possible way of saying, “No Way!” If being forgiven and having Christ’s righteousness doesn’t stir your heart and create a desire for purity, you are either seriously deceived as to your standing with the Lord or you have allowed sin to cloud your thinking.

Allow your mind to mediate on the gospel again today. Don’t become cold and indifferent to the precious treasure that has been given to those who believe. Be reminded of your sin, then remind yourself quickly of His grace.

Isaiah 43.25 “I, even I, am the one who wipes out your transgressions for My own sake, And I will not remember your sins.

Coffee for Karis

2009-12-08T09:20:00.004-06:00

As most of you know, Mindy and I are in the process of adopting a little girl from China. We were matched about a month ago and just received our official clearance from immigration yesterday. That means, according to the US Government, we are clear to adopt. Our paperwork is in process and will be going to China soon. Then we'll wait on an approval letter from China and we'll receive travel plans. I'll translate all that for you, we expect to be heading east in 3-5 months to adopt our newest family member, Karis.

One of the questions that we are continually asked is "how much does it costs to adopt?" My answer: a lot. We have been blessed by gifts from family and friends who want to share in this process with us. We don't deserve anyone's gifts. It's an extraordinarily humbling experience to be given a gift. Honestly, I'd rather give stuff away.

So how is this working? There are some organizations out there that help families adopt. With grants, zero percent loans, and a healthy federal tax credit, this mountain isn't quite as impossible as it may appear at first. Add to that the fact that the Lord isn't broke and that should equal no worry on our part.

In the first weekend of October, we attended a conference called Together for Adoption. This was a great conference and I'd encourage you to check out some of the audio. One of the exhibitors was Just Love Coffee. I walked by their booth and being the coffee person that I am, I thought, sure, I'll try a cup. I'm a coffee snob. I was shocked at the quality and ended up buying a bag.

Recently, the website went live and we (the Cagles) now have a "store" set up through them. If you order through our storefront, here, part of the costs of the coffee goes directly to us to be used for our adoption. (I highly recommend the Sumatra).

Thanks for taking the time to read this. Please pray for us that we would be Christlike in all things and that we would learn to trust Him more. Please also pray for Karis. We are praying for a speedy adjustment to our family. Also, she has a condition called hip dysplasia. We are not certain yet what type of treatment has or has not been done.

Just Love Coffee Storefront

Thoughts on Work

2009-12-07T08:42:00.006-06:00

Someone sent this to me today. I thought it was extremely helpful in keeping perspective on work. God has created each of us to work. If you have a job, read these thoughts and be grateful.

This is taken from "Voices from the Past: Puritan Devotional Readings," , a new book from Banner of Truth.

My God will supply every need of yours.
Philippians 4:19

The ways of God's providence direct us into the calling and employment that is ordered for us in this world. To have an honest, lawful employment in which you do not dishonour God is no small mercy. If it is suited also to your genius and strength, this is a double mercy. If you have less toil than others and more time for heavenly exercises, ascribe this benefit to the special care of providence for you. How strangely are things wheeled about by providence! David followed the sheep and likely never raised his thoughts to higher things, but God made him the royal shepherd. Some have work, but not enough strength. Others have strength, but no employment. If God blesses your labour and gives you and yours necessary support and comfort in the world, it is a choice providence and should be acknowledged with all thankfulness. If you find yourself scarcely able to provide for the necessities of life, consider: though you have a small portion of the world, if you are godly, he has promised never to forsake you (Heb. 13:5). Provdence has ordered the condition that is really best for your eternal good. If you had more of the world you might not be able to mnage it to your advantage. We are directed to be content with food and clothing, and the little that the righteous has is better than the riches of many wicked (Psa. 37:16). If providence has so disposed you that you cannot only eat your own bread but have enough for works of mercy upon others, and all this is brought to pass in a way you did not expect, let God be honoured in this providence. Remember that the success of your callings and earthly employments is by divine blessing and not human diligence alone. Be well satisfied in the station and employment where you have been placed. God is wise and seeks your eternal good.

John Flavel, Works, IV:387-391

some resources on Santa

2009-12-05T07:58:00.004-06:00

Here are a few links on Santa that I thought were interesting.

Sinclair Ferguson writes about 'Santa Christ'

Piper delivers with unmistakable Piper Passion - Bad News: Santa is Coming to Town

Knowing is half the battle

2009-12-04T10:34:00.003-06:00

I've heard rumors of a cow that resides in Louisiana that is just downright scary. The story I hear is there is a hole in the side of the cow that allows viewers to observe how food is processed. The inner workings are exposed for the purpose of research. Allegedly this is done through a research program at LSU. Though I'm sure a quick google search could clear up lots of things for me on this, I'll stay in my state of 'wonder if it's true.' Regardless of veracity, Mr. Window Cow gives us a great picture (no pun intended).

While I personally want no part of an investigation into the inward parts of a cow, I get it. The more you can know about how the process works, the better you can be with disease treatment, nutrition, and maybe we can even up the quality of a good Ribeye. Knowing how it functions is a massive part of the battle.

Temptation and sin are similar. We are given a window into one of our own organs in the Bible. The thought of peering down into a functioning digestive tract seems a bit nasty. So does looking into our own hearts. Believers battle with sin. If you've been saved more than about 90 seconds, you know this is true. The Bible tells us why this is. Though there is a New Man who is alive to God through Christ, the flesh is still active. James 1 gives us insight into how sin is produced. The truth about this is not pleasant - You sin because you listen to your fleshly desires (ie - your heart's dirty).

James is adamant on this point. James 1.14 tells us that we sin when we give in to our own lust. Later in the book James gives some helpful and practical wisdom on defining the source of our relational conflict - it's from our own desires (Jas 4.1-4). Paul tells us that sin is active in us (Rom 7.17). We can all move to a monastery, but the reality is we take the idol factory with us, our hearts.

I think it's important to distinguish between sin and temptation. You are tempted all the time. Your temptation is common (normal - see I Cor 10.13) and even Jesus was tempted just like we are (Heb 2.17-18; 4.15). When someone really "makes" you angry, remember they didn't make you anything. They simply gave your heart the enticement it needed. Someone cutting you off on the road isn't why you got angry, it is where. Thinking in this way helps us to arrest the process at it's actual starting point, the initial desire. We must be careful to examine and guard our hearts (Prov 4.23).

Understanding the process of sin also helps drive us to the gospel. We all have a tinge of self-righteousness in us. We think that just a little more effort, more time in the spiritual disciplines, a few more verses memorized, or just limiting our exposure to TV, radio, or internet will fix the problem. These things can be helpful. But will they eliminate the problem, or to ask another way, can these things make us holy? Of course not. You need the gospel. You need Christ righteousness, because your effort stinks. Your heart and your effort is no place to turn for holiness, that comes through God's power. Yes, we gladly put ourselves in the way of grace by doing all the above mentioned things, but at the end of the day, we must cry out to God with the same sense of dependence as when we first recognized our sin and God's holiness.

Why we love Santa Clause and why he doesn’t actually come to our house.

2009-12-03T13:33:00.002-06:00

Santa Clause. Just the name gets a reaction. To most, he stands for a what is left that’s ‘right’ in the world. A big jolly fella giving freely with no expectation or debtors ethic. What’s not to like? There’s a happy man, encouraging obedience to mom and dad, and giving gifts to those who haven’t earned it. In Santa’s economy, it seems all you can do is lose your gifts, not earn them.

Then we have Christians. I hear things in the Christian subculture like “santa idols,” or some tirade about how Santa is taking Christ out of Christmas (assuming he was at some point there, which is another discussion).

I tipped my hand in the title. We don’t do Santa in our house, at least not in the same sort of way. I don’t have a problem with Santa as a story. Just like Jack in the Beanstalk (doesn’t he eat children?), Snow White, Mickey Mouse or the Chronicles of Narnia. In the hands of a parent, Santa can be a pretty cool launch point to talk about grace, accountability, sin and generosity. I like the Santa story, for these reasons. Plus he just looks so stinking happy, and I generally like happy people, unless it’s prior to 7AM.

That said, here are some reasons why we don’t have Santa visit on Dec 25:

1. We don’t assign divine attributes to men other than Jesus. I have a real problem with Santa being omniscient and therefore the divine accountability partner for my 3 year old. That’s not healthy. Again, see above point, I don’t have a problem with the Santa story anymore than I have a problem with any other kids story. It doesn’t bother me that Mary Poppins can fly. It doesn’t bother me that Qunicy, Leo and team can free rocket from the evil czar by finding the magic feather (you people should watch the Little Einsteins). But if my children are convinced they need a magic umbrella to fly across the street, I’m going to help them understand what is reality and what is pretend. We need to encourage our children to learn to divide reality from unreality. For my family, supernatural powers are reserved in reality for God. Stories are fun; they are not reality.

I sat with my daughter a few nights ago and we watched the Rudolph story. The old school one. It was awesome. She was concerned for the little toys on misfit island, mortified by the abominable snow man, and really glad when Rudolph saved Christmas. I was too, I always get nervous when I see that eleventh-hour whiteout. It’s a far cry to go from enjoying a fun story to “believe or you won’t receive” or worse yet, “be good because Santa’s watching.” Our children get enough humanistic bad theology and philosophy.

2. I want to engender gratefulness in my children. I remember well after one Christmas I said to my mom, “Christmas was smaller this year.” She gave me ‘the look’ and said, “You better not let your dad her you say that.” I didn’t say anything as I knew from the tone, it was be quiet time. But in my little heart, I couldn't figure out why that bothered my mom, it was Santa who brought the presents. I want my children to know that Dad and Mom love them and bought them a present. They need to learn gratitude. A flying man in a red suit is hard to look in the eye and offer sincere gratitude.

3. I don’t want to lie to my children. I know there’s all types of pretending that we do with our kids. Isn’t that lying? You put a pillow case over your head and become the tickle monster. Is that lying? No, that’s absurd, right? But why? Children are gullible and are hard wired to believe big people, especially their parents. So if you really wanted to convince your 3 year old that you were a Martian, you probably could. This is a trust given to parents to help teach their children truth. At some point, it’s going to become extremely obvious that the smurfs or talking trains don’t actually exist. I’m not going to try to convince my children they actually do. I will not treat Santa any differently. It’s a fun story. I can enjoy the story, use it to point our thoughts back to God, but I’m not going to try to convince them something is ‘for reals’ when it doesn’t exist in reality.

Though most kids come out of it just fine, it seems the possibility exists to undermine the trust a child would have in their parents.

But they’re just kids. Do you really want your children to be the one that ruins it for everyone else in the class? I don’t want to ruin anything for anyone. But my concern isn’t primarily for what 5 year old Susie and her parents talk about. I have to raise my children. I want them to be respectful and courteous of what other people think, but the reality is, I’m sure this will happen, probably sooner rather than later. My simple response would be, we love the Santa story in our house. Mom and Dad love giving their children gifts just like God loves giving His children gifts (Mt 7.7-12). We choose to keep those things separate.

