The Pastor of My Family

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I love my kids.  I have four 100% huggable and lovable kids.  And whenever ministry gets tough, or I get distracted, or I just am in the dumps over my own apathy and sin, I often find great comfort in and rejuvenation through my family. 

I remember times in 2004 when I was getting some heat from a few church members (who are now gone).  It was really hard on me, and I would come home at the end of the day and just hold my daughter for five minutes on the couch, or play a game with one of my boys, or chase the kids around with a Nerf gun shooting their eyes out.

These things could be seen nice ways to distract me from the stressful things of life and ministry, and they are helpful distractions.  But much more positively they are reminders.  Reminders of who I am more than a pastor, more than a preacher,  more than a sinner.  I'm the pastor of my family.

Two nights ago we had our five year old pray for our dinner.  He prayed and thanked God for the food to make us healthy and strong, and prayed for everyone in the world to become Christians, and prayed that when people become Christians they would become fishers of men.  When I heard that, it made all the frustrations of life shrink. 

I'm about ready to head home for the night.  Tonight, as we do each day, our family is going to read some Scripture to learn about God and talk about what He is calling us to do.  The kids will probably ask a half-dozen questions, and then we will hold hands in a circle and pray.  We will pray for God to help us live what we have learned and to provide for what we need.

May God raise up in my home fishers of men who will turn the world upside down, and may he use this weak vessel to train them.  I can think of nothing to do today that is more important for God's mission and my own heart.

Rhythm and Tune

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Dsc_00363_1My wife and I went to hear two of our church members play live music last night at the Last Chance Saloon in Grayslake, IL.  Our song leader on Sunday mornings opened with some covers and originals, and then another church member and his band (AliveInside) played mostly original stuff.  It was really a good time, good music, and I was able to take some pictures of the band.

On the topic of music, I picked up the newest one of the newest Nooma videos from Rob Bell, Rhythm, a few days ago.  I decided to watch it last night.  He talked about how we all are playing a song, the question is whether or not we are in tune.  Powerful stuff.  And very provocative.  If you have seen it, I'd love to hear what you think about it.

UPDATE: You can also view the entire "Rain" Nooma video online.  If you haven't seen Nooma, check it out.

Russ Moore, Blogging, and Revolution

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Today Russ Moore has written a short article/blog post called "The Spiritual Danger of Blogging" (also posted at Mere Comments).  He has some important things to say, things that we as bloggers need to hear.  To be honest, I think he aims this post at me (though I drink mochas). 

I've encountered many blogs run by the sort of "self-righteous" and "cynical" people that he mentions.  Strangely, most that I have encountered have been run by Calvinistic inerrantist reformed-types (who I doctrinally side with) who think a doctrinal statement is the bottom line of righteousness.  They typically spend a lot of time finding errors in the doctrines of others, defending anyone who holds the same doctrines they hold no matter what they say, finding people with any connection to something bad and broad-brushing them into the heresy camp, and looking for sins in the culture to preach against.  It's a deadly lot and I have run among the "angry Calvinist" number before.

Though Russ seems to emphasize the bad bloggers (he may be a bit cynical about bloggers, I think), he also points to a good group of bloggers out there.  My fear is that his group would be the kind who always tow the party line, and link to the "right" places, and vote straight party ticket.

I've found many good bloggers too, but I would think they would be a different sort than Russ'.  I like the bloggers who don't draw extra-biblical lines of fellowship.  They are willing to speak truth even when it costs them connections they may need in ministry.  They point out the dangers Jesus points to (like legalism) and not the ones that legalists point to (like alcohol).  The bloggers I like are the ones who like Jesus so much that they realize how messed up they are and how great grace is.  I like bloggers who are interested in a Kingdom that God builds, and who would have no problem watching our institutions and kingdoms die when they cease serving God's desires.  Sounds delicious, doesn't it?

Ultimately Moore seems to miss something.  He writes, "But, let's be honest, blogs also tend to give a microphone to a kind of deadening cynicism and blind self-righteousness in the guise of taking on self-righteousness, legalism, and what-have-you."  Sure, we all would agree.  That happens too much.  All of us who blog have certainly from time to time held on to our "rightness" too tightly because being wrong isn't fun.  But this sort of self-righteous blogging that Moore speaks of rarely makes a ripple in the blogosphere, let alone beyond it. 

