As we enjoy the Olympics, there are a few things we need to bear in mind as we watch the "China of Today."
You only see what the Chinese government and the liberal media outlets want you to see. What they are not reporting is far more newsworthy than what they are reporting.
For example, weeks before the games, the government rounded up Christian pastors in the area and threw them in prison. They are not enjoying the games. They are wondering if they will every see their families again on this side of heaven.
When I saw a special on NBC this morning, they showed a correspondent sampling various foods. The line of workers in government-issued uniforms had no choice in the matter. They were enlisted by the government, they were told what to wear, where to stand, to smile at all times, and to do it all for the love of a government which oppresses its people and encourages the murder and/or disregard of its little girls.
So, when you watch the Olympics, enjoy the athletes. Enjoy their hard work coming to fruition. But, by all means, do not believe the conspiracy of propaganda striving to put a smiling face on Communism.
Finally, pray for our brothers and sisters in Christ in China. Pray they will be stronger than we have ever had to be. Pray that they will be effective witnesses in a world of deceit and oppression.
Saturday, August 9, 2008
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
Preaching and Children
Yesterday, as I was listening to “positive and encouraging K-Love,” I was blindsided by a commercial with an implicit and dangerous message about preaching – a message which reflects the overall attitude of Americans who have made a god of the entertainment culture and fundamentally do not understand the vital importance of practicing the discipline of hearing the spoken Word of God in community with other believers.
Admittedly, I only heard about half of the blurb, but what I heard was enough. The announcer boasted that the event would not only include great preaching but fun and games for students and kids as well.
The implication is clear. Great preaching is not enough these days, and it most certainly is not what our children need.
This is a far cry from what we find in Nehemiah 8:1–3 where, “all the people gathered as one man at the square which was in front of the Water Gate, and they asked Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses which the LORD had given to Israel. Then Ezra the priest brought the law before the assembly of men, women and all who could listen with understanding, on the first day of the seventh month. He read from it before the square which was in front of the Water Gate from early morning until midday, in the presence of men and women, those who could understand; and all the people were attentive to the book of the law.”
There was no consideration of “how to keep the kid’s attention.” The subject – God’s Word – was riveting enough! If they were old enough to understand, they were old enough to listen respectfully as the Word of God was proclaimed for half the day. These days, a sermon is considered too long if it strays longer than 30 minutes.
Of course, the dilemma we find ourselves in is not entirely the fault of those in the pew. Some preachers have a special penchant for preaching about themselves, culture, politics, leadership, vision, or pop psychology while barely touching the unfailing truths in the Word of God. In this case, fun and games are better for our children.
But, we must not judge the value of preaching by looking at bad preachers. Both history and the Scriptures demonstrate that the health of the church is inextricably linked to its preaching. Indeed, the church was born following Peter’s rousing sermon (Acts 2).
David L. Larsen in The Company of Preachers, v. 1, is not overstating the case when he declares, “the history of the Christian church is the history of preaching” (13). P. T. Forsyth has said, “With it’s preaching, Christianity stands or falls.” (quoted from Larsen, p. 13).
As Christians, we must remember that God works by the hearing of His Word. Because this is true, we should not seek to delay our children’s exposure to good preaching but to introduce it as soon as understanding is possible! This does not mean complete understanding – just an ability to pick up the gist of what is being said. If we continue diluting our teaching and lowering our expectations for a child’s behavior and attention span, we should not be surprised when older kids drop out of church when it is finally time to “go to big church.”
Sermons do not stop when the invitation is given. Paul, writing to the Thessalonians, writes “And we also thank God continually because, when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is at work in you who believe.”
Real sermons – those which explain the written Word and exhort the human heart – stick with you. They stick with kids too! But, sermons only stick when people listen intently – seeking to receive the Word of God and let the Holy Spirit work the Word in and through them. Indeed, "there is no such thing as great preaching if there is not great listening" (Larsen, 15).
