Don’t Read Fast… Read Slowly

John Pipers book Brothers We Are Not Professionals has some great wisdom. With regards to pastors and their reading he says that we should not be skimming books, or trying to keep up with Pastor Jones. This feeds pride and breeds spiritual barrenness. Piper quotes Charles Spurgeon, A student will find that his mental constitution is more effected by one book thoroughly mastered than by twenty books which he has merely skimmed, lapping at them.

Piper then says: the point is not to read many books. The point is to stay alive in your soul, to keep the juices flowing, to fan the flame again on Monday and have it burning bright on Saturday night.

The advice Piper gives on reading is great – plan, discipline yourself to read 20 mins in the morning, twenty minutes after lunch and 20 mins before bed. If your an average reader in term so of speed this would mean you read 36 books in a year!

God The Peacemaker: How Atonement Brings Shalom by Graham Cole

The Atonement, according to Graham Cole, does not just bring us great spiritual benefits as Christians, but it should also have a ‘physical’ impact on us. It should bring us peace. Christ’s death and resurrection should allow us to live lives controlled by Christ’s love. It is a life, as Cole writes, which pursues mercy-showing and shalom-making as agents of peace, in evangelism and witness.

In this study of the atonement, Cole examines why there was the need for the atonement, the effects of Christ’s death and the aftermath of living post-atonement. In all of this, Cole’s underlying point is that atonement (should) bring us shalom – peace. There is no shalom with God without sacrifice. Peace is made through the blood of the cross. And ultimately the goal is God’s glory. Why did God create? Why salvation history? Why the Cross? Why a new heaven and a new earth? So that we might glorify God.

As part of this discussion Cole examines in-depth the various view of atonement, especially christus victor and of course penal substitution. This is as clear a presentation of these two models as I have read. And Cole’s conclusion acknowledges that both the christus victor and penal substitution are vital in understanding the ‘why’ Christ died and in explaining ‘what’ happened when died and rose again.
Cole writes: Any delineation of the atonement centerpiece needs to do justice not only to penal substitution but also to the christus victor motif.. .

This book gives you the framework to actually live out the atonement in everyday life. It gives you BOTH the theology and the response, which makes it a great addition to the books on the atonement which are available.

I highly recommend it. Go buy it HERE

Dr Ashley Null

This past weekend we had the pleasure of Ashley Null preaching at our Church. Ashley is a Canon Theologian and a Lecturer in Berlin in Anglican Tradition. He has written a tremendous book on Thomas Cramner’s theology, Thomas Cranmer’s Doctrine of Repentance: Renewing the Power to Love. He was in town for the Mere Anglicanism Conference (again, highly recommended).

It was a joy to spend a little time with him. Here is his sermon:

Sunday Sermon 24 January 2010

Gospel Powered Parenting: How The Gospel Shapes And Transforms Parenting by William Farley

Parenting is hard. It is a mixture of joy, laughter, tears, sadness, disappointment (with self and with your children), struggles, rewards, satisfaction, fear, worry, contentment, thanksgiving and a hundred other adjectives.

Parenting books and especially Christian parenting books are plentiful – all with advice, plans, schedules and more advice on how to parent `successfully’.

This is an interesting addition to the `Parenting’ library.

Farley’s main point is that there is little direct biblical instruction on parenting. And the reason for this is that the Gospel is (or at least should be) the tutorial that informs our parenting.

Farley begins with five assumptions which parents must hold – and then he unpacks these five assumptions throughout the book. The five are:

1. effective Christian parents assume that parenting will not be easy but that rewards will ultimately make it worth while
2. effective Christian parents are willing to hold God’s sovereignty and their responsibility in tension
3. effective Christian parents assume an offensive mindset. They pursue their child’s heart – they do everything possible to make the gospel attractive. The gospel is the focus and goal for the parent NOT protecting their children from worldly influence
4. effective Christian parents are shrewd about new birth. They do not assume it. They understand the nature of new birth and they carefully look for its symptoms.
5. Effective Christian parents labor to focus their families on God not their children.

There is much in this book which is not politically correct in our society today. For example he advocates the use of corporal discipline (spanking). And, he says, a spanking SHOULD hurt the child. However, once the child is spanked, you should hold them. Much of modern society and many in the Christian church would disagree with that.

Also, I found the chapter on `Gospel Fathers’, which expresses his view of headship, unbalanced. I do not think he portrayed a biblical or balanced view on headship and that was frustrating. In fact, the way he wrote the chapter suggested to me he really does not understand biblical headship. Rather than coming across as someone who advocates Biblical headship (which I advocate) he simply came across as a male chauvinist. Biblical headship has two sides of the coin – a wife IS to submit to her husband – but the husband is to love his wife AS CHRIST LOVED THE CHURCH. Farley never mentions this side of headship in the book – the dying of the husband for his wife – he only mentions the wife submitting to the husband and when you present only ONE side of biblical headship it comes across as male domination.

Farley’s main premise; that the Gospel should shape and be at the center of our parenting is of course right. Not necessarily because it is THE right parenting model – but because as Christians the Gospel SHOULD shape EVERY aspect of our lives. So on one level this book should be redundant. Of course we should be parenting from a foundation of the gospel. The fact that there is a need for this book shows just how far the gospel can be from being the center of everything we do. The next book could be “Gospel Powered Employee”, then the “Gospel Powered Employer” or “Gospel Powered School Teacher” etc.

Another thing this book (and other parenting books) do not develop (although I guess its partially covered under #2 of his assumptions) is what happens when you follow ALL of this and still your child does not respond. The mantra is too often “My child was rebellious but now they are a perfect son / daughter.” Perhaps we need a book which is written by a godly parent who parented in a gospel powered fashion, and it did not work – that the child rebelled and continued to rebel. For the danger of these type of books is they can subconsciously suggest that if you follow this path your child WILL be fine. Sometimes children are not fine. And many a good parent loses their child to a life of rebellion through no fault of the parent, but because we are steeped in sin and sometimes people do not respond to the gospel. And that is hard.