And Moore's quote can just be as easily be turned around.  The guise could be on the other side, just as it was with Jesus who seemed to criticize the religious power brokers the loudest and sharpest, not the little guy who was "self-righteously" attacking legalism.

In other words, I seriously doubt the big problem with blogging is that some of the "self-righteous" ones are getting a hearing and hurting the big boys.  I think it is much more likely that if any bloggers are getting loud enough to actually create a stir among the power brokers, those power brokers would try to find a way to combat the bloggers.  The odds are stacked against the bloggers and for those with power, position and notoriety.

And isn't this what we see with Luther and the 95 Theses?  He was an annoying gnat to the institution for questioning what they were doing.  Then some started to agree with him which created fear among the powerful, and an attempt was made to silence him (something that can't be done in the same way to bloggers, which elevates fears among the powerful today).  But Luther continued on as a flawed man who didn't do it all right, but who in the end was faithful and led a revolution of biblical proportions.

While I'm not able to remove the lint from Luther's belly button (and I'm more likely to lead a revolution for P.F. Chang's), I'm more hopeful about real change happening in the SBC after reading Russ' post.  It's a sign that the message of 'necessary change' is getting out.  God help us.

Advancing the Revolution

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"Strangely enough...some who come to Jesus Christ seem to immediately and fully embrace this barbarian way.  They live their lives with every step moving forward and with every fiber of their being  fighting for the heart of their King.  Jesus Christ has become the all-consuming passion of their lives.  They are not about religion or position.  They have little patience for institutions or bureaucracies.  Their lack of respect for tradition or ritual makes them seem uncivilized to those who love religion.  When asked if they are Christians, their answer might surprisingly be no, they are passionate followers of Jesus Christ.  They see Christianity as a world religion, in many ways no different from any other religious system.  Whether Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, or Christianity, they're not about religion; they're about advancing the revolution Jesus started two thousand years ago.

Erwin McManus, The Barbarian Way, 5-6

SBTS, the Abstract, and Local Church Autonomy

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I removed my post with the same title because the commenter I quoted has given a correction and apology. 

I was very concerned with the ramifications if the original comment were true, and as I said in my post I wanted to hear from those who knew if this was really the deal.  I did and it wasn't. 

I've also received emails from a couple of friends who are trustworthy, and at least one was concerned this was gossip for me to post.  Thought this might be a good opportunity to discuss blogging and gossip.  I think it's a good question to ask, but I don't think it was gossip.  If I were to simply spread the info as if it were true, yeah, it's gossip.  But I was removed from the situation and admitted that I didn't know and wanted someone "in the know" to comment.  In a way, I may have helped this to get off the gossip mill, but I don't know.

Any thoughts on that?  I'm happy to apologize if I'm wrong.  I'll apologize anyway because I love the people at Clifton (who I was intending to defend if this were true) and I love Dr. Mohler. 

Vote for #11

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C'mon guys I need some help.  My Brokeback Pastors picture, which I still laugh out-loud about on a regular basis, has been entered in a theology photoshop contest.  I'm not winning. 

I need some votes pretty bad and I have a lot of readers on this site.  So please go to the Theology Photoshop Contest page and vote your conscience (Brokeback Pastors).  Whoever wins (Brokeback Pastors) will get some iron-ons of their entry.  Could you imagine me wearing that to the SBC annual meeting?  C'mon.  Help me out here guys and gals.  I need your vote!  My entry is the last one, #11.

Justin Taylor Moving to Wheaton

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A guy I would consider a friend who I have never met in person, Justin Taylor, is moving to Wheaton to work for Crossway.  Very cool.  He REALLY has chosen to come to Wheaton in order to be closer to me, Joe Thorn, and Scot McKnight.  We are going to form a Barbership Quartet in which JT will be the barber.  But here's what he is saying publicly so far...

We are in the process of a move to Wheaton, IL for my new job. The pastseven years in Minneapolis, at Desiring God and Bethlehem, has been a wonderful season for us. But we’re also excited about this new chapter of our lives. After years of uncertainty of what I would like to do when I grew up, I now feel fairly confident that I would like to stay in the publishing industry long term.

