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Hey everyone…just wanted to let you know what the Lord is doing in
our lives. Many of you know the burden the Lord has given us for
making disciples. Four months ago Stamford Baptist Church in Stamford,
CT, contacted us to see if I would be open to becoming their pastor
and implementing the discipling model that we have been applying in
Delta and Gamma Chi. After four months of prayer and searching for
God’s clear direction, we spent last week with the church. Sunday they
voted unanimously to call me as pastor, and I accepted.

Debbie and I will be here the next four weeks, then we will pack up
and move to Connecticut.

We are so excited at the prospect of this new ministry, but so sad to
leave the deep relationships that we have formed here over the last
fifteen years. We covet your prayers as we embark on this amazing
adventure.

Thanks!

Sinful Silence

Hey everyone, the third edition of my book “Sinful Silence” is now available in Kindle format for $4.99

http://amzn.to/iHvDId

Spread the word!

Check out this repost of my blog from May 2008, then consider this: are we in danger of  limiting the power of the Gospel to the personality and performance of a particular pastor…or even a worship pastor or music program? Consider the example of the advance of the Gospel in Acts, then compare our priorities and strategies  to see how we  measure up. My observation up front: if people are drawn to a church because of personalities, performances, and productions–componants that are primarily focused upon humans–rather than because of the Person and work of Christ in the community of believers and their corresponding witness, we shouldn’t be surprised at the lack of changed lives in in the congregation, because only Christ can change lives. We shouldn’t be surprised if our sanctuaries are filled with consumers and spectators, because we have catered to consumers and spectators. We shouldn’t be surprised if the Gospel appears to be ineffective, because we are not lifting up the Person and Power of the Gospel, Jesus Christ.

Observations on a Biblically Consistent Church, Part 5

May 21, 2008 by toknowgod |

The final observation is this: A biblically consistent church is more identified by and with the Person and work of Jesus Christ, rather than the personality and work of its pastor. I know this may seem extreme, but consider our current situation in Western evangelicalism.  Stop and think of a prominent church—any church—now, can you separate that church from its identification with its pastor?  Most often, when we think of a church, we automatically think of its pastor.  It’s as if the church is inextricably linked to the pastor’s personality. And so much of that is related to his performance and skills—as a preacher, or a shepherd, or a counselor, or an administrator.  Now, stop and think of the five most recognized and prominent churches in the nation.  Can you think of those churches without thinking of each pastor?

Don’t get me wrong—I praise God for the godly men He has raised up for these times.  He has used some of them in mighty ways for His purposes and to accomplish His plan. If it weren’t for the ministry of some of these men, our plight would be even worse than it is.  The problem is, you don’t find this pastoral prominence in the New Testament. Again, stop and think: how many names of pastors can you identify in the New Testament?  Probably not very many—and it’s not because there was a shortage of churches—by the end of Paul’s ministry, there were countless churches on the east and north sides of the Mediterranean.  But starting in Jerusalem, give me the names of the pastors of any of them.  Some scholars believe James was the “senior” pastor in Jerusalem, some say Timothy in Ephesus, and some say Titus in Crete. History tells us that Peter headed up the church in Rome, but Scripture doesn’t mention it.

This isn’t to suggest that there weren’t pastors in each church, it’s just that they were not prominent. One observation could be: “Just think how effective the advance of the Gospel would have been if they only had some decent pastors back then like we have now!”  The more appropriate observation is that the primary focus was not on the pastors—the churches’ growth and survival was not linked to the personality and abilities of the pastor—the focus was on the Person and work of the Christ.  These churches were obsessed with Him.  Which makes sense—He was their King, they were seeking first His Kingdom, they were proclaiming the Gospel of the Kingdom, and the church was actually founded on this understanding (Matt. 16:16-18).  Their identity, health, and growth were inextricably linked to, and dependent solely upon, Jesus.

