Anwoth

Moving

2007-07-21T08:59:00.000-05:00

I've been toying around with this for a while now, and I've finally decided to move this blog to wordpress instead of blogger. So, visit me here: http://anwoth.wordpress.com.

"Why?" you ask? Well, for starters, wordpress has some nifty features. In addition, it's just as easy (if not easier) to use. Not to mention, the look and layout are more eye-pleasing (in my opinion).

I'll still be leaving this one up, but I won't be posting new posts here. The new posts will be at the new site. Stop on by!

Thoughts on Church

2007-07-14T16:23:00.000-05:00

One of these days I'd like to post a lengthy article with several thoughts on the Church that have arisen out of our experiences over the last couple of years. For now, though, I'd just like to tell you a little about the church we've been attending recently.

We have been enjoying our time over the last month or so at Westminster Reformed Presbyterian Church. Westminster is a PCA church. The PCA (Presbyterian Church in America) is a very theologically conservative Presbyterian denomination. Westminster is a fairly large church with a combined attendance around 900.

The first Sunday I went, Carrie couldn't go because she was sick. (See this post!) Before we were halfway into the service I wanted to drive home and get her. It was so refreshing. Here are some reasons:

Music
The music is very Christ-centered. The musicians are skilled and play together very well. In churches we have visited we have encountered two extremes. One extreme is the traditional piano/organ combo with a song leader who waves his hands around, despite the fact that most of the people in his congregation have no idea why. The music choices in these churches tend to be very traditional (do not read that as "inherently bad or boring"--traditional is not a judgment statement, but a descriptive statement). The other extreme we've noticed is the contemporary church with a "worship team" or "praise team" or "praise band." The music in these churches tends to be very loud and contemporary (again, "loud" and "contemporary" are descriptors, not necessarily terms of value).

My problem with the first extreme is that these traditional churches tend to ignore some of the wonderful Christ-centered, gospel-oriented music being written today. They also tend to neglect some of the most powerful aspects of music by refusing to use a variety of instruments. They also tend to be more critical of physical expressiveness in worship, such as raising hands, etc.

My problem with the second extreme is that these contemporary churches rob the church of the congregational singing that the Reformation restored to the people. I have stood beside Carrie in one or two churches and couldn't even hear her singing! The musicians on stage can have a tendency to drown out the glorious singing of the congregation. These churches also tend to neglect some theologically rich hymn texts.

At Westminster we found a glorious blend of traditional and contemporary. There are guitars, drums, a cello, a flute, a trumpet, a grand piano, and a variety of other instruments such as a harmonica, a shaker, etc. There is also a music director who waves his hands occasionally to bring in the congregation or help us cut off at points. The music is contemporary when appropriate and traditional when appropriate. I can hear everyone singing, and it is glorious! People stand still while they sing while others raise their hands while others may dance at their seats when appropriate. The songs range from Holy, Holy, Holy to In Christ Alone to a variety of other ancient and contemporary songs. There is a very talented choir that just got back from a two week mission trip to Austria. In fact, they were in Bob's hometown. All in all, the music is wonderful.

Preaching
Carrie and I have felt somewhat starved for quite a while with a serious lack of good, authoritative, biblical preaching. So when I heard Dr. Alphin preach the first Sunday I was at Westminster, my spirit was so filled that I didn't want him to stop! We have been for several weeks now and have thoroughly enjoyed hearing the Word preached. Dr. Alphin is a very well-trained pastor and knows the Word. What's more, he knows how to communicate the Word clearly and in a way that changes how I think and live.

Polity
Over the past couple of years (and especially the past 6 months) I have come to find a presbyterian form of government more in line with Scripture than a democratic congregationalism. Now, granted, I love Mark Dever and have a lot of sympathy with his very biblical version of congregationalism, so don't pigeon hole me too narrowly. That being said, I look forward to seeing how this form of government works in reality, not just in theory in my head.

Community
Westminster is organized around a variety of covenant (community) groups. The classes that are offered for these groups include the following:

An Evaluation of Worldviews
Family Worship
A Study through John Piper's Future Grace
A New Believers' Class
A study through 1 John
A leadership training class
A study through the book of Judges
A study of the life of Deitrich Bonhoeffer

For a more detailed description, check out this PDF.

Conclusion
We have so far enjoyed our time at Westminster. We are purposely making very slow decisions right now, so we don't anticipate joining right away. We are also still trying to work through some of the details of a classic covenant theology position. We have had our Baptist stereotypes of what Presbyterianism is blown away...thankfully.

Praise God for Westminster Reformed Presbyterian Church. Please pray with us as we decide what our role should be in the community of believers.

Bob's Blog

2007-07-11T14:04:00.000-05:00

For those of you who don't know yet, my friend, Bob, has a blog called "Huperekperissou." That's different from a haiku, and it has nothing to do with hieroglyphics. It is, in fact, a wonderful blog of biblical study and reflection and interaction.

Bob is doing a study on preaching from the OT right now. It is very insightful. Check it out!

The iPhone (from the Washington Post)

2007-06-26T14:30:00.001-05:00

In case you haven't heard, Piper's cheap!

2007-06-22T20:06:00.000-05:00

Yeah, that's right, Piper's cheap. Five dollars to be exact. Next Wednesday and Thursday only, June 27-28, all the books in the online bookstore at Desiring God will be $5.00!!!! Are they crazy or what? Here's the link to Piper's blog.

Master at Last

2007-05-10T14:56:00.000-05:00

Finally! After 5 long, but profitable, years, I graduated last Sunday with my M.Div.

William's Graduation

New Chapter, Same Author

2007-05-01T15:46:00.001-05:00

This week we closed one chapter in our lives and began a new one. This past Sunday, April 29, was our last day at Grace Bible Church. The journey there has been a long, rewarding and challenging one, especially in recent months. But we are confident that God is still the sovereign Author of our lives, guiding and directing for our joy and his glory!

Carrie and I took a much needed vacation day on Monday and took Daniel to the beach. He loved everything about it: the waves, the sand, the sand castle, the sea gulls...everything! We didn't take any pictures because this was a vacation for us. We wanted it to be as relaxing as possible, and it was.

Today I started job hunting. Please pray that God will provide exactly the job he wants for me. We know that he will meet our needs faithfully as he always has. We are so excited about the future. It's great to think that anything can happen! Isn't God good!

Amazon Wishlist

2007-04-02T07:23:00.000-05:00

So I've been having this terrible problem. With graduation coming up in a month now, my family keeps asking, "What do you want for a graduation gift?" I have no idea what to tell them. I could just say I want an amazon.com gift card, but how boring is that. So...problem solved! Here is a link to my Amazon.com wishlist:

Back...at last!

2007-03-28T18:41:00.000-05:00

It's been a long time since I posted. A lot's been going on....

Anyway, I thought I would come back with an encouraging thought from my buddy, Samuel Rutherford. First a little story:

Last summer I was in a friend's wedding. Nathan and I have been friends since high school, and I really enjoy our friendship, so of course I was excited when he asked me to be in his wedding. The last you think about at a time like that is, "Oh, I wonder what my groom's gift will be." Nevertheless, at the rehearsal dinner, Nathan gave all his groomsmen their gifts. For some reason when he came to give me mine, lots of people gathered around with big smiles on their faces and cameras poised and waiting. Obviously they knew something I did not!

The moment had come. I closed my eyes and ripped off the paper. It was a book. I knew that before I opened it. But what book? That was my question. I finally turned and looked, and I was in shock. The title was Quaint Sermons of Samuel Rutherford. That was not the shock. The book didn't look like this one:
It looked much different. (I'll put a pic up soon.) It was not the fancy little reprint from recent days. It was an original 1885 copy! Now, granted that's still 200 years after Rutherford himself, but this book is a rare jewel! Needless to say I was flabergasted!

Anyway, today I read part of one of the sermons in there. Rutherford speaks on the text, "Fear not, thou worm, Jacob," from Isaiah 41. The whole text is as follows:

Isaiah 41:14-16 14 Fear not, thou worm Jacob, and ye men of Israel; I will help thee, saith the LORD, and thy redeemer, the Holy One of Israel. 15 Behold, I will make thee a new sharp threshing instrument having teeth: thou shalt thresh the mountains, and beat them small, and shalt make the hills as chaff. 16 Thou shalt fan them, and the wind shall carry them away, and the whirlwind shall scatter them: and thou shalt rejoice in the LORD, and shalt glory in the Holy One of Israel.

It was an encouragement to hear Rutherford remind me, in typical Puritan meditative style, that even worm Jacob need not fear when his redeemer promises, "I will help thee." What an amazing thought! I need not fear. My Redeemer has promised to be my help. And he has promised that the result will be that I will rejoice in the Lord and will glory in the Holy One of Israel! All troubles and difficulties are put into perspective when I am reminded that God sees the end of the wicked; he sees their schemes and laughs at them, for he knows the end of their deeds.

Thank you, Rutherford, for reminding me of that!

Piper on Prosperity Preaching

2007-02-15T12:50:00.000-05:00

I've posted several times on Joel Osteen and his false teaching. John Piper explains why this teaching is so devious. I would stronlgy encourage you to read this brief article to understand why I despise the preaching of Osteen and those like him. Read it here.

Reviving Rutherford

2007-02-10T09:38:00.000-05:00

It's been a while since I posted on Samuel Rutherford, so let me take the time right now to commend to you again The Letters of Samuel Rutherford.

Charles Spurgeon said of them, "When we are dead and gone let the world know that Spurgeon held Rutherford’s Letters to be the nearest thing to inspiration which can be found in all the writings of mere men."
Richard Baxter also said that apart from the Bible, "such a book as Mr. Rutherford’s Letters the world never saw the like."

On November 22, 1636, writing from his exile in Aberdeen, Rutherford declares, "[Men] talk of Christ by the book and the tongue and no more; but to come nigh Christ and [clasp] him and embrace him is another thing." Rutherford knew what it meant to come near to Christ and to embrace him, and his letters show that reality.

Rutherford was radically out of step with 21st century American Christianity when he said, "I would fain learn not to idolize comfort, sense, joy, and sweet felt presence. All these are but creatures and nothing but the kingly robe, the gold ring, and the bracelets of the Bridegroom. The Bridegroom himself is better than all the ornaments that are about him."

Oh that we might learn from Samuel Rutherford to embrace the Bridegroom himself and not settle for the mere bracelets of comfort! For anyone who wants an intimate communion with "sweet, lovely Christ" I wholeheartedly commend to you The Letters of Samuel Rutherford.

Gospel Tracts

2007-02-09T07:23:00.000-05:00

I have always been concerned about the nature of gospel tracts. I find it very disgusting to see cartoons present a weak or "scary" gospel instead of the Christ-centered good news that the New Testament presents. In addition, most tracts that I've come across have several things in common (please remember these are generalities and do not necessarily apply to all tracts):

1. Weak theology (as already mentioned) -- Salvation is presented as something less glorious than the accomplishment of the redemption of God's people at an infinite cost. Mankind is made out to be the "diamond in the rough" that God just couldn't do without instead of the biblical concept that man is born in sin and deserves nothing from God.

2. Deceptive hooks -- Many tracts use deceptive hooks to get people to read. Some are meant to be left at a restaurant and say, "Your tip is inside" (or something like that). Others say something such as, "Free gift inside." The sad thing is that people often leave these tracts on the table after their meal at a restaurant...without a decent tip!

3. Pray this prayer -- This is one of my pet peaves. Tracts almost always include a "pray this prayer section." Why is that such a big deal to me? It's not in the Bible! Sola fide, not sola prayer! My hope for eternity does not rest in a prayer I prayed. In fact, we are never even told in Scripture that we must "pray a prayer" in order to become right with God. Yet nearly every tract I've ever seen includes a "pray this prayer" section at the end.

