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For those of you following the new International Mission Board policies about speaking in tongues as a prayer language and baptism, please notice the 'open letter' to the SBC from Wade Burleson over at Missional Baptist Blog. This could turn out to be a big deal.
Wade is an IMB trustee and a pastor in Oklahoma.
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We continue reading and discussing Christ Plays in Ten Thousand Places over at Scot McKnight's Jesus Creed blog. We are on pages 49-84.
Some good quotes from Peterson...
Wonder is the only adequate launching pad for exploring a spirituality of creation, keeping us open-eyed, expectant, alive to life that is always more than we can account for, that always exceeds our calculations, that is always beyond anything we can make. (52)
If you want to look at creation full, creation at its highest, you look at a person - a man, a woman, a child. (53)
Artists, poets, musicians, and architects are our primary witnesses to the significance of the meaning of "virgin" in the virgin birth as "a summons to reverence and worship." Over and over again they rescue us from a life in which the wonder has leaded out. While theologians and biblical scholars have argued, sometimes most contentiously, over texts and sexual facts and mythological parallels, our artists have painted Madonnas, our poets have provided our imaginations with rhythms and metaphors, our musicians have filled the air with carols and anthems that bring us to our knees in adoration, and our architects have designed and built chapels and cathedrals in which we can worship God. (57)
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I learned recently that John Hammett (SEBTS prof of theology) delivered a paper at The Evangelical Theological Society meeting a couple of weeks ago on the Emerging Church: "An Ecclesiological Assessment of the Emerging Church." I don't know if it's online anywhere (it's online now) but he has kindly emailed it to those interested in reading it. So I have it on my desktop right now, but I haven't read it yet.
Baptist Press has picked this up as a news story: "Baptist Scholar Sounds a Warning to 'Emerging Church." Here are a few snippets. I've pointed out a couple of things in bold.
The leaders of many "emerging" churches echo McLaren’s claim, saying that traditional churches must change or die. Hammett, however, charges that this type of approach is overly simplistic. Many so-called "traditional" churches, he said, are reaching people by simply teaching the word of God and sharing the Gospel, he said.
[...]
Hammett also criticized emerging church leaders for letting cultural concerns over postmodernism drive their agendas, rather than being driven solely by Scripture.
"Key leaders of the emerging church affirm that they love, have confidence in, seek to obey, and strive accurately to teach the sacred Scriptures," he said. "I see no reason to doubt the sincerity of these leaders, nor the reality of their commitment to Scripture. But in reading their material in books, websites and articles, it is hard to avoid the conclusion that the concern to respond to postmodernism is what is really driving the movement.
"It seems that the central problem with the emerging church ... is that in its zeal to respond to postmodern culture in a way that is evangelistically effective and personally and ecclesiologically refreshing, they have not yet carefully critiqued postmodernism," Hammett continued. "Without such critique, there is a real danger that the movement will appropriate elements of postmodern thought that cannot be integrated into a genuinely evangelical Christian worldview."
[...]
While the emerging church’s desire to engage a lost culture is admirable, Hammett said, they should do so with caution and a willingness to learn from traditional churches, not with a willingness to uncritically accept postmodernism.
"The more desirable alternative is for all churches to engage the culture, with a zeal to understand its questions and to speak its language, but also with a resolute willingness to take the posture of Christ against culture where biblical fidelity requires it," he said. "This challenge of thoughtful engagement with contemporary culture lies before the emerging church and all branches of evangelicalism."
A couple of thoughts...
1. I wonder if Dr. Hammett sees the difference here between a desire to understand and reach a culture influenced by postmodernity and uncritically accepting postmodernism. These are very different things. And if I read him right, I think Dr. Hammett hasn't distinguished these ideas.
Maybe he speaks this way because he thinks EC'rs muddle the line? Maybe so. I wouldn't fight over that claim. But as he assesses the movement he needs to be clear on the difference. Though I have no problem saying some in the EC are too accepting of postmodernism, there are many who are simply trying to reach a culture that has been influenced by postmodernism.
2. He says churches need to have a "willingness to take the posture of Christ against culture where biblical fidelity requires it." What does he mean? I'm increasingly skeptical over the intentions of statements like this one.
Critics of the EC may wonder if my skepticism is based in an unwillingness to see what's wrong with the culture because I would rather speak of love and grace than sin and judgment. That's not my point at all. I'm skeptical because of the 'culture war' mentality of much of evangelicalism, and of the SBC in particular. I think it's the wrong approach to culture, it always has been, and the EC in large part is looking for a way to be the Church without scolding the culture.
Again, I'm fine saying the EC has created new problems at times in this area and in other areas. But I think a non-scolding approach to culture is a better approach, not a lesser one, and I'm curious to learn whether Dr. Hammett's quote above is intending to hit on this topic.