Having said all that – I would still encourage parents to read this book. There is much to be gleaned from its pages.

An Interesting View of T4G

I found this interesting – especially from a blog I respect and would say is sympathetic to reformed / biblical theology

SEE HERE

Snowy England…

I had never seen so much snow in England – EVER!

Why We Love The Church by Kevin DeYoung and Ted Kluck

This is the second book from DeYoung and Kluck (although both have authored other books individually). Their first joint book was Why We’re Not Emergent, which was a critical look at the emergent movement.

This book continues the offensive against ‘emergent’ or post-modern Christian thinking regarding the church. The authors say that the book is for the committed, the disgruntled, the waffling and the disconnected. And their aim is to try and show that the emerging approach to ‘church’ and especially it’s extreme negativity and even outright rejection to the traditional mode of church is damaging, unhelpful and more importantly unbiblical. As they write, church is not…

….three guys drinking  pumpkin spiced lattes at Starbucks talking about the spirituality of the  Violent Femmes and why Sex and the City is really profound. I mean the  local church that meets-wherever you want it to meet-but exults in the  cross of Christ; sings songs to a holy and loving God; has church officers,  good preaching, celebrates the sacraments, exercises discipline; and takes  an offering. This is the church that combines freedom and form in corporate  worship, has old people and young, artsy types and NASCAR junkies….

They acknowledge that the church is flawed and messed up but that is not reason enough to simply dump it, not to constantly rip it apart. Also, they decry much of the statistics which proclaim the ‘death’ or ‘demise’ of the church. As they write, when over a hundred million people in this country attend church  at least once a month, it seems a bit of a hyperbole to suggest that the church  in America is about to disappear into thin air.

There is value in the traditional, (that is program oriented, structured, pastor led) church…

….I’m also glad that my church is “organized.” I’m glad I know where to  put my toddler on Sunday morning. I’m glad somebody was institutional  enough to think through topics for a Sunday school class or two. I’m glad my  pastor, rather than just freewheeling it, cares enough to study Scripture and  a bookshelf full of dead authors to give me real spiritual food each Sunday.  I’m glad somebody leads a social outreach ministry to those less fortunate  in our area. I’m glad somebody (not me) makes sure the kids are learning  something biblical in their classes. It is, at its most basic, organized religion.  And I love it….

DeYoung and Kluck equate a dissatisfaction with the church with a relaxing of  orthodox theology; “substitutionary atonement,” “justification  by faith alone,” “the necessity of faith and repentance,” “the utter inability  of man to save himself,” and “the centrality of the cross and resurrection” and their concern is for such people five or ten years down the road. For the authors, while the ‘traditional’ church  has problems there are the checks and balances, especially theologically, which can stop a descent into heresy or error.

This is not a polemic against fresh expressions of church or house churches. They can be valuable. What the authors emphasize is that “house  church” in America often means anticlergy, antiauthority, antiliturgy, anti-sermon,   antibuilding, anti-most ways of doing church over the past 1,700  years. And that is not right.

One area where I think DeYoung and Kluck get wrong in the book  is they under estimate, to the point of dismissal, the influence of Constantine and his legacy in the modern church. One of their final attacks is against the notion that the influence of Constantine may have to some extent derailed the early church, and left a legacy which we feel even today. They write…

Not only does it strain credulity past the breaking point to think that  buildings caused the wheels to fall off the unstoppable church bus, it’s also  unhelpfully idealistic. No wonder so many people are disillusioned with the  church today. They think it was nigh unto perfect back in the good old days.  And then came institutionalism, or Constantine, or Christendom, or Greek  thinking, or the Enlightenment, or modernism, or systematic theology, or  Old Princeton, or whatever your boogeyman looks like. The church used to  be a rockin,’ sweet place, and then, bam!, it all fell apart, and now we are  finally enlightened enough to start picking up the pieces.

Ironically the authors say this directly after quoting ME. They quote me from an article I wrote (The Paradox Of A Divided Church Called To Be Reconcilers To The World) which was published in a book by Spencer Burke. Without defending my article (which I am sure is both flawed and inadequate) my aim was not to try and defend the emerging church approach but rather to show that the effects of Constantine’s influence on the church was to legalize Christianity. The legalization of Christianity meant there was no cost to conversion, and in many cases probably little repentance – the Emperor is a Christian and therefore so are we. The church became wealthy and landowners from this time forth and now today, buildings have become more important than the Gospel. I do not advocate that we should return to a ‘house’ church model, nor that we should get rid of buildings for meeting places. But when a building and it’s up keep becomes more important than the ministry the building contains there is a problem.

Their dismissal of this point, without reference to scholars such as Alan Krieder, Rudi Heinze, Alistair Kee (Constantine Versus Christ), A Jones (Constantine And The Conversion Of Europe) and John Eadie (The Conversion of Constantine) was a little too shabby.

But then again, I would say that, wouldn’t I.

But having said all that, this is a vigorous and mostly useful defense of ‘traditional’ church although I do think Jim Belcher’s chapter on Ecclesiology in his book, Deep Church (I reviewed it HERE) does as good a job in upholding the traditional church alongside the need for change as Why We Love The Church.

Amazon Kindle

Just before the new year I was given a Kindle 2. I had mixed feelings about the Kindle. i love books. I love reading. I was skeptical that I, at least, would want to read anything through a Kindle.

Well, my family took a trip back to England on the 6th Jan, and so I felt that would an ideal time to test out the Kindle. So i loaded it up with some 40 books – everything from Spurgeon’s sermons, to theological books by Mark Dever, novels and Bibles.