I’m not really sure what the future plans for my blog will be. (Perhaps someday I’ll get around to moving to a different location than Blogger.com.) I enjoy blogging, and I enjoy the interaction that goes on because of it. But it’s not my primary calling, and I have to be careful that I don’t let the tail wag the dog.

As for new books: I’m currently under contract with Crossway to edit a new edition of John Owen’s three main writings on sin: Mortification of Sin, Temptation of Sin, and Indwelling Sin. Kelly Kapic of Covenant College—who will be publishing an academic book on Owen’s Communion with God—will be my co-editor. We will be providing introductions, adding headings, footnotes, a glossary, etc.

I’ll also be editing Suffering and the Sovereignty of God, the follow-up book to Desiring God’s conference in 2005, with speakers like John Piper, Joni Eareckson Tada, Mark Talbot, David Powlison, Carl Ellis, and Steve Saint.

An Open Letter to SBC Seminary Students

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To All Students in SBC Seminaries,

I am a Southern Baptist pastor and I ask you to indulge me for a moment.

My wife and I were converted our first Sunday in an SBC church in Carbondale, IL and were baptized together at an SBC church in Denver, CO.  We have been members of several different SBC churches: a couple with less than 100 in attendance, a couple with over 1,000 in attendance, and one with over 10,000 in attendance every weekend.  We have never been a member of a non-SBC church since our conversion.

I have a Master of Divinity from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, KY with some of those hours earned at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas.  In the SBC churches I've belonged to I've served in volunteer capacity in evangelistic ministry and started prayer meetings at two different churches.  I've served as an intern with collegiate ministry in a large church, as an associate pastor of discipleship at a church plant, as a missionary to international students at the University of Louisville and the University of Kentucky (through Baptist Student Unions), and now as the pastor of a church in Woodstock, IL.  I've taught a 4-5 year old children's Sunday School class, youth groups, college students, and adult Sunday School classes.  I've preached and taught at churches on the topic of missions and reaching international students in the U.S and I preached a revival.  I've been to a couple of SBC Annual Meetings (Indy and Nashville) and preached at my local association's annual meeting.  I've been to Ridgecrest, NC for an IMB Missions Week and my wife and I were considering on going overseas to a Muslim country until our oldest son was diagnosed with autism. 

I've shaken the hand of Jerry Rankin, heard O.S. Hawkins respond to "How are you?" by saying "I'm blessed," and have an autographed autobiography of Jimmy Draper.  I've heard Roy Fish tell a class on evangelism to "Put THAT in your Calvinistic pipe and smoke it."  I've peed next to Danny Akin while he told me stories about the ethics class he took under Paige Patterson.  I've had Ken Hemphill (cowboy boots and all) and his wife Paula in our Fort Worth townhouse for brownies and ice cream.  I've had many conversations with Al Mohler, including one about an episode of Prairie Home Companion. 

I say this to say that I've lived and breathed SBC for more almost a decade, and I have never been so frustrated with who WE are. 

I believe this is a crucial time for our convention that will determine whether we will ever have a good reputation with outsiders (1 Tim 3:7) and a real impact on our culture (Mt 28:18-20, Acts 17:6).  And I believe the most crucial group of SBC'rs right now are not those in power, nor those serving on trustee boards or important committees.  The most important group of SBC'rs right now are our seminary students.  Those who have the chance to get this Titanic steered clear of disaster.

I ask you as a seminary student to consider the greatest poison in our convention, fundamentalism/legalism.  If you don't like me, or think that my use of "fundamentalism" or "legalism" is misguided, please think about what's been happening.  The IMB policy issues and the continued push for alcohol abstinence by SBTS leadership and Jack Graham (to name two) are symptoms of a convention concerned with power, control, and extra-biblical rules and righteousness.  We are structuring ourselves to avoid "sinners" rather than eating and drinking with them (Lk 7:34-35, Mt 9:9-13).  We are looking less like Jesus and more like Pharisees with every decision and direction.

This is a crucial time for seminary students to open their Bibles and see what Jesus and Paul and Moses and David say about the important theological and cultural issues of our day.  We need to read about the Pharisees while looking in the mirror.  We need to see holiness not only as list of "don'ts," but as "do's."  Instead of just feeding from our leaders we need to search the Scriptures like Bereans (Acts 17:11).  Listen and learn, but do so with great discernment.  I believe as John Piper does that legalism is a far greater danger than drunkenness.  That principle is crucial for our convention right now far beyond alcohol.