This in no way diminishes the role of pastor—God has demonstrated in Scripture His design to specifically and strategically place pastors in position to teach and apply His Word and to be undershepherds to His sheep. But when our churches become so enamored with the pastor that they are more excited about him, his sermons, and his vision than they are about Jesus Himself, the pastor competes with Jesus for the position of prominence. And a church that is dependent upon the pastor for its health, identity, and growth—a church in which its identity is so closely linked to its pastor—is a church that borders on idolatry and should not be surprised if God removes His hand of blessings.

Check out the interview with Ed Stetzer on my book  ”Sinful Silence–www.edstetzer.com

Biblical Evangelism

Thought: so much of today’s evangelism focuses on telling people how to get “saved,” but first century evangelism focused on sharing who Jesus was and what He did.

The disciples in Acts weren’t excited about the task of evangelism per se, they were excited about the Person and work of Christ. Evangelism was the natural result and overflow (which is born out in John 15:5).

Perhaps the lack of effective evangelism today is because we are more focused on popular processes than a Person. I believe when God’s people recapture a biblical perspective on the Person and work of Christ, we will see an overwhelming awakening in this land.

Yahweh Under Arrest

“So Judas took a company of soldiers and some temple police from the chief priests and the Pharisees and came there with lanterns, torches, and weapons. Then Jesus, knowing everything that was about to happen to Him, went out and said to them, ‘Who is it you’re looking for?’ ‘Jesus the Nazarene,’ they answered. ‘I AM,’ Jesus told them. (literal translation). … When He told them, ‘I AM,’ they stepped back and fell to the ground. John 18:3-6 (adapted from the HCSB)

Behold the awesome and absolute, yet ever-so tempered, power of Yahweh under arrest. Borchert in his NAC commentary calls this the “terrifying mystery of the ultimate reality.” Indeed.

Further, at no point did God ever cease to be in control of the events surrounding His betrayal, arrest, unlawful prosecution, and execution–the ultimate acts of injustice to accommodate the ultimate act of justice (Is 53:5).

Sin!!!

Check out my article on “sin” in SBC LIFE. I’m an expert on the subject with 54 years experience! ;) Sinners~In Desperate Need of a Savior

Most who read this will be familiar with the Biblical imagery of God and His people pictured as the Groom and His bride.  In the Old Testament, there are multiple references to Israel as God’s bride (Isaiah 62: 3-5, Jeremiah 2: 32; 3: 6-10, Ez. 16, 23; Hosea 1-3), but many of these picture the bride as chronically immoral, adulterous, and debaucherous, repeatedly abandoning her Husband to chase after any and every other lover that passes her way.  Some of these depictions are intentionally and extremely graphic, and perhaps even embarrassing to read.  Of course God is exceedingly heroic in His willingness to extend inconceivable grace and mercy, and in Hosea He is pictured as One Who graciously purchases (redeems, ransoms) His bride out of harlotry (which she willingly and aggressively pursued) and the resulting sexual slavery.  His incomparable compassion and love stand at the opposite end of the spectrum from His bride’s eager and incessant degeneracy—and all who grasp even a fraction of the magnitude of God’s grace and mercy are driven to their knees in humble admiration and adoration.

 

In the New Testament, the imagery is of Christ and His bride the Church (Eph. 5: 22-33, 2 Cor. 11:2; Rev. 19: 7-9; 21: 2, 9). While the imagery of immorality is not as graphic, there is still the emphasis on the need to guard fidelity (2 Cor. 11: 1-4), and there are numerous reminders that His people were purchased out of such things (Eph. 2: 1-5, 4: 17-24; 5: 1-8, et. al.) and warnings of the danger of falling back into such things (Gal. 5: 19-21; Eph. 4: 22, 23; 5: 7, 8, et. al.).  Paul points out that every man is a liar (Rom. 3: 4), and that no one is righteous in and of himself—indeed that we are all dreadfully sinful—and that righteousness is found ONLY in Christ through faith (Rom. 3: 10-22). He also reminds us that even the redeemed are engaged in a violent and incessant struggle for victory over sin—that we are of flesh and must constantly fight to overcome bondage to sin (Rom 7: 14-24).  And once again, those who recognize the extremes—who catch even a brief glimpse of the vastness of His compassion and kindness—cannot help but fall on their faces in gratitude and reverence.  Indeed, those who recognize—who focus intently upon—such extremes and such grace never fully recover, and the reality dominates their thinking and conversation.  