The first thing I noticed was the ease with which you can buy and download books. The wireless feature allows you to search amazon – you find a book, press buy and within a minute or so it appears on your Kindle. A really cool feature is the text-to-read – you can have the kindle READ the book to you – with a choice of male or females voices!!

The handling of the Kindle grew on me – the functions are quickly grasped. It is light and easy to hold. As of today I have read four books on it.

And it has grown on me. In fact I really like it. It is amazing being able to put 50 plus books into your brief case – without strap breaking!!!!

Reading on a Kindle is more enjoyable than I thought. I have read four books on the trip to  and from England   – two of which were novels. I confess that i did enjoy reading on the kindle – it is easy to get enthralled in a book just as easily as if you are holding a physical book. You soon do not realize that you are reading from an e-reader.

The Kindle has really grown on me. It now goes everywhere with me. Will it replace physical books – no. But I think the Kindle is IDEAL for traveling, and for taking with you when hauling books around with you is not practical or convenient. Not everyone will like the Kindle or the idea of not holding a physical book – but from being a skeptic I am now an affirmed fan.

Time To Let Go…

Tony Blair will be testifying at the Iraq Inquiry shortly. The Daily Telegraph has an article on how the families of some of the families of soldiers who have died wanted a 15 minute closed door session with Blair.

I doubt that will happen.

And the families need to let it go. Regardless of how they feel about Blair – that he was a lair, a war-mongerer – a murderer, the families need to get on with life. The truth will come out – scripture tells us that. Spending their life seeking justice and fighting on a human level to avenge the death of their loved one as they fought in the army will leave them exhausted. They need to give it to God – trust in his justice and sovereignty and move on in their lives. They need to let  go of Blair and their anger of him;

Do not avenge yourselves, dear friends, but give place to God’s wrath, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay,” says the Lord.  Rather, if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in doing this you will be heaping burning coals on his head. Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Romans 12:19-21

What Would YOU Do If You Were The Pastor Of The Church in Laodicea – Rev 3

There is a constant pull to try to keep people around rather than truly lead the faithful who remain. When my church was started, I used to tell my wife that I didn’t care if we only had ten people, as long as they really loved God and desired to worship Him with all of their hearts. Where is that conviction now?

I sometimes wonder what I would have done if I were the pastor of the church in Laodicea. We’re all familiar with that church in Revelation 3:14-22. It’s the “lukewarm” church that Jesus said He would “spit out” of His mouth. Would I have been strong enough to overcome the prevailing attitude of the entire church? Or would I have eventually been sucked into its flow and fate? I like to think I could have stood alone, but I’m not so sure.

Francis Chan

The Doctrine Of Assurance – Part 9

WILLIAM PERKINS

William Perkins (1558-1602) was probably the best known and most widely read divine of the Elizabethan period. By the time of his death, Perkins writings were outselling Calvin and Beza. A large part of Perkins studies was taken up with showing men that they must make their calling and election sure to themselves (2 Peter 1:10). Perkins own thinking and theology was heavily influenced by Theodore Beza, who was Calvin’s successor at Geneva (see appendix).

In his exposition of Galatians, Perkins clearly lays out his understanding of the grounds for assurance; first came the general promise of the gospel, by which faith becomes a particular personal promise; secondly the testimony  of the Holy Spirit witnessing with our spirit that we are the children of God; and third, the syllogism which rests partly on the gospel and partly on experience. This was patterned on Beza’s views.

There are a number of important areas of Perkins understanding which need clarifying. Firstly Perkins believed in Works of Preparation preceding the Work of Grace. A Christian goes through a process of preparation before he is saved. We shall see how this functions in Perkins understanding in a moment.

Secondly, Perkins definition of assurance needs to be established. It would appear that in his Works 1:125 & 564 Perkins blatantly contradicts himself.

Firstly he says: Whereas some are of the opinion that faith is assurance or confidence, that seems to be otherwise; for it is a fruit of faith…

Then later he writes; True faith is both an unfallible assurance, and a particular assurance of the remission of sins, and of life everlasting…

The problem is that Perkins has divided assurance into two areas, objective and subjective assurance.  This is similar to Calvin’s view of the “knowledge of God’s word” and the “work of the Holy Spirit” as two separate stages.

The first usage (…objective assurance) enables the sinner to view the “pardonable-ness” or “forgivable-ness” of his sins apart from the personal realization of such forgiveness, while the second (…subjective assurance) refers to “full’ assurance received in the wake of the personal application of redemption which enables the sinner to believe that God for Christ’s sake personally forgive all his sins. [1]

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[1] A N S Lane, Calvin’s Doctrine Of Assurance, Vox Evangelica 1979 No 11 pg44

More Popular Than Jesus!!

Last summer I came to a shocking realization that I had to share with my wife: If Jesus had a church in Simi Valley, mine would be bigger. People would leave His church to attend mine because I call for an easier commitment. I know better how to cater to people’s desires so they stick around. Jesus was never really good at that. He was the one who said, “He who loves father or mother … son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me.” (Matt. 10:37 NIV) I’m much more popular than Jesus.

Francis Chan

Exegesis Of Romans 2:14-15 – Part 5

They are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law. The second half of this verse merely repeats what has gone before. However the phrase, a law to themselves needs to be looked at. It can be taken in two ways. If the gentiles are non-christians, then by doing what the law requires they are attesting to knowledge of the divine moral standards. Murray writes that by reason of what is implanted in their nature, they are confronted with the law of God. He says three things are true:

1. The law of God confronts  non-christians and registers itself in their consciences by reason of what they natively and constitutionally are
2. They do things which this law prescribes
3. This doing is not by extraneous constraint but by natural impulse [1]

Moo and others basically agree that this is talking of gentiles attesting knowledge of divine moral standards.