Guitars and Trials

2009-08-27T07:58:00.001-05:00

This is a copy of our bulletin article I just finished up for Sunday. If you go to CF, you can get a double dose.

Whether you’re a musician or not, you would probably have to agree that there are few things worse than hearing someone play a stringed instrument that is severely out of tune. My parents love to remind me of a time when I was in kindergarten and I “led” music for my class with my guitar. I’m sure that was the first and only time I ever did such a thing. That little guitar that I had and cluelessly strummed was far from in tune. Yet my teacher and parents were gracious and let me have my day of glory. The process of tuning a guitar is simple in theory, but takes a musician with a decent ear (or a tuner for the rest of us) to get just the right amount of tension on the string so it produces the proper sound.

I think sometimes when we are going through trials, we need to remember the analogy of the guitar. Many times our perspective when a difficult circumstance comes is, “Lord, what do you want me to learn through this.” The unspoken next line of that thought is, “Because I’m ready to learn it and get this situation over with!” Yes, God does teach us lessons through trials. Yes, sometimes we learn and the difficulty ends quickly. But many times, if not most of the time, trials provide the necessary amount of tension on your life to make you useful for the kingdom. You shortchange God’s plan when you only ask, “Can this please end now?” The answer may be “no” and the Lord has good reason for that in His wise and benevolent plan.

The letter of 2 Corinthians gives us a picture of this lesson. In chapter 12, Paul is being tormented by a “thorn in the flesh.” Paul asks for this affliction to be removed and God denies this request. We are told why in 2 Cor 12.7. Paul was used mightily by God to deliver His Word. Because of this God found it necessary to give him this affliction to keep him from “exalting himself.” It is shortly after that we find the promise in verse 9 that we can cling to as well during a trial, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.”

Don’t waste your affliction. Consider the difficulties that life brings to be tools designed to make you more like Christ (Jas 1.2; Rom 8.28). Remember God’s grace is always sufficient (2 Cor 12.9) and he’ll never put more on you than he gives you grace to handle (I Cor 10.13)!

Life at Camp

2009-07-30T16:38:00.002-05:00

We're towards the end of the week here in beautiful Black Mountain. Summer camp has once again been incredible, with more things in store.

We have been served very well by Adam Bailie and Kurt Gebhards. They have enlarged our understanding of Christ and challenged our views of ourselves. The reality is Christ is more glorious than we can imagine, and our sin is worse than we can imagine. Combining these thoughts leads us to gospel that is infinite in value.

It's hard to capture in a post such as this the impact that this time is having on the attendees. It seems that the Lord is using this time in many hearts to turn our affections as a group to Christ. Many have expressed a desire for better relationships with one another, relationships that have a spiritual focus. I pray that this would be the case in the coming weeks and months.

Filled with the Spirit

2009-07-14T11:21:00.002-05:00

Ephesians 5.18 has always been an enigma to me. What does it really mean to be filled with the Spirit? And how do I get filled (or better yet, how did I get unfilled)? Graham Cole has written an excellent book called Engaging with the Holy Spirit: Real Questions, Practical Answers. This book comes at least in part from a larger work, which is also excellent, He Who Gives Life. I thoroughly enjoyed this short primer on the Holy Spirit. I really enjoyed his treatment of the filling of the Spirit in the last chapter. Maybe I have heard this type of thing before, but to understand these verses in terms of Ecclesiology instead of Sanctification is really helpful and clarifying for me.

Let me attempt to reconstruct some of the argument. The only command in the Bible to be filled with the Spirit is found in Eph 5.18. We have numerous examples of the Spirit empowering prophets, kings, apostles, even Elizabeth enjoys some type of special ministry of the Spirit when she and Mary meet (Luke 1.41-42). Cole argues that these special experiences need to be treated with great care. These experiences all involve some type of filling AND speaking. "These instances of filling are conjoined with some kind of speech act." (103)

We then come to Eph 5 and we meet our only actual command to be filled. These special occurrences give us no indication of an intentionally cooperative activity. In other words, God chose to sovereignly do these things. These instances are all individual. The Ephesians passage is corporate. The command is given then we find 5 participles, all present and continuous in nature. The question is, do we understand these as being participles of result or participles of means? One quote may help to clarify the difference: "The five participles [activities] do no lead to the filling by the Spirit, rather they indicate the means by which the command is carried out." (107 )

So what's the point? Cole makes some great observations in the last part of his argument. I think this final quote will well summarize the significance of this discussion.

However, to pursue the Spirit's control is to miss it. In moral philosphy there is a fallacy called the hedonistic fallacy. Pursue pleasure, and you will not get it. Pleasure is a byproduce of other pursuits. Pursue the Spirit, and you will not be obeying the Pauline command. However, fill up our gathering with these practices, and then the Spirit will be filling the temple of God. Both attitude (thankfulness and reverence or respect) and activity (speaking, singing, making melody, and so forth) are involved.

May our corporate gathering reflect the mighty filling of the Spirit through our attitudes and our actions. You would be well served to pick up this book for yourself and read all the chapters. My attempt to summarize doesn't do this treatment justice!

Why China?

2009-07-13T10:58:00.004-05:00

My wife and I are in the process of adopting from China. As we have been pursuing this for a number of months now, we have been asked the question numerous times, why China? I read this article this morning and was reminded again why we want to adopt from China. This article is a poignant reminder of what happens when the imago dei is lost. If man is not in God's image, he is nothing more than a collection of atoms and matter. To paraphrase Schaeffer, nothing then stands in the way of inhumanity.

The article opens with this paragraph:

After one birth and one abortion, a young Chinese woman gave birth to her second child. Knowing the fines for giving birth illegally would leave her family impoverished, she left the baby with her sister in another village and went to an abortion clinic, where she paid the clinic for the corpse of a baby girl. When the population control police came to her home to levy the fine, she carried the body to the door. They assumed her baby died and left her alone.

This is why we want to adopt from China.

The Future of Church History - Thoughts on a Helpful Post

2009-07-10T04:39:00.003-05:00

I just read this post over at the 9 Marks blog. The article cites a section of a Church History book written 100 year from now. The author is attempting to look down the road at what the multi-site/celebrity pastor approach to church today is going to produce. Here is one section I thought was particularly stinging in it's assessment:

Gone were the days of the “ordinary pastor,” the man whose skills were not extraordinary, but sufficient to guide a ship with a hundred eternal souls safely through stormy waters to the distant shores. His sermons weren’t made for television. His music wasn’t good enough for the recording studio. Therefore, churches, feeling themselves entitled to professional excellence in all things, politely dismissed him, tore down the old buildings, built high-tech stadiums, and gave the league all-stars seven-year, multi-million dollar contracts.

Wow. I've never really thought about this in these types of terms. I too am concerned for the future of the church. It will be interesting how the podcast/conference/blog world is going to influence the way people think and practice ecclesiology. I'm having conversations with people now where they say, I can get good preaching anytime, therefore, I have other priorities I'm looking for in a local church. Is there not something significant still to the importance of the LOCAL church? Would this not have been a foreign idea in the first century? Fellowship doesn't come through chat rooms and message boards. There is something special about the presence of God in the midst of the corporate gathering where the ordinances are observed, corporate prayer is practiced, the Scriptures are read, and fellowship is enjoyed.

Podcast are great (I get a few myself), conferences are great (our church hosts one and I like to attend them) but we must understand these things are supplements. The local assembly must be the priority!!

How's your Christian Life?

2009-03-27T00:53:00.002-05:00

Ok, so it may seem like I'm splitting some hairs with this thought, but I really think this is a helpful distinction. Lot's of times I hear someone ask "how's your Christian life going?" I understand the heart of the question, but it seems like this question is shorthand for "How faithful have you been to the spiritual disciplines this week?" It seems like the answers tend to follow that track. "I haven't spent the time in the Word that I need to, or I'm not praying enough, or I had a great quiet time this morning." These are good things to talk about. But maybe there is an unnecessary and subtle division that is being drawn just in the way the question is asked.

I'm trying to eliminate the terms Spiritual Life and Christian Life from my vocabulary. I don't have a life that's not my Christian life. The question is how is life as a Christian? Again, not to bog down in the minutia, but I really find this useful.

The spiritual disciplines are important. No doubt. But faithfulness to them does not equal spiritual health. The gospel must permeate every part of our thinking on all subjects in every area of life, not just on what is 'spiritual.'

The End of Evangelicalism?

2009-03-15T08:25:00.001-05:00

Check out this article here.

He makes a pretty grim prognosis for evangelicalism as we understand it now.

back to blogger

2009-02-27T23:36:00.002-06:00

Not that I update enough to really make a huge difference, but I have decided to switch back to blogger.

new site

2008-01-02T09:21:00.000-06:00

my site is moving here.

A New Structure, the Same Purpose

2007-12-10T12:05:00.000-06:00

It's been a privilege to serve as a pastor at Christ Fellowship Church over these past 5 months. Things have moved rapidly since I've been here, from another pastor leaving, to a conference, and now we're in the midst of overhauling our service structure. I love the conversations that I have had with godly men who love the church and desire to see the members grow to be more like Christ.

Beginning in January, we're making some shifts that are very significant. First of all, we're moving to a home based group structure on Sunday nights on the 2nd and 4th weeks. We'll meet at the church on the 1st and 3rd. This is exciting and we think it will serve us well to enhance the body life of the church. Rather than having a separate teaching theme, we'll take some time for review and group discussion about the Sunday Morning messages. All too often we get large deposits of truth, but rarely take time to really process what we're learning.

Because of this shift, we're also adjusting the way that we currently do Sunday School. We're moving from a typical (mostly) age segregated class structure to a quarterly classroom styled instruction. By doing this, it enables us to teach a series of classes that will meet for one quarter at a time covering a huge range of subjects. There will be 5 different classes taught every quarter, covering subjects such as: Apologetics, Hermeneutics, How to Pray, and Bible Overview classes. This has been met with much excitement by our people with the opportunity to study some things that the lay person otherwise has little access to.

These changes come with much thought and prayer on the part of our Elder Team. It's been enjoyable to stop and consider what we do and why we do it.

More Consumerism? Some thoughts about the Willow Creek article.