All that to say, I have good news! Erik just posted this week over at Irish Calvinist several good free tracts. You can download the front (picture) and back (text) and have them printed at your local FedEx Kinko's (shameless plug for my employer!).

Be sure to check out these theologically sound gospel tracts. They present the gospel in terms of the crucified and risen Christ. It's not a "I'm scared of hell, so I'll pray this prayer" kind of tract. It's a "I've offended a holy God and Jesus is my only hope for a restored relationship with him" kind of tract. Christ is exalted, and faith--not merely a prayer--is the goal. These are good!

Songs with Meaning

2007-01-31T07:27:00.000-05:00

These two songs have become very special to me recently:

Be Still My Soul

Be still, my soul: the Lord is on thy side.
Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain.
Leave to thy God to order and provide;
In every change, He faithful will remain.
Be still, my soul: thy best, thy heavenly Friend
Through thorny ways leads to a joyful end.

Be still, my soul: thy God doth undertake
To guide the future, as He has the past.
Thy hope, thy confidence let nothing shake;
All now mysterious shall be bright at last.
Be still, my soul: the waves and winds still know
His voice Who ruled them while He dwelt below.

Day by Day

Day by day, and with each passing moment,
Strength I find, to meet my trials here;
Trusting in my Father’s wise bestowment,
I’ve no cause for worry or for fear.
He Whose heart is kind beyond all measure
Gives unto each day what He deems best—
Lovingly, its part of pain and pleasure,
Mingling toil with peace and rest.

Every day, the Lord Himself is near me
With a special mercy for each hour;
All my cares He fain would bear, and cheer me,
He Whose Name is Counselor and Power;
The protection of His child and treasure
Is a charge that on Himself He laid;
“As thy days, thy strength shall be in measure,”
This the pledge to me He made.

Help me then in every tribulation
So to trust Thy promises, O Lord,
That I lose not faith’s sweet consolation
Offered me within Thy holy Word.
Help me, Lord, when toil and trouble meeting,
Ever to take, as from a father’s hand,
One by one, the days, the moments fleeting,
Till I reach the promised land.

Asahel Nettleton on Divine Election

2007-01-24T10:46:00.000-05:00

I came across this at the Reformation Theolgoy blog. It's so good I wanted to post the whole thing right here. But I think I'll just link to it instead. It's short--check it out. You'll be glad you did!

Practical Calvinism

2007-01-24T10:35:00.000-05:00

Dr. D. Clair Davis gives some humorous yet insightful answers to the question, "What's so good about being a Calvinist?" Here's part of his answer as to just how practical these "lofty" doctrines of grace really are:

"Think through the basics. Jesus died for you personally (Personal Atonement). He loves you, not what he can get out of you (Unconditional Election). He pours out his love on every bit of you, not just on what you think is your sweeter and nicer side (Total Depravity). His love is stronger than all your doubt and foolishness and fear put together (Irresistible Grace). He keeps on loving you, all the way through to the end (Perseverance of the Saints). That’s the Five Points of your Father’s love!"

Be sure to read the entire thing.

Reading

2007-01-24T10:26:00.000-05:00

Al Mohler sums up his post about books this way:

"Do our own young people read books? Do they know the pleasures of the solitary reading of a life-changing page? Have they ever lost themselves in a story, framed by their own imaginations rather than by digital images? Have they ever marked up a page, urgently engaged in a debate with the author? Can they even think of a book that has changed the way they see the world . . . or the Christian faith? If not, why not?"

Good questions!

My Theology...sort of

2007-01-21T19:33:00.001-05:00

You scored as Karl Barth. The daddy of 20th Century
theology. You perceive liberal theology to be
a disaster and so you insist that the
revelation of Christ, not human experience,
should be the starting point for all theology.

Karl Barth

87%

Anselm

87%

Martin Luther

73%

Jonathan Edwards

73%

John Calvin

67%

Friedrich Schleiermacher

60%

Charles Finney

33%

Jürgen Moltmann

20%

Augustine

20%

Paul Tillich

Which theologian are you?
created with QuizFarm.com

Keller on Repentance

2007-01-19T07:15:00.000-05:00

Justin Buzzard posted this amazing quote on the Buzzard Blog today:

"In Christian repentance we do not 'take our sins' to Mt. Sinai, but to Mt. Calvary. Sinai represents only the law of God, and makes us fear God will reject us. But Calvary represents both the law of God and his commitment to save us no matter what--even if his Son has to fulfill and pay our debt to the law. 'Going to Sinai' with our sins means we use the painful fear of rejection to motivate us to change. 'Going to Calvary' with our sins means we use gratitude for his love to motivate us to change. The free love of Christ means that in disobedience, you have not just broken the rules, but spurned the One who lost his Father rather than lose you." --Tim Keller

What's an RSS Feed?

2007-01-18T11:01:00.000-05:00

You may have seen this symbol somewhere on the web. Then again, maybe not. So what is it, and why does it matter?

I never had much use for RSS feeds until I started using the Netvibes homepage (see post below). RSS stands for "Really Simple Syndication" and is a way of syndicating material like news stories or blog posts.

Here's the kicker: I don't understand the nitty-gritty details of RSS or the difference between RSS and XML. I've done some reading on how it works and how it came to be, but I still don't get it. The good news is that it doesn't matte! I use RSS feeds like crazy and have found them immensely helpful. That's why I'm writing this post. I think if you're online much at all or if you visit news sites and blogs, then you will find RSS feeds very useful.

So what do you need to do to start benefitting from RSS feeds? On a news site like foxnews.com or cnn.com or on a blogs site like this one you can look for either the orange symbol you see in this post or the words "RSS Feed" or "Atom Feed" or something like that. For example, if you scroll to the bottom of this blog page, you'll see "Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)." That's what you would click on to subscribe to the Anwoth feed. Now, if you're using the Firefox browser you'll see the little orange symbol in the address bar like this:

If you're using Microsoft's Internet Explorer 7, you'll see the orange symbol on the little toolbar at the top right like this:

In either case, click the symbol and see what happens. For me it's been helpful for seeing what's going on at numerous blogs all at once. At a glance I can see whether there are any posts I want to read.

Okay, so I hope that helps some of you. If you have more questions on how it works, let me know and I'll see if I can help. If you don't want to use it after all, so be it. Either way, keep reading the blog posts here and at other good blogs (see my list).

Netvibes--the Coolest Homepage Ever!

2007-01-18T09:31:00.000-05:00

I ran across a link to Netvibes at challies.com. I checked it out and found the best free homepage ever! And best of all...it's free. You can put as many tabs (different pages) as you want, and you can customize those pages. For example, I have a page that contains RSS feeds from all my favorite blogs. On my homepage I have RSS feeds from Fox news, I get a daily Garfield comic, I get unread messages from my gmail account and a local weather forecast. What more could you ask for? Here's a picture of my homepage:

On the left-hand side is the bar that lets me add content. That bar can be closed to give me even more room on my page.

At the top of the page is a search box to search my Netvibes pages (it also includes a nifty filtering option for my searches). Below that you can see my two current tabs: "General" and "Blogs." Under that you see my RSS feed of National News from Fox News. I move my mouse over a headline and the first part of the story pops up.

Give it a shot. You'll love it!

My Last Semester!

2007-01-13T07:42:00.000-05:00

Yes, that's right this will be my LAST SEMESTER, Lord willing! I didn't think I would be this excited about graduating, but as it turns out, it's one of the most exciting things I've ever had to look forward to. Here's my schedule this semester:

Wednesdays, 7:25-8:55 -- NT Greek Exegesis (The Synoptic Gospels)
Thursdays, 7:25-8:55 -- Chapel
Thursdays, 9:00-12:05 -- Apologetics
Thursdays, 12:10-1:40 -- MDiv Seminar
Fridays, 7:25-8:55 -- NT Greek Exegesis (The Synoptic Gospels)
Fridays, 12:10-1:40 -- MDiv Seminar

It looks like a lot, but it's actually only 3 classes. I'm also taking a correspondence course from RTS. Please pray for me and my other friends who are also graduating this semester.

Two Sermons

2007-01-12T13:26:00.000-05:00

I recently had the privilege of speaking to our church family from 1 Corinthians 1. Here are the two messages I preached:

1. Becoming a Gospel-Oriented Church (1 Cor 1:1-17).

2. Understanding the Gospel (1 Cor 1:17-31).

Ministry to the Elderly

2006-12-20T21:25:00.000-05:00

I just got back from taking a group from our church Christmas caroling. We went to visit some of the elderly in our church family. We took them cookies and Christmas cards and, of course, sang Christmas carols. Besides enjoying the fellowship, there were several things that made this an amazing event for me personally:

Their neighbors stood outside and listened as we sang. I can only wonder what opportunities that may open up for the people we visited to share the gospel with their neighbors. I can imagine an over-the-fence conversation of, "Who were those people?" blossoming into a wonderful expression of the greatness and goodness of God.
Everyone who went caroling enjoyed it. It's impossible to be grumpy and minister to people at the same time, especially when you're singing.
All of the elderly people we visited expressed great appreciation. This is why I'm writing this post. We have a responsibility to love those who are a part of the family of faith. We have the privilege to reach out and serve people like this who often just need someone to stop by and bring a plate of cookies and chat for a few minutes. One lady said, "I was just lying in bed feeling sorry for myself." Our visit to her changed her whole evening and gave her a fresh glimpse of the compassion and love that a church ought to demonstrate.

So the burning question in my heart now is, What more can we do for the elderly, for the widows, for the men and women in our church who may need little more than a compassionate conversation? How can we help them more often? Will we visit them only at Christmas? What can we do to show the kind of familial love that we ought to be expressing to this precious group of people?

And those are not rhetorical questions.

Check Out The Buzzard Blog

2006-12-19T09:34:00.000-05:00

I recently received a comment from Justin Buzzard, a pastor at Central Peninsula Church in Foster City, CA. Justin's responsibilities include ministry to the twenty-somethings. He has a very thoughtful and Christ-filled blog that I think you would enjoy. Check it out here.

A Little More "Left Behind" Humor

2006-12-07T10:56:00.000-05:00

I don't know why I'm into a humor thing all of a sudden here, but this was too good to pass up:

Yes, you can actually buy those shorts here.

Left Behind

2006-12-05T09:28:00.000-05:00

If you were hoping for a serious discussion on the rapture question, you'll have to come back later. At some point I will write about that eschatological concept. For now, though, a little humor is in order.

The Left Behind series has become immensely popular, like it or not. So I couldn't resist linking to this great picture at "The Sacred Sandwich."

You Might Be a Dispensationalist If...

2006-12-01T09:33:00.000-05:00

If you don't get it, I can't help you; but it sure is funny: click here.

HT: Russel

Benny Hinn -- Christianity's Fraud Maker

2006-11-30T09:37:00.000-05:00

I have had Benny Hinn on my mind for several weeks now, but I have refrained from writing about him. Here's why I have not written about Hinn so far:

1. I thought there was no way people could actually be fooled by Hinn's claims

2. I could not write in a good attitude; he makes me very angry.

I would strongly encourage you to watch the following video for some brief insights into why Benny Hinn upsets me so much. It's about 10 minutes long.

Watch it here. (I'm working on embedding a YouTube version, but this link will do for now.)

If you have about 45 minutes to invest, check out this special done by a Canadian news agency.

Now for the kicker, here is "Pastor Benny's" latest trick: Let's see if I can raise $6 million for my new private jet that I need to do the ministry. Read his letter here.

Humpty Dumpty

2006-11-29T09:53:00.000-05:00

Tom Ascol at the Founders Blog writes a good post on Nelson Price's Humpty Dumpty theology. It's amusing...and sad.

The basic idea is that Price turns terminology on its head in order to make his point. This isn't new, but it's time to start calling people out on it.