However, if the gentiles are indeed Christians, a different view is necessary. Cranfield writes:

Although they [the gentile Christians] have not been brought up by virtue of their birth in possession of God’s law, they now know it and actually have in their hearts the earnest desire to obey. [2]

V15 They Show that what the law requires is written on their hearts. The main question here is does this refer to a parallel with Jeremiah 31:33? Objections to the parallel are two fold:

1. Jeremiah talks of the laws being written on their hearts and a complete knowledge of God that results from it. This result is an eschatological work of God wrought upon Israel. The present passage (Rom 2:14-15), however, is concerned with a non-eschatological fact of gentile life.
2. V15 in most translations miss out the word ‘work’, hence the work of the law written upon their hearts. Murray says that there is a big difference from the requirement of the law written upon hearts than the law itself. If this refers merely to the requirement of the law, then it would be acceptable to equate this phrase with the equivalence of the things of the law. So there are innate moral laws written upon the hearts of every unregenerate person. Moo also comments that while in Jeremiah the final judgment of the people is not in doubt, here it is.

Cranfield, however, sees this as a deliberate reminiscence of Jeremiah. Cranfield has no problem with the eschatological element. Paul clearly believed that God’s eschatological promises were already beginning to be fulfilled through the gospel in believers lives.  In this he is in agreement with the Already…not yet paradox which Moo so heavily emphasizes in his commentary. Therefore, for Cranfield, the eschatological objection is removed. He writes:

Here ‘the work which the law requires’ means not the required work as accomplished but the required work in the sense of the commandments contained in the law. [3]

Also, Cranfield points out that the LXX version of Jeremiah 31:33 is so close to v15 that it is difficult to avoid the conclusion that Paul has Jeremiah in mind. 2 Cor 3:2-3 says You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everyone, revealing that you are a letter of Christ, delivered by us, written not with ink but by the Spirit of the living God, not on stone tablets but on tablets of human hearts.

This passage was addressed to gentile Christians. The objection that the phrase written on their hearts is a very common one is negligible. It is not common in Paul and surely Paul would have known the significance of using such a phrase.

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[1] John Murray NICNT To The Romans pg 73

[2] Cranfield pg157

[3] Cranfield pg158

The Hypocrisy of Leadership

Leaders make the greatest hypocrites because of their ability to persuade and deceive. Rarely is there a pastor whose character exceeds his reputation. If I were to ask those closest to you about your relationship with God, what would they say? If I were to ask God the same question, what would He say? If your family, friends, and congregation have better things to say about you than God, it’s because you give them that impression.

Francis Chan

The Doctrine Of Assurance – Part 8

Calvin says that the question “How do I know I am Elect” can cause you to fall into an abyss. It is an unanswerable question for God has not given a list of the elect. Yet Calvin goes on to say…
But if we have been chosen in him, we shall not find assurance of our election in ourselves, and not even in God the Father if we conceive him as severed from the Son. Christ then is the mirror wherein we must and without self deception may contemplate our own election… We have a sufficiently clear and firm testimony that we have been inscribed in the book of life (Rev 21:27) if we are in communion with Christ.

Assurance is not to be based on anything in ourselves. Here is Calvin’s starting point on assurance. Not even our faith can be used as a ground for assurance for it would mean looking to ourselves. It is only in Christ, by looking to Christ, that assurance is obtained. Lane says that to rely on Christ is to trust him for our salvation and therefore to be confident and have Assurance. Assurance is the fruit of trust, if not synonymous with it.

An Inconsistent Faith?

Francis Chan has written a wonderful and convicting article recently from which I am going to post a few quotes in the coming days. They are small quoters but encourage you think through what he says carefully!

I wonder if the inconsistency in my walk with God has anything to do with the fact that I can lead a “successful” church in America without being in love with Jesus. I’m sure I could blame American church culture, my position, or a busy schedule for my lack of reverent intimacy. The truth, however, is that my sin and hypocrisy is a result of me.

Exegesis On Romans 2:14-15 – Part 4

Cranfield defies tradition and suggests that nature should be taken with what precedes. This would give the verse the following meaning; gentiles who do not possess the law by virtue of birth.

Romans 11:24 says For if you have been cut from what is by nature a wild olive tree. Nature here refers to gentile descent. Galatians 2:15 We ourselves are Jews by nature and not gentile sinners. Again, nature is used to denote physical descent. Ephesians 2:3 says And we were by nature children of wrath… and Romans 2:27 says Then those who are by nature uncircumcised. Paul obviously used this word, at least at times,  in a physical and historical sense.

This fits into the argument of chapter 2 better. It is not the having or the hearing of the law that is important – it is the doing of the law. V10 has already established that a Greek / Gentile can be justified and saved by doing good. However, Paul is clear throughout chapters 4 & 5 that we are justified by faith alone, not by human effort. Hence this promise of salvation to those who do good, and who do not have the law cannot contradict with Romans 4 & 5. If these gentiles were not Christians, and they were doing what the law required why are they not saved? Paul is referring to gentile Christians who by their conversion have ‘done the law.’ Romans 13:8 says for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law and Galatians 6:2 bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. The concept that Christians fulfill the law is certainly in Pauline writings. Hence a Christian can say they have done what the law requires through the grace and sacrifice that is in Christ.

Conviction

From Michael Green’s book Evangelism In The Early Church:

I argue in the book that neither the strategy nor the tactics of the first Christians were particularly remarkable. What was remarkable was their conviction, their passion and their determination to act as Christ’s embassy to a rebel world, whatever the consequences.