2007-10-21T21:37:00.000-05:00

There's been a lot of blog space spent over the past few days writing about the article that recently appeared here. If you haven't read it already, you should do so, it's worth your time. The gist of the message is that studies have shown that the Willow Creek model of ministry hasn't produced the desired results of spiritual growth as they had expected, or hoped would happen. Hybels humbly confesses:

We made a mistake. What we should have done when people crossed the line of faith and become Christians, we should have started telling people and teaching people that they have to take responsibility to become ‘self feeders.’ We should have gotten people, taught people, how to read their bible between service, how to do the spiritual practices much more aggressively on their own

Self feeders, reading the bible, spiritual disciplines - all sound like good things to me! I am genuinely excited by this. I am happy that the results have forced this rethinking of Ecclesiology. But in a sense, that is exactly the problem. Isn't that just consumerism repackaged? Isn't that where this came from in the first place? Market test show target audience and the appropriate bait to catch that audience. When the audience doesn't turn out, it's time to tweak the process. Is that how ministry methodology is decided?

When did ministry become end user driven? If that is how we measured ministry process, Noah, Isaiah, Jeremiah, and at times, Jesus would have been ministry philosophy chameleons or even unemployed. While I'm excited to hear things like deeper Bible study growing out of this, I wish it were birthed out of a verse and the conviction of a biblical theology of ministry based on timeless truth rather than a social/spiritual research project.

I've very curious to see what the fallout of all of this will look like. There are so many churches riding the coat tails of these mega churches. I do pray for them. They have influence that is astounding. May God's Word be found to be the only true answer for any question about ministry!

What the world needs...

2007-10-12T22:19:00.000-05:00

Another Cagle.

Jacob Owen was born on Tuesday afternoon. Mom and baby are doing great. If you want to see some pics, go here (katecagle.blogspot.com).

Hungry People Like to Eat

2007-09-13T17:08:00.000-05:00

Tuesday night at our elders meeting, Dr. Lawson began our time with a Bible Study from I Peter 2.1-3. In this section, Peter is exhorting the hearers to crave the Word of God, understanding that it is by our intake of biblical truth that we will grow in salvation (2.2).

We talked about how sin stifles a desire for truth. Dr. Lawson told us about a church member that he had spoken to that afternoon. The man went on and on about how much he had learned and been challenged by the sermon Sunday night. Lawson said that he didn't really feel particularly good at all about the sermon. He used that to commend the gentleman for being hungry for truth. He made the statement, 'hungry people will eat anywhere.' If you're really hungry, you'll pillage a trash can if necessary, and be grateful for whatever scraps you're able to rummage up. Truly hungry people aren't worried about the ambience or the seating - they are concerned with eating.

Likewise we find the same attitude prevailing in Christians. Peter exhorts us to crave the word as a baby craves milk. Babies cannot live without milk and are fairly irrational if they don't get their food when they want it. This is the desire that we should bring to the truth.

May the Lord give us grace to deal with our own sinfulness so our desire for Him isn't lessened.

The Will of God

2007-09-07T22:21:00.000-05:00

I'm currently doing a study in Colossians for our Student Ministry. Paul opens the letter by offering a prayer for the Colossian people. He makes an interesting request, they they would be filled with the knowledge of His Will (1.9). This phrase is followed by, with spiritual wisdom and understanding. The Will of God is often spoken of as something that needs to be uncovered by some mystical experience. This doesn't find its roots in Scripture. The Will of God is plainly revealed in the Bible, in fact, we are called "foolish" if we don't know what God's will is (Eph 5.17). The will of God isn't so much about where you are as it is about WHO you are. The will of God is obedience. When we live in obedience to Him, He gives us wisdom to make God-honoring decisions, thus fulfilling His Will.

I gave our teenagers 9 questions to help them make God-honoring decisions. Perhaps this will be helpful for you or someone you know.
When faced with a choice, ask yourself:
➢ Have I prayed about it?
➢ Who am I trying to please?
➢ Have I sought the wisdom of my parents and counselors?
➢ Is either option forbidden or commanded in Scripture?
➢ Have I thought carefully through the options?
➢ Am I trying to take the easy road out?
➢ Are both options good uses of resources?
➢ What would most honor God?
➢ What do I want to do?

Ready for some football

2007-08-27T11:32:00.000-05:00

In the South, football surpasses the 3 world religions in popularity this time of year (and no, Baptist isn't one of the 3). Someone sent me this email this morning. I thought some of these quotes were worth sharing.

"After you retire, there's only one big event left....and I ain't ready for that." Bobby Bowden / Florida State

"A school without football is in danger of deteriorating into a medieval study hall." Frank Leahy / Notre Dame

"It's kind of hard to rally around a math class." Bear Bryant / Alabama

"My advice to defensive players:Take the shortest route to the ball and arrive in a bad humor." Bowden Wyatt / Tennessee

"Always remember..... Goliath was a 40 point favorite over David." Shug Jordan / Auburn

"The only qualifications for a lineman are to be big and dumb. To be a back, you only have to be dumb." Knute Rockne / Notre Dame

“Gentlemen, it is better to have died a small boy than to fumble this football” John Heisman

Expositors' Conference

2007-08-08T10:35:00.001-05:00

For my friends in the Southeast, I'd love to see some of you at the Expositors' Conference that our church (Mobile, Al) will be hosting on October 1-2. Dr. Lawson and Dr. MacArthur will be teaching. Let me know if you're interested in coming. It will be a great time of teaching and enjoying fellowship.

A Life Well Lived

2007-07-20T08:48:00.000-05:00

I've been reading Tom Nelson's, A Life Well Lived. It has been a very enjoyable book. it is an exposition of the book of Ecclesiastes. Nelson is known for his books and seminars on the Song of Solomon. After years of work in the wisdom literature, he seems to have a good grasp on the central themes of Solomon.

This would be a great book to recommend for your friends who are workaholics. It does a good job of pointing out the value of rest and relaxation through the wise musings of Solomon.

Homiletical Home runs

2007-07-14T00:03:00.000-05:00

This post is well done by Timmy Brister. Make sure you read it through to the end, it will be worth your time, especially if you have the privilege and responsibility of preaching the Word.

Strategic?

2007-07-13T23:26:00.000-05:00

You should read this conversation over at 9Marks to get the full context, but, here is an excerpt from a post that Thabiti wrote:

I do struggle with the sometimes too easy association of "strategic" with "large city." I understand the crossroads argument, but some small college towns are as influential in setting cultural ideas, etc. as any urban epicenter. Also, I sometimes struggle with whether or not "strategic" is the 9Marks/Reformed equivalent of the pragmatism we dislike and find unhelpful. Of the two options--look for a strategic location or go to any location--I'm gonna go with "go to any location" and trust the Lord has a strategy beyond what we can see.

I thought that was really insightful. I have always found myself a bit uncomfortable talking about "strategic" ministry. We who would fall in a more reformed circle of thinking can easily find ourselves thinking just like those whose theology we don't subscribe to. What makes something strategic? The fact that it appears, from a human vantage point to affect more people?

Think about this, wouldn't it have been more strategic for Christ to come in this generation? After modernity and post-modernity have come and gone? (or not gone?). I mean today, Jesus could have his own direct TV channel, his own webcam, international appearances and have undeniable worldwide credibility. That seems more strategic to me than grabbing a bunch of uneducated Galilean fishermen to follow him around for a few years then unleash them on the world. The fact is that much of God's strategy just doesn't make sense to us. I don't think God needs our help in strategizing. I think the emphasis should be on faithfulness to the task before each one of us. God will work out the strategy in his own wisdom.

Lifestyle Evangelism

2007-07-13T23:04:00.000-05:00

Recently through reading and preparing to preach a few different sermons, I've been struck again by the relationship between an ethical life and evangelism. Perhaps 'ethical' isn't the best word, but I don't have a better on at the moment. As we look at the Scripture, there is often a connection between Christian virtue and gospel opportunities. This was the Thessalonican situation. As this infant church endured persecution and maintained their Christian virtue - refusing the fight back and refusing to respond to difficulty in the typical and expected manner, it lead for an opportunity for the gospel to ring forth in the entire region (I Thess 1). Likewise Peter speaks often in I Peter about the necessity of maintaining proper conduct in the midst of difficulty so that non-beleivers see a difference. In this way, you demonstrate hope in difficulty which leads to an opportunity to 'provide a reason for this hope' (I Peter 3.15). Paul speaks of conducting ourselves with wisdom toward outsiders in Col 4.

Often we think of evangelism as knocking on doors, striking up a conversation at the coffee house or on an airplane - and these are all good and necessary things. But, I have to think the greatest evangelistic force in action today is the work force. Think about it. you have the opportunity to live out the gospel in front of people often under difficult stress. You have a chance to be different. "Why aren't you upset about the new rules that corporate has just handed down?" Why don't you take part in this questionable sales practice that everybody else does?" "Why do you not take advantage of the loose work schedule that everyone else around here keeps?" As these question arise, there is the opportunity. You have a chance to apply I Peter 3.15 - there is a reason for my hope. there is a reason that I act differently.

Being in full time vocational ministry now, I have days that I miss the secular workplace. I worked at Sears while going through seminary. Those were some great days. I'll admit, there were some very hard days to keep a godly perspective. If you are in the secular workplace, please know that the gospel depends on you, in a sense. God has placed you where you are for HIS purposes. Be faithful today!

I appreciate the sentiment of St. Francis of Assisi, "Preach the gospel everywhere you go, and if necessary, use words." And let us to be quick to add - the gospel IS Words. May our lives adorn the gospel today!

Rest in Productivity

2007-06-26T00:09:00.000-05:00

John Piper made this statement one time and I think about it often. As he was rehearsing a rather busy schedule upon being asked at TG4G, he says, "I find rest in productivity." I often find myself busy, but unfortunately, I don't find the desired productivity. My little mind is too easily distracted by things that aren't really important. As I'm busy, yet distracted, my productivity is diminished and therefore, I don't really find 'rest' in my work.

God has placed us on the earth to work. It seems too many times I just want to finish my work so I can get to something entertaining or fun. That's not why I'm on the planet. God placed Adam in the garden to work. This work is obviously complicated by the effects of the fall but work existed before sin. I tend to think of work as an inherently bad thing - something that prohibits me from doing something inherently good (fun).

May Colossians 3.23 guide our work days today: "whatever you do, do your work heartily as unto the Lord."

Sin and Grace

2007-06-10T13:58:00.000-05:00

You don't know 5% of your sinfulness. This was one of the lines from Kurt Gebhards this past week as he taught at our summer camp. The heart is deceitfully wicked, so much so that we cannot even comprehend how sinful we really are. I've been thinking about this and trying to sift through my own heart and I have to say that I agree with this statement. My motives stink. My thoughts are riddled with deceit and pride. I am sinful beyond description. This makes Romans 5.20 even more precious - because where sin abounds, grace abounds much more. If I don't even understand my own sin, then I haven't got a clue about how abundant the grace of God is. I simply cannot wrap my arms around it.