When we adults are once again eager to hear and receive the Word, perhaps the children who look up to us will be eager as well.
What does this mean for "children’s church?" Stay tuned.
Admittedly, I only heard about half of the blurb, but what I heard was enough. The announcer boasted that the event would not only include great preaching but fun and games for students and kids as well.
The implication is clear. Great preaching is not enough these days, and it most certainly is not what our children need.
This is a far cry from what we find in Nehemiah 8:1–3 where, “all the people gathered as one man at the square which was in front of the Water Gate, and they asked Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses which the LORD had given to Israel. Then Ezra the priest brought the law before the assembly of men, women and all who could listen with understanding, on the first day of the seventh month. He read from it before the square which was in front of the Water Gate from early morning until midday, in the presence of men and women, those who could understand; and all the people were attentive to the book of the law.”
There was no consideration of “how to keep the kid’s attention.” The subject – God’s Word – was riveting enough! If they were old enough to understand, they were old enough to listen respectfully as the Word of God was proclaimed for half the day. These days, a sermon is considered too long if it strays longer than 30 minutes.
Of course, the dilemma we find ourselves in is not entirely the fault of those in the pew. Some preachers have a special penchant for preaching about themselves, culture, politics, leadership, vision, or pop psychology while barely touching the unfailing truths in the Word of God. In this case, fun and games are better for our children.
But, we must not judge the value of preaching by looking at bad preachers. Both history and the Scriptures demonstrate that the health of the church is inextricably linked to its preaching. Indeed, the church was born following Peter’s rousing sermon (Acts 2).
David L. Larsen in The Company of Preachers, v. 1, is not overstating the case when he declares, “the history of the Christian church is the history of preaching” (13). P. T. Forsyth has said, “With it’s preaching, Christianity stands or falls.” (quoted from Larsen, p. 13).
As Christians, we must remember that God works by the hearing of His Word. Because this is true, we should not seek to delay our children’s exposure to good preaching but to introduce it as soon as understanding is possible! This does not mean complete understanding – just an ability to pick up the gist of what is being said. If we continue diluting our teaching and lowering our expectations for a child’s behavior and attention span, we should not be surprised when older kids drop out of church when it is finally time to “go to big church.”
Sermons do not stop when the invitation is given. Paul, writing to the Thessalonians, writes “And we also thank God continually because, when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is at work in you who believe.”
Real sermons – those which explain the written Word and exhort the human heart – stick with you. They stick with kids too! But, sermons only stick when people listen intently – seeking to receive the Word of God and let the Holy Spirit work the Word in and through them. Indeed, "there is no such thing as great preaching if there is not great listening" (Larsen, 15).
When we adults are once again eager to hear and receive the Word, perhaps the children who look up to us will be eager as well.
What does this mean for "children’s church?" Stay tuned.
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
The Faith of Abraham
In Genesis 22, Abraham obeys God even though it appears God is asking him to sacrifice his son Issac. Issac was the son of promise - the one from whom the great nation (Gen 12:2) promised to come from Abraham was to come and, ultimately, the line through which all nations would be blessed (Gen 12:3).
Abraham's confidence in God has not lost its impact on us thousands of years later. We still marvel that he could obey the Lord even as he expressed unwavering confidence in God's ability to provide a lamb for the sacrifice (Gen 22:8). Hebrews 11:19 suggests that Abraham even considered that God might have him go all the way to the point of sacrificing his son but that God could raise his son from the dead. What amazing confidence in our Lord! He has no evidence of a resurrection, but he knows the Lord can be trusted no matter how grim the circumstances. God's power to save and His power to honor his covenant cannot be thwarted, and he proves this once for all in the redeeming work of Christ on behalf of all who call upon the name of the Lord.