Calvinism can't be redefined and then refuted. It doesn't work that way.

Read it here.

News

2006-11-27T16:21:00.001-05:00

This past Sunday, November 26, I read the following letter to our church family:

Dear Pastor Don and Church Family,

When you asked me, Pastor Don, to come to Grace Bible Church several years ago, I had no idea of the great things that God would do in my life and in the life of my family as a result. When Carrie and I began our work at Grace as volunteers January 1, 2003, we knew that there were some exciting opportunities ahead of us, but we never could have imagined all the amazing blessings that God would grant us or lessons that He would teach us. As it turns out, He has once again proven to be “able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think” (Eph 3:20).

We have thoroughly enjoyed being a part of God’s work here at Grace Bible Church, and so it is, in a way, difficult to acknowledge the leading of God in our lives in a different direction. When we came to Grace we came with a long-term mindset and have been more than willing to grow old here in this ministry. In keeping with God’s leading in our lives, though, we have been praying for about a year now about whether God would have us continue our ministry here. We have come to the conclusion that it is His timing for us to move. So it is our goal to stay at Grace until next summer at which time we will be pursuing some other options that God has directed us towards. In the meantime, it is my desire to begin handing over my responsibilities to volunteers. I think this would be very beneficial for the church on a number of levels. First, this will allow more people to be more actively involved in the ministries of the church rather than paying a staff member to pick up many different ministries. Second, this will help the church’s financial difficulties greatly by giving the church approximately an extra $3,000 per month. I would like to stay on full-time until then in order to train various people to pick up such responsibilities as overseeing the children’s ministries, leading the choir, designing the worship services, leading the teens, etc.

This decision did not come easily. We have many friends here at Grace and consider many of the people here like family. Pastor and Diane, you have been great mentors for Carrie and me. Whether we’re discussing theology or lamenting stolen debit cards; whether we’re going out to eat or going to Patient First…again; whether we’re planning for the future of Grace Bible Church or planning to take time off; Carrie and I have always treasured our relationship with you and Diane. On a personal note, I want to let you know that you have done more than just about any one else to teach me about a compassionate way of guiding people into the truth. For that I, and anyone that I may pastor in the future, will be eternally grateful.

To our church family let me say thank you so much for letting us grow with you. We have developed some wonderful friendships here over the last four years and look forward to continuing to develop those friendships in the months ahead. We trust that we have been a blessing to you as you have been such a blessing to us. You have loved us, trusted us, met our needs and labored together with us.

To the parents of the teens of Grace, I owe you a deep debt of gratitude. Your willingness to let us come along beside you and disciple your teens with you is an opportunity that we have never taken for granted. It is a joyous duty that we trust we have fulfilled in a way that will honor Christ and will leave a lasting impact on your family. We have labored together with you for your joy in the faith, and we will continue to labor with you in prayer long into the future.

Teens, you make this the most difficult decision we have ever made because we love you deeply and our hearts break at the thought of not getting to see you grow up even more. I have tried to teach you week after week over the past four years that there is nothing more exciting and more satisfying than living life passionately for the glory of God. Now Carrie and I have the opportunity to demonstrate that to you as we follow God’s will even when it means leaving behind the teens we have come to love so much. But we are confident that this is God’s plan for us and for you, and we know that that means great glory for His name and great joy for all of us! Keep growing, and keep knowing, enjoying and serving our Lord Jesus. We will pray for you, and you will always be very special to us!

Pastor Don, I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for your trust and confidence in me. I did not realize 4 years ago what a big deal it was for you to ask me to come have free reign in the leadership of the teens and families of Grace Bible Church. I was only 22 years old! What were you thinking? In all seriousness, I have come to realize that you entrusted me with great responsibilities, and your trust and confidence in me were greatly undeserved but something for which I am immensely thankful. It is my hope and trust that what God has accomplished through us here at this church has been in accordance with His will, for the joy of His people and for His eternal glory.

Grace Bible Church will always hold a very special place in my heart. I hope that Carrie and I will always be able to look back on our time here with joy, and that we will be able to come back in the future and rejoice again with you in what God continues to do in the midst of the people of Grace. We love this church family. We will always pray that God’s hand will be on this ministry, and that this church will be a powerful force for the spreading of the gospel around the world, for the exalting of Christ in this community and for the everlasting joy of His people!

More Osteen Goodies

2006-11-17T09:57:00.000-05:00

This is great! You've got to see the new Joel Osteen board game! Tim Challies writes a great review. Check it out: http://www.challies.com/archives/002199.php

Theology and Youth Ministry

2006-11-17T09:20:00.000-05:00

Two very interesting things have happened recently in youth ministry as it relates to theology. One, Time magazine published an article noting that many youth ministries are now moving away from the pop culture motif to a more theology-centered program. You can read about it here: In Touch With Jesus.

The other thing that has happened ocurred to me this morning when I check my email and received my Youth Specialties Update. These email updates have links to articles, research, websites, etc. that may be of interest to youth pastors. Here's the one that caught my eye:

"The Limits of God's Grace"; By Bart Campolo -- "A few years ago, after being politely asked to depart early from yet another speaking engagement for giving the wrong answer to the question about the limits of God's mercy, I decided it wasn't fair to keep sneaking up on unsuspecting Evangelicals."

I thought to myself, "Huh." I decided not to read it, because I knew it would upset me. Instead I made my way over to a blog that I frequent that is usually very uplifiting. Unfortunately, today the discussion was all about Campolo's article. Read the article here, then read the discussion here.

My conclusion: Time magazine may have it right. Perhaps youth ministry as a whole is moving towards a more theological discussion. My concern now is that we discuss the right theology. God help us!

Exulting in the Saving Work of Christ

2006-10-31T08:49:00.000-05:00

Here is more from the statement of faith. This section on the saving work of Christ is thoroughly biblical and reformed as well as evangelistic and compassionate.

7. The Saving Work of Christ

7.1 We believe that by His perfect obedience to God and by His suffering and death as the immaculate Lamb of God, Jesus Christ obtained forgiveness of sins and the gift of perfect righteousness for all who trusted in God prior to the cross and all who would trust in Christ thereafter. Through living a perfect life and dying in our place, the just for the unjust, Christ absorbed our punishment, appeased the wrath of God against us, vindicated the righteousness of God in our justification, and removed the condemnation of the law against us.

7.2 We believe that the atonement of Christ for sin warrants and impels a universal offering of the gospel to all persons, so that to every person it may be truly said, “God gave His only begotten Son so that whoever believes in Him might not perish but have eternal life.”120 Whosoever will may come121 for cleansing at this fountain, and whoever does come, Jesus will not cast out.122

7.3 We believe, moreover, that the death of Christ did obtain more than the bona fide offer of the gospel for all; it also obtained the omnipotent New Covenant123 mercy of repentance124 and faith125 for God’s elect. Christ died for all, but not forall in the same way. In His death, Christ expressed a special covenant love to His friends,126 His sheep,127 His bride.128 For them He obtained the infallible and effectual working of the Spirit to triumph over their resistance and bring them to saving faith.129

109 So then as through one transgression there resulted condemnation to all men, even so through one act of righteousness there resulted justification of life to all men. For as through the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the One the many will be made righteous (Romans 5:18-19).

110 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures (1 Corinthians 15:3). And He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed (1 Peter 2:24). For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit (1 Peter 3:18). They are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as an propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins (Romans 3:24-25). For the love of Christ controls us, having concluded this, that one died for all, therefore all died (2 Corinthians 5:14). For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly (Romans 5:6). Who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died (Romans 8:34). For to this end Christ died and lived again, that He might be Lord both of the dead and of the living (Romans 14:9). I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness comes through the Law, then Christ died needlessly (Galatians 2:21).

111 The next day he saw Jesus coming to him and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29).

112 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace (Ephesians 1:7). In [him] we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins (Colossians 1:14). Let it be known to you therefore, brethren, that through this man forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you (Acts 13:38).

113 He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him (2 Corinthians 5:21). [May I] be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith Philippians 3:9). But now apart from the Law the righteousness of God has been manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe; for there is no distinction (Romans 3:21-22).
114 For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness” (Romans 4:3). . . .whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith. This was to demonstrate His righteousness, because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed; for the demonstration, I say, of His righteousness at the present time, so that He would be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus (Romans 3:25-26).

115 He justifies him who has faith in Jesus (Romans 3:26). For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the Law (Romans 3:28). [We] know that a man is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ, and not by works of the law, because by works of the law shall no one be justified (Galatians 2:16).

116 Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. . . . For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh (Romans 8:1, 3). Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us – for it is written, “Cursed be every one who hangs on a tree” (Galatians 3:13).

117Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest. But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 2:3-6). [We] wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, that is Jesus, who rescues us from the wrath to come (1 Thessalonians 1:10). Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him (Romans 5:9). For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Thessalonians 5:9).

118 . . .whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith. This was to demonstrate His righteousness, because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed; for the demonstration, I say, of His righteousness at the present time, so that He would be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus (Romans 3:25-26).

119 When you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions, having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross (Colossians 2:13-14). Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us – for it is written, “Cursed be every one who hangs on a tree” (Galatians 3:13).

120 For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life (John 3:16). Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations (Matthew 28:19). [Christ will present you blameless to God if] you continue in the faith firmly established and steadfast, and not moved away from the hope of the gospel that you have heard, which was proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, was made a minister (Colossians 1:23). You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth” (Acts 1:8).

121 And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely (Revelation 22:17, KJV). Whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst (John 4:14).

122 Him who comes to me I will not cast out (John 6:37).

123 [He took] the cup after supper, saying, “This cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood” (Luke 22:20). In the same way [he took] also the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me” (1 Corinthians 11:25). But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, by as much as He is also the mediator of a better covenant, which has been enacted on better promises (Hebrews 8:6). For this reason He is the mediator of a new covenant, so that, since a death has taken place for the redemption of the transgressions that were committed under the first covenant, those who have been called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance (Hebrews 9:15; see also 12:24). Now the God of peace, who brought up from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the eternal covenant, even Jesus our Lord, equip you in every good thing to do His will, working in us that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen (Hebrews 13:20-21).

124 The Lord’s bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged, with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth (2 Timothy 2:24-25). When they heard this they were silenced. And they glorified God, saying, “Then to the Gentiles also God has granted repentance unto life” (Acts 11:18).

125 No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day (John 6:44). For this reason I have said to you, that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted him from the Father (John 6:65). For to you it has been granted for Christ’s sake, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake (Philippians 1:29). For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast (Ephesians 2:8-9). All things have been delivered to me by my Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and any one to whom the Son chooses to reveal him (Matthew 11:27). And Jesus said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 16:17). A woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple fabrics, a worshiper of God, was listening; and the Lord opened her heart to respond to the things spoken by Paul (Acts 16:14).