A Long Journey

2007-06-03T22:42:00.000-05:00

After many miles and multiple stops, we made it to Mobile on our cross country journey. We had a great time taking some extra days to travel and see friends and relatives along the path. We've been in Mobile for a week now and the chaos is starting to subside a bit. Most of our belongings are unpacked and relatively close to where they will stay in our house. The final 20% of unpacking seems to take the longest, hanging pictures, curtains, etc.

i leave for Youth Camp bright and early in the morning. This will be my first official week of duty for the Student Ministry here at Christ Fellowship. Nothing like jumping right in! We are teaming with some other churches and meeting in Black Mountain, NC for camp. Providentially, we are not the lead church on the camp so most of the admin load has been shouldered by other men, I'm praising the Lord for that right now! It feels really weird going to a camp and knowing very little about how things operate. I do pray that this is a very relational time for me as I have the opportunity to spend time with the students and the leaders. Camp is a great time for building relationships that serve the ministry all year long.

I'll be back next Saturday night and starting the following week, I should be able to post more regularly.

Contentment and Posessions

2007-05-05T17:18:00.000-05:00

Moving has a wonderful way of showing you just how much stuff you have that isn't really necessary. As we prepare for the big truck to come next Thursday, we've been sifting thought our belongings and finding that there is an inordinate amount of stuff that can be crammed into a 700 sq ft apartment. Throwing things away has become a great source of joy for me. Items that are thrown away are ones that will never have to be moved again, at least by me.

As I think about possessions I realize how much stuff we have that isn't necessary. We think we need so much but in reality, we too often use possessions as a crutch to try to make us happy because we aren't finding satisfaction in Christ. What we find is the words of Solomon to be timelessly true, " Sheol and Abaddon are never satisfied, Nor are the eyes of man ever satisfied." (Proverbs 27.20) When you're 16 and beginning to drive, all that matters in life is obtaining a car and subsequent freedom. After driving for a little while, obviously you have to get a nicer, newer, cooler car. This is a process that happens for the next 50 years of life. The same is true with all possessions. I just need an apartment, no a 3 bedroom, no a house, no a bigger house, well, a house closer to the office, a house with a different look and more storage and the list goes on and on.

I'll take a few posts over the next week or two and write some about how I have tried to battle this in my own heart.

Biblical Preaching - Haddon Robinson

2007-04-19T13:48:00.001-05:00

My enjoyment of Biblical Preaching was front end loaded, sort of like the interest on a home loan. I thought the first few chapters were absolutely brilliant. I was reenergized to preach the word and to get it right. There are some great quotes and thoughts in this book. Haddon Robinson is just a really cool name too. I wasn't as taken with the second half, though there is some good material there. This book is a beginners guide to preaching. He goes through the preparation of a sermon, from exegetical tools, to outlining, to homiletical tips, to introductions and conclusions. Overall, it is a great read. I had a professor in college who always said that as a pastor, you should read at least one book on preaching every year. Most of us who preach regularly find ourselves doing more than that, but I think it was great for my own heart to remind myself of the priority of preaching, and the sobriety of preaching. It is God's ordained means for spreading His truth and changing lives. For this reason, my study and preparation demand substantial time.

sweet home alabama

2007-04-16T17:17:00.000-05:00

I was raised in southern Alabama. i never really thought that I'd move away from the south. I thought maybe something crazy one day, like TN. Through a series of events and relationships, we ended up moving to Southern California to attend the Master's Seminary. To my great surprise, we have really enjoyed living in LA. This summer marks 6 years in the sunny state. I've had the privilege of serving as the Jr. High Pastor and an elder at Grace Church. This experience has been refining, challenging, encouraging and revealing of my own need for growth. I have often thought that ministry can't possible get any better than what we have in Jr. High. We have the privilege of serving with a team of godly and awesome volunteers. I've loved every minute of ministry here. The time has come now for a new chapter in ministry and life. Mindy and I are moving back to Alabama to serve at Christ Fellowship Baptist Church. I can't believe that we're actually going to leave. I know it will be surreal when we actually pull away. It's a privilege to go back home to serve with the people who sent us away 6 years ago. While I'm sad about leaving Grace, we are very excited about the opportunity that awaits us in the mother land. I'll be an Associate Pastor giving direction to Children's Ministry, Student Ministry and the Young Married Ministry. We're excited about the opportunity yet obviously very sad to leave so many close friends and ministry partners here. It is really cool to be going back home to do ministry. My parents are only a few minutes away, the HS I graduated is just down the street, we know the town, which is unique. Sorry for some of you who are receiving this information via blog post. Although if you really know me well, you're not surprised at all. We'd appreciate your prayers as we seek to transition well to the new post that God has for us.

Random Reading

2007-04-12T22:37:00.000-05:00

I was traveling last week back to Alabama and I saw a magazine in the airport that caught my attention. It was Scientific American Mind. I read much of it on the plane (in between keeping my daughter from kicking the seat in front of her) and I found much of it very interesting. I learned that words like "um" and "er" may actually help in communication, according to one study. These filler words give the mind a needed 'warning' that an unexpected word is coming. "Words that were preceded by this disfluency were more likely to be accurately recognized later." All according to the University of Edinburgh in the UK. Another interesting article, some people who have suffered brain damage may find it easier to stop smoking. A study with a group of smokers who had suffered stokes and had damage to a region in the cerebral cortex found that some kicked the habit right away and didn't suffer relapse or even strong desire to smoke. researchers are using this information to try and develop drugs targeted to this region to help break the addiction. It's an interesting world out there.

A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier

2007-04-02T01:15:00.000-05:00

I frequently go to a local Starbucks to study. I'm always curious of the latest book they are trying to sell there. It interest me because there's usually only one title displayed. I saw this book, A Long Way Gone. The picture on the front caught my attention and I read the back leaflet while waiting on my Venti Drip. I didn't get the book, concluding that I had too many spiritual things to read right now.

Later on, I saw on CNN (I think?) an interview with the author, Ishmael Beah. He was an impressive young man, well spoken and compelling to listen to. He spoke of some of the horrors of war and how he had become a boy soldier in Sierra Leone during the civil war of the 90's. He spoke of his cold blooded past and how he has been rehabilitated.

I picked up the book last week and just finished it tonight. Wow. It is very good. You feel the horrors of war as you read his accounts. The pain of war and loss jumps off the page.

The book is not written from a Christian perspective. As I read, I was reminded that there is a sinful, sin sick world out there that desperately needs Christ. Apart from the grace of God, we would all be shooting each other and blowing one another apart. This fallen world longs for full redemption that will happen one day.

OneNote

2007-03-31T21:34:00.000-05:00

I just purchased a copy of Microsoft OneNote, my life will never be the same. This progam is really cool. It allows you to create tabbed pages that allow you to capture all your information for a given project in one place. You can put notes anywhere on the screen and integrate all your Word, ppt, Excel or other docs into the workspace. It is great for event planning.

I bought the older version (2003) off ebay.

Bringing a Smile

2007-03-26T00:19:00.000-05:00

We had a minsitry day for our JH students this past Saturday to visit some of our members who are no longer able to come to church. It was a great day. We were able to see some precious saints who have served the Lord so faithfully for many, many years. They were so excited about our coming. As Mrs. Annie was telling us, "you don't think about people whose health is fading until your own starts to fail." Annie served in the GCC nursery for 43 years, every Sunday. Hardly a child has come through Grace that she hasn't held in her arms. What an example of faithfulness! She is a precious saint who served so well for so long. It is a privilege to go to her and share just a fraction of the joy that she has shared with so many over the years. I was reminded that these folks live in a lonely world. They can't get around like they would like to and many if not most of them have lost their spouses. I was reminded of the essence of genuine religion as James puts it, to visit orphans and widows in their distress.

I pray that God would give us future opportunities to minister to these beloved folks.

common grace, general revelation, and pigs in the hills

2007-03-21T17:18:00.000-05:00

This past weekend I had the opportunity to go away for a few days with two of my good friends, Jonathan and Rick. I've been hearing about this really cool pig hunt up at beautiful Tejon Ranch, about an hour north of LA. Rick and Jonathan had both been before and had taken pigs. So I signed up. We went up on Friday and we might as well have driven to the face of the moon. Cell phones don’t work, email is non-existent in the hills behind the large gate guarding the ranch. You drive in and suddenly all that matters is finding the black dots on the hills and getting close enough to shoot. Through the weekend, we enjoyed great fellowship together as we exhausted ourselves tromping up and down the mountains looking for wild pigs. It just doesn’t seem right to have pigs living in the hills. I’m from Alabama where pigs live in the swamps. But sure enough, they’re there, and lots of them. I’ve never experienced a hunting trip quite like this one. If you’re ever in Southern California and looking for a unique adventure, check out the Pig-O-Rama!

As I was there and enjoying the beauty of the surroundings, I had the words of Psalm 19 resounding in my brain over and over again. How beautiful this place is! It has the thumbprint of God upon it. As I sat back and enjoyed this, I became somewhat frustrated with myself that I don’t recognize general revelation in my normal environment. Gravity, the warmth of the sun, and the human body itself all scream that there exists an eternal, omnipotent God who displays these invisible attributes everyday, to everyone. My heart can be so calloused to the commonness of general revelation.

So I come back from a weekend away refreshed, reminded, sore, and with a few pounds of pig!

MySpace and Parenting

2007-03-14T01:38:00.000-05:00

I'm currently reading a book entitled, MySpace MyKids, by Jason Illian. There are some insightful points in the first section that I read. The emphasis is basically that MySpace isn't the problem. The problem is parents who have abdicated their role as parent and desire to remove the opportunities for temptation (MySpace, etc) rather than talking through issues with their teens. I think we see this all too often. Whether it be MySpace, movies, music or a number of social avenues, it's easier for a parent to punt and say no to these things than to parent a teen through their choices.

JH Sermon

2007-03-13T03:18:00.000-05:00

Our Jr. High ministry is studying Acts on Sunday mornings. As we encounter cities that Paul later writes back to, we've been taking some time to over those epistles. We found ourselves last week in Thessalonians. It was a fun study for me, and I hope beneficial to the hearers.

Here is the first part.

1. Look for Evidences of Grace in the Past (1.1-3.13)
~ Paul begins this letter by referencing the many evidences of grace that he knows to the true in the Thessalonican believers. He fears the worst, that they have fallen away or been swayed by false teachers. He is elated when Timothy returns to him with the positive report. Paul writes back to them to share his excitement and exhort them to keep going.