The DOctrine of Assurance – Part 7

Calvin writes:

For though only those predestined to salvation receive the light of faith and truly feel the power of the gospel, yet experience shows that the reprobate are sometimes effected by almost the same feeling as the elect, so that in even in their own judgment they do not in any way differ from the elect [c/f Acts 13:48]. Therefore it is not at all absurd that the apostle should attribute to them a taste of the heavenly gifts [Heb 6:4-6] and Christ, faith for a time [Luke 8:13]; not because they firmly grasp the force of the spiritual grace and the sure light of faith, but because the Lord, to render them more convicted and inexcusable, steals into their minds to the extent that his goodness may be tasted without the spirit of adoption. [1]

It would appear that what Calvin is saying is that people may exhibit all the outward signs of being elected, but inwardly they are without the Spirit of God and therefore not a child of God. The vital attribute of faith is the inward working of the Spirit. In talking about faith and knowledge Calvin speaks of both our knowledge of the word of God and acceptance of its promises and the work of the Holy Spirit in opening up our hearts in testimony to those truths. Calvin puts it like this:

Our mind must be otherwise illumined and our heart strengthened that the word of God may obtain full faith among us. Now we shall possess a right definition of faith if we call it a firm and certain knowledge of God’s benevolence towards us, founded upon the truth of the freely given promise in Christ, both revealed to our minds and sealed upon our hearts through the Holy Spirit. [2]

This is the backbone of Calvin’s understanding of assurance. True faith is a firm and CERTAIN knowledge of God’s mercy towards us, appropriating the sure promises of God in Christ as revealed through the Holy Spirit. Beeke writes:

Thus for Calvin assuring faith compels an indissoluble tie between saving knowledge, the scriptures, Jesus Christ, God’s promises, the work of the Holy Spirit and Election…Calvin is arguing that faith involves something more than fully believing the undoubted promise of God objectively; rather it contains personal, subjective assurance. [3]

There is no dichotomy between saving faith and assurance.

However, one problem still exists. If the reprobate can have all the outward signs of the elect, how can the elect know that they are saved?

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[1] Ibid pg 555

[2] Ibid pg 551

[3] Beeke pg 49

Leadership and The Leader – Part 14

Does the world shock you? Or are you desensitized? Have you been assimilated by the culture or do you exegete culture – look at it from your Christian worldview. Where do our minds go when we are alone? What are we reading? What are we watching?

We do not become Christians, attain holiness and then relax. The pursuit of holiness is a lifetime’s pursuit. King David was a great King – even called a man after God’s own heart. Yet when he did not do what he ought to have done and it leads him to trouble.

2 Samuel 11:1 says: 1In the spring of the year, the time when kings go out to battle, David sent Juab, and his servants with him, and all Israel. And they ravaged the Ammonites and besieged (C) Rabbi. But David remained at Jerusalem.

2It happened, late one afternoon, when David arose from his couch and was walking on(D) the roof of the king’s house, that he saw from the roof a woman bathing; and the woman was very beautiful.

You know what happens – he commits adultery and arranges for the husband to be killed. Paul says we should take every thought captive (2 Cor 10:5).

Pursue Holiness in EVERY area of your life.

What Is Your Basic Attitude? Positive or Negative?
This may be a strange question – but it is important because negative people never fully experience success. Their negativism taints their work for God and the experience of satisfaction they might have enjoyed.

This is not mind over matter thinking – because it is based on our view of God.

Do you love God – and I mean LOVE God – as you would love your mom, or dad. Do you get excited at the thought of spending time with your God – in prayer or reading scripture?

Do you trust God to the extent that you can leave the decisions about your life in his hands? Do you trust God to the extent that whatever happens to you is OK because ultimately God will redeem you? Do you believe EVERY SINGLE WORD OF SCRIPTURE – the promises which say I will never leave you or forsake you?

If we do then we can wake up each morning praising our glorious creator, our king and our God knowing that he is for us and we can trust our day, our life and our future COMPLETELY to him and his infinite wisdom. And if that morning we awake and God has decided that we would join him in heaven – die – then so be it.

That’s what I mean by a positive attitude. Look at Paul in the NT. Read his prison epistles – he is in jail and yet he writes rejoicing – Colossians 1:24 begins: Now(BJ) I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake – man that’s positive!!

Or Phil 1:18-21: Yes, and I will rejoice, 19for I know that(AF) through your prayers and(AG) the help of(AH) the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance, 20as it is my eager expectation and hope(AI) that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full(AJ) courage now as always Christ(AK) will be honored in my body,(AL) whether by life or by death. 21For to me(AM) to live is Christ, and to die is gain.

Here is my point –biblical success is based in these seven areas – if you are faithful to God’s word, serving God and others, loving God, believing God, praying, pursuing holiness and having a positive – Christ centered attitude you are successful, whether your ministry is big or small, whether people regard you as a success or not.

God’s call to us is to be faithful – and that is really all that matters in this world today, and that is all that matters as future leaders in the kingdom of God.

Leadership And The Leader – Part 13

To Love God
There can be no success without loving God. Do you Love God? Remember the quote from John Pipers Book – would you be happy with heaven without Jesus? You cannot really, truly serve God without loving him passionately. It has always been the standard – Deut 6:4-5 “Hear, O Israel:(A) The LORD our God, the LORD is one.[a] 5You(B) shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.

We must search our hearts on this one. Because we can think we love God – but we may really only love the social aspect of church – or the position it gives us – or the activities – take all those away – just you and God alone – does your heart jump for joy to spend time with him – do you get lost in your devotion time talking with him or reading the word. Matthew 22:37-38: 37And he said to him, (A) “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38This is the great and first commandment.

To Believe God
This may sound strange – but do you BELIEVE God. Belief in God is not the issue – even the demons believe in God and they tremble. Do you believe what he has said? Do you believe that God is the creator of every single atom in the universe? That every single thing he has said will happen. That every command he has given is true and right. Do we believe that Jesus died FROM YOU AND FOR ME? Do we believe that we are going to heaven and will spend eternity with him? Do you believe that if we pray to God he hears us? Do you believe that we can trust God in EVERY detail of our life? Do we believe that we do not have to worry about your life? Do you believe that God will take care of you – even when you are sick?