I appreciate Dr. Hammett and the other scholars and pastors who are working hard to understand the EC and approach it in a conversational way.
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I have no desire to rank the best Christmas albums of all time, or anything like that. I rarely buy anything to listen to for Christmas because I would rather spend cash on stuff I can keep listening to after Christmas. But on occasion I find something that I must have for holiday enjoyment. Here are my personal favorites that I will be spinning through Christmas Day. These are in no particular order.
Behold the Lamb of God - Andrew Peterson
The best Christ-centered incarnation (notice I didn't say Christmas) album I've ever heard. "So Long, Moses" is fantastic (history of redemption) as is "Labor of Love" (perspective of Mary).
From "So Long Moses"
He'll bear no beauty or glory
Rejected, despised
A man of such sorrow
We'll cover our eyesHe'll take up our sickness
Carry our tears
For his people
He will be piercedHe'll be crushed for our evils
Our punishment feel
By his wounds
We will be healed.From you, O Bethlehem
Small among Judah
A ruler will come
Ancient and strong.
The Andy Williams Christmas Album - Andy Williams
My favorite "old school" Christmas album. It was the staple in my home as a kid. Great holiday favorites mixed with Christmas hymns. Also a few unique pieces like a very interesting version of "Jingle Bells."
Another good Christ-centered album. It's very hard to beat these harmonies from a creative trio. "Rose of Bethlehem" is my personal favorite from this album, but my wife really digs "Mystery" which is one singer standing in awe of the incarnation and the love of God. Their version of "O Come, O Come Emmanuel" (my favorite Christmas hymn) presents a profound sense of longing and crying out.
When My Heart Finds Christmas - Harry Connick, Jr.
He has a newer Christmas album out, but this one is his best IMHO. Part of the reason is the incredible title track "When My Heart Finds Christmas." This album is at times beautiful, other times it's fun. A family favorite every year and probably the best all-around Christmas album.
A Romantic Christmas - John Tesh
Everyone loves to make fun of John Tesh and make fun of the people who like John Tesh. I have two of his albums, both instrumental, and they are fantastic. Winter Song is one of my favorite soft classical albums. Great for reading, studying, getting cozy and all that. But for Christmas it's A Romantic Christmas. There is no better music for late nights in mid December, sipping mocha by the fireplace with your hot wife, and then making out later. If you aren't married yet, hurry up so you can make out to this stuff. It's really good.
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Have you heard "My Jesus" by Todd Agnew? Love this song. It might be my new life anthem. I got the CD in a Relevant Network box like 2 months ago and didn't get past the first song until now. Shame on me. Here are the lyrics. Go buy the CD, Reflection of Something. Oh, and his version of "It is Well" (hidden track) is creative and powerful.
"My Jesus"
Which Jesus do you follow?
Which Jesus do you serve?
If Ephesians says to imitate Christ
Then why do you look so much like the world?
Cause my Jesus bled and died
He spent His time with thieves and liars
He loved the poor and accosted the arrogant
So which one do you want to be?
Blessed are the poor in spirit
Or do we pray to be blessed with the wealth of this land
Blessed are they that hunger and thirst for righteousness
Or do we ache for another taste of this world of shifting sand
Cause my Jesus bled and died for my sins
He spent His time with thieves and sluts and liars
He loved the poor and accosted the rich
So which one do you want to be?
Who is this that you follow
This picture of the American dream
If Jesus was here would you walk right by on the other side or fall down and worship at His holy feet
Pretty blue eyes and curly brown hair and a clear complexion
Is how you see Him as He dies for Your sins
But the Word says He was battered and scarred
Or did you miss that part
Sometimes I doubt we'd recognize Him
Cause my Jesus bled and died
He spent His time with thieves and the least of these
He loved the poor and accosted the comfortable
So which one do you want to be?
Cause my Jesus would never be accepted in my church
The blood and dirt on His feet would stain the carpet
But He reaches for the hurting and despised the proud
I think He'd prefer Beale St. to the stained glass crowd
And I know that He can hear me if I cry out loud
I want to be like my Jesus!
I want to be like my Jesus!
Not a posterchild for American prosperity, but like my Jesus
You see I'm tired of living for success and popularity
I want to be like my Jesus but I'm not sure what that means to be like You Jesus
Cause You said to live like You, love like You but then You died for me
Can I be like You Jesus?
I want to be like my Jesus
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Justin Taylor has just informed me that Monergism has built a Tim Keller resource page. It looks like they haven't located any articles other than the ones I've listed in my Tim Keller Articles post (maybe they used my links to build their page?), but they have added some audio resources which is helpful. Always glad to see Keller's ideas getting out there.
So I've added a link on my Keller post to Monergism, which is a tremendous resource for all thing reformed. Oh, and I've finally added D.J. Chuang's Keller resource page, which I keep forgetting to add. Chuang's site was one of the first places I learned about Keller.