A. Works - Their work of faith and labor of love are clear to all.
B. Discipleship - They become imitators of Paul and the missionaries receiving the truth amidst much persecution. This is a microcasm of how the Christian life works. We watch someone who is ahead of us. Just like anything in life, we need teachers. Paul in another place would say to follow him as he follows Christ.
C. Evangelism - The word sounded forth all throughout the region. This required not only their stellar example, but bold proclomation. Just being an example isn't enough - we must tell people the message of Christ!
D. Repentance - They turned from idols. They lived in a polytheistic society. Most of us are not today turning from the same type of idols, but we are definitely turning from idols. We all must turn from idols of the heart. There must be a before and after picture. Is there anything that you love more than Christ? Is there anything that you would not give up for Christ? Christ said that such a man was not worthy to be called a disciple.
E. Perseverance - Paul hears that the believers had kept on after receiving the Word. This is how believers respond. They will persevere. They will endure, they will stick with God despite tough circumstances.

Camp for Big Kids

2007-03-11T00:17:00.000-06:00

Being involved in Youth Ministry for a few years now has given me numerous examples to witness the phenomenon called camp. I'm amazed at the excitement surrounding a camp. The kids are pumped, and you don't have to do much to draw out their excitement. Camp is always such a great time to be encouraged and to be challenged in your walk with Christ.

Conferences often serve much the same purpose in the life of pastors in ministry. I walked around the Shepherds' Conference this week and was delighted to see so many men who were in the process of being encouraged and having their batteries recharged to get back out there. Between hearing great preaching and talking about ministry, this week is hard to beat! It helps too that there is an endless supply of food on campus! I'm making a motion for the coffee kiosk and the fresh orange juice to stay all year.

Here are a few thoughts that keep reccuring in my little brain:

1. There is nothing like the local church. Each of the speakers emphasized this in some way.
2. There are lots of men who want to honor God with their ministries.
3. Ministry Audits are helpful. We should be willing to lay everything on the table to see if it squares with a biblical philosophy.
4. I am thankful to God for leading men in evangelicalism today. There is a reason why the kenote panel was invited. These men are exceptionally gifted. They are a gift to the church.
5. God is so kind to us to allow times of encouragement such as this.

Serious Ministry for a Fun Age

2007-02-28T14:47:00.000-06:00

Statistically speaking, the 3 most important decisions in one's life are made in the teenage years or shortly thereafter.

1. Who am I going to marry?
2. What am I going to do with my life?
3. What am I going to do with Christ?

There are statistics all over the map for the 3rd question. One estimate that I read said that as many as 90% of the people who come to faith in Christ do so before age 22.

I was curious, so I surveyed some of our volunteer staff in our JH ministry. Of the 29 who answered this survey, 25 believe they were saved prior to age 22, with many professing Christ prior to 14.

What does all this mean? I'm not one to put too much stock into statistics. I believe my God to be soveriegn, able to save anyone at any age. That's not the point. The point is, somewhere in the 11-13 window, the lights begin to come on for students. They begin to understand sin, accountability to God, they begin to respect preaching, or they begin to hate it. The reality is that God uses the events of the teenage years to influence the course of a person's life.

We, as youth pastors, must take seriously the opportunity that is put before us to minister to this vital age.

I have often been asked since graduating from seminary, when are you going to go be a real pastor. While I understand the question and I'm not in the least bit offended, with all due respect, ministering to teenagers is real ministry. If fact, it has historically been the most fertile soil for ministry. This is just one of the many reasons why I love Jr. High Ministry. I can't think of a better way to spend my life than ministering to teenagers.

Family Devotions

2007-02-23T11:36:00.001-06:00

I have a 14 month old now and another one in the oven. As I watch my daughter get older and start to pick up on my habits and already the words that I say, I have been struck with the awesome responsibility to lead our family in the fear and admonition of the Lord.

At a parenting class at our church a couple of years ago, one of the men (who I greatly respect), was speaking in the class. The subject of family devotions was brought up. He responded, "you need to do away with family devotions." Everyone laughed. He smiles and says, "Now that I've got your attention, do away with family devotions." He went on to explain what he meant. Leading your family is much more than reading your Psalm for the day, mom playing 3 verses of Amazing Grace on the piano and saying a somewhat rehearsed prayer in the morning before school. I agree.

Since then, I've asked lots of godly men what their practices are in regard to family devotions. I've had just about every answer from nothing formal at all to a very structured regular time. I would be curious if any of you have practices that you have found effective in leading your family?

2007-02-22T18:15:00.000-06:00

Kate has some news to share with everyone, we're expecting again!

Mom had her first appointment today and everything looks good. Due date is October 6.

on being sick

2007-02-22T15:27:00.000-06:00

I'm just now feeling human again after my bout with the flu. Unfortunately, I shared it with my wife who was even sicker than I was. She is 2 months pregnant, so recovery has been a little slower, as she doesn't really feel great already.

She got out of the house today for the first time in a few days to have lunch with me. We were talking about what we had learned being sick. Both of us had the same thought - we have far too little compassion for those who are always hurting and sick. It's hard to keep a good attitude when you don't feel well - that's even knowing that you're only going to be sick for a few days.

SEC Football

2007-02-20T10:38:00.000-06:00

I'm not sure how much stock I put in the recruiting rankings. I went to rivals.com to see the last rankings of the classes, I was surprised to see Bama up to #10. Not bad considering the circumstances at Tuscaloosa the past few years.

The down side of this is they are still in the middle of the pack in the SEC.

Check out the rivals.com top ten:

1. Florida
2. USC
3. Tennessee
4. LSU
5. Texas
6. South Carolina
7. Auburn
8. Notre Dame
9. Georgia
10. Alabama

As you can see, the SEC racked up. This list doesn't even include last years West Division Champ, Arkansas. It's a tough conference and isn't going anywhere anytime soon.

thoughts with a low grade fever

2007-02-15T21:29:00.000-06:00

I was commenting to a friend on Tuesday night that I really don't get sick too often. I never should have said that. I woke up on Wednesday morning with a cough and a low fever. I thought I'd sleep a hour or two extra and get on with life. Not so. It's Thursday night now and I've spent more time in the bed the past 2 days than I had in the past week. As I've had plenty of time to think, 2 thoughts continually come to mind:

My Plans are Subject to God's Editing
I'm reminded as I lay here, sometimes frustrated because there are so many things I want to accomplish, that we are frail and fragile people. It only takes one tiny virus to completely alter our plans and goals for any given day. This is a very busy season for us and not exactly an ideal time to go down. But, God is in control and will accomplish His perfect purpose.

My Sinfulness Loves to Display Itself When I'm Sick
As I try my best to keep a good attitude as I answer simple questions to those who want to help me, I think about those who are always sick. Wow, I'm a sissy. I can get so snappy, impatient and unkind just because I don't feel well. Is sickness or pain an excuse for sin? I don't think it is. I think about what Paul wrote in II Corinthians 4.16 - that despite the fact the outer man is decaying, the inner man is being renewed.

a wife who doesn't like valentines?

2007-02-14T09:30:00.000-06:00

Being Valentines Day, I thought I'd post something about how great my wife is. I admire my wife and enjoy her more than I can really describe. One of the reasons that I appreciate my wife this time of year is because she doesn't like Valentines Day. Early in our dating relationship, she told me that she doesn't care anything for what she calls, a 'forced', holiday. Her reasoning, "If you have to get me flowers and chocolates, then it really doesn't mean anything to me." Wow, what a woman. I have nothing for the day myself so I was thrilled to hear my girlfriend at the time say these things.

Every year we have the conversation, "Are you sure you don't want me to do something?" She always assures me that her view hasn't changed. She laughs as we observe so many men stressed out by unrealistic expectations for the 'big day'. We enjoy this day every year, but not for quite the same reasons as most.

No Small Sin

2007-02-13T12:32:00.000-06:00

"Sin aims always at the utmost; every time it rises up to tempt or entice, might it have its own course, it would go out to the utmost sin in that kind. Every unclean thought or glance would be adultery if it could be; every covetous desire would be oppression, every thought of unbelief would be atheism, might it grow to its head."

"There is not the best saint in the world but, if he should give over this duty (of mortifying sin), would fall into as many cursed sins as ever any did of his kind."

Fight hard, sin wants to kill you today.

page 53 in Overcoming Sin and Temptation, John Owen.

Power Displayed

2007-02-12T20:59:00.000-06:00

In our JH ministry, our study has brought us to Acts 16.16-40. We took the past 2 weeks to break down this story.

We looked at 3 Miracles that Demonstrate God's Power

Miracle #1: An Exorcisim - Demonstrates God's Power Over the Spirit World
~ Paul is on the 2nd missionary Journey in the city of Philippi. After the conversion of Lydia, Paul, Silas, Timothy and Luke are ministering in the city. A demon possessed girl follows them around for a number of days, apparently she was abrasive and annoying. She is a slave girl who has the ability to predict the future. Her owners had leveraged this ability to make some money off of her. She must have been accurate, or else she wouldn't have been popular.

Miracle #2: An Earthquake - Demonstrates God's Power Over the Physical World
~ After Paul cast this demon out, the girl loses her ability to predict the future. Her masters have now lost their earning power and they drag Paul and Silas to the center of the city where they incite the crowd and Paul and Silas are beaten.

~ They are tossed into the innermost part of the prison, bound hand and foot. Their reaction to this must have been so different from the typical hardned prisoner. They are singing praise to God and praying in the middle of the night after this horrible abuse. The other prisoners listen to them. What a grace filled sound their song must have made in such a dark environment.

~ Then God looses all the prisoners. They are freed, hand and foot. The miracle doesn't seem to be so much the earthquake as it was freeing them from prison. God just decided to shake the ground while he did it.

Miracle #3: A Conversion - Demonstrates God's Power Over the Human Heart
~Upon seeing that all the prisoners are still there, the guard stops his suicide attempt. With fear and trembling, he falls at the feet of Paul and Silas and asks the most important question in life, "What must I do to be saved." Paul answers that Christ is the way of salvation.

~ The miracle of the new birth is the most amazing of all the miracles. It is amazing because of the sinfulness of natural man. Man would never desire God, God must take the initiative.

If you're looking for something to read, check out Edwards sermon on this text.

The Lord's Table

2007-02-12T15:09:00.000-06:00

Yesterday was a tremendous day at Grace Church. We enjoyed a morning of observing the Lord's Table. Rick Holland lead our service and did a tremendous job of preparing our hearts to observe with reverence. We looked at the necessity of self-examination in coming to the table. We looked at Ps 139. After considering God's Omniscience, David lays himself open to God's scrutiny. God's omniscience can be enjoyed by the examined and penitent heart. There are no secrets, and no hidden sin.

Dominion Principle - Random Observation

2007-02-08T17:15:00.001-06:00

This morning I took my wife and daughter to the pet store. We live in an apartment so a 'real' pet isn't an option. I'd love a dog (not a cat), maybe one day.

So we opted for the 3 gallon aquarium instead with 4 male guppies. It was fun getting it set up and checking out the fish that frantically swim away from the great claw (net) that appears from the sky and abducts their friends from their little aquatic home. Fish are funny. They make me laugh because their lives are so simple.