Statement of Faith on the Bible

2006-10-27T07:31:00.000-05:00

The following comes from a church's statement of faith. It is a section about the Bible. They acknowledge the infallibility and inspiration of Scripture, and then give the following thoughts. I have inserted the Scripture texts cited in smaller print. The reason I am posting this is that I think it gives a much better idea of a Christian hermeneutic. This is truly a grammatical-historical hermeneutic. This is unlike the so-called "literal" hermeneutic of dispensationalism, which though it claims the "grammatical-historical" label, it is not such. So here is a statement on the Bible that I am very comfortable with, and I would love to hear some feedback about it:

1.2 We believe that God’s intentions, revealed in the Bible, are the supreme and final authority in testing all claims about what is true and what is right. In matters not addressed by the Bible, what is true and right is assessed by criteria consistent with the teachings of Scripture.
1.3 We believe God’s intentions are revealed through the intentions of inspired human authors, even when the authors’ intention was to express divine meaning of which they were not fully aware, as, for example, in the case of some Old Testament
prophecies.
The prophets who prophesied of the grace that was to be yours searched and inquired about this salvation; they inquired what person or time was indicated by the Spirit of Christ within them when predicting the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glory (1 Peter 1:10-11). He did not say this of his own accord, but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus should die for the nation (John 11:51).
Thus the meaning of Biblical texts is a fixed historical reality, rooted in the historical, unchangeable intentions of its divine and human authors. However, while meaning does not change, the application of that meaning may change in various situations. Nevertheless it is not legitimate to infer a meaning from a Biblical text that is not demonstrably carried by the words which God inspired.
There are some things in [Paul’s epistles] hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the other scriptures (2 Peter 3:16). [Satan said to Jesus] “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down; for it is written, ‘He will give his angels charge of you,’ and ‘On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.’” Jesus said to him, “Again it is written, ‘You shall not tempt the Lord your God’” (Matthew 4:6-7).
1.4 Therefore, the process of discovering the intention of God in the Bible (which is its fullest meaning) is a humble and careful effort to find in the language of Scripture what the human authors intended to communicate. One’s limited abilities, traditional biases, personal sin, and cultural assumptions often obscure the understanding of Biblical texts. Therefore the work of the Holy Spirit is essential for right understanding of the Bible,
Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things freely given to us by God, which things we also speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words. But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised. But he who is spiritual appraises all things, yet he himself is appraised by no one. For "who has known the mind of the LORD, that he may instruct Him? But we have the mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:12-16).
and prayer for His assistance belongs to a proper effort to understand and apply God’s Word.
Open my eyes, that I may behold Wonderful things from Your law (Psalm 119:18). Blessed are You, O LORD; Teach me Your statutes (Psalm 119:12). I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe. These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might (Ephesians 1:18).

River North Baptist Church

2006-10-13T12:52:00.000-05:00

Bill and Tamra Branks are good friends of ours who have been in Chicago for over 2 years now. They have planted River North Baptist Church in downtown Chicago and have a wonderful new work there. Please stop by and visit their blog on a regular basis and pray for them as God continues to use the Branks and RNBC in amazing ways!

Separated at Birth?

2006-10-11T08:48:00.000-05:00

Okay, to put this at rest once and for all, I'm asking you, do I really look like this guy?

Anwoth is not Heaven

2006-10-11T06:34:00.000-05:00

Samuel Rutherford ministered in a town in Scotland called Anwoth. This blog is so named because it was in Anwoth that Rutherford sought to have Christ exalted for all of Scotland to see.

Anwoth was a beautiful place. Rutherford once wrote in a letter that "Anwoth is not heaven." But as this picture of a portion of the landscape shows, Anwoth may not be heaven, but it must be close:

HTML Help

2006-09-29T11:04:00.000-05:00

If anyone knows anything about HTML and would be willing to help me make just a couple of graphical changes to the blog, please let me know.

New Blog

2006-09-29T10:03:00.000-05:00

Good news. Carrie and I have a family blog now. You can find it at willandcarrie.blogspot.com. We will use that blog for all of our family updates so that I can devote the Anwoth blog to theological discussions and other musings that I find interesting.

That being said, I will no longer be sending out update emails when I make new posts. Check back as often as you like, as I will try to be posting more frequently. Feel free to comment as often as you like.

Also, in case you didn't know, this blog has a new address: samuelrutherford.blogspot.com. I sincerely hope to do much more posting on Samuel Rutherford as I have the opportunity.

Happy reading!

The Most Dangerous Man in the World

2006-09-28T09:32:00.000-05:00

The most dangerous man in the world may not be who you think it is. It's not Usama bin Laden. It's not the leader of Al Qaeda in Iraq...whatever his name is. It's not George Bush either, just in case there happen to be any politically liberal readers on this blog (which I doubt). No, in my opinion, the most dangerous man in the world today is the smiling preacher, Joel Osteen.

Joel pastors the Lakewood Church in Houston Texas which boasts a staggering 35,000 in attendance each week, not to mention the millions of viewers of his weekly television program. So why do I consider Joel Osteen to be the most dangerous man in the world? Isn't that something of an overstatement, a hyperbole perhaps? Absolutely not!

At the risk of sounding like a political radio program, let me begin with a couple of quotes--sound bites, if you will--from Osteen himself:

"You can cancel out God's best plan by speaking negative words." (“Speaking Faith Filled Words," Tape # 223. Daystar Television, May 2, 2004)
"Many of you today know this, you believe it down here in your heart. But the reason that your not experiencing as much as you should is because your not declaring it. You've got to give life to your faith by speaking it out. Your words have creative power. When you go around saying, 'I have favor, people want to be good to me and supernatural doors are opening.' When you make those declarations of faith, you are charging the atmosphere. And your own words can help to bring it to pass. That is why we should get into the habit of every day consistently speaking God's favor over our lives." ("Experiencing More Of God's Favor," Tape # 212, Daystar, July 10, 2004)

I would include more, but they’re all very similar. Now, just to put Osteen in perspective, he has not come up with something novel or something that no one else claiming to be Christian is saying. In fact, Joyce Meyer is the female counterpart who travels the country writing books and lecturing, giving the same message. Joel and Joyce are both representative of a bigger Pentecostal movement known as the Word Faith movement which has one central, core doctrine. No, that doctrine is not the substitutionary atonement of Christ. No, that doctrine is not sola fide. In fact, the core belief of the Word Faith movement has no parallel in Scripture, the early church or the Reformation. It’s core doctrine is that health and prosperity are promised to all believers, and are available through faith, specifically, faith spoken in words.

Again, the question is, why do I consider Joel Osteen the most dangerous man in the world. So he’s a little too happy. So he thinks God wants to give him a good parking space. So he thinks God wants him to be healthy and happy. What’s the big deal?

Here’s the big deal. Someone has rightly said that the most dangerous errors are those that sound the most like the truth. In other words, it’s not very dangerous to be told, “Drink this Kool-Aid that has poison in it and we can all travel on this comet to a better life.” Any sane person will gladly trade in his Kool-Aid for Diet Coke. However, the man who tells 35,000 people (plus the 7 million TV viewers) each week that God wants them to be as happy as possible has used a truth to pave the way for error. (By the way, for a defense of the idea that God wants me to be as happy as possible, check out the works of John Piper, Jonathan Edwards, Samuel Rutherford, or any other Puritan for that matter.)

Every chance I get I tell the people at my church, teens and adults, that God wants them to be as happy as possible. In fact, after one such message, a lady shook my hand and told me that I reminded her of Joel Osteen. I knew she meant it as a compliment, so I resisted the urge to slap her. However, at least at that propositional level, Joel and I agree. God wants me to be happy! The difference is in how that happiness is achieved, what it looks like in reality and what it's goal is. For Osteen, prosperity or happiness is “having a happy family, having good friends and having good health.” (That quote comes straight from the horse’s mouth in an interview at faithfulreader.com.) For me—and for God, I might add—happiness comes from being satisfied with all that God is for me in Christ. That is, real happiness is found not in myself but in God. The goal of Osteen's happiness is entirely self-centered. The goal of God's desire for my happiness is His glory. As John Piper has so memorably stated it, "God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in him."

So here is, in a nutshell, why I am calling Joel Osteen the most dangerous man in the world. Osteen starts with a truth that is the deepest longing of all humans: happiness. Osteen insists that God wants us to be happy—something I agree with. However, Osteen’s non-gospel message finds the source of our happiness within ourselves rather than in God Himself. Joel Osteen glorifies and exalts man rather than God. When God is the source of my happiness, He receives all the glory for being my sole Supplier of joy. When I am the source of my happiness, God is not necessary. For Osteen, God is nothing more than the tool through which I find happiness in myself.

Terrorists may blow up a hundred or a thousand—or even 3,000—people at a time. Joel Osteen will send millions of people smiling their way to hell. Osteen’s “gospel” contains no sin, no cross, no Savior. Osteen’s solutions contain no God, no Christ, and in reality, no hope.

(For a good review of Osteen’s best-selling book, Your Best Life Now, click here.)

An Absolute Must-Read!

2006-09-06T15:03:00.000-05:00

I don't post to other blogs much. Well, I haven't really posted much at all recently! Sorry about that. But I had to post this link to Mark Driscoll's blog. This is what the PCUSA is up to these days.

Speaking of not posting recently. I fully intend to give an update soon. We are moved into our new home and have lots of things to write about. But it will have to wait for now.

Our Trip to the Beach

2006-07-21T06:59:00.000-05:00

We took our first trip to the beach as a family yesterday. Daniel loved it! He is definitely a beach boy. We went in the evening when it wasn't so hot and there weren't very many people out. It couldn't have been more ideal. Daniel liked to squish his feet in the sand, and he was fascinated by the water. The only time he was a little scared was when three fighter jets flew overhead, but that was a great opportunity for us to learn a new word: "jet." He worked on "beach," "ocean," and "sand" also. (No, he isn't really talking yet, but I'm sure he's thinking it!) Here are a few of our favorite pics:

My One and Only Political Post

2006-07-19T08:51:00.000-05:00

This nugget is from class today: What political party did Adam and Eve belong to?

They were communists: they had no house and no clothes and called it Paradise!

I thought that was funny.

Setting the Bounds of the "Local" Church

2006-07-15T08:36:00.000-05:00

What exactly is a "local" church? Do we have a tendency to read "local" in the NT when we should be seeing universal? More importantly, perhaps, what constitutes a local church? Organization? Membership? Covenant?

The question has many implications. There are implications for the legitimacy of the emergent church movement. There are further implications for the administering of baptism and the Lord's Table.

I know this is a HUGE question to ask (much less answer) in a blog post. So let me narrow it down a bit for now. In what sense can 5 guys who love God passionately get together at McDonald's and be called a church? We certainly don't doubt that they are members of the Church (capital "C"), but do they now constitute a "local" church? More specifically, could they break out their "grape product" (Dr. Windsor's term) and bread and have communion?

I think the ramifications of this discussion are even more enormous than I understand at this point, but I would love some input anyway.

Summer's Halfway Over Already

2006-07-11T17:10:00.000-05:00

Can you believe it's already the middle of July?! So much has happened already that it seems as if this summer has flown by. We've had some very difficult and trying times recently, but we are rejoicing in God's goodness and faithfulness through it all.

Carrie is doing much better. She hasn't had any more vertigo for a while now. Kathy Erickson has a been a huge blessing helping us out through this. Thanks, Kathy! And we certainly could not have made it through without Bob and Janelle. They have come over any time we called and taken care of Daniel and Carrie. My parents came up and stayed with Carrie and Daniel while I was gone on a retreat. Thanks, Mom and Dad!

Daniel is doing well. He went to the doctor today for his four month check up. They gave him 4 more shots...and he did not like that at all. He is rolling all around the floor and exhibiting his stubborn nature more frequently now.

I just got back on Saturday from a retreat with some of our teens. We had a great time at Alpine Bible Camp. I'll put pics up at the teen website sometime this week, Lord willing: www.gbc-ch.org/gsm.

I've probably posted this before, but it's worth repeating. Rutherford wrote to a friend who was suffering that when she came to glory she would be forced to say, "If God had done otherwise with me than he hath done, I had never come to the enjoying of this crown of glory." How true it is! Our God is all wise and sovereign over our lives. We trust him completely that he is leading us on in the best possible way to the enjoying of a crown of glory! May he be praised and may we continue to be transformed into the image of Christ!

Here are some recent pics:

Fourth of July Party at the Barker's

Happy Baby!

House Update

2006-06-29T07:51:00.000-05:00

Well we think this is good news: We've decided not to buy the house. We have been given the option of renting it instead and have decided that that is a better way to go for now. We are looking forward to moving in at the end of August. It will be so nice to be in a house instead of an apartment. I can play the piano whenever I want and turn the subwoofer on to my surround sound! Finally! :) Thanks for praying for us about this.