Genesis 22 is often called the "faith chapter" of Genesis, but strong demonstrations of Abraham's faith continue into chapters 23 and 24. He does not just have a "mountaintop experience." He continues expressing his faith in very concrete ways. God had not simply promised to make Abraham a great nation but also to give him a specific land (Gen 12:1). When Sarah dies, he jumps through the appropriate hoops to secure a proper burial place for her in the land that the Lord has promised to Abraham's descendants. Though God has not yet given the land, Abraham believes so strongly that He will give it that he buries Sarah there.
In Genesis 24, Abraham sent a servant back to his family to find a wife for Issac. He does not allow Issac to return there lest he be tempted to return to the safety of family and neglect God's plan. Yet, he also selects a woman from among his family and sets up Issac for success by ensuring that he avoids the intermingling with the Canaanites which in later years lead the Israelites to accept other gods and compromise in their worship of the One, True God. In setting up Issac for success, Abraham is continuing to demonstrate true faith in God by taking practical steps of obedience.
The evidence of authentic faith is obedience. In Genesis 22-24, we see a man who believes God and obeys Him without the benefit of looking back on the cross of Christ. When we consider the faithfulness of God on our behalf as demonstrated at the cross, how can we falter in believing God? How can we not obey?
Lord give us the kind of faith that obeys you in the face of seemingly insurmountable circumstances. Let us remember and truly believe that there is no greater blessing than knowing You, and let us live our lives in anticipation of Your return.
Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. For by it the men of old gained approval. By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things which are visible. Hebrews 11:1-3
Abraham's confidence in God has not lost its impact on us thousands of years later. We still marvel that he could obey the Lord even as he expressed unwavering confidence in God's ability to provide a lamb for the sacrifice (Gen 22:8). Hebrews 11:19 suggests that Abraham even considered that God might have him go all the way to the point of sacrificing his son but that God could raise his son from the dead. What amazing confidence in our Lord! He has no evidence of a resurrection, but he knows the Lord can be trusted no matter how grim the circumstances. God's power to save and His power to honor his covenant cannot be thwarted, and he proves this once for all in the redeeming work of Christ on behalf of all who call upon the name of the Lord.
Genesis 22 is often called the "faith chapter" of Genesis, but strong demonstrations of Abraham's faith continue into chapters 23 and 24. He does not just have a "mountaintop experience." He continues expressing his faith in very concrete ways. God had not simply promised to make Abraham a great nation but also to give him a specific land (Gen 12:1). When Sarah dies, he jumps through the appropriate hoops to secure a proper burial place for her in the land that the Lord has promised to Abraham's descendants. Though God has not yet given the land, Abraham believes so strongly that He will give it that he buries Sarah there.
In Genesis 24, Abraham sent a servant back to his family to find a wife for Issac. He does not allow Issac to return there lest he be tempted to return to the safety of family and neglect God's plan. Yet, he also selects a woman from among his family and sets up Issac for success by ensuring that he avoids the intermingling with the Canaanites which in later years lead the Israelites to accept other gods and compromise in their worship of the One, True God. In setting up Issac for success, Abraham is continuing to demonstrate true faith in God by taking practical steps of obedience.
The evidence of authentic faith is obedience. In Genesis 22-24, we see a man who believes God and obeys Him without the benefit of looking back on the cross of Christ. When we consider the faithfulness of God on our behalf as demonstrated at the cross, how can we falter in believing God? How can we not obey?
Lord give us the kind of faith that obeys you in the face of seemingly insurmountable circumstances. Let us remember and truly believe that there is no greater blessing than knowing You, and let us live our lives in anticipation of Your return.
Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. For by it the men of old gained approval. By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things which are visible. Hebrews 11:1-3
Sunday, July 20, 2008
Music in Worship: Ephesians and Colossians
Opinions are not lacking when it comes to music in our Christian worship. After hearing some of the arguments however, I'm convinced that many Christians ask the wrong questions.
The question is not, "should we sing?" The Psalms exhort us again again to sing a new song to the Lord. That we should use God's gift of song for His glory is undeniable.