As I knelt down with my 13 month old and looked at the fish, I didn't want to miss out on the teachable moment. So I began to explain the Dominion Principle in Genesis 1 and 9. She was amazed and glad that mankind has been given such authority over the animal kingdom. My wife chimes in as we talk, "yes Kate, and we could eat the fish too if we wanted".

Just another reminder that theology is practical

The Sage

2007-02-07T14:06:00.000-06:00

I've been using this program called The Sage. It's a free download. It's a powerful thesaurus/dictionary tool. Check it out.

Holy Hip Hop

2007-02-07T12:51:00.000-06:00

I would encourage you to find an edition of the Feb 3 World Magazine. There is an article entitled 'Holy Hip Hop' which features an interview with Voice. Voice (Curtis Allen) is a member of Covenant Life Church in Md. Rap is far from my favorite genre of music, but I must admit that I don't know of another Christian album with more sound theology in it. Interestingly, they interview the 3 guys from Christcentric. One of them is an elder candidate, another is an elder and one is a Small Group leader and very involved.

Is Busyness a Virtue?

2007-02-06T12:21:00.000-06:00

In ministering to teenagers today, I’m reminded weekly if not daily just how busy our world is. We wear our busyness around like a virtue. I'm often shocked by the schedules these teenagers keep. School, soccer, guitar lessons, homework, church, baby-sitting, and a myriad of other activities consume virtually every minute. They don't have a lot of time to ride bikes around the neighborhood and be kids. This has inadvertently created a generation that is very bad at conversation and entertaining themselves. The expectation is for every minute to be designed to entertain them. No wonder we get blank stares when we challenge them to sit and read their Bibles. But we all understand this certainly isn’t just a teenage phenomenon. We all fall prey to this. How often have you been asked the question, “how are you”, and you respond, “busy, really busy”?

So to the question, is it a good thing that we are busy? Productivity is good, responsibility is good, discipline is good, ambition and innovation can be good, but I’m not sure that busyness is good; in fact I would argue the opposite. Busyness can be harmful. We need time to think, to pray, to read, to stop and enjoy the creation that God has blessed us with. I'm afraid that we've become so busy with so many activities that we don't really accomplish any of them very well.

I don't have all the answers as to how to fix this problem but here are some thoughts:
- Take a time audit. What are you spending your days doing and why?
- Prioritize your spiritual life and your family.
- Occasionally, plan to do nothing!
- Be productive. For me, often times the reason I end up working on things for so long is that I wasn't getting the job done when I should have. Intense focus on the task at hand means productivity.

Interesting Quote

2007-01-30T09:50:00.000-06:00

In Gary Gilley's, "This Little Church Went to Market" he quotes Erwin Lutzer, "Someone has said they have no fear the church will not succeed, but that it will succeed in those things that do not matter."

I thought this was well stated.

Preaching Narrative

2007-01-29T15:00:00.000-06:00

I am looking for some good resources on preaching NT narrative. Particularly, I would like to read some good stuff on making specific applications from NT narrative. I am presently teaching through Acts, which has been a fascinating study. I often find myself trying to find the right bridge from a historical and grammatical understanding to what I can tell the listener to do based on the truth found in the text. For example, we see Paul, Timothy and Luke being stopped by the Lord from pursuing missionary journeys in other regions. They go to Troas to wait for the Lord to reveal their next stop (which He does). What can we take from this applicationally? We're not waiting on the Lord in the same sense as they were, we're not waiting on a Word from God or a sign to direct our paths. Yet we understand theologically that God sovereignly directs our steps to accomplish His purposes. What are the rules that govern our thinking on applicational questions such as these?

Any thoughts or resources come to mind?

Thoughts About Death

2007-01-25T16:11:00.001-06:00

Recently I have found myself in the middle of some very difficult circumstances, ministering to a family dealing with a difficult loss and then in my own family, losing my grandmother this week.

We aren’t comfortable with death. It seems that every culture we study has some concept of deity, whether it is based on biblical revelation or not. I believe this is clear evidence that God has indeed written eternity in the heart of man (Eccl 3.11). Death was a result of the curse after sin entered the world in Genesis. As Christians, we must focus our thoughts towards eternity and the day that will come where we’ll no longer have to experience the pain of death.

Paul reminds us in I Corinthians that the temporary pain that life presents should rive our thoughts toward eternity and the perfection that we will enjoy there (I Cor 4.16-18). Too often we focus only on the temporary circumstances of life and we forget to think about the big picture.

The Gospel Truth

2006-12-11T21:14:00.000-06:00

We're studying Acts on Sunday mornings. We just finished chapter 14. What I've decided to do is use Acts to show the relationship of Paul's epistles to the events of the first century, particularly Paul's missionary journeys. So, this was the first week we did this. I did an overview of Galatians (actually half of it, i'll finish this week).

And just for the seminoids out there, I took the early dating of Galatians, South Galatian Theory and I think the events of Galatians 2 relates to the Famine Visit of Acts 11 rather than the Jerusalem Council in chapter 15. Hence, I think Galatians was written after the first Missionary Journey, prior to the Jerusalem Council.

7 Essential Gospel Truths:

1. The Gospel is Inalterable (1.6-12)
Paul is astonished that the Galatian people have so quickly been turned to the Law. The "Men of James" (2. ) had shown up subsequent to Paul's departure and been teaching that the Law must be kept, particularly circumcision, in order to be saved. Paul is astonished that so many are swayed by this teaching. He uses the strongest possible language to pronounce anathema upon any who would teach another gospel. It is good for us to keep in mind that the strongest possible language in the Bible is reserved for false teachers. There is nothing biblically worse than leading people astray from the true truth. See II Peter 2 and Jude for examples of judgment upon false teachers.

2. The Gospel is worth Fighting For (2.11-14)
This is really the point of the book. Peter and even Barnabus are swayed away by the Judaizers. They begin to hold themselves aloof from the Gentile converts acquiescing to the party of the circumcision. Paul asserts his own apostleship (in chapter 1 also) then also in chapter 2 by his bold move to stand up to Peter who is not being straightforward with the gospel. For us, the gospel is always worth a fight. My pastor reminds me of that often. There is nothing more important than truth. We must stand up for the truth no matter where the attacks come from. Any man or system that teaches anything other than Faith Alone in Christ Alone must be confronted. The gospel is worth a fight. May God give us grace to stand strong in our fight for Truth and the wisdom to gracefully bow out of conversations that are not profitable.

3. The Gospel is by Faith Alone in Christ Alone (3.1-5)
As previously stated, Paul is amazed that the gospel of Grace is being abandoned for the works of the Law. Only Faith in Christ can save. Paul reminds them of the receiving of the Holy Spirit and the miraculous works that accompanied their faith in Christ. Was it the Law or faith in Christ that brought these about?

How wonderful to be reminded of our faith in Christ. We could never work our way to God. The Law serves as a tutor to lead us to Christ. It shows us our need for Him and our utter inability to uphold the Law.

I'll have the other 4 posted next week.

They're Just Not Good

2006-11-21T18:29:00.000-06:00

I love Alabama football but the Tide is at a low right now. Coming off the heels of a 10-2 season, hopes were high. But really, last year wasn't all that impressive. Bama had a stellar defense that kept them in games and the offense just produced enough to win. The same story has continued this year, except our defense is now good, but not stellar. Ironically, the offense produces lots of yards, they just can't score. We have the highest number of red zone appearances in the SEC and the lowest TD percentage. You just can't win in the SEC with that.

The difference between good and bad is making plays, and we just can't do it when it counts. Consider this, the only 2 SEC wins came against Vandy (by a field goal) and Ole Miss (in OT!). Wow, how far we've come. I'd like to think next year will be better, and it could. The schedule turns in our favor with road trips to FSU, Ole Miss, Miss State and Auburn (we tend to be better there?). We have the big ones at home, UT, Georgia, LSU and Arkansas at home. I have very little confidence that a lot is going to change in a year though.

Is it Worth It?

2006-10-12T15:55:00.000-05:00

I find myself wearied from reading people pontificating on the worthiness of blogging. My theory: if you have something to say and time to say it then write a post. If you don't have something to say nor time and energy to do so, then don't. Hence the silence of this site for a while now. Time constraints and a general lack of desire to post are driving this. I was however confronted via email recently on my lack of effort into the blog. I thought his email was so good, I'm just going to post it here.

Enjoy and Jeremy, hope this keeps you entertained through a portion of your PB&J today!

Blogging and the Law of Diminishing Returns…

So gentlemen what has happened to the blogsphereical universe? There were such ravings about blogging every day regarding deep theological issues, armchair evaluations of college football, and thought provoking ministerial comments but now there is only the chirp of the cricket and the dust blowing lazily over the web space which once contained so much promise.

I ask myself what has gone wrong. Has the shiny new toy has lost its luster? Has this new communication tool been tossed aside like so many Christmas presents the day after Christmas?

Bottom line, gentlemen, I used to look forward to lunch time when I could read your erudite comments about the happenings in the world and ministry but now I must sit in my corner with PB&J in hand scraping the peanut butter from the roof of my mouth. Please help me look forward to lunch again!

Sincerely,

Jeremy

Not About Me

2006-09-13T11:50:00.000-05:00

Over the weekend we had a local retreat that we called N.A.M - Not About Me. The weekend featured teaching on serving and then the opportunity to go out and serve others. We had a phenomenal time. I loved every minute of it. On Friday night, we made cards and crafts that we would deliver on Saturday. I had the privilege of teaching that night from James 1.26-27 on the essence of genuine religion - to visit orphans and widows in their distress. Then on Saturday, we divided our Jr. High group into smaller groups to go out and serve. We had a team go to the Children's Hunger Fund to help pack boxes that would go to underprivileged families. Then we had teams going to visit some of our homebound members and also to an Assisted Care Living facility to participate in a worship service. I was reminded how much we underestimate these students and their ability to do ministry. I watched 12 year olds tell 90 yr olds about the saving work of Christ. It was a joy to watch.

I fear that too often in youth ministry, when students think of ministry, they think of games, fun, camp, bands, concerts, and funny, entertaining personalities. (But this really isn't just a youth problem.) Unfortunately, true ministry is often lost. We have lost the goal of Col 1.28-29 - to present everyman complete in Christ. That is what ministry is about. If we can have some fun somewhere in that process then fine, but fun isn't the goal. My prayer is that this would ignite a fire in the hearts of our students and staff to serve more in this type of ministry.

preaching quote

2006-08-19T01:27:00.000-05:00

For you men who will undertake the task of preaching this week.

‘When a man who is apt in teaching, whose soul in on fire with the truth which he trusts has saved him and hopes will save others, speaks to his fellow-men, face to face, eye to eye, and electric sympathies flash to and fro between him and his hearers, till they lift each other up, higher and higher, into the intensest thought and the most impassioned emotion – higher and yet higher, till they are borne as on chariots of fire above the world, - there is a power to move men, to influence character, life, destiny, such as no printed page can ever possess.’