Are You A Person OF Prayer?
Do we spend a significant amount of time in prayer to God? This is not meant to give you a guilt trip but an encouragement. Prayer is where we engage with God – his word and his spirit. John Bunyan said you can do more than pray after you have prayed, but you cannot do more than pray until you have prayed.

We must pray because of what prayer does to us. It draws us closer to God. It exposes us to his will, to his voice – we learn to discern his spirit – we can unload the burdens we carry and receive the sweet sense of peace that only God can give – that transcends all understanding. We must pray because Jesus prayed – he prayed alone – early in the morning – at night – he prayed. Leaders need to develop a prayer life.

Is Your Life Growing In Holiness?
God calls his people to be Holy. Leviticus 19:2 says “Speak to all the congregation of the people of Israel and say to them,(A) You shall be holy, for I the LORD your God am holy.

Jesus tells us in matt 5:48 You therefore must be(B) perfect,(C) as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Perfection – holiness – that’s the standard – the bar NEVER drops. But Jesus brings us up to that bar when we trust in him. But how is your holiness. Holiness is foundational to true success. No one can be regarded a success who pursues a life contrary to God’s will.

Leadership And The Leader – Part 12

We are going to look at seven areas of success – which if you are doing these then regardless of what is happening or what people think is happening – you are a success.

1. To be faithful (obedient) to God’s word
2. To serve God and others
3. To Love God
4. To believe God
5. To Pray
6. To pursue Holiness
7. To develop a positive (Christ centered) Attitude.

To Be Faithful – Obedient To God’s Word
Are you applying the truths of scripture to our life? Do you READ the Bible and then seek to put what you read into practice. That is faithfulness. It will also mean that we will not be lazy but hardworking. This does not guarantee physical success in the world’s eyes – or a huge ministry – or universal acclamation. But it does mean that you hold dear to your heart. It is possible to lead a huge ministry and not love God. It is possible to lead worship and not love God. It is possible to preach an orthodox sermon and not love God. This is really where it starts and finishes.

To Serve God and Others
Are you living your life as a servant or have you drifted from servant-hood into self-service. Philippians 2:5ff begins with Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus…. and goes on to talk of Jesus making himself nothing; taking the very nature of a servant; humbled himself; became obedient to death.
This should be our attitude, yet our courses for training ‘leaders’ today do not include classes on ‘making yourself nothing’ or ‘taking the nature of a servant’ or ‘humility’ or ‘how to humble yourself to the point of death.’
If Jesus emptied himself of his divinity, humbled himself and took the role of a servant, why should a follower and a leader of the people of Jesus be any different? Maybe it is because too many leaders do not know how to exercise healthy, intimate relationships. They have become empire builders who are unable to give and receive love.

Leadership And The Leader – Part 11

I want to mention something about the loneliness of leadership. Paul tells Titus to avoid the controversies of genealogies, and quarrels about the law. This is almost certainly about Judaizers trying to reassert the Law as a valid way of salvation. Paul instructs Titus to warn them once, twice and then ‘have nothing more to do with them.’

Leadership may sometimes require you to separate from acquaintances or even friendships for the sake of the gospel and for healthy doctrine.

The Christian community and the individual must be protected from sin. And the procedure taught in the New Testament is designed for this purpose – Matthew 18 & 2 John 10.

And that sometimes requires us to separate ourselves from those we may have liked or enjoyed the company off. We do not separate in order to ignore – but so that we can then talk to them as unbelievers – encouraging them to turn to Jesus.

I felt that I could not finish a short series on leadership without mentioning the issue of success and failure – what is success in leadership – and where or to whom do you look for success?

READ Exodus 17:5-7 – Success or failure?

READ Numbers 20:1-11 – Success or failure?

And the LORD said to Moses, “Pass on before the people, taking with you some of the elders of Israel, and take in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go. Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock at Horeb, and you shall strike the rock, and water shall come out of it, and the people will drink.” And Moses did so, in the sight of the elders of Israel.

10Then Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly together before the rock, and he said to them,(M) “Hear now, you rebels: shall we bring water for you out of this rock?” 11And Moses lifted up his hand and struck the rock with his staff twice,(N) and water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their livestock.

One was a success and one was a failure.

In Numbers, Moses had disregarded God’s direction to speak to the rock – instead he struck the rock twice?

Why would this be a failure?

The result was that Moses could not lead the people into the Promised Land.

Here was have a principle which is true today – Scripture links Success to Obedience – our obedience to God’s word.

To Moses’ successor, Joshua, God reiterates this, “Only be strong and(A) very courageous, being careful to do according to all the law(B) that Moses my servant commanded you.(C) Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good success[a] wherever you go. 8This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but(D) you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.”

Now, here comes a cliché that is completely true – “God’s call to us is to be faithful rather than successful.”

For you to understand this, you have to know who defines what success is. If you draw your definition or model of what success is from the wrong source it will cause you problems. Do you want the world’s perspective on success or God’s perspective on success- because the two are VERY different?

Jeremiah does not achieve one convert in his ministry that we know of (apart from his secretary). Daniel spends most of his life in Babylon and apart from some incredible events, Babylon remained pagan. John the Baptist is be-headed. Where these successful men of God?

We have heard this cliché said many times in – sometimes to even explain away failure. But whether you like the phrase or not it is a True phrase.

The Cover…

This is the NEW cover of the revised / 2nd edition of our book. I think Scripture Union have done a good job!

Leadership And The Leader – Part 10

Paul’s final point to Titus here is that if we are people who have integrity – who speak honestly and truthfully then even though people may oppose us – they will not be able to say anything bad about us. They will have to admit you have integrity and that you are consistent.