The question is not, "should we sing hymns?" This is altogether obvious for anyone who believes that both faith and practice are to be rooted in the Word of God (e.g. Ephesians 5:18 - 20; Colossians 3:16).
The question is not, "which style of music is on God's list of approved music styles?" If God wanted us to have such a list, He would have given it. Instead, He led us to develop instruments of a variety of types. As with the building of the tabernacle and the temple, God is glorified when we play and sing skillfully unto Him. The question is not so much one of style but one of a desire to always be improving . . . not to glorify ourselves but to bring glory to our Creator.
So what should we be asking?
Colossians 3:16 and Ephesians 5:18 - 20 begin to give us some important questions to ask. They do not give all the questions to be sure, but they give us some very good ones.
First, "is our singing Spirit-led and Gospel-grounded?" The songs we sing are directly connected to the Spirit who fills us. And, the Spirit who fills us uses the Word of Christ (i.e. the great message of about Jesus, the Gospel) to fill us with the knowledge of God and His presence in our lives.
To make this first question a bit more practical, we could ask something like this, "what does this song have to do with the Gospel, with Who Christ is, with what He has done, with what He is doing, and with what He will do, and with how this impacts our lives as believers?"
Second, "does our singing serve the purpose of edification?" We have no trouble thinking of our music as directed at God. The difficulty comes when we realize that our music is to be directed at one another! With our music, we should "speak" to one another for the purposes of teaching (doctrine) and admonishing(practice).
Music has always been a great way to teach. How do we learn the alphabet? We sing it. How do we teach the great truths of the Gospel to one another? We don't just hear them preached, we sing them?
Music has always been a great way to admonish. The word for admonish here (Colossians 3:16) presupposes an opposition. In the immediate context, it is the heretics who are undermining the Person and work of Christ and substituting man-centered traditions and systems of self righteousness. In our context, we face the same Satan and flesh which lead us to diminish Christ and exalt ourselves and our preferences over the simple Gospel.
Paul expects the Colossians to use their music to fight a battle against the world, the flesh, and the Devil. Today, most churches spend more time fighting about their music than using their music to fight.
Third, "if we are not locked into one particular style of music, what music is acceptable?" Paul exhorts the congregation to sing "psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs." By mentioning these three categories, Paul is not giving us a check list for every worship service because it is difficult to draw any significant line of demarcation between these types. However, he is telling the church that its music should reflect a healthy variety in style. It was John Calvin, commenting on Colossians who said that, Paul is suggesting that Christian worship includes "all kinds of songs." (Calvin, Colossians, 353).
The need for variety in our worship should be clear. When we stick to the same songs we are neglecting the numerous Biblical exhortations to sing a new song and we are also hampering our own edification! Anyone who has sung a song over and over again knows that it can lose its impact after a while. By having a healthy variety in its style, the church ensures that she actually has to think about what she's singing. It becomes more difficult to become locked in a worship of pretense and formality when we sing a variety of songs.
Paul also says that our music should be "spiritual." Paul is not saying that some instruments are spiritual and some are not or that some types of music are spiritual and that some are not. He is, however, saying that the songs must be about God who is spirit and our relation to Him which is rooted in the Word of Christ. To be spiritual then, the song must not only have words which are doctrinally sound, it must also have words which can be understood when sung. All of Christian life is rooted in the Word. Songs are not spiritual if the words cannot be heard/understood by the body which is gathered together.
Fourth, we should ask, "am I singing with an awareness of the grace of Christ that has been extended to me?" We are to sing literally "in the grace." Songs of worship are for those who are the grateful recipients of God's matchless grace through the gift of His Son Jesus.
Fifth, "is the song resonating in my heart?" The "worship wars" have harmed the church more than she realizes. People are sitting in the pews just waiting to hear a song they do not like and to get mad about it. Instead, we should be letting the melody that we are singing with our mouths also be the melody which is stirring in our hearts.