"Consider It Great Joy"

2006-06-26T07:17:00.000-05:00

My goal this morning is to write this post in a way that displays joy in the midst of frustration, thankfulness in the midst of loss, confidence in the midst of confusion and faith in the midst of disappointment.

When James said, "Consider it great joy, my brothers, whenever you experience various trials," he said a mouthful! We've all been through our share of trials and difficulties. We've all quoted James 1:2-4 while enduring those trials. And, chances are, we've all had the same reaction: Through clenched teeth and a forced smile we say, "I consider this joy." Right. And more often than not, we don't even believe ourselves. So how can I possibly be joyful in the midst of frustration and thankful when I lose things or people that I love? How can I be confident when I'm confused? And how can I have faith when everyone and everything seems to disappoint so often? From a biographical standpoint, how can Samuel Rutherford be forcibly removed from his parish, sent over 100 miles away, receive few letters from his people, be kept from preaching the gospel, and yet say, "I would not exchange the joy of my bonds and imprisonment for Christ with all the joy of this dirty and foul-skinned world; I am filled with Christ’s love"?

Carrie and I have experienced some very difficult circumstances over the past several weeks. At least, from our perspective they are very difficult. We have yet to close on our new home. The closing has been pushed back at least half a dozen times, if not more. We have had ministry disappointments, discouragments and challenges on a very big scale. And now for the last 2 weeks, Carrie has been suffering from very severe vertigo. Yet it is my goal to demostrate through this post and through our response to these situations that God is our God. We will not idolize comfort, people or things.

The House.
We are planning to close tomorrow (Tuesday) on the house. I find myself complaining too often about the bumps in the road to home ownership. How silly! God has provided us with an amazing opportunity to own this home. It's more home than we ever imagined we could have in a first home, and it's located wonderfully for our needs. We have been seeking above all else the Kingdom of God and his righteousness, and here he provides us with "all these things" and we complain about the process of receiving them?! We most certainly can rejoice even in this trial. However, we do ask you to pray for us. Pray that we would close this week. Pray that we would rejoice no matter when we close. Pray that our faith would be strengthened and we would mature.

The Ministry.
I'm told that disappointments and discouragement are a normal part of ministry life. Hmmm. Can I be a plumber instead? Just kidding. I was reminded yesterday as I was listening to John Piper's biography of John Newton that God didn't bring me to where I am spiritually overnight. It's taken 26 years for me to get this far--wherever "this far" is. I cannot expect the people I minister to to be mature and complete in three years. I still struggle and get discouraged when people do bad things and when people don't believe right things. I'm learning that God is doing 1,000 things in their lives as well as in mine. I do not want to short-circuit the growing process by having the hurt taken away. God is still good...all the time.

Carrie's Health.
Please pray for Carrie. As of this morning (Monday), she has been experiencing severe vertigo for about 2 weeks now. I rushed her to the ER on the 13th. We went to the doctor at the end of that week. We now have an apointment with a specialist this afternoon. Janelle has been a huge help! She has come over and taken care of Daniel late at night and at a moment's notice. Thanks, Janelle! We love you and Bob! Carrie's sister, Charla, is here now helping out. She leaves today. People from the church have been bringing meals over. We are so grateful for all the help.

I must conclude by saying that God is God. God is wise. God loves his children very deeply. We do not doubt any of those things, even when we are confused, discouraged and tested. We ask for your prayers that we will glorify the great name of our great and worthy Savior as he continues to mold us into his image. May he always freely carve away at our lives until we look increasingly like Jesus!

“I would fain learn not to idolize comfort, sense, joy, and sweet felt presence. All these are but creatures and nothing but the kingly robe, the gold ring, and the bracelets of the Bridegroom. The Bridegroom himself is better than all the ornaments that are about him.” (Rutherford, 1637)

“It is your part now to believe, and suffer, and hope, and wait on: for I protest in the presence of that all-discerning eye who knoweth what I write and what I think, that I would not want the sweet experience of the consolations of God for all the bitterness of affliction; nay, whether God come to his children with a rod or a crown, if he come himself with it, it is well. Welcome, welcome Jesus, what way soever thou come, if we can get a sight of thee. And sure I am, it is better to be sick, providing Christ come to the bed-side, and draw aside the curtains, and say ‘Courage, I am thy salvation,’ than to enjoy health, being lusty and strong, and never to be visited of God.” (Rutherford, 1630)

On Vacation

2006-05-29T07:33:00.000-05:00

Carrie and Daniel and I are on vacation. We came down to Georgia for Carrie's dad's wedding last Saturday and will be here all week. Next Saturday is Nathan Glasser's wedding. We'll be getting home Sunday, June 4.

Daniel continues to grow up quickly. He loves to laugh and smile! And I've got him playing the piano already. Check him out:

I have an update on the con artist situation from early April. The Norfolk Police Department has decided that this is not a big enough case to worry about. The MacArthur Mall Security workers have decided that they are too busy to review security tapes. And Bank of America just notified me last week that they don't bear any responsibility to return my stolen money to me. So, just for the record, I will be switching to another banking institution as soon as we finish closing on our house. Bank of America has been very unhelpful and difficult to deal with throughout this entire situation.

Carrie and I have been reminded, however, that when we suffer for the sake of Christ we have a great reward in heaven! I know that my intentions were absolutely pure as I spent hours sharing the gospel with this man who eventually took advantage of my kindness. I know, then, that my heavenly Father will watch over me!

Speaking of the house, our closing was pushed back to mid-June. Please pray that we will close soon without any glitches in the process.

Reflecting on the "Moveables"

2006-05-01T07:48:00.000-05:00

Wow. It's been a long time since the last post! Things have been kind of crazy around here. Let me share some of the events that have taken place over the last month or so:

1. Daniel is very healthy and growing well. He loves to smile and laugh, and we love to play with him. It's amazing how fast he's growing up! Yikes! We have lots of new pics here: http://photos.yahoo.com/wlee795.

2. Carrie is starting to feel better. After some complications following delivery that left her very run down and a little discouraged, she is beginning to progress and regain some strength and energy. She has had such a wonderful attitude through it all; I'm very thankful for my wife!

3. Okay, this one wins the award for the most outrageous event of my life. On Tuesday, April 4, I was out at the church working at my office. I received a phone call from a man who called himself Josh. The short version of the story is that I spent several hours on the phone and in person with this man that day. He turned out to be a con artist who preyed on my compassion and relative innocence. He stole property from me and a lot of money. Unfortunately, that "short version" leaves more questions than answers, but the "long version" is much too long and very disturbing for me still. To be taken advantage of emotionally is a very difficult thing. God has been good through it all, and I have learned a lot. The police and other security personnell have not been very helpful, and we're still waiting to hear back from the bank's investigative department about whether they will give us our money back. Please pray about this situation.

4. The semester is pretty much over...sort of. I have quizzes and a Hebrew exam to take on Wednesday. Then I have to finish a correspondence course by the end of May.

5. Carrie's dad is getting married on May 27 and Nathan Glasser is getting married the next Saturday. Carrie and Daniel and I will be in GA from May 26 through June 4 for those weddings.

6. Now, the "moveables." I titled this post, "Reflecting on the Moveables" because of a line from one of Rutherford's letters to Lady Kenmure when her husband, Lord Kenmure, passed away. He wrote,

"Your Lord never thought this world's vain painted glory a gift worthy of you; and therefore would not bestow it on you, because he is to provide you with a better portion. Let the moveables go, the inheritance is yours. You are a child of the house, and joy is laid up for you."

Rutherford was so focussed on heavenly realities that he could view every earthly treasure a "moveable." My son is a "moveable." My wife and our health are "moveables." My money is a "moveable." I dare not hold so tightly to those transient pleasures that I forsake the eternal rewards that are laid up for me. I must learn to "let the moveables go."

I hope to get back to blogging a little more regularly. I trust you all are doing well. Thanks for stopping by!

Finally!

2006-03-13T11:20:00.000-05:00

Daniel Martin Lee was born on Thursday, March 9, 2006 at 2:32 a.m. He weighed 8 lbs., 11 oz. and was 21 inches long. Feel free to look through pics here: http://photos.yahoo.com/wlee795.

Unbelievable

2006-02-25T07:23:00.000-05:00

It's 7:30 Saturday morning. I've gotten about 5 hours of sleep in the last 2 days. This may not be the most exciting read in the world, but maybe it will at least garner a few sympathetic (and perhaps pathetic) comments like, "oh you poor thing!" Well, here's what's been going on...the good and the bad:

First the good news. It looks like Carrie and I will be buying a house this summer. We have a family in our church that is moving at the end of the summer and they want to sell their house to us. They are being very generous to us, and it looks like it's all going to work out. We'll only be 2 miles from the church and on an acre of land. It's a three bedroom, 2 1/2 bath with a bonus room, large living room, kitchen, dining room, etc. Oh, and there's a really cool tree house in the backyard. I'll be sure to keep you updated on the progress of the house buying. Unbelievable.

Now for the not-so-good news. It seems that I end up having some sort of crisis about every six months or so. The last one was in September with the broken finger. Well, now it's about time for another one. And sure enough, it hit this week. I started feeling achy all over on Tuesday and ended up staying in bed all day Wednesday. Thankfully that was all better by Thursday, but Wednesday afternoon I started having a lot of pressure behind my right ear. I saw the doctor on Thursday and he told me I had an ear infection. (If you want some medical details check out this good article, with pictures from WebMD.) I went back to the doctor on Friday and he said my ear drum had sprung a leak! That's not really a good thing. Now I'm temporarily deaf in my right ear and can't sleep at night. Theoretically, ear drums heal up on their own pretty well. And if not, surgery usually can repair a messed up ear drum. Unbelievable. There's actually a little more crisis to the story, but I'll spare you all the gory details. You're welcome.

Okay, I can't end like that, so here's some more good news. Carrie and Daniel are both doing well. Carrie has one week left before her due date and Daniel is still pretty active. Carrie had her last day at work yesterday! That was very exciting. Now once I'm back in one piece, we'll be ready for this new adventure.

In all seriousness, please continue to pray for us during this exciting and challenging time. We are confident that God is more than able to meet all of our needs, both physically and spiritually. He can heal broken ear drums and can deliver healthy babies. And as my friend Cristy has so lovingly expressed, he can even do miracles on babies! Please read her blog at http://www.siberiangrits.com/isaiah/isaiah.html for a very encouraging account of their new son, Isaiah. Read from the bottom up to get the story in chronological order and to see the magnificent things God is doing!

Thanks again for all your prayers.

Solicited Advice

2006-02-15T08:13:00.000-05:00

Carrie and I have finished about 7 or so childbirth classes. From Daddy Boot Camp to our 8-hour Saturday Childbirth Education class last weekend, we have been thoroughly prepped for this upcoming event. Why do I still feel like I don't know what's going on then?

Actually we both feel very much more prepared than we did, but we are still a little nervous. Since this is the first time we've ever done this, it's quite a challenging experience to face.

Carrie has started having some minor contractions now! Things are moving along quickly.

Now, a strange phenomenon happens when a young couple announces that they are expecting their first child. Everyone...and I do mean everyone...begins giving advice. That advice ranges from how to handle the pregnancy to how to give birth to how to raise the kid. Usually we can accept that advice; sometimes we laugh at the advice; and sometimes we ignore the adivce or forget it altogether. However, I'm soliciting your advice here! If you have parenting tips, feel free to post them here. Can you spoil an infant? How do you discipline your 3-month old? Do you put your kids on a schedule? Have at it. This is your chance to sound off...and we welcome it!

Daniel Update and a Rutherford Gem

2006-02-07T15:35:00.000-05:00

Carrie is now just over 3 weeks away from her due date. Daniel seems to be doing well. He is a very active young man, keeping Carrie pretty uncomfortable most of the time. Carrie said he kicks so much that the first thing she's going to do when he comes out is kick him back! She was just kidding of course. :)

Rutherford

At the age of 37, Samuel Rutherford wrote to one of the men in his parish the following exhortation:

"Fy, fy upon us! that we have love lying rusting beside us or, which is worse, wasting upon some loathsome objects, and that Christ should lie his lone. Woe, woe is me! that sin hath made so many madmen, seeking the fool's paradise, fire under ice, and some good and desirable things, without and apart from Christ. Christ, Christ, nothing but Christ can cool our love's burning languor. O thirsty love! wilt thou set Christ, the well of life, to thy head, and drink thy fill? Drink and spare not; drink love and be drunken with Christ! Nay, alas! the distance betwixt us and Christ is a death. O, if we were clasped in other's arms! We should never [be separated] again, except heaven separated and sundered us; and that cannot be."

Oh, that we would not waste our love on "loathsome objects"!

Six More Weeks and Other Stuff

2006-01-18T15:42:00.000-05:00

Six More Weeks:

Wow, I haven't been blogging here for quite a while. Now that the holidays are over and I'm back in a routine, it's time to get back into the blogosphere.

Carrie and I are only about six weeks away from having our son enter the world. We are very excited! I think we don't know enough to be really scared, although I'm sure that will come in time.

For those of you who haven't heard, our son has a name. His name is Daniel Martin. We named him Daniel after one of my best friends, Daniel Fetterolf. Daniel and I grew up together, and I have a tremendous amount of respect for him. If my son turns out to be a man of character, integrity and godliness like Daniel Fetterolf, then I will be very happy. We named him Martin after my dad. My dad has been one of the most powerful examples of love, dedication and selflessness. I have never known anyone who is so honest, transparent and willing to put himself last. I hope that my son has the Christ-like character that my dad demonstrates.

Daniel Martin...we're really looking forward to getting to hold him and train him and love him and eventually send him out to be a lifelong disciple maker for the Kingdom of God!

Other stuff:

I started school today. I'm taking a Preaching class, Hebrew narrative (my last Hebrew class!) and History of Israel. In addition, I'm taking English Puritan Theology with J.I. Packer from Reformed Theological Seminary in Washington D.C. through their Virtual Campus. I'm enjoying the semester so far...one whole week into it.

The church voted in December to take me on full time officially. That means that Carrie will be quitting her job soon. We're excited about her being able to stay home.

I'm going to try to get back to blogging regularly. If you haven't checked it out yet, hop on over to Colaborers (http://colaborers.blogspot.com), a community blog that David Morris and I are working on.

Trying Times

2005-11-23T17:31:00.000-05:00

Some people call me a wimp. Some people say I'm accident prone. I don't believe either one! I think I am just a trophy of grace!

At the end of September I broke my ring finger on my left hand playing football. After several weeks in a cast a couple of weeks taped up, my finger is pretty much back to normal now. So what do I do? Go play football again! What else?

Yeah, you guessed it. Bad idea. The very first time I was back on the field, I jammed my index finger on my right hand and broke a rib. *Sigh.* The finger's a little sore but doing fine. The rib hurts like crazy. I am now the official referee.

For some people these may be frustrating things. Come to think of it, that's exactly what they are for me, too. I have enjoyed playing with the teens and have been really frustrated about not being able to really play much anymore. I figure it may not be worth it to go back out and play hardcore. Those of you who know me well know that I've never really played a lot of sports. It's not that I don't like them, I have just invested my time in other ways. So why, when I finally get to play on a regular basis--even as a ministry--does God let such discouraging things happen?

It's time for theology to say hello to reality. "Consider it a great joy, my brothers, whenever you experience various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. But endurance must do its complete work, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing" (James 1:2-4). The endurance production business is not a fun one, but James insists that it is my faith, not my endurance that is being tested. My endurance is being developed by the testing of my faith.

So the issue at hand (no pun intended) is that broken fingers, broken ribs and having to sit out of football is a test of whether I believe what God has said about himself. God has promised to withhold no good thing from me (Psalm 84:11). Do I believe him? God has promised that everything that comes into my life will be to make me more like Christ (Romans 8:28). Do I believe him?

That's why I say I am a trophy of grace! My broken bones and frustrated desires are an opportunity for me to express to everyone around me that God is great and God is good and his plans are infinitely more important and infinitely more satisfying than my own!

Bruce on Sin

2005-11-15T09:55:00.000-05:00

1 John 2:1 says, “My little children, I am writing you these things so that you may not sin.” F. F. Bruce in his commentary on 1 John writes the following:

“Sin is so thoroughly uncharacteristic of the Christian Life that a life which is marked by sin cannot be called Christian.”

Think on that!

Evaluating the HCSB

2005-11-01T12:12:00.000-05:00

If you were looking for a new Bible these days, you could easily become overwhelmed with the plethora of translations to choose from. From humanistic and irreverent paraphrases and "Biblezines" to interlinear multi-language study Bibles, there is certainly no lack of translations available across the theological spectrum. So why have the folks at Holman Publishers (www.broadmanholman.com) decided to grace us with another new translation?

I grew up on the KJV and had no trouble understanding basic Elizabethan English by the time I was in Jr. High. When I went to college I began using the NASB in an effort to force me to pay closer attention to the text rather than simply breezing across passages that sounded very familiar. It was amazing how I had come to take the text for granted and how simply reading in a new translation helped me pay closer attention to the text.

When I began working with teens several years ago, I began using the NIV. I noticed that when I asked teens to read from their King James Bibles they could not explain the passages at all. When I had them read from an updated English translation, however, they quickly grasped the main ideas of the text. We cut out a lot of "wasted" time simply updating the language for 21st century English speakers.

So why am I now considering switching to yet another new translation? Am I caught up in the "new translation" fads? I don't think so! With each translation change I have been delighted and frustrated simultaneously. With the switch to the NASB I was thrilled with the accuracy of translation that included recent scholarly studies, but I was disappointed with its reading difficulty. With the change to the NIV I was excited about its reading ease and its translation accuracy, but I was frustrated several times with translation choices (e.g., the translation of sarx in Romans as "sinful nature").

I began reading the Holman Christian Standard Bible online several months ago and was greatly impressed. My dad bought me a print version several weeks ago, and I have been more than impressed...I have been thrilled! Here are some of the features of the HCSB that have made me a "convert" to this fantastic translation.

1. Reading Ease -- The HCSB reads like a well-written work of literature. The dialogue sounds like dialogue and the narrative sounds like narrative and the poetry sounds like poetry. It's enjoyable to read and to listen to.

2. Translation Courage -- The HCSB does not bow to tradition, but to accuracy when it comes to translation. For years I have been frustrated over the misinterpretation of John 3:16 as, "God loved the world so much that...." The HCSB correctly translates the houtos in that phrase as "in this way." "For God loved the world in this way: He gave His One and Only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16, HCSB). This and other translation acuracies demonstrate the commitment the tranlators have to the meaning of the original text.

3. Interpretation Options -- The HCSB leaves purposely ambiguous phrases as such instead of selecting a particular interpretation. For example, 1 Thessalonians 4:3-5 has an awkward phrase that often gets interpreted in translations. The HCSB leaves the phrase vague so that different interpretations are possible. NOTE: Of course it is not a good idea to leave phrases vague that should be and could be translated in a specific way, but texts about which there may be legitimate differences of interpretation, the HCSB is honest about and leaves vague.

4. Theological Terms -- The HCSB retains theological terms such as grace, propitiation, justification, righteousness, etc.

There are many other features of the HCSB that I have thoroughly enjoyed. I'm sure as I continue to use this translation over the coming years I may find things that I would do differently, but I would definitely give the Holman Christian Standard Bible high marks! I used to use the NASB for studying and the NIV for teaching/preaching. With the HCSB I now have one translation that works well for both. I encourage you to read it online at hcsb.broadmanholman.com. Or, better yet, go buy the $8 paperback version and feast on the Word! Let me know if you do and what you think.

Double Trouble

2005-10-25T09:50:00.000-05:00

I got a phone call from Sarah Lindsay the other day. Apparently Brian and Sarah are having twins! Congratulations, you two...and good luck!

Rutherford -- Perspective

2005-10-15T07:45:00.000-05:00

In a world of unrelenting materialism and constant bombardment with "stuff," we desperately need a perspective check on a regular basis. Our culture says, "Get this. You need this. This will make you happy." Whether it's new cars, relationships, clothing or just our "rights," we are thoroughly innundated with calls for a this-world outlook and mindset. While exiled in Aberdeen in 1637, Rutherford wrote to Thomas Corbet of his love for Christ and how his intimacy with the Savior makes all this world's vanities be revealed for what they truly are: vanities.

"Build not your nest here. This world is a hard, ill-made bed; no rest is in it for your soul. Awake, awake and make haste to seek that Pearl, Christ, that this world seeth not. Your night and your Master Christ will be upon you within a clap; your hand-breadth of time will not bide you. Take Christ, howbeit a storm follow him. Howbeit this day be not yours and Christ's, the morrow will be yours and his. I would not exchange the joy of my bonds and imprisonment for Christ with all the joy of this dirty and foul-skinned world. I am filled with Christ's love."

Only when we see the world as Samuel Rutherford saw it--through the eyes of eternal joys--can we really find true delight in what is infinitely delightful, namely, Christ himself. Oh, that our eyes were opened to behold wonderful things in the Person of our great Savior! And oh, that all our spiritual senses were awakened to taste and see that he is good! Then would we never wish to be entangled again with such broken and leaking cisterns as this world has to offer.

Personal -- Finger Update and Baby Info

2005-10-06T08:43:00.000-05:00

I went back to the hand specialist on Monday and he said my finger is healing well. I get the cast off in 10 more days!

All right, now to the important stuff:

Personal -- Oh dear...

2005-09-26T07:48:00.000-05:00

This post is a very difficult one because I have to type it with one hand. All right, here's the story:

Every fall we have a family picnic for our teens and their families and friends. This year we had nearly 70 peope show up for what promised to be an unforgettable experience. We love flag football, and we were thrilled to have a large group of people for a game on a real field! It doesn't get any better. Well, not 10 minutes into the game, David and I ran a successful blitz on Bob and pushed their team back a few yards. When they got a first down we decided to try it again. This time, however, I missed Bob's flag and hit him in the side. Yes, I broke my finger. I broke the ring finger on my left hand. The bone below the second knuckle is broken in two places. I took my wedding ring off quickly. That was shortly before I passed out. Well, they tell me I passed out...I don't really remember that part. I'm going to a hand specialist today at 12:30 to see what needs to be done. I would certainly appreciate your prayers. I'm going to miss playing the piano for several months, but I know God means this for my good and his glory, so I will rejoice! Rejoice with me, and pray for me!

UPDATE: I went to the specialist this afternoon. He said he would try to set the bone back in place, but if he couldn't he would have to do surgery to put in pins and plates because the bone was broken and twisted. Well of course the word "surgery" sent instant prayers shooting up to my Heavenly Father. God was very gracious, and the doctor was able to set the bone, literally in a matter of seconds. He took x-rays afterward and it was a perfect fit! Even the doctor was surprised. The pictures below are of my hand before he worked on it, and then immediately after:

My hand is in a cast right now. I'll go back for a follow-up visit next Monday. If the bone is healing well and hasn't shifted, then I'll be in the cast for about 3-4 weeks. Please pray with me that it stays in place!

Personal -- Congratulations!

2005-09-23T06:58:00.000-05:00

Congrats to Brian and Sarah Lindsay, friends from college! They're expecting their first child in May!

Rutherford, et. al. -- Depressed Christians

2005-09-13T07:58:00.000-05:00

Depressed Christians? It should sound like an oxymoron. In fact, it would sound like an oxymoron if it weren’t too often our experience. So what does a depressed Christian do? Chances are Prozac and Zoloft aren’t the best options. But my question isn’t so much about how a Christian gets out of depression as how a Christian gets through depression. How do depressed--or lamenting--Christians talk? How do they sing? How do they think?

Check out these depressed believers from history:

1. Job – If anyone had a reason to be depressed, this guy had it! He lost everything…I mean, everything…in one day. Many of the Katrina victims can’t even come close to the loss that Job experienced (although their loss may feel just as great). This is what Job said:

"Why is life given to a man whose way is hidden, whom God has hedged in?" (Job 3:23)

Job asks, "Why, God, do you take everything from a man and yet let him live then in his misery?" Do we scold Job for asking? Do we somehow feel his frustration with him?

2. Paul – Like Job, Paul experienced sufferings that most of us will never endure for the cause of Christ’s Kingdom. He told the Corinthians,

"We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about the hardships we suffered in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life" (2 Cor 1:8).

"Despaired even of life." That doesn’t sound very "Christian." Yet what gets Paul through such a despairing situation?

3. Samuel Rutherford – Perhaps it was more his disposition than his circumstances that brought on Rutherford’s depression, although he definitely had his share of depressing circumstances as well. In January of 1646 he writes to James Guthrie,

"I am at a low ebb as to any sensible communion with Christ; yea, as low as any soul can be, and do scarce know where I am; and do now make it a question, if any can go to him, who dwelleth in light inaccessible, through nothing but darkness. Surely, all that come to heaven have a stock in Christ; but I know not where mine is…. I should count my soul engaged to yourself, and others there with you, if you would but carry to Christ for me a letter of ciphers and nonsense (for I know not how to make language of my condition)" (Letters, 176-177).

4. Charles H. Spurgeon – Spurgeon considered himself born with a certain disposition towards “melancholy,” the old word for depression. He often lamented the depressing nature of people who criticized his sermons: "'Thou shalt not yoke the ox and the ass together' was a merciful precept: but when a laborious, ox-like minister comes to be yoked to a deacon who is not another ox, it becomes hard work to plough" (Lectures to My Students, 311). But he especially experienced depression when some jokers yelled out "Fire!" in the middle of one of his sermons at the Surrey Gardens. There were more than 10,000 people present and pandemonium broke out. Seven people died in the stampede that followed and many more were injured. Spurgeon was only 22 years old at the time. Spurgeon described himself afterwards as having been "a soul [that] went so near the burning furnace of insanity."

So the question again is what does a depressed Christian do? Can he pray? Can he sing? Can he question God? I ask these questions not because I am suffering from depression; I’m actually quite happy this morning! I ask them, rather, because I see so much suffering around me. In my church people are suffering and distraught. In my school young men preparing for the ministry are weighed down with despair. And in my reading I come across Rutherfords and Spurgeons and Jobs and Pauls who say things like, "Why does God even let people live when he brings such sorrow on them?"

Here are some thoughts. First, respond in a Rutherford-like way. After his complaint to Guthrie about his depressed state, he begs his friends to pray for God to rain down infinite mercy upon him. Rutherford understood that only the infinite, sovereign grace of God could help him. "Millions of hells of sinners cannot come near to exhaust infinite grace."

Second, read Spurgeon’s sermon, "The Sorrowful Man’s Question." You can read it by clicking here.

Third, Justin Taylor’s post on his blog "Between Two Worlds." The post is called, "What Can Miserable Christians Sing?"

I know, I know, that’s a cop-out. I won’t even answer the questions I raise! That’s okay, though. Rutherford, Spurgeon and Trueman (on Taylor’s blog) answer the questions very well. Check them out, and lament like a real believer!

Personal/Theology -- Embracing ALL of the Body of Christ

2005-09-05T10:45:00.000-05:00

I had a very interesting and deeply humbling experience Sunday night. As a part of one of my seminary classes, I am required to visit and evaluate preaching services at various churches. Sunday evening I had planned to visit a fairly large Southern Baptist Church in the area. When I got there, however, I discovered that they were not having a regular service that evening, so I had to find somewhere else to go. I found a small Independent Baptist Church called Welcome Baptist Church and decided to go there. The church sign read, “Sin invites judgment,” so I was quite sure that this would be an interesting experience. The problem was that I approached the entire situation without the mindset of Philippians 2:1-11 or 1 Corinthians 12:12-27. I thought I would go incognito and see how this church treated me. That was how I was going to evaluate them. It didn’t take more than about 5 minutes, though, for the Holy Spirit to severely rebuke my arrogance. “You’re not here to criticize or critique; you’re a part of this Body whether you like it or not!” So my austere demeanor very quickly changed to an attitude of love—and I’m sure that I and Welcome Baptist Church were both better off because of it. I decided to smile and be friendly and try to be an encouragement to these believers. After all, I was probably the first visitor that had seen in quite a while. I am very thankful that God changed my attitude quickly. I left feeling like I had been able to encourage these people and be a blessing to them rather than simply a thorn in their side for that evening. And, not so amazingly, they were a blessing and an encouragement to me as well! I learned that night that I have been far too hypocritical in my embracing of parts of the Body of Christ. If I can embrace the Pipers, the MacArthurs, the Sprouls, the Packers and others, I must be just as willing to embrace the names that I’ve never heard of and will probably never hear again.

But if we are the body
Why aren’t His arms reaching?
Why aren’t His hands healing?
Why aren’t His words teaching?
And if we are the body
Why aren’t His feet going?
Why is His love not showing them there is a way?
Jesus is the way.
—Casting Crowns

Personal -- Congratulations!

2005-08-29T19:02:00.000-05:00

Congrats to my good friends, Marius and Tamar Pundys! They just adopted a beautiful baby boy, born August 27, 2005. Peter Joshua Pundys was 7 lbs., 3 oz and 19 inches long! Congratulations!

See more pictures here.

Just for Fun -- Church Signs

2005-08-25T11:58:00.000-05:00

We've all seen our share of ridiculous church signs, like the one down the road from my church that use to read, "Wal-mart is not the only saving place." Church signs range from the disappointingly pathetic to the enragingly blasphemous. Well now you can create your own ridiculous church sign...online! Check it out:

http://www.churchsigngenerator.com/

Personal -- Fall Semester

2005-08-23T14:20:00.000-05:00

I just finished registering for the fall semester. They still call me a full-time student, and I'm beginning to wonder how many different "full-time" things I can be called all at once! Please pray for me this semester.

Here's my schedule, for those of you who are interested:

Mondays: My day off!

Tuesdays: 9:30 – 11:30, Principles of Preaching (Davey); 11:30 – 1:35, Theology of Pentateuch (Soltau)

Wednesdays: No classes

Thursdays: 7:30 – 9:00, President’s Hour; 11:30 – 1:35, Exegesis of Poetry (Soltau)

Friday: No classes

I’m also taking an iSchool (online) class with Dr. Ebert called The Use of the OT by the Writer of Hebrews.

If you're interested in Central Seminary, check out the website: www.baptistseminary.edu.

Just for Fun

2005-08-18T20:17:00.000-05:00

It would be funny...if it weren't too true!

Rutherford – Assurance and Confrontation

2005-08-15T07:24:00.000-05:00

There are two things that have been bothering me over the past several weeks. One regards the issue of assurance of salvation; the other touches on our boldness in confronting followers of Christ for their sin. The trouble for me is not that we tend to lack teaching on assurance, but that we tend to be very different in how we teach assurance from what I find in men like Rutherford and, more importantly, Paul and Christ. Along those lines, I find Jesus, Paul and Rutherford confronting sin in their followers in a way that I find myself very uneasy about. I constantly struggle with the questions, “Am I being too harsh? Am I being too merciful? Am I being too impatient? Am I being too patient?” That balance is very difficult to achieve. Here are some of the things I’m reading from Paul, Jesus and Samuel Rutherford that make this battle in my mind so difficult.

Paul

“The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God” (Gal. 5:19-21 NIV).

I can’t miss the fact that discord, jealousy and selfish ambition are in that list—qualities that can be found in many young men and women.

“Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God's holy people. Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person--such a man is an idolater--has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God” (Eph. 5:1-5 NIV).

Jesus

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Do not commit adultery.’ But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell” (Mat. 5:27-30 NIV).

Jesus in no way offered a “wait-and-see-how-it-goes” policy for dealing with sin. He insisted on “radical amputation.”

Rutherford

“You may put a difference betwixt you and reprobates, if you have these marks:

If ye prize Christ and his truth so as you will sell all and buy him, and suffer for it.
If the love of Christ keepeth you back from sinning, more than the law, or fear of hell.
If you be humble and deny your own will, wit, credit, ease, honour, the world, and the vanity and glory of it.
Your profession must not be barren and void of good works.
You must in all things aim at God’s honour. You must eat, drink, sleep, buy, sell, sit, stand, speak, pray, read, and hear the Word, with a heart-purpose that God may be honoured.
You must show yourself an enemy to sin, and reprove the works of darkness, such as drunkenness, swearing, and lying, albeit the company should hate you for so doing.
Keep in mind the truth of God that you heard me teach, and have nothing to do with the corruptions and new guises entering into the house of God.
Make conscience of your calling, in covenants, in buying and selling.
Acquaint yourself with daily praying; commit all your ways and actions to God by prayer, supplication, and thanksgiving. And count not much of being mocked, for Christ Jesus was mocked before you" (Letters of Samuel Rutherford, 83-84).

Here lies my dilemma: Though the gospel itself is very clearly by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, our assurance of our salvation rests on the evidence that it produces. That is easy enough to understand. The dilemma part of it comes for me when teens in my youth group seem more keen on lying than on telling the truth; when sexual sin becomes a lifestyle for a person—even though he or she “really wants to be free” from it; when God and his Word are only Sunday and Wednesday necessities. These are the situations I find myself facing and wondering how best to respond. When Rutherford wrote to John Gordon of Cardoness, he challenged him on his salvation with these words:

“I beseech you, Sir, by the salvation of your precious soul and the mercies of God, to make good and sure work of your salvation, and try upon what ground-stone you have builded. Worthy and dear Sir, if you be upon sinking sand, a storm of death and a blast will lose Christ and you, and wash you close off the rock. O for the Lord’s sake look narrowly to the work.... Know this, that those who never had sick nights or days in conscience for sin, cannot have but such a peace with God as will [fester] and break the flesh again, and end in a sad war at death. O how fearfully are thousands beguiled with false hide, grown over old sins, as if the soul were cured and healed” (Letters, 49-50).

So the question, for me, remains then, “To what extent to do I boldly challenge a professed faith that displays little or no evidence of genuine conversion?” For some time I resolved that impasse by insisting that it was not my duty to judge a person’s salvation, and that may still be the correct approach. However, the more I read of men like Jesus, Paul, Rutherford, Spurgeon, Owen, Baxter, et. al., the more I come to the conclusion that maybe that is exactly what my job as a shepherd is.

Personal -- Summer Retreat

2005-08-14T14:05:00.000-05:00

We just returned yesterday from a trip to Alpine Camp at Appalachian Bible College in West Virginia. We took 10 of our teens on a summer retreat. We went whitewater rafting and rappelling and had a great time! I'll be putting some pictures up on the Grace Student Ministry website this week. Be sure to check it out.