The most damaging thing for the church and the Gospel are Christians, and Christian leaders who have been hypocritical in their behavior. I have seen a whole church ruined when an affair was discovered amongst married staff members – members of the church and fringe members simply left the church with a bitter taste in their mouths.

For Paul, theology and ethics are one – as we grow in Christ our behavior changes and we are transformed.

What he Should Teach: Again Paul says we must speak with sound / healthy teaching (v1) but also he tells Titus the core aspects of belief. Now these are not exhaustive but is a summary – a foundation of what is healthy doctrine (v11-14). Some commentators suggest this was originally constructed for a baptismal service. Notice that it focuses around Jesus. The grace of God has appeared – that is Jesus Christ – bringing salvation for all. Christ appeared and taught us how to live a new life – God’s curriculum is called “How To live”. It begins with repentence – a change of mind – denying the ways of the world.
Also, to live God’s way is to have hope – a future hope – the return of Christ.

Jesus Christ – his salvation – his death and resurrection – the future hope of being with Christ is Titus’ foundation in teaching.

Is Jesus the center of EVERYTHING for you and I? I was challenged in this recently having read John Pipers book “God Is The Gospel.” Piper says:
Are you in love with God? The critical question for our generation – and for every generation – is this: if you could have heaven with no sickness, and with all the friends you had on earth, and all the food you ever liked, and all the leisure activities you ever enjoyed, and all the natural beauties you ever saw, all the physical pleasures you ever tasted, and no human conflict or any natural disasters, could you be satisfied with heaven, if Christ was not there.


How many of us would say, ‘you know, I just might be okay with that’?

Our foundation can only be Jesus if we desire to love him and are willing place everything else on him.

Do we really love Jesus to the extent that we would not want heaven if he were not there? Samuel Rutherford in the 17th century wrote: We want HIM! I should refuse heaven if Christ were not there. Take Christ away from heaven and it is but a poor, unheartsome, dark, waste dwelling. Heaven without Christ would look like the direful Land of Death.

Leadership And The Leader – Part 9

Paul, having laid out the incredible seriousness of leadership, the requirements of understanding, he now becomes more practical. Paul tells Titus what he should teach, to whom he should teach and how he should teach. And this gives us a guide for today.

To Whom We Should Teach: Everyone! Titus was like Timothy – young! Yet he was to teach older men, older women, young men and young women. His age was not the determiner of whom he could instruct and teach – but his ability to teach and his walk with God. We must not go into leadership thinking, “I am only a youth minister and can only minister to youth.” If you claim the title ‘leader’ you should be able to minister in ALL situations to ALL people. You should be as comfortable in a vestry meeting as in the youth room. Maturity in Christ is not age dependent – but too often we slip into the idea that I can only minister or lead in certain situations or to a select group.

How Should We Teach: Paul tells Titus to set an example by doing what is good – with integrity. Hypocrisy occurs when our words and our actions do not match. What we do is important and what we say IS important. If we are telling people to do something because it is in the Bible and then we ourselves do what we said we should not do, it will invalidate your words and take away your integrity.

A strong advocacy for Christianity should be the quality of the lives of its leaders, the spirit of their service and the content of their message.
How do we achieve this level? Through the teaching of sound doctrine! Do you know that the early church would require up to 3 years of instruction before a new convert could be baptized and admitted into full fellowship of a church. This is why so many were martyred during persecution – they understood and KNEW what was true.

Also, there should be a level of dignity in how we teach. Of course anecdotes and illustrations are useful and necessary but preaching and teaching can NEVER be entertainment. V7 says our teaching should be with integrity and dignity (some other translations use seriousness). When we teach from the Bible or talk about Doctrines, we are claiming to speak on behalf of God.

This is one of the most sobering issues – to teach or lead in any sense is to say that we speak on behalf of God himself. That should scare us.
John Stott said People will not take serious subjects seriously unless there is a due seriousness in the speakers manner and delivery.

And Richard Baxter wrote: whatever you do, let the people see that you are in good earnest. You cannot break peoples heart by jesting with them.

Matthew 12:36 says: I tell you,(A) on the day of judgment(B) people will give account for(C) every careless word they speak.

Speaking about and on behalf of God has consequences – eternal consequences.

Future Book Reviews

Last year I reviewed, on some level 67 books on this blog. I read probably over 90 books but did not review those because they were not worth reviewing.

This year I am only going to review books which I really want to recommend. At the end of each month I will list any books I have read that month but not all may be reviews.

An example of this is Philippa Gregory’s new novel The White Queen. A great novel about the pre-Tudor period of England (the battle between the York and Lancaster Houses for the throne of England). And while it is a great novel,  I do think I want to ‘review’ it. It will be in the list at the end / beginning of each month.

Leadership And The Leader – Part 8

Elders must be blameless in their doctrinal orthodoxy: Leadership also requires a gift to teach and a loyalty to the teaching of the apostles – in other words to be immersed in the words of scripture and in the teachings of the church. Are we immersed in the bible – do we drink in its words – does scripture excite us so that we want to tell people God’s revelation? Do we have a gift of teaching? Can we teach sound or healthy doctrine? Do we know what healthy doctrine is? Can we spot and rebuke those who oppose healthy doctrine?

To do all this requires us to know doctrine – to study theology and to be immersed in the Bible. To find doctrine boring or theology tedious is an indication that you should not be teaching or have any type of leadership or counseling role. What books do you read in your spare time? Are you reading spiritual books – great books that feed the soul?
Are you like Jeremiah, who says If I say: I won’t mention Him
 or speak any longer in His name,
 His message becomes a fire burning in my heart, (A)
 shut up in my bones.
 I become tired of holding it in,
 and I cannot prevail. (Jerm 20:9)
That is the intensity with which Paul is speaking regarding leaders.

