Book Review: God's Lesser Glory

Ware, Bruce A. God's Lesser Glory: The Diminished God of Open Theism. Wheaton: Crossway Books, 2000. 240pp. $17.99.

Bruce Ware's sensitivity is apparent early on in this book. Foremost for Ware is his sensitivity for the glory of God. Ware views Open