John Broadus
A Treatise on the Preparation and Delivery of Sermons
p. 2

camp blog

2006-07-24T10:07:00.000-05:00

Check out our camp blog. it was a great time.

Real Estate Record?

2006-07-02T20:39:00.000-05:00

I have a new So Cal real estate record. For those of you who live in other parts of the world, you'll get a kick out of this. I live in a little area called Montrose which is north of LA, close to Glendale. There was a little house up the road from my apartment that went up for sale. The house is 900 Sq Feet, 2br, 1 bath. I called on the house, the listing price: $699,000. That's right, a half million more than what could possibly be considered reasonable. That's just out of control.

Busy Days

2006-06-20T23:32:00.000-05:00

Gotta love summer and youth ministry.

The last few weeks have been insane with no real end in sight. We had a ministry camping trip last week, followed by a Staff Party Monday night, a Beach Day on Tuesday, a Family Cookout on Wednesday night and then I'm flying out early Thurs morning to teach at a camp in Florida. The next few weeks promise to be just as busy as the previous ones.

Please keep the JH ministry in your prayers. We're having a great time building relationships with new students and learning where they are in their spiritual lives. One day I'll get back to posting a bit more regularly, but no promises.

A Must Read

2006-05-30T16:03:00.000-05:00

You should read this book.

How's that for a review?

Back in Business

2006-05-30T10:45:00.000-05:00

The biggest devolopment in my life as of late has been my completion of the second council in the ordination process. This is 'the big one' in our ordination system. The Grace Church ordination process involves a series of 3 councils. The first council involves your call and character. For me, this was my interview to join the pastoral staff at GCC. The second council is done with 3 elders from the board. You choose your own council and they get to grill you with questions for a couple of hours. They question you in 3 areas, 1. Biblical knowledge, 2. Systematic Theology, and 3. Practical Theology (counseling). After this council the 3rd council involves preaching before the elders at a monthly meeting.

I can't believe this process is actually happening. I'm excited but more humbled by the prospect of being an elder. I can't get over the unimaginable reality of the gospel, that we can be called children of God (I J 3). On top of that, he calls some to be undershepherds and give leadership to local congregations. What an amazing God we serve!

Big, Big, God

2006-05-05T02:53:00.000-05:00

We’ve been teaching a class in our JH group called 'Student Seminary.' We meet on Sunday afternoons for 3 classes, 2 hrs each. This is designed for the students who want to go to the next level of learning and thinking. I've been so encouraged by the students response to the teaching.

This session we have focused our attention on the Trinity. We're taking the 3 weeks and studying God the Father, God the Son and God the Spirit. In this study, I have found my own heart once again overwhelmed by God. He is immense, indescribable, omniscient, omnipotent, eternal, and the list could continue on and on. Perhaps the most compelling, humbling and striking truth is the condescension of God. In light of His immensity, how is it possibly true that God looks to 'the one who is humble and trembles at his word.' (Is 66.2). God was under no obligation to make Himself known and certainly did not owe us an audience with Him. Yet, even in his greatness and immensity, He chose to allow us to be made right with HIM!

OT Regeneration

2006-05-05T02:47:00.000-05:00

Have you every thought much about the ministry of the Holy Spirit in the Old Testament? It is an interesting discussion that is worth having. Dr. Barrick wrote a journal article a few years back about the work of regeneration in the Old Testament. It is a great study and can be found here. Barrick argues that regeneration is clearly seen in the OT.

Selfishness and Evangelism

2006-04-29T15:29:00.000-05:00

I returned home from the Together for the Gospel Conference yesterday. We got out on time but had to circle DFW for a while b/c of the bad weather. When we make it inside, our connection changed gates a couple of times and the times kept getting bumped further and further back. We finally got out about 2 ½ hrs late. I got on the plane and honestly, I wasn’t in a bad mood, but just really didn’t feel like talking. I had just experienced a great conference and really wanted to use some of the flight time to process what I had learned (did that sounds spiritual?). So, I find my window seat and I pray the typical airline prayer, “Lord, if it be your will, may this seat beside me remain vacant, and if not, may it be someone very small.” (I know, look at the title this post). Well, neither prayer was answered. An extremely kind older lady comes and finds her seat beside me. She was friendly and I immediately thought, oh no, she’s going to talk to me the whole time. We exchanged a few pleasantries and then I buried my head in a journal with my pen in hand, trying to look as consumed as possible until the long awaited, “you’re now free to use approved electronic devices” announcement. As soon as this happens, I grab my large noise cancelling headphones, my ipod and I lock in. I thought to myself, I’m free now; no one will dare talk to me with these babies on! Unfortunately, I was right. I sat and had a great time of reflection and thinking through the messages taught the previous week.

It wasn’t until the last 30 minutes of the flight that I emerged from my cocoon. Being in full time ministry, one thing that I miss greatly from the secular world is interaction with the lost. I pray often that God would give me evangelistic opportunities. God began to remind me of the numerous times that I prayed that prayer. OK, OK, I’ll try to talk to her, I thought to myself.

Long story short, the lady that I had prayed earlier would not arrive, happened to be a child Holocaust survivor from Poland. She spent 4 ½ years in various concentration camps, finally being liberated by British troops in Germany. She is apparently one of the youngest known survivors. She now lectures on different things from history, racism, peace, etc. Wow, I had strategically limited my time of conversation with this wonderfully interesting woman. The nature of what she did lead to a natural conversation about the gospel. She was somewhat of a pluralist/universalist – denying any form of exclusivity in the gospel. I attempted to show her, starting with the 10 commandments that God demands absolute allegiance to Him and Him only. Man cannot pick his path to God. She did believe the NT but did not accept its claims to exclusivity. Pray for this lady. She was talkative so I had difficulty getting to all the salient points that I felt were necessary in the gospel. I praise God for this opportunity and I can’t help but think that if I had broken out of my selfish attitude over say Albuquerque rather than Palm Springs, I would have been able to impart more truth.

If you are a Christian reading this, please, learn from my selfishness. Think about the gospel each and every day. Everywhere you go could be an opportunity for Christ to be exalted through evangelism.

Preach the Word this Week

2006-04-13T02:23:00.000-05:00

"If your discourse urges the hearer merely with excellent reasons and inducements, natural, ethical, social, legal, political, self-interested, philanthropic, if it does not end by bringing their wills under the direct grasp of a 'Thus saith the Lord,' it is not a sermon; it has degenerated into a speech."

Evangelical Eloquence, R.L. Dabney, p. 34.

Salvation Stories, 3

2006-04-10T17:11:00.000-05:00

We’ve been doing a study of the book of Acts in Jr. High ministry. The book of Acts is all about the spread of the gospel. Once the Spirit comes in chapter 2, the world begins to be shaken (sometimes literally) for Christ. No matter how much the Sanhedrin tries, they cannot kill this movement. The gospel is unstoppable.

In this Luke occasionally takes us to individuals whose lives are transformed by Christ and tells us their stories. Recently we’ve been looking at some of these stories. The third in this series is the story of a Centurion named Cornelius.

God uses some interesting events to bring him to faith in Christ.

God uses 2 Visions and a Sermon

Vision #1 – Preparation of the Recipient

God uses this vision to prepare Cornelius to receive the saving message of Christ. Cornelius is noted as an honest, generous and upright man. Yet, despite his best efforts, he was missing out b/c he did not have a true knowledge of Christ. This is an example of someone acting on the light that God gave him and God then delivering the full revelation through a human messenger. (cf – Rom. 1.18-32).

Vision #2 – Preparation of the Messenger

I’ve dreamed a time or two about food but nothing quite like this. God ironically uses this vision while Peter is hungry and supper’s being cooked. He sees a host of unclean animals and is commanded to ‘kill and eat.’ Peter’s a good Jewish boy who predictably refuses to consider such a thought. God insist and explains that the dietary standards of Lev. 11 no longer apply.

Peter is being prepared to take the gospel to the GENTILE Cornelius. God uses this vision to prepare the messenger – Peter.

A Sermon

This short sermon is stout and extremely effective. The tenets of the true gospel are in place, the passion narrative, the resurrection, the post resurrection appearances and the commissioning of the people (compare with I Cor 15). At the end of this sermon, the power of God is made evident through the falling of the Holy Spirit upon the Gentiles. This is a new day in Redemptive History.

For the Preachers

2006-04-04T11:02:00.000-05:00

"...all genuine preaching is rooted in a feeling of desperation. The preacher wakes up on the Lord's Day morning and he can smell the smoke of hell on one side and feel the crisp breezes of heaven on the other. he then looks down at his pitiful notes and he says to himself, 'Who do I think I am kidding? Is this all there is? Though oftentimes a source of great anxiety, this is the proper conclusion for the preacher of the cross. He is ever mindful of his inadequacies in relationship to the immensity of the task at hand."

Arturo Azurdia, Spirit Empowered Preaching, p. 92

I have this quote taped to the inside cover of my Bible.

Salvation Stories:

2006-03-27T12:42:00.000-06:00

Acts 9:1-31:
Throughout Redemptive History, we see God uses many different avenues to bring people into a relationship with Him. We see He sometimes uses a dramatic story, such as an Augustine, sometimes it’s a conversation, sometimes a sermon, sometimes it’s someone quietly contemplating Scripture in their own home. Regardless, there are some common threads in each and every conversion account. In Acts 9 we have the conversion of Saul recorded. Through this dramatic and well known account, we have some universal truths about conversion that can easily be seen.

Conversion begins with God (1-2)
~ Saul was the most unlikely of candidates for the outpouring of God’s grace. When we find Paul in this story, he is on his way to Damascus with letters in hand that give him permission to bind anyone and everyone who has converted to the cult of Christianity, and lead them back to Jerusalem for prosecution. Saul is actively hostile to God.

Although most are not this anti-Christ in their pre-conversion state, it is a good reminder that we are ALL hostile to God (Titus 3). No one seeks God (Romans 3), and no one does good. This is why salvation must be God initiated b/c man is bound to his sinful nature and has no inherit goodness in him.

Conversion only comes through Christ (3-9)
~ Our world today is increasingly pluralistic. Sincerity is a buzz word. The truth is sincerity doesn’t matter, truth matters. I can sincerely dispute the law of gravity, but the second I step off the edge of the roof, I will fall to the ground. Sincerity only matters if you have truth.

Paul was the ultimate religious individual. This encounter isn’t necessary if there was another path to God. Judaism without Christ is a false religion – then and now.

This amazing story is a demonstration of God’s goodness, power, sovereignty, grace, and care for individual souls.