Also Paul’s instructions to Titus (and leaders) is not to remain silent or idle – the point is not that people have the right to their opinion – the point is that false teaching disrupts whole households and they must be silenced – literally to stop their mouths – be muzzled. Leadership is not about being popular, cool, or liked. Part of the role of leadership is the ability to rebuke and correct when needed. Now, please take note – rebuking and correcting is not done arrogantly or harshly – the point of rebuking and correcting is to RESTORE someone to CORRECT or HEALTHY view of God. So compassion is required.

Calvin wrote: An elder needs two voices, one for gathering the sheep and the other for driving away the wolves and thieves. The scripture supplies him with the means for doing both and he who has been rightly instructed in it will be able teach those who are teachable and to refute the enemies of the truth. Paul notes this double use of the scripture when he says that he should be able to exhort and to convict.

These are high, high standards: A lifestyle that is proved to be pure and respectable within the church and outside it, in public and in private – meeting the standard of blamelessness – unimpeachable.

Do we aspire to these standards?

The one thing that we cannot and must not do is aspire to them because it will give us status, or position. The only way to aspire to these standards is to begin with those words – Paul a servant of Christ.

We must begin knowing we want to serve Christ – to serve him and to love him and to live for him – and then as we look to the requirements of eldership we might ask God to give the grace and strength to serve him in this privileged way.

Leadership And tHe Church – Part 7

Paul gives Titus the job – to teach and appoint elders. Notice – to TEACH as well as appoint. Teaching is a major component – also notice that it is Titus’ responsibility to teach the new leaders – they are not sent to seminary or to Paul. Theological training should be primarily done within the context of local church – I am not against seminaries at all – just that seminary should be done locally. That is what Paul asks Titus to do.

Teaching and appointing elders is meant to bring stability to the church and to combat the problem with false teaching in Crete. When false teaching increases it would appear that for Paul, the most appropriate long-term strategy is to multiply the number of true teachers who are equipped to rebut and refute error. Again the emphasis is on teaching and understanding. You cannot refute error if you do not know what is wrong.

The standard of a leader / an elder is incredibly high:

One of the requirements of an elder is blamelessness – so important is this that it is mentioned twice – v6 & 7a

The word for blameless is not one that means perfection – the word Paul uses here means un-accused – unquestionable integrity or un-impeachable.

Leadership requires us to be blameless, unaccused and un-impeachable. By looking to become a leader or stepping into any leadership role you do not say you are perfect but you are declaring – to EVERYONE that you are blameless. Could you call yourself blameless right now – unaccusable – Un-impeachable?

Elders must be blameless in their marriage and family life: Now, I don’t think that excludes single people – but that Leadership requires consistency – you cannot claim to lead when at home you sit on your backside all day playing video games, or going hunting and neglecting your family, or your role in the home.

Elders must be blameless in their character and conduct: Leadership requires visible evidence that you have been regenerated by the Holy Spirit and that your new birth has led to the beginning of new life – and that will reflect in your behavior. Are you living a Christ centered life publicly AND privately? Are the words of scripture dwelling in you and driving you live as Christ asks us to live and is the Holy Spirit in you maturing you daily? How do you know this is happening? You should be being transformed inwardly and outwardly. My vision statement for the youth ministry (and all ministry that I do) is Romans 12:1-2: Therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, I urge you (A) to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, (B) holy and pleasing to God; this is your spiritual worship. [a] 2 Do not be conformed (C) to this age, (D) but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, (E) so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will (F) of God.
Are you no longer conformed to this age – the image here is being squeezed into a box to small for you – no longer driven by culture, popularity, STUFF – is your mind looking to Christ when situations happen – do you find yourself being more discerning and thinking what would God have me do in this situation! Then there are visible signs of the regeneration happening in you!

Leadership And The Leader – Part 6

Have we taken the issue of leadership too lightly?

It seems, sometimes, as if leadership has become the pinnacle of the Christian life or walk. Everything we do seems to be pointed to making leaders and if you are not leadership material, well, join the ranks and be led.

We have put Leadership on a pedestal. Leadership is not an exalted state that you reach after doing an apprenticeship and being a good Christian. Leadership is a stage within your walk with God. God does not mean for ALL to be leaders and leaders are not leaders ALL the time. There will be seasons – maybe long ones, when you may not occupy a leadership role – how you handle that is so important. So many leaders are unable to let go of leadership when they should – either by stepping aside to allow someone else to take over a project or ministry – or by discerning that it is time to leave or even stepping aside for the ministry to go into a new direction. This may be because we view stepping down from leadership as a demotion within the kingdom of God, or a sign of spiritual decline – instead of seeing it as God moving us onto another stage or season.

The Christian life is far more than aspiring to leadership – we should, as we saw Monday, be aspiring to walk with Christ with our whole life – and from their letting God into every part of our daily plan so that we are his servants.

The issue I want to look at this morning is whether we understand the intensity, severity and seriousness of what is biblical leadership.

We talk a lot about leadership within the church – the need for good leaders – training programs for leaders. We have a tendency to churn out leaders. But leadership is a very serious thing in scripture. It makes massive demands on those who may feel that they should take responsibility for the people of God.

If we took the Pastoral Epistles seriously then many prospective leaders and pastors may have second thoughts about wanting to lead. The criteria is massively high – (and what about James 3:1 Not many should become teachers, my brothers, knowing that we will receive a stricter judgment) and I fear that the danger has been within some quarters of the church to lower the standards in order to get more leaders to cover the ministries we create.

One example I would make is the disparagement between applying for a youth ministers post and going through the process for ordination. While the process for ordination is far from perfect it does require a vigorous tests – I had to be tested on my theology, a psychologist tested my mind – a panel of people questioned me countless of times – I had to have testimonials and references and recommendations from many people. Yet we accept youth ministers with as little as a two-hour interview and a short contact time – and yet youth ministry is one of the key areas for a church.