Personal -- Whitts Moved In

2005-08-09T06:29:00.000-05:00

Congratulations to Paul and Christie Whitt and their family on finally getting moved in up at Northland Baptist Bible College. Paul is transitioning from a job as the world's greatest youth pastor to a job at Northland as...something important. For all of you Northland grads, you really missed out. Paul Whitt is a man of God that will be used greatly at Northland for many years to come! Here they are in the soon-to-be-frozen wasteland of NBBC:

Personal -- Baby's First Picture

2005-08-08T10:14:00.000-05:00

We have our first pictures of our baby! Here's my favorite:

Theology/Personal – When Theology and Reality Collide

2005-08-07T20:43:00.000-05:00

There is a dichotomy in the Christian life that is too often too true. It goes along with the worn out joke about my being a “cemetery” student. The assumption tends to be that seminary students get all filled up with theology and, as a result, become disconnected from reality. Thankfully, that doesn’t seem to be the trend these days in seminaries such as CBTS, Master’s and the like. Local church oriented seminaries tend to be very strong in helping students live out the theology they learn in the classroom.

Sometimes it’s easy to “apply” theology. For instance, we believe that salvation is by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. Practically, then, we don’t try to earn our salvation through good works. Easy enough, right? It gets a little stickier though in some less than obvious situations. Recently I’ve had the opportunity to learn how to live out some of the most important theological truths that I have ever learned.

Here’s how it works. One of the foundational truths that supports all that I teach my teens is that we have been created for the glory of God and that we fulfill that purpose best when we find Christ to be our most satisfying treasure. It is a truth that God taught me several years ago in a very real way, and it is a truth that my teens are finding real in their own lives. But how does it work?

What do you do when the people you love the most betray you and turn on you? How do you react when you get the phone call that someone you love has terminal cancer? Can you really insist that a young couple find their joy in Christ when they just experienced a miscarriage? Can I, as a youth pastor, honestly counsel my teens with, “Rejoice in the Lord,” when their lives seem to be going all wrong? Does this theology really work when it collides with reality?

Absolutely! My teens and I have all had the privilege of seeing a deeply rooted delight in God change the most practical, down-to-earth things. Carrie and I get to rejoice with them and they get to rejoice with us even in the most difficult situations precisely because the theology is true. Hebrews 11:6 talks of the nature of true faith as being a belief that God exists and that he is a rewarder of those who seek him. We have seen him reward; we have seen him give us drinks from his river of delights (Ps. 36:8). When life seems to fall apart and when circumstances get seemingly impossible to bear, we show everyone around us that Christ is a greater treasure than anything we may have lost. This is the attitude of Job, of Paul, of Christ himself.

One of the tests of our theology is what happens to it when it collides with real life circumstances. I’m glad that this theology holds up well when “real life” strikes. Rutherford was right: Christ truly is a treasure worth rejoicing in more than anything…or anyone…else.

Rutherford -- Christ a More Precious Treasure

2005-08-03T08:24:00.000-05:00

Rutherford had many noble friends. Two of his best were Lord and Lady Kenmure. The Kenmures were very active in helping Rutherford and the kirk of Scotland in their quest for a spiritual reformation. In 1630, when Rutherford’s wife passed away, he wrote the following words of trust and resignation to his friends, the Kenmures:

“Whether God come to his children with a rod or a crown, if he come himself with it, it is well…. It is better to be sick, providing Christ come to the bed-side, and draw aside the curtains, and say ‘Courage, I am thy salvation,’ than to enjoy health, being lusty and strong, and never to be visited of God.”

Rutherford had an amazing perspective. Rutherford had been through this testing with his wife and had held out a constant hope in God. So four years later when Lord Kenmure died, Rutherford was able to write this piece of faith-filled counsel to Lady Kenmure:

“Your Lord never thought this world’s vain painted glory a gift worthy of you; and therefore would not bestow it on you, because he is to provide you with a better portion. Let the moveables go, the inheritance is yours. You are a child of the house, and joy is laid up for you.”

Is Christ that great a treasure to me? Am I so filled with the greatness and worth of Christ that I can call all else I hold dear “moveables”?

Theology -- Paul's Perspective on Fads and Fad Bashing

2005-08-01T07:38:00.000-05:00

It seems that one of the recent fads in conservative evangelical and fundamental blogging has been to bash fads of broader evangelicalism. Fads such as Rick Warren’s Purpose Driven Everything and Joel Osteen’s false gospel of happy thinking have been the subject of intense fad-bashing from Sharper Iron, PyroManiac and several other notable blogs. I want to take this opportunity to both congratulate my blogging colleagues on their perceptivity and at the same time to distance myself from them.

Congratulations…and thank you.

To Phil Johnson and those at Sharper Iron and other blogs who have taken up the cause of exposing bad theology and bad philosophy, I say a hearty and sincere thank you. It is indeed saddening to see hoards of professing believers spend their money on what is not bread and their labor on what does not satisfy (Isa. 55:2). It is a sad indication of the state of evangelical Christianity when books like Eldredge’s Wild at Heart top the best-seller list, yet the average Christian book store doesn’t even stock a Puritan work (never mind having a Puritan section). Certainly our brothers and sisters in Christ need to be awakened to the unbiblical content and philosophy of these “faddish” men.

The other side.

On the other hand, I have a deep desire to have a Paul-like attitude about men with whom I disagree. When Paul wrote to the Philippian believers (Phil. 1) he addressed some of the “fad” preachers of his day:

12 Now I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel. 13 As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ. 14 Because of my chains, most of the brothers in the Lord have been encouraged to speak the word of God more courageously and fearlessly. 15 It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill. 16 The latter do so in love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. 17 The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains. 18 But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice. (NIV)

That line from verse 18, “The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached,” really gives me reason to pause and reflect. To the extent that a popular writer/speaker proclaims Christ, to that extent I must rejoice! Just for clarification, I understand that Joel Osteen’s “gospel” is not the gospel of Christ. So I do not rejoice in his proclamations. I also understand that I probably have far less insight into the ministry of Rick Warren than others who have exposed his faulty philosophy of ministry. But to whatever extent he preaches the gospel, I will rejoice in that. If I must wait until I find pastors and churches who have my same philosophy of ministry and hold my same theological dogmas before I can rejoice, I will probably live a very un-rejoicing life.

This is my attempt to live out Augustine’s sound advice: “in essentials, unity; in non-essentials, liberty; in all things, charity.” I do not want my blog or my life to be characterized by “fad bashing” or even “fad bashing bashing,” but by something positive and constructive. There must be appropriate exposure of that which is harmful to the Body of Christ, but there must also be generous grace with those with whom we disagree.

Conclusion

With Paul’s example in mind, let me propose an alternative to harsh, unrelenting condemnation. If a man or ministry proclaims the gospel, whether from bad motives or good motives, whether from bad philosophy or good philosophy, let us rejoice with them. Let us seek first to rejoice in the gospel, and then to expose the error. So to my Fundamentalist friends, let me encourage you not to write off men such as John MacArthur, John Piper, Mark Dever and others, simply because they don’t wear your badge or apply your doctrines in the same way that you do. To my Evangelical friends, let me encourage you not to discount everything a Rick Warren, or someone like him, may say just because they get their pneumatology wrong or their philosophical foundations are shaky. Seek first to rejoice in the gospel, and then to expose the error.

If this method of dealing with fads is not what Paul had in mind, then I welcome your suggestions as to how to have a Philippians 1:18 attitude.

One of Samuel Rutherford's "Directions for Christian Conduct": “That words be observed, wandering and idle thoughts be avoided, sudden anger and desire of revenge, even of such as persecute the truth, be guarded against; for we often mix our zeal with our wild-fire.” (From Rutherford’s letter to John Fleming, Bailie of Leith, from Aberdeen, March 15, 1637.)

Personal -- We're Having a Baby

2005-07-31T14:45:00.000-05:00

It's official! Carrie's due date is March 4! We're very excited. We'll keep everyone updated.

Categories -- Things I'll Be Blogging About

2005-07-30T06:55:00.000-05:00

I want to categorize the things I'll be blogging about into several categories. That way you can read only the blogs from a category that interests you. Here they are:

1. Theology -- Hopefully stimulating and profitable theological discussions; often something the Lord has recently been teaching me.

2. Personal -- Things about me and my family that may interest family and friends. I'll be posting one of these tomorrow.

3. Web -- Links to sites of interest on the Information Superhighway.

4. Just for Fun -- What can I say? Sometimes you just need a good laugh.

5. Samuel Rutherford -- History, quotes, anecdotes, etc. about a very ordinary man with a very extraordinary God.

For today, here's a Samuel Rutherford post:

Rutherford suffered great persecution at the hands of the state church. He was eventually taken out of his parish at Anwoth and exiled to Aberdeen. Yet in the midst of this persecution, he took an amazingly grace-enabled view of his persecutions. He frequently likened his persecution to carrying Christ's cross (Luke 9:23). Here's what he said about his banishment:

“O how sweet are the sufferings of Christ for Christ! God forgive them that raise an ill report upon the sweet cross of Christ. It is but our weak and dim eyes, and our looking only to the black side, that makes us mistake. Those who can take that crabbed tree handsomely upon their back, and fasten it on cannily, shall find it such a burden as wings unto a bird or sails to a ship.” (To Lady Kenmure, Aberdeen, November 22, 1636)

May God grant me that Christocentric attitude in all my joys and all my sufferings!

2005-07-29T07:06:00.000-05:00

Will and Carrie at the beach.

2005-07-28T16:37:00.000-05:00

Samuel Rutherford (1600-1661)

Welcome to Anwoth

2005-07-28T14:44:00.000-05:00

There are a lot of questions to answer about Anwoth, the blog. Today I'm going to try to answer some of them. Then I'll ask some of my own.

1. What's an "Anwoth"?
Anowth is not a piece of clothing or an ethnic food or some theological term. Anwoth is the name of the small farming community in southern Scotland that Samuel Rutherford pastored in the mid-1600s. Here's a picture:

Samuel Rutherford has become a sort of hero for me. I will be posting about Samuel Rutherford once in a while so you can meet him too. I want this blog to be a virtual Anwoth--a place where Christ is loved and exalted, a place where you and I can enjoy each other's fellowship and our fellowship with the Bridegroom Himself!

2. What will I be blogging about?
Good question. My goals for the blog fall into three main categories. First, I want to keep friends and family up to date on what is going on in my family's life. Second, I want to generate profitable discussions of a theological nature (notice the emphasis on "profitable"). Finally, I want to have a forum to pass interesting things on to you and maybe even discuss those "interesting things." Yes, that is specifically vague so that I can post about anything that interests me and throw it into that last category.

Okay, my turn for a question:

For those of you who already blog, how do I automatically send an email to people when I create new posts?

I Give Up

2005-07-27T13:15:00.000-05:00

Practically the whole world is blogging...except me. Well, I've finally given up and decided, "If you can't beat 'em, join 'em." Actually, I'm looking forward to the whole blogging experience. So, here are the possible predictions for the future of my blogging life:

1. The entire world will find my blog to be incredibly stimulating and productive, and my blog will start a major revolution/reformation among humankind the world over.

2. The evangelical world will enjoy reading and interacting with my blog, and my blog may actually become the catalyst for something good and useful.

3. My friends and family will read my blog and may even humor me by posting their own thoughts once in a while.

4. People that I don't know will read my blog at 2:30 in the morning and wonder why they live such pathetic lives.

5. No one will even know my blog exists and I will develop an alternate personality named Charlie that will post comments on my own blog for a while before the little men with white coats insist on my beginning therapy.

Now, there's no way to really know which of those predictions will come true, but as I read back over them, I think any of them would be a life-changing experience for me! There you have it: optimism at its...best? The real plans for this blog, of course, are more visionary than "multiple personality disorder." I would like to be able to communicate with my friends about wonderful things God is doing in my life and the life of my family. I would also enjoy being able to interact with other people on topics that, frankly, I find interesting.

If you're reading this post, someone (probably me) obviously told you about my blog. If you see value here or even potential value, pass the word along! By the way, if you think you have something worthwhile to say, have at it! Welcome to Anwoth!