Finally, "is the music I am singing directed to God?" Your music can both glorify God and edify the body. The question is, is our music in total accomplishing both. Further, when I sing, am I singing to God when I praise Him, when I confess sin, when I acknowledge His Lordship, when I vow to serve Him. Are the words I sing really directed to God or am I simply singing to myself . . . or not at all (a particular problem for men!)
So, the next time you sing, remember that God has given music for His glory, and He has given us solid guidance on how we should sing in the midst of a world which seeks to undermine the church and the proclamation of the Gospel.
The question is not, "should we sing?" The Psalms exhort us again again to sing a new song to the Lord. That we should use God's gift of song for His glory is undeniable.
The question is not, "should we sing hymns?" This is altogether obvious for anyone who believes that both faith and practice are to be rooted in the Word of God (e.g. Ephesians 5:18 - 20; Colossians 3:16).
The question is not, "which style of music is on God's list of approved music styles?" If God wanted us to have such a list, He would have given it. Instead, He led us to develop instruments of a variety of types. As with the building of the tabernacle and the temple, God is glorified when we play and sing skillfully unto Him. The question is not so much one of style but one of a desire to always be improving . . . not to glorify ourselves but to bring glory to our Creator.
So what should we be asking?
Colossians 3:16 and Ephesians 5:18 - 20 begin to give us some important questions to ask. They do not give all the questions to be sure, but they give us some very good ones.
First, "is our singing Spirit-led and Gospel-grounded?" The songs we sing are directly connected to the Spirit who fills us. And, the Spirit who fills us uses the Word of Christ (i.e. the great message of about Jesus, the Gospel) to fill us with the knowledge of God and His presence in our lives.
To make this first question a bit more practical, we could ask something like this, "what does this song have to do with the Gospel, with Who Christ is, with what He has done, with what He is doing, and with what He will do, and with how this impacts our lives as believers?"
Second, "does our singing serve the purpose of edification?" We have no trouble thinking of our music as directed at God. The difficulty comes when we realize that our music is to be directed at one another! With our music, we should "speak" to one another for the purposes of teaching (doctrine) and admonishing(practice).
Music has always been a great way to teach. How do we learn the alphabet? We sing it. How do we teach the great truths of the Gospel to one another? We don't just hear them preached, we sing them?
Music has always been a great way to admonish. The word for admonish here (Colossians 3:16) presupposes an opposition. In the immediate context, it is the heretics who are undermining the Person and work of Christ and substituting man-centered traditions and systems of self righteousness. In our context, we face the same Satan and flesh which lead us to diminish Christ and exalt ourselves and our preferences over the simple Gospel.
Paul expects the Colossians to use their music to fight a battle against the world, the flesh, and the Devil. Today, most churches spend more time fighting about their music than using their music to fight.
Third, "if we are not locked into one particular style of music, what music is acceptable?" Paul exhorts the congregation to sing "psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs." By mentioning these three categories, Paul is not giving us a check list for every worship service because it is difficult to draw any significant line of demarcation between these types. However, he is telling the church that its music should reflect a healthy variety in style. It was John Calvin, commenting on Colossians who said that, Paul is suggesting that Christian worship includes "all kinds of songs." (Calvin, Colossians, 353).
The need for variety in our worship should be clear. When we stick to the same songs we are neglecting the numerous Biblical exhortations to sing a new song and we are also hampering our own edification! Anyone who has sung a song over and over again knows that it can lose its impact after a while. By having a healthy variety in its style, the church ensures that she actually has to think about what she's singing. It becomes more difficult to become locked in a worship of pretense and formality when we sing a variety of songs.
Paul also says that our music should be "spiritual." Paul is not saying that some instruments are spiritual and some are not or that some types of music are spiritual and that some are not. He is, however, saying that the songs must be about God who is spirit and our relation to Him which is rooted in the Word of Christ. To be spiritual then, the song must not only have words which are doctrinally sound, it must also have words which can be understood when sung. All of Christian life is rooted in the Word. Songs are not spiritual if the words cannot be heard/understood by the body which is gathered together.