Our seminaries are creating a new generation that mirrors the ones in power.  Oh sure, they'll let you sing more choruses and new hymns.  But as one who has been in seminary and sucked at the breast of SBC values and who has now gained some distance and insight through a couple of years of teaching and preaching through books of the Bible, I believe that we must have a breakout generation of young leaders who will take the best the SBC has (heritage, mission, etc) and let God reform us into something much better. 

We need to be better evangelists who aren't looking to repackage for the Gospel but rather looking to better understand and live the Gospel.  I think we need to remember that we are to truly be in culture, not looking down on it, and not avoiding it.  I think we need to remember that working for justice is a biblical idea, not a liberal one.  I think we need a resurgence of love for and creation of art as reflecting the imago dei.  I think we need better seminaries that aren't just telling us what we should think, but rather are teaching us how to think through Scripture and know The Spirit.  I think we need an ethic based on biblical boundaries and biblical liberties.  As Derek Webb has sung, it's much easier to follow a new law rather than be sanctified through learning to live out our freedoms and liberties.

I ask you my brothers and sisters in Christ to consider whether now is the time that we need to break the mold so that our next generation of churches won't merely reflect an older SBC culture.  We need to be His people today, in this age, to this culture with an eternal Gospel that never changes.  Culture war thinking won't get us there.  Extra-biblical rules won't get us there.  It's going to take a generation of God-seekers who infiltrate the culture with the love of Christ and fight spiritual battles rather than tongue-lashing those who need redemption.

I would love to dialogue with you here about this, and please pass this on to your seminary friends as well.  I won't be popular with many people because of this letter, but I feel like it's necessary for my conscience and for our convention.

Grace and Peace.

Steve McCoy

Steve Chalke Interview

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The Wittenburg Door has interviewed Steve Chalke.  I thought it was interesting, though the message of "empowerment" always concerns me.

I reached a stage where I felt that so much of the theology I grew upwith just didn't relate to my life at all. It just condemned me all the time, I felt guilty and useless, which I think in my teens or my twenties I kind of accepted. But I reached the point where I thought, "No, this is no good because if it's a condemning message that makes people feel bad about themselves then it robs them of hope." Slowly, I reached the place over years where I figured, actually, not only is this a non-empowering message, it's most importantly not the message of Jesus.

Bears & 24

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I'm glad 24 is coming on now because I need something to get me over my depression caused by the Chicago Bears losing to Carolina.  And the reason?  The Bears' defense is either overrated, or more likely were just flat-out outplayed.  Great game by Rex Grossman, considering his experience level.  This is all on the defense.  I think the coaches failed to adjust to a very different Carolina team (since the November game). 

I will now be pulling for Denver who became one of my favorite teams when we spent three years living in a  suburb of Denver (Lakewood). 

Resurgence

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Mark Driscoll's Resurgence website is now up.  From Driscoll...

...our staff is constructing the mother lode of all websites, completewith an ever-growing library of free articles, curriculum, podcasts, book reviews, cultural commentary, teaching helps, ministry tools, and mp3s of sermons and conferences for a spring debut, this blog will help keep you up-to-date on the sanctified trouble we are planning. Some of the most successful pastors and most respected missional theologians are providing enough content to give even the most devout gospel and culture geeks a headache of Absalom-esque proportions.

From the "About" page...

Resurgence means to rise again, or to surge back into vibrancy. We believe that the gospel of Jesus Christ must resurge in every generation to meet the needs of people and their continually changing cultures.

Missional means that we believe Jesus Christ is on a mission to seek and save people, change their lives, and transform their cultures. Because of this we believe that Christians, Christian organizations, and Christian churches exist to join Jesus on His mission by immersing themselves in whatever culture Jesus has placed them.

Theology means that we believe that personal and cultural transformation is only possible by meeting the living Jesus Christ of the Bible through His gospel. Because of this we believe that culturally accessible mission also requires biblically faithful theology.

Cooperative means that we believe a team of missional theologians working together as friends and peers, sharing ideas, and correcting errors is the best way for learning to occur. Because of this we are a network of various Christian leaders, ministries, churches, and networks seeking to work together in providing the most culturally effective and biblically faithful missional theology.