 

Imagine, then, a woman who is helplessly and hopelessly caught in a life of debauchery, who has chased after every man who would lay with her, who in so doing unwittingly volunteered for sexual slavery, subjecting herself to the most vile and disgusting activities ever conceived in the perverse and abominable minds of the demonic throngs.  Then imagine the King coming along and seeing the poor wretch lying in and covered with filth (because that is how her most recent “lover” left her).  He is fully aware that she is living the life she has chosen and that she is fully deserving of all of the tragedy she has experienced and all that would await her.  Then, imagine the unimaginable—the King being moved with compassion, having mercy upon her and purchasing her out of slavery, paying a most extraordinary and extravagant price—a price that no one around could ever conceive of as being justified—all because He has compassion on her and has chosen to deliver her.  Then, even more incredibly, imagine the King revealing that He was making her His own precious bride, instructing her to prepare for the wedding feast, and indicating that He would be returning soon for that event.

 

Such a scene is almost inconceivable. So how outrageous would it be if, in the following days and weeks, the bride began to muse that perhaps she possessed some virtue that made her attractive to Him?  What if she began to act as if she had earned some status apart from that which the King ascribed to her by His decision to ransom her at an enormous price?  How ridiculous would it be if, as she prepared for the wedding feast, she started to strut a bit when she walked about the village, head and shoulders thrust back, wearing clothes that clearly drew one’s eyes to her own physical features?  When the people of the village spoke with her, what if most of her comments were about herself—who she was, what she was doing, her daily activities, her plans, and her projects—clearly indicating that she was enamored with herself? Or, what if the people saw her constantly arguing with herself over what her priorities ought to be, and then over how she should pursue those priorities? Then, what if they saw her giddily consumed in self congratulations whenever she accomplished one of those priorities?  Even more bizarre, what if the people saw her in violent dispute with herself over the details surrounding her redemption, to emerge announcing arrogantly that she had a superior understanding of the process surrounding the King’s ransom?

 

Even worse, what if she started offering advice on how to be attractive, or how to prepare for weddings, or the best options for wedding gowns, or the best hairstyles for weddings, or how to host the perfect bridal shower, or how to discover one’s “inner” bride? What if she started leading seminars on wedding planning, or bridal preparation, or the incredible benefits of being the bride of the King?  What if these led to her writing books with such titles as “Intentional Wedding Invitations,” or “The Top 10 Most Effective Wedding Preparation Strategies,” or “Becoming the Bride You Were Always Meant to Be”?  Of course there would be major book promotions, which would lead to more meetings, conferences, and seminars. In those meetings there might be a mention of the King and what He had done; but when all the people of the village looked at and listened to her, what if their logical conclusion was that the wedding—and indeed, everything surrounding the bride—was essentially all about her?

 

If she were in her right mind, instead she would be so overwhelmed by the King’s grace and mercy that all she would want to talk about, think about, and be about—was HIM.  She would be so overcome with amazement at, and gratitude for, the King and His extraordinary willingness to ransom and deliver her from bondage, that with total abandon she would devote all of her time and energy before the wedding to excitedly and enthusiastically telling everyone she could all about Him, focusing on the magnitude of who He was and the incredible nature and reality of what He had done.  She would hardly speak of or reflect upon herself—neither positively nor negatively, neither her past nor her present—she would only want to reflect on and speak of Him.  She certainly wouldn’t glory in her depravity, but rather in the One Who had rescued her from it. And whenever the people of the village encountered her, they would see a humble, gentle, joyful, devoted, caring, soft-hearted bride who was absolutely obsessed with her husband/King—not merely in a surface/emotional/romantic way, but through a life that was entirely and absolutely devoted, committed, and surrendered to Him—the One Who had chosen to love and rescue Her and was returning soon for her. 