Fourth, we should ask, "am I singing with an awareness of the grace of Christ that has been extended to me?" We are to sing literally "in the grace." Songs of worship are for those who are the grateful recipients of God's matchless grace through the gift of His Son Jesus.
Fifth, "is the song resonating in my heart?" The "worship wars" have harmed the church more than she realizes. People are sitting in the pews just waiting to hear a song they do not like and to get mad about it. Instead, we should be letting the melody that we are singing with our mouths also be the melody which is stirring in our hearts.
Finally, "is the music I am singing directed to God?" Your music can both glorify God and edify the body. The question is, is our music in total accomplishing both. Further, when I sing, am I singing to God when I praise Him, when I confess sin, when I acknowledge His Lordship, when I vow to serve Him. Are the words I sing really directed to God or am I simply singing to myself . . . or not at all (a particular problem for men!)
So, the next time you sing, remember that God has given music for His glory, and He has given us solid guidance on how we should sing in the midst of a world which seeks to undermine the church and the proclamation of the Gospel.
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Monday, June 23, 2008
God's Power and Faithfulness
Last week's vacation provided a long overdue opportunity to pause for a moment and consider what God has done over the past three years. I'm on the home stretch of classes, but the faithfulness of God extends well beyond academic progress.He has provided for us financially. He has given us a beautiful daughter. He has seen us through some very difficult days both emotionally and physically. He has been faithful in every way, but the chief demonstration of His faithfulness came on a cross when Jesus bore my sin to ransom me (and everyone who turns from his/her sin and trusts in the crucified and resurrected Jesus Christ alone to save him/her).
As I sat on our balcony overlooking the ocean, I was reminded of God's creative power. The God who made the oceans and the heavens and the tides is the same God who keeps His covenant. He can be trusted. He cannot fail.
Psalm 136 reminds us of the character, position, power, judgment, and redemption of God and follows up each reminder of God's power and faithfulness with this statement, "For His lovingkindness is forever." Consider reading this Psalm right now, and see if it does not lead you to praise our covenant-keeping God and to thank Him for all He has done.
"Give thanks to the God of heaven
For His lovingkindness is everlasting."
Psalm 136:26
Sunday, June 1, 2008
Earthquakes and Lakes
I stumbled across a news article this evening that brought to mind the courses I had in the natural and biological sciences through the years. Since I attended a public school, I was presented with the view that the earth has been here for billions of years.
One of the many reasons they argued for such an old earth was that the time that it took for various geologic phenomenon to occur must have taken many, many years. For example, I learned that it clearly took millions of years for hydrological forces to create the Grand Canyon.
Now, I'm no geophysicist, but I do find it interesting that one earthquake has had a dramatic impact in China. The recent earthquake has yielded several lakes, one that continues to rise and has threatened to overtake an entire city.
This is one earthquake. One day . . . . just minutes really.
Perhaps Genesis is right after all. Perhaps God brought the entire earth into existence out of nothing but His Word. Perhaps He is the Almighty, Eternal, Holy God who created man and made a way to redeem them when they fell.
One of the many reasons they argued for such an old earth was that the time that it took for various geologic phenomenon to occur must have taken many, many years. For example, I learned that it clearly took millions of years for hydrological forces to create the Grand Canyon.
Now, I'm no geophysicist, but I do find it interesting that one earthquake has had a dramatic impact in China. The recent earthquake has yielded several lakes, one that continues to rise and has threatened to overtake an entire city.
This is one earthquake. One day . . . . just minutes really.
Perhaps Genesis is right after all. Perhaps God brought the entire earth into existence out of nothing but His Word. Perhaps He is the Almighty, Eternal, Holy God who created man and made a way to redeem them when they fell.
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