At Resurgence you will find info for the Reform & Resurge conference in May, which I would give up one of my toes to attend.  I'm planning on being at two conferences in April (one I attend, one in which I'm a speaker) and I'm still trying to see if I can make it to Seattle.  Speakers include Driscoll, Ed Stetzer, Tim Keller, Rick McKinley, Joshua Harris, Darrin Patrick, Matt Chandler, and Anthony Bradley.  From the website...

This is a conference that exists to provide encouragement, guidance, and instruction for the church and its leadership. Topics will address issues such as:

- Preaching the Christian Gospel to a secular audience
- The role of mercy ministry in cultural transformation
- Methods for engaging and decoding culture
- Practical tips for pastors
- Emerging theological errors in need of correction
= Crazy Delicious. (sorry, I did that)

In addition to all this the net is abuzz on how Driscoll is now blogging on the front page of the Resurgence website.  I highly doubt this will be much more than his way of updating people about the Resurgence ministry and what's coming next, etc.  But it will be worth watching since Resurgence promises to be a tremendous missional resource.  Here's his first post.

Almost Complete with Confessions

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I only have 20 pages left in my preview copy of Confessions of a Reformission Rev.  In the next few days I'll get something written up on it.

I want to be careful not to Judge Alito this thing.  (I was listening to the Alito hearings yesterday and some judges who have worked with Alito were going to great lengths to deify this guy.  Did you know that he has never cussed, said a mean thing, raised his voice, or felt upset about anything in his life?  Sheesh.  When superlatives are as common as they are, I guess deification is the only way to express praise.)  So I will try not to overstate the value of this book, but it's going to be hard.  It is one of the most helpful things I've ever read about pastoral ministry and local church mission.  And it is going to tick off some people.  Whatever.

Anyway, look forward to a review soon.

Keeping Our Eye On The Ball

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Among SBC circles things have been buzzing. 

The IMB has passed what I consider to be extra-biblical policies.  An IMB trustee (Wade Burleson) is facing removal from the board, and he happens to strongly and publicly oppose the new policies.  Some young leaders who have not been to the SBC Annual Meeting are planning to go to vote to keep Wade in as a Trustee.  This is an important time to work for change in the SBC.

But here's my fear.  We may take our eye off The Ball.  "The Ball" is not Wade Burleson and it's not the IMB and our mission organization.  It's not the upcoming Annual Meeting.  It's the Gospel. 

I'm not going to get into debates on whether supporting Wade or the IMB or whatever is supporting the Gospel.  So please don't go there.  I'm supportive of Wade and believe this is an important time. 

I simply want to encourage everyone who is gripped by this controversy to keep your eyes primarily on your local church, your local community, and the Gospel that has been entrusted to you (2 Tim 1:14).  Satan's joy will come when we exchange the primacy of The Gospel for anything else, even something as important as getting our mission board and convention in order.

SBC, IMB and Wade Burleson

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For those in the SBC or interested in SBC issues, Wade Burleson, Oklahoma pastor and IMB trustee, is facing a vote for removal as a trustee.  You can read what Wade says about it on his blog.  I also recommend you keep up with it on my other blog, Missional Baptist Blog. 

This may be the most important year in some time to attend our annual convention in Greensboro, NC as Wade's fate as a trustee will be voted on by SBC'rs in attendance.  I will be there.

Keller on Suburbia

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Daniel Cruver over at Eucatastrophe posed a good question to Tim Keller (NYC) on the suburban church.  Keller is very focused on planting churches in global cities.

Keller responded...

There will be have to be some necessary differences in mindset between urban and suburban churches because context always affects us deeply. Our own daughter churches in the NYC suburbs have the same theological vision and love of the city, but they simply aren’t a) as multi-ethnic and b) as close to the poor–because the zoning laws of the suburbs tend to homogenize things economically and therefore, to some degree, racially. So it is just harder to show how the gospel brings down racial and class barriers in the suburbs. (According to Ephesians 2, that is a major sign of the truth of the gospel.) It doesn’t mean that suburban churches are ‘inferior’ or that it is easier to be a pastor in the suburbs–I actually think it will take more ingenuity and creativity to demonstrate the power of the gospel in the suburbs than it will in the city.

As a pastor in a suburb of Chicago I completely agree.  I'm spending this week doing some vision work and asking the same question Daniel did to Keller, and the answers aren't easy.