 

When she was not speaking to the people of the village, most of the time they would see her head bowed, but whenever she lifted her face heavenward they couldn’t help but notice a radiant countenance. They would observe simultaneously a slight tear in her eye, a soft smile on her face, and a sweet song from her lips—that unearthly blending of humility, joy, and adoration that comes from knowing you’ve been fully redeemed, delivered, and forgiven.  

 

Of course they would see her preparing for the wedding and covering all of the necessary details, but whenever the people encountered her, both in her behavior and in her conversation, they could not help but be impressed first by the astounding reality of Who this King was and the astonishing nature of what He had done.

 

At that point it is more likely that they would be open to the shocking truth that they, too, were slaves; then they would be in a better position to hear the amazing message that this same King had paid the same price for their redemption.

 

The difference is between a bride who is unjustifiably preoccupied with herself—who she is, what she has done, what she is doing, and all that she proposes to do—and one who is justifiably and humbly preoccupied with the Groom—the inexplicable grandeur of Who He is and the inestimable magnitude of what He has done.

 

And, as we see throughout the Book of Acts, the people of the village respond accordingly to such a church.

 

P.S, for a glimpse of such a bride, read my blog thread “Divine Obsession.” Also, I will not be posting comments on this blog.

The following is a partial summary of what I have gleaned from my study over the last year.  It shows areas where some of us have overlooked key aspects of the Gospel, and as a result, weaknesses in some evangelistic presentations.

 

1. The Gospel cannot be separated from the Kingdom

  • Jesus proclaimed the “Gospel of the Kingdom”—Matt. 4:23; 9: 35; Mk 1:14,15; Luke 4:43; Lk 8:1
  • He indicated that the Gospel of the Kingdom must be preached to all before the end of time—Matt. 24:14
  • Jesus linked eternal life to the Kingdom—John 3:3,5; Matt. 19:16-17, 23-24, 25
  • Philip preached the Gospel of the Kingdom (Acts 8:12)
  • The Kingdom is directly linked to Paul’s presentation of the Gospel—Acts 28:31

2. The Kingdom is essentially the reign and rule of the King (see D.A. Carson and Craig Blomberg’s references in their commentaries on Matthew)

 

3. Jesus repeatedly identified Himself as the Christ/King and was repeatedly identified by others as such—in fact He was convicted and executed for admitting to as much (Christ=Messiah=King—and by implication, Master, Ruler, Lord—not just in title, but in function. See “The First Mark of a Disciple”  http://www.mediafire.com/?bibbjg8yxjz)

 

4. Jesus indicated that the church is comprised of those who recognize (and by implication submit to) Him as King (Matt. 16:16-18—again, Carson and Blomberg)

 

5. Jesus linked eternal life to knowing Him as Christ/King—John 17:3

 

6. John indicated that a prerequisite to eternal life is believing/trusting Jesus as Christ/King—20:31

 

7. The essence of the Gospel in Acts focused on the centrality of Jesus as the Christ/King

  • Peter at Pentecost—2:31-37
  • Peter upon healing crippled man—3:13-18
  • The whole church—5:32
  • Stephen—Acts 7:52 (by implication—referring to “the Righteous One”)
  • Philip—Acts 8:5
  • Paul—Acts 9:22; 17:3; 18:5; 26:23; 28:31
  • Observations by the Jews (17:7)
  • Apollos—18:28

8. To be saved is to enter the Kingdom. Entering the Kingdom requires acknowledging, submitting to, and yielding to the King. So, in order to be saved, one must recognize and be willing to submit to the King (Master, Ruler, Lord). Therefore, you cannot accurately or adequately proclaim the Gospel without proclaiming Jesus as absolute Christ/King/Lord/Master/Ruler, and explaining the need to trust Him as such.

Hitler and Darwin

My son, Philip, is now a weekly blogger for his church in Louisville–Sojourn Community Church.

Check it out:

http://travelblog.sojournchurch.com/2009/03/24/contend-by-philip-revell-what-do-hitler-and-darwin-have-in-common/

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