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As of this post my stats tell me this site has been viewed 100,104 times. Thanks to all who read, and especially to those who interact with ideas of truth and culture here.
It looks like hit #100,000 was someone who came to my site from a yahoo email to my video sermon post and then went to my homepage. If that was you, then you've won lifetime access to the beautiful Joe Thorn Buddha bobble-head. Enjoy!
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With all apologies to all my SBTS professors that are dear to my heart, I may have decided on a favorite. Hershael York has, in great detail, just posted on his experience at the Blackalicious and G Love and Special Sauce concert he and his wife attended with their son in Nashville.
Hershael is fun and insightful in the classroom, and this post is right in that vein. He leaves some reflections on the evening as well, and I'm thankful for them.
Memorable quotes...
I think it is safe to say that I am probably the only professor at Southern Seminary who has ever been to a G Love and Blackalicious concert.
I am not a hip hop fan, though I confess that I have a certain admiration when they 'freestyle.'
"She's got sauce--your baby's not sweet like mine" was a crowd favorite, as was "Booty Call," which was about precisely what you think it was about. "Two Birds" flew through the set and "Don't Drop It" didn't get dropped, but I kept hoping for him to do "Cold Beverages," a favorite of mine, though he never did.
Tanya and I...inadvertently found ourselves standing in the middle of the drinkers, smokers, and tokers. We could hear dying brain cells gasping their last shallow breaths.
I felt neither uncomfortable nor offended. I had seen all this before. I used to have my own band years ago, after all, and things haven't changed that much.
You want to know something strange? Do you know what I did during the concert? I prayed. My heart was breaking for many of the kids around me. In the middle of the music and surrounded by the revelry, mostly I felt sad. I knew that most of these kids did not understand that they are playing with fire. They didn't seem to consider the consequences that their actions lead to. But I did. I have counseled husbands whose wives were sexually promiscuous and it haunted them. I have had to sit with patients dying of aids that they contracted sexually. I have listened to men who have no attention span and cannot hold a job lament that they burned out their brains with drugs. I've counseled girls who had abortions, girls who had babies out of wedlock, young adults who have become addicted to alcohol and drugs. I am the guy who helps people put the shattered pieces of their lives back together after they realize that much of their fun is really bondage.
I was...reflecting on Richard Blackaby's poignant message on grace and entering the world of those who need it rather than just scolding them You can hear it here). Still, I thought, I just don't know what to do now that I am in their world.
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Here are a few albums that I find enjoyable in different circumstances.
Dirty Three: Cinder
My take: A beautiful, mostly instrumetal (guitar-drums-violin) album. Very mellow and relaxing.
Usage: Good for reading late with candles lit and a beverage you want to sip.
Dusted says: "With a solid emotional through-line and a few sonic surprises, Cinder is a musical novella, whose narrative compels you to its last luxurious line."
The Go! Team: Thunder, Lightning, Strike
My take: Active and fun beats, hip-hoppish, often lined with cheerleader background vocals. A thrill-ride of an album that induces foot-taping and head-bobbing throughout. Check out my family video that includes two clips from the CD.
Usage: When you feel like jumping on the bed or dancing in your underwear.
musicOMH.com says: "Effortlessly cool and implausibly inventive, Thunder Lightning Strike is that rare thing, an instant classic. Let The Go! Team become the new soundtrack to your lives."
My take: Dream-inducing, magical, haunting, and enveloping songs. Thoroughly blissful. I can't stop playing it.
Usage: Close the door, put on high-quality headphones, turn it up slightly too loud, dim the lights nearly off, put your feet up, and head off to neverland.
musicOMH.com says: "Takk's songs are...epics of over seven minutes that generally take at least half of that to get going, and they evoke euphoria, delight and wonder."
Free music downloads; videos ("Glosoli" is incredible)
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I'm blogging on Christ Plays in Ten Thousand Places with Scot McKnight and a few others over at Jesus Creed. Well, the few others haven't appeared yet, but they will.
Check out the first post and join in the conversation.
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Several months ago my wife and I attended Harvest Bible Chapel (James MacDonald) in
Palatine, IL. We tried very hard to make sure we were at the main
church on a day MacDonald would be there. We got there and found out he wasn't
there, but Joe Stowell was preaching. Okay, cool. Feed me. Uh, it was
Stowell on video from an earlier service.
Right now I'm ten minutes into Mark Driscoll's sermon "Jesus Took Our Wrath" and he hasn't started the sermon yet. That's actually not a strange thing for Driscoll, especially since he has about an hour and five minutes left. He is explaining how Mars Hill has been growing in leaps and bounds. Faster than they can accommodate. And they are looking for ways to make space, and space is hard to come by. Wouldn't we all like to have their problems. One quick solution that won't last for long is adding a fifth service on Sunday. As a pastor that sounds like a nightmare for my physical/emotional well being.
So instead of just killing the pastor and staff along the way, they have chosen to make some of the sermons video sermons. Driscoll will preach the first service, it will be taped and used at a service or two that day. That takes care of the killing the pastor/staff part, but I'm a bit concerned at the direction of good churches that I highly respect who are turning to this option. I wonder if this isn't an abuse of the gifts of modernity, rather than using these gifts in a way that truly benefits the church.
Let me just give a few thoughts as to why I don't like this trend. I don't mean to pick on Harvest or MHC or MacDonald or Driscoll, but they have triggered my thoughts.
1. There's a dynamic that isn't there when the preacher isn't standing in front of his people. Every sermon I preach changes because of how the audience responds, how I feel, the sense of "unction" and so on. I don't think these are repeatable things, and so the dynamic is lost. If I have the story right, Martyn Lloyd-Jones didn't like his sermons audio recorded (though they were) because he felt like you couldn't replicate the experience so it wouldn't be the same.
2. Video preaching is, it seems to me, a way of doing an 'end run' around the real need: more preachers/more churches. We are to pray for workers for the harvest, not for digital machines that can video-photocopy a sermon and reproduce it. If God's providing the people to join the flock, I want to believe that God is providing enough pastor/preachers who can shepherd the flock. I know the philosophy at MHC behind why they don't want to share the pulpit, but I'm not sure I fully buy it as the better option.
3. Video preaching seems like the result of personality-driven ministry. The preacher is so important and so beloved that no one else can fill their shoes well enough to preach in their place. I hope this isn't the case, but guys like MacDonald and Driscoll are very charismatic and certainly some are coming who would not if they weren't there.
What do you think?
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Read Doug Wilson's "The Marks of a Pharisee."
We do not widen our phylacteries; we have floppy Bibles with ribbons in them. We do not offer lengthy prayers in the synagogues; we do in the churches. We do not look at the woman caught in adultery with contempt; we look at the immodestly-dressed college girl with contempt. And in a basic display of a censorious and religious bookkeeping system, our hearts (and sometimes our mouths) are full of phrases that rhyme with "that’s not fair!"
May God deliver us.
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I don't think I've linked to the Mark Driscoll's Seattle Times articles before. I think it's a great example of how to interact with the culture in a way they can understand and in a way that points to ultimate issues.
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Free download of "God Moves" from Worship Matters (song link at top right).
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Eugene Peterson's follow up to Christ Plays in Ten Thousand Places is called Eat This Book: A Conversation in the Art of Spiritual Reading and is due out at the end of December. Very cool. This is the second book in a five book series Peterson is planning on spiritual theology.
I am one of a handful of guys who are "mega-blogging" Christ Plays at Jesus Creed. It should be starting soon and I will post on it when it does.
(HT: Prodigal Kiwi)
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Every week I deliver a biblical and counter-cultural message to our congregation, often challenging the ways of our world, the problem of insurmountable sinfulness in humanity and in each of our hearts, and pointing to God who became flesh as the answer and end of all our searches for meaning and escape from the consequences of our sin.
But I only make it into the local paper when a 1 inch hole pops through a water main on our street causing nearly no real problems or issues.
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Al Mohler recently gave a series of lectures on "A Christian Vision of Beauty" at Capitol Hill Baptist Church in Washington, D.C. The audio should be at the CHBC website soon, but for now he is publishing the transcripts on his site.
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Scot McKnight (Jesus Creed) invited me to come this Monday to North Park University (Chicago), where he is a professor, to hear Dr. Donald Hagner lecture and then eat dinner with them as well as some NPU professors.
I showed up a little early for an absolutely riveting discussion on divorce (link shows short video) between Scot, Don, and Kermit Zarley (a former pro golfer who has funded the lecture series). Then Dr. Hagner delivered part one of his lecture series on "A Positive Theology of Judaism from the New Testament." Interesting and provocative. Learn more about the lecture series here, and here's Scot's short post on it.
It was an enjoyable day: I learned some new things, met some good people, and ate some great Italian food at Via Veneto.
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Tim Challies has interviewed Derek Webb about his new CD, Mockingbird (which sounds very good), his thoughts on social justice, favorite books, and more. Interview: Part 1 & Part 2.
From Part 1...
It's like once you come down the aisle responding to the call for salvation - you come down the aisle and you pray the prayer and as you're walking out they give you your little gift bag. And your little gift bag is all of your politics and sexuality and culture and art and all wrapped up, it's all been thought out for you. Just take your gift bag and you're going to be fine. And we just can't be people who are satisfied with that. That is completely oversimplifying issues that are very difficult and very detailed and are very nuanced. We must have a more meaningful discussion about these issues in the church because you simply cannot be as predictable as we have become as the Western church. You cannot be that predictable and follow Jesus. You cannot! Jesus was not predictable in his politics. I do think Jesus makes quite a few very political statements, but he was in no way predictable. There were moments where he might have looked very conservative as we might try to put our terms and categories on him today and look back, but there are also moments where he looked like a flaming liberal. There is nothing we can do about it. If your concern is in following Jesus and that is what you really want to do, as opposed to following some kind of subcultural caricature of a political idea, you're going to have to be willing to follow him back and forth and back and forth. You're going to have to be willing to have people, even in the church, call you a liberal, which can be very derogatory when used by these people. I think the more we align ourselves with political parties in the church the more it makes it impossible to follow Jesus.
From Part 2...
I think that one book that has been tremendously helpful to me is a book by this guy Steve Turner, it's called Imagine. Steve Turner's a guy who studied at L'Abri under Francis Schaeffer, and he wrote this book. It's probably the most thorough and biblical and liberating treatment of how a Christian might engage in the arts. It is one of those books that will take the roof off the house. I read it every couple of years just to remind myself of what's true because when it comes to the arts the church has really mixed up ideas about what the role of art is in culture and especially church culture. So that book really has blown my mind a number of times and I think that should be required reading for anybody.
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Harry Potter, er, Daniel Radcliffe (who plays Harry on screen) has a 'celebrity playlist' up at iTunes. I thought it would be interesting to see what he picked. I liked the list, but I found a few of his explanations of the songs curious. Notice the interesting mix of meanings.
FYI for non-iTunes users, they usually have the celebrity pick 10-15 songs and describe something about what they like about each song.
"Gouge Away" (Track 7): "Biblical imagery, half whispered vocals and an incredible chorus..."
"Me Ves y Sufres" (Track 8): "An incredibly sad song. To me it sounds like it's about someone who, because of their own actions, has no hope of happiness."
"What I'm Looking For" (Track 9): "A song that seems to me, to be saying, 'Hey, there may not be a meaning to life. So let's all just enjoy living it.' A good attitude to have."
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I'm excited about the new movie Walk the Line about the life of Johnny Cash. Rotten Tomatoes, as of the time of this post, has it at a 93% (meaning 93% of reviews are positive, so far) including two thumbs from Ebert and Roeper.
Russ Moore likes the movie, and is a big Cash fan. Get out and see it.
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I love this. Al Mohler and Mark Dever stand in line to get Maureen Dowd to sign her new book.
It's not every day that you get to meet the leading feminist columnist for The New York Times. Ms. Dowd did not disappoint. She was clever, winsome, and glad to sign a copy of her new book, Are Men Necessary? When Sexes Collide. The book is important in several aspects, and I will publish a review in an upcoming commentary.
Ms. Dowd, whose caustic wit ranks with Dorothy Parker, demonstrated her sense of humor in signing her books. After I introduced myself, she wrote a message right under the title question: Are Men Necessary?. She wrote to me: You are! For Dr. Dever she wrote: Absolutely!
Well, it's not every day that two complementarian evangelical men get their existence affirmed by Maureen Dowd. It's true -- these are strange times.
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I wish I could say I didn't expect this, but I did. Someone has claimed the death of Kyle Lake is God's message to the EC: "God Sends Shocking Message to the Emerging Church." Does God electrocute Emerging Church pastors?
Bob Hyatt is bordering on livid, and writes a short post with his email response to the author.
Maybe God's message is, 'Stop baptizing people.' Sheesh. Every pastor or theologian who dies young will have their reputation and that of their "movement" Ananias and Sapphira'd. What about Jonathan Edwards, for crying out loud? You can't have your cake and eat it too.
Oh, and one more thing, I think if God is going to kill someone, He is going to make sure we know that He did it. He will not share His glory with electricity or a microphone.
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Al Mohler wrote "Jimmy Carter's Endangered Values" in response to President Carter's new book. And Jimmy Carter has read and responded to Al Mohler's review.
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I heard this song for the first time today. It's beautiful and invigorating. I wish I could provide the song for you to listen to.
I figured it might make for interesting discussion on cultural exegesis. The lyrics are easy to understand and they capture a certain segment of our culture very well. I left the artist's name off on purpose, so don't give it away. What generation is the artist/author? What is the "gospel" to him?
"Hell Yeah"
If you're thinking that my life
is a hoot and a holler
from the start of the day
to the dark of the night
and that it's ringing like a bell
that you only wanna follow
gotta trust me when I say
I'm just trying to get it rightStill I think about myself
As a lucky old dreamer
And if you're asking me to tell
Is it worth what I paid?
You're going to hear me say:Hell Yeah It Is
And I say it loud
I loved it all
and I'm not too proud
I freed my soul
Just let it flyHell Yeah this crazy life around me
It confuses and confounds me
But it's all the life I've got Until I die
Hell yeah It IsIf you're asking for my time
Isn't much left to give you
Been around a good long while
So I gotta say it fast
Time is all we'll ever need
But it's gotta have a meaning
You be careful how it's spent
cause it isn't going to lastI hear you wondering out loud
Are you ever going to make it
Will you ever work it out
Will you ever take a chance
and Just believe you canHell Yeah You Will
You're going to be okay
You might get lost
But then you'll find a way
Don't go alone
Can't be afraidHell Yeah this life is here and it's made for living
and loves a gift that's made for giving
you Give it all away and have it still
And Hell yeah you willI've been living on a boat
with a lot of people staring
with my feet on shaky ground
and my head up in the sky
But it's where I want to be
It's a life that's made for caring
Gotta a song to pass the day
And a girl to share the nightSo if they ask you when I'm gone
was it everything he wanted
And when he had to travel on
did he know he'd be missed?
You can tell them this:Hell yeah he did
He saw it all
He walked the line
Never had to crawl
He cried a bit
But not for long Hell Yeah he found the life that he was after
Filled it up with love and laughter
Finally gotta it right and made it fit
Hell Yeah He Did
Hell Yeah He Did
Hell Yeah He Did
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I'm beginning a series on the life of Jesus on the 20th, and I was reminded of some Tim Keller sermons I've heard before that I think are very good. Here they are for you. I've also added them to my post "Tim Keller Articles."
"The Gospel" (MP3s) by Tim Keller
1. Who is Jesus? 2. Lord of the Wine 3. Born of the Gospel
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Alright, I have pimp a couple of goodies.
Toffifay (or Toffifee outside the U.S.) is the best candy in the history of the universe. I've loved it since college. My wife and I would leave my hometown and drive back to university, and at a convenience store along the way I would pick up 3-6 packs of Toffifay. And she got me some for my birthday too. A good woman and Toffifay, yeah buddy.
Starbucks just sold me on their mint brownie. Wow, that sucker is good. I'm not big on sweet cakes and brownies, so that should tell you this must be pretty good. I know my baristas pretty well, so I'm going to have to find ways to mooch extra samples in the weeks ahead.
Side bar: boycotters can visit Starbucks through Christmas because they now are using Christmas cups with no quotes. I dunno though, there is a drawing of a guy and girl (click to enlarge). They could be interpreted as getting ready to kiss under the mistletoe. So you may still have a problem. Is this picture showing the seeds of fornication? Or has Starbucks turned against homosexuals who will now have to drink out of a cup that blatantly promotes opposite-sex relationships. (C'mon, that was funny.)
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I turned 33 yesterday. Happy birthday to me. I didn't want to promote my own birthday, but I had to make public this birthday song offering from a couple of friends who live in Kentucky and emailed it to me. It isn't "pretty," but, uh, I think it's heartfelt. lol
(p.s. - there's a hidden track)
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While at university, I was required to read Reaching a New Generation by Alan Roxburgh. I've been skimming it again this week, especially where I have highlighted the book, and there's some good stuff in there.
The contextualizing congregation must learn to "listen" and "see" where God is at work in the midst of secularism, pluralism and technological transformation. This requires the evangelist, pastor or missionary to participate in the culture at an interactive level. But it is not a relationship in which the Christian has something to give but nothing to receive--leaving the context changed but the Christian unchanged. Contextualization requires a dynamic interaction in which both sides are changed through dialogue. (p 69)
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I'm always intrigued by the hits I get from people doing Google searches. Not because they find my site by searching for weird things, though that happens, but because I get so many hits from Google. I probably get well over 100 a day.
I also think it's curious to find out when I'm the #1 Google hit for something. For example this post made me the #1 for "Kevin Ezell." I'm the #1 hit for "David Gray Ain't No Love" because of this post. This here post makes me the #1 hit for "SBTS alcohol." And I'm the #1 Google hit for "Starbucks the way I see it" because of this post.
Interesting stuff.
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Michael Spencer's (iMonk) post yesterday just rips my heart out: "With Regrets, All My Love." It's not short, easy or fun. But it's honest. If you are in ministry or a ministry family, please read it. It may not make you happy, but it will be good for you.
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Wow. Some of the blogs I read are far more profound than the books I read. Today I was humbled and encouraged by Gary Lamb's post "Church Planting Wives." This could be written about the wife of any pastor.
And if you are not a pastor, church planter or pastor's wife, you still need to read this. I want church members of all sorts to read this and realize the stuff going on in a pastor's home and marriage. Here's the post.
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Today Ben (who has one of my favorite blogs) posted about the tears, burnout, and stress that the wives of church planters go through.
His exact words were:
Most Church Planter's wives are in tremendous pain. Tears streaming down their faces from the emotional, spiritual, and physical exhaustion of starting a new work.
I have seen this and I couldn't agree more.
However I feel that this is a result of us as church planters putting our wives in position's they should not be in. It is that plain and simple.
I am prepared to get BLASTED with this post that is why I have waited so long to post it but please realize that I am not trying to be a mean with what I am about to say but this is a huge problem and it needs to be fixed.
I am in my second church plant (and last), I have been in full-time ministry since I was 20 (I'm now 29) and I have to say DeAnna has never went through this or experienced it and it is because I made some choices early on in my ministry.
1.) God did NOT call my wife to pastor this church. DeAnna is 100% behind what I do. She could not imagine doing anything else with our lives BUT I pastor and lead this church not her. There is no reason for her to feel the pressure or stress that comes along with doing what I do. She doesn't have to give me advice on every decision that the church makes. She is my wife not the other pastor of the church.
2.) She doesn't need to know every thing that happens. DeAnna and I talk a lot and we talk about the church a lot, however I do not tell her every thing. There are things she doesn't need to know because it will change the way she looks at situations, people, or events. If she knew what people have said to me or have done to me, it would cause her to get bitter and angry. She doesn't need to know every thing.
3.) She doesn't have to be at every thing. Being married to me is rough. :) Besides being married we have two wonderful children. They are a full time job. She attends what she wants too or what we feel would be good for her to be at but she does not attend every thing the church does. There is no need for that and all that does is burn your wife out. The church needs to know she has other responsibility then just them.
4.) I am VERY outspoken about complaining to my wife. In our membership class and from the stage I have made it very clear that if you have a complaint about the church or me you better not go to my wife with it. That is what cowards do and we need to let our church know she is not the complaint department.
5.) She serves where she feels called. Early in my ministry I made my wife play the good pastor's wife. Not anymore. I only expect of her what I expect of every other member of Ridge Stone. She must serve somewhere. For the first 9 months she led our preschool ministry. When she was ready to quit and turn it over to someone else, she did. She now serves in there once a month and leads a bible study for mother's of preschoolers.
6.) I don't dump all my problems on her. The reason your wife hates ministry is because she sees and hears that it is tearing you apart. All she hears is the negative stuff and because of her love for you, it upsets her. She doesn't need that.
7.) I don't cheat on her with the ministry. Most pastors are having on an affair on their wife with the church they pastor. This might not be popular but I would let all of Canton die and go to hell before I allowed my wife to grow bitter and stressed in her feelings for God. I work a lot of hours. I leave the house at 5 in the morning and I usually am not home until about 6:00 p.m. but when I get home, it is time for her and the kids. I talk ministry all day, I don't want to or need to talk it with her.
8.) She loves where we are at. If DeAnna wasn't happy, we would leave. She knows that. That is important to me. I have had several job offers lately that I didn't accept (I'm here until I die, I hope) but if I would have she would have killed me because she is happy here. That is important to me and she knows it.
9.) I don't put financial pressure on her. Church planting is hard and the pay stinks. Of course she lives by guidelines when it comes to spending but when things are tight I don't pressure her or make her feel guilty in this area. She has not worked since we have had kids and that has been fine. God called me to plant a church, God called her to be a mother.
10.) I date my mate.
We make time for each other. No matter what is happening in our lives,
we make time for each other. It might be sitting around the house after
the kid are a sleep but we spend one on one time with each other no
matter what. You need to make time for you wife. I tell my church all
the time, "If you don't make time for your spouse, someone else will."
11.) I made sure she felt called.
We had a lot of discussions on this matter. Just as God called me here,
He called her. She has a different role but she has the same call. That
is so important. I know that I know this is where God would have us to
be and part of that call is because she feels the same way.
12.) I protect her. Under NO circumstances will I allow someone at church to hurt her. You haven't see redneck until you see how I will react. I will not allow her to be attacked, I will not allow her to be taken advantage of, I will not allow her to be put in a bad position, etc. She knows that.
Church planter, listen to me. Your wife is the most important thing in your life. You have the duty to make sure she isn't feeling stressed, pressured, or bitter about church planting.
I meet with church planter's and their wives all the time and I am amazed at the ready to quit attitudes of most wives.
Ladies, know your role as well. Remember God called you to be a help mate to your husband, not run the church.
I am so passionate about this topic. I could not do what I do without my wife. She is my anchor and I will do whatever it takes to keep her from feeling what most planter's wives feel.
You should do the same for your wife.
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David Powlison of the Christian Counseling & Educational Foundation has a new book coming out called Speaking Truth in Love: Counsel in Community. I'm excited about the community focus of this book.
Speaking Truth in Love is a winsome, readable handbook that delves into the heart of how God would have us relate to one another. It's not only an essential for the Christian counselor's library; it is also must-reading for any believer who wants to build great and godly relationships.
Joni Earekson Tada - JAF International
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Bob Kauflin is director of worship development for Sovereign Grace Ministries and serves as worship leader at Josh Harris' church, Covenant Life Church in Gaithersburg, Maryland. Bob is now blogging: Worship Matters.
There are no comments allowed, which I think is a bummer. But there is no question that this will be a very helpful place for thinking through a theology of worship put into practice.
(HT: JT)
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I'm planning a series of posts on the art and importance of slowness. Here's a poem worthy of meditation.
The opening poem from A Timbered Choir by Wendell Berry
I go among trees and sit still.
All my stirring becomes quiet
around me like circles on water.
My tasks lie in their places
Where I left them, asleep like cattle.Then what is afraid of me comes
And lives a while in my sight.
What it fears in me leaves me,
And the fear of me leaves it.
It sings, and I hear its song.Then what I am afraid of comes.
I live for a while in its sight.
What I fear in it leaves it,
And the fear of it leaves me.
It sings, and I hear its song.After days of labor,
Mute in my consternations,
I hear my song at last,
And I sing it. As we sing,
The day turns, the trees move.
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Check out Scot McKnight's four part series on defining the Emerging Church. I think it's one of the best explanations of the emerging church around. I've given a blurb from each post, but they are all excellent and should be read in full.
What is the Emerging Church? Praxis
One of the reasons so many are frustrated with the Emerging Movement’s definition is found here: it is a movement concerned with praxis and not simply theology. If the older fashion was to define others by their theology, the Emerging Movement wants to be defined by its behavior. This is a dramatic challenge to the Church.
What is the Emerging Church? Protest
Whatever the Emerging Movement is, it is clearly a protest movement. Sometimes it can appear to be cranky, but there is substance and there is focus in what the Emerging Movement is protesting. And, though sometimes the resolutions fall flat or fail to materialize or collapse into the unworkable, there are genuine resolutions being worked out.
[...]
Tenth, the Emerging Movement wants to be Worldly. Not in the Johannine sense or in the Pauline sense, but in the Kingdom sense: it knows that God is working to restore the entire creation into an expression of his glory and so it summons everyone to participate in the grant work of God to restore and redeem. It embraces culture and state and politics and business and it protests old-fashioned Christian separationism and enclave Christian circles. The walls between Church and World, so it is suggesting, need to be impermeable and not permeable, they need to be knocked down so the passage from one to the other is an imperceptible as the passing of Jesus from one person to another.
What is the Emerging Church? Postmodernity
There is nothing that should be more welcome to orthodox Christian theology than the contention that meta-narratives cannot be established on the basis of some kind of universal reason independent of faith. This is somewhat Augustinian: I believe in order to understand. It is crucial to the way of Jesus that we must first trust him in order to know him and to know ourselves and to know our vocation in this world.
[...]
I will say this again: the Emerging Movement is not entirely postmodernist in its epistemology, and it is sloppy and unfair to say that it is. What the Emerging Movement, and almost universally, is an attempt to “do church locally” in light of the postmodern condition of our world.
What is the Emerging Church? Pro-Aplenty
It can be said that the EM is theologically driven by a reaction to the sort of theology that flowed from the ancient creeds into the Reformation and from the Reformation into the present Evangelical culture. And that theology is often abstract, systematic, and rooted in logic and reason. The EM wants to root its theology, which is more practical than it is theoretical, in the incarnate life of Jesus himself. It wants a theology that is shaped by personhood and relationship rather than just rationality and systemic thinking.
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I love the old hymns. I love singing substance. A number of folks are updating hymns and are doing a fantastic job. Indelible Grace (RUF) is excellent and Sovereign Grace Ministries is doing some good stuff too.
Al Mohler points us to a great new hymn-writer, Keith Getty, who has written "Oh, To See The Dawn" ("The Power of the Cross") with Stuart Townend. These two have also written "In Christ Alone," which is one of my favorite hymns, old or new.
I agree with Mohler, who writes...
Are we entering a great new era of hymnody? There are signs of hope, and we can see the emergence of new hymn writers and composers who combine the best of old and new, recovering the ancient form in a new age. Best of all, these hymns are rich in biblical truth and Gospel content.
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We made it back from our short fall break where we got away for a bit to have some fun as a family. Here's a video of the trip if you are interested. It's 5 minutes long and the ending is my favorite part, so don't give up in the middle. Music by The Go! Team.
As usual, the Lord taught me many things while away. He taught me how incredible my family is, and how much I don't deserve them. He taught me to remember how strikingly beautiful and wise my wife is. He reminded me again how much my family needs a strong, godly husband and father.
It's so good of God to remind me in the busyness of ministry that the most important things in life aren't the sermons I preach to my congregation, but the sermons I live before my family.
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STEVE McCOY