Conversion brings brokenness over sin (9b)
~ Saul is given a few days off by God. After his ‘blinded by the light’ encounter, he sits for 3 days – taking no food or even water. I would imagine he isn’t real chatty either. He’s broken over his sin. He’s recalling faces of those that he has persecuted, he’s thinking about his life and how it must now change.

This is a common experience in salvation. When one understands the God of the Bible, this sheds amazing light on your understanding of yourself.

Conversion produces a desire for prayer (v 11)
~ Saul is found praying. I would recommend JC Ryle’s “A Call to Prayer” on this point. It is excellent.

Conversion changes your friendships (19.b)
~ Saul goes and finds the disciples of Damascus. As Christians, we must seek out other Christian friends. We’re kidding ourselves if we think we can live the Christian life without having genuine fellowship. This is a particularly appropriate point with the students that I minister to.

Conversion changes your mission (20-31)
~ Saul’s goal in life shift radically from killing the church to building her up. He shifts from being angered by Christ to loving Him and proclaiming him in the synagogues – exactly what he went to Damascus to stop.

Saul’s story is radical. But we all are to be on mission for Christ, no matter what job you have. Every day is an opportunity to glorify God and to make him known to an unbelieving world.

A Good Post

2006-03-25T03:26:00.000-06:00

The blogging phenom has more than caught on. I have a number of blogs that I check but rarely do I spend a long amount of time at any one. I was thinking about this and which posts I actually read in their entirety. Here's what I think makes a good post:

1. Brevity - If you can't say it concisely, I'm probably not listening.

2. White Space - If I want to read a term paper, I'll go to the library. Use paragraphs, bullet points, make it visually appealing. For the blog world, this is more important than grammar and form (at least for me).

3. Non-Diary Oriented - I don't care about your dentist appointment, unless you're incredibly clever and funny.

4. Good Intro - Just like any other piece of literature, you better catch em quick.

5. Purpose - Have a point, communicate it, and stop.

In the Study

2006-03-23T10:38:00.000-06:00

I love to study. There is nothing better than breaking out all your books, bible in hand, a fine pen and a quality cup of coffee. Study is fun. Yet, I so often find myself distracted by so many things that don’t really matter. I truly believe that the pastor’s top priorities must be the Word and Prayer. I was recently looking at some prints of some of the great men of church history. As I looked at a couple of pics of Spurgeon in his library, I was struck by the lack of something in his library – and it certainly wasn’t missing books. On Spurgeon’s desk there was no computer, no telephone, no cell phone and no ipod. We have the beauty of information readily available to us but we also live with the curse of having our time so fragmented that we never accomplish anything. If you are in ministry, I would encourage you to look at your calendar and ask yourself if the two top pastoral priorities are reflected in your schedule.

2006-03-18T01:44:00.000-06:00

Thanks to Blog and Mablog.

2006-03-17T15:12:00.000-06:00

gotta start em young.

Equal Ground

2006-03-15T12:07:00.000-06:00

Of all the inequalities in the world, one constant remains - we all have the same amount of time with each and every day. Coming out of the Shepherds' Conference, perhaps the most impactful aspect for me was observing the work ethic of the men who came to serve us. Looking at the life of a Mohler, Dever, Mahaney, Sproul, Steve Lawson, Lig Duncan and my own pastor, Johnny Mac, I'm overwhelmed, convicted and borderline depressed all at the same time. These men are smart - yes. But they have an insatiable desire to read, to study and learn from others. I think about their example and how much time I find myself wasting. I've been thinking through my schedule and how I can better use my time for God's glory. Sometimes these guys seem superhuman but the reality is they have trained their bodies and brains to focus and produce. I've been praying that God would give me a greater desire to be a learner! All of us want knowledge but few are willing to put forth the effort to learn.

Life After Conference

2006-03-06T10:58:00.000-06:00

For the faithful few that frequent this blog - my apologies for the delay in posting. We've had a little conference going on out here called the Shepherds Conference. The conference is the highlight of the year for me. What an encouragement to be able to encourage pastors! Is there a greater joy than to minister to ministers??

This year was a special treat for me as we had a Youth Track that ran throughout the conference. The meetings are broken down into General Sessions (everyone together) and then Seminar Sessions which are more workshop oriented. During the 5 seminar sessions, we had a seminar on Youth ministry each time. It was a great privilege to meet with these men who love to talk about ministering to students. I pray that we were half of the encouragement that they were to us. God is so gracious to allow sinful people like me to be in His ministry.

12 Year Olds and Proverbs

2006-02-18T13:18:00.000-06:00

I love the challenge of teaching Jr. High students each and every week. It keeps you sharp, keeps you practical and can be extremely rewarding. We currently have 2 studies going in our Jr. High Ministry. On Sunday mornings we are studying the book of Acts. On Wednesday nights we are studying Proverbs. I have a competent team of men who are helping me teach through this book. I teach about every 3-4 weeks with the other guys handling the other weeks. It has been a great study. I believe Proverbs was written for youth. The temptation is to gloss over some of the difficult stuff (chapters 5, 7, 9) and completely move around the adulterous woman and the discussions that come with that. I think that is precisely what Solomon would NOT want us to do. These students are being educated on the temptations of the world; why not give them a biblical grid to think through the issues? We completed Proverbs 9 last Wednesday with a discussion of the invitation of the adulterous woman. I sat in on one of the small groups after I taught and was thrilled to see many of the boys thinking through the issues. They understand the temptation of the world, now it's our job to give them the tools to go to battle. True change only comes through Christ so pray with me that these students would come to understand the power that God has supplied through His Spirit and His Word.

Camp Doesn't Dissapoint

2006-02-15T00:15:00.000-06:00

We had a wonderful time away as a ministry last weekend at our annual Winter Camp. We took our Jr. High ministry and our dedicated volunteer staff away for a weekend of teaching, games, fellowship and lots of fun. This was a concentrated 50 hours of learning, conviction, and little sleep. Here's a categorical recap of the highlights.

Time With Students: Awesome. I had the opportunity to talk to some students that I normally don't interact with too much. It is great for them to see me in a different environment. I love asking them their opinions about life and what their learning about.

Fellowship With Staff: This has to be the highlight of every event that we do. I love the volunteer staff that I serve with. They are committed to the ministry, they love students, they love each other and these guys are some of the funniest people I've ever been around. We play hard and get real serious when it's appropriate.

Preaching: Stellar. Adam Bailie was our camp speaker. We played off of the Winter Olympic theme. He taught the qualifying trials for the Christian life from James. Our students were confronted with the truth of the gospel in a real and understandable manner. There was more than one student who admitted that they did not know Christ. That is a start, but as heartbreaking as it is, many are not willing to turn loose of their sin. At least they are not deceived as to where they stand with Christ. Please pray for these students.

Fun: Outstanding. Camp is just fun. From playing crazy games, to the late night everything's funny stage, camp is a blast.

God and Camp

2006-02-10T02:14:00.000-06:00

When I get to heaven, I'm going to ask God about youth camp. We can all look back on our spiritual lives and see the impact that a particular camp, retreat or weekend away had. I know all the roller coaster, emotional, shallow commitment that can occur but it is amazing to hear story after story of how God used events such as a camp to really change someone's life with His truth. I have some theories. I think it is the result of a combination of ridding yourself of the typical distractions - entertainment items, freindships, family, TV, etc., and the intense input of spiritual truth. It's hard to imagine that growth can't take place when you're hearing 2 sermons a day, involved in 2 small group discussions and have many leaders around that are pouncing on any and every opportunity to talk about spiritual truth. Please don't misunderstand me to be saying that the working of God can be formulized and presumed upon but it just seems that God honors the pure proclamation of His truth and works through this venue.

I think another dynamic, a less spiritual one, is just the act of getting out of town. There is something to this. Many corporations recognize this and will take their leadership away for weekend retreats or for meetings. It helps sometimes to break away from the familiar for a time of rethinking and reflection.

We leave for camp tomorrow (well, today now). Please pray for our camp. Pray that God would use Adam as he teaches. I have been over and over the list of students going this weekend. I see lots of 'good kids' but very few that I would say have a true passion for Christ that outweighs everything else in their life. Please pray for me as well that I wouldn't get so administratively minded that I miss this great opportunity with staff and students. Pray also for our volunteer staff as they seek to minister to these students this weeken.

Stephen's Last Stand

2006-02-06T00:10:00.000-06:00

Stephen’s Last Stand
Acts 7.1-60

~ The soil of the church is wet with the blood of the martyrs. How true. The more Satan tries to stomp out the church, the more she grows. Satan always overplays his hand. In attempts to strike fear upon the church, persecution actually works to spread the gospel.

Stephen is the first of a long line of Christian martyrs.

His Defense (1-50)
~ The accusers of Stephen are unable to cope with the arguments that he is dishing out. They cannot discredit his teaching, despite their best efforts. As is the case so often, if you can’t win, cheat. They come up with false witnesses to make up charges against him. They assert 3 false charges and Stephen addresses each one of them in his speech, referencing THEIR God, with THEIR Scripture – infuriating. Stephen attacks all the false grounds of legalism which they held to for their security in God. Knowing the likely outcome of his speech, Stephen pulls no punches and takes advantage of the opportunity for Christ.

His Defiance (51-53)
~ After a masterful speech, the finger turns, points directly at his accusers and he begins his own accusations. They are accused of being unspiritual in their resistance of the Holy Spirit, they are unrighteous in their heritage – acting just like their fathers who killed the prophets and they are hypocritical – acknowledging the divine origin of the word of God but refusing to submit to its authority. These comments are inflammatory to the supposed spiritual leaders of Israel.

His Death (54-60)
~ The result of this speech is unsurprising at best. In the midst of the mob scene, Stephen is allowed a special grace – he sees a vision of the Lord Jesus at the right hand of God. It seems as though God gave him a special grace and encouragement in time of extreme and special need. Stephen conveys his vision to the mob which only inflames the situation worse. He is driven out of town and brutally killed by the mob throwing stones at him.

It’s hard to know what to do with this type of persecution. Here in the states we are not experiencing this same type of persecution. It is important to note that this is happening in other parts of the planet. Here are a few helpful websites that will keep you up to date on what our brothers and sisters are enduring:
www.persecution.com
www.christianpersecution.info
www.compassdirect.org
I gave the students a list of actions steps to help process this message.
1. Thank God for this time of blessing.
2. Put your hardships in perspective
3. Take time to be serious
4. Realize the high accountability you have
5. Pray for those who are persecuting and those being persecuted
6. Don’t go looking for persecution
7. Don’t be surprised when it comes
8. Repent and Believe in Christ

Excellent Blog

2006-01-24T10:57:00.000-06:00

Make sure you check out the Together for the Gospel blog. Take note of Dever's entry on The Unbearable Lightness of Blogging. It's a great post, although I fear that after you read that, you'll never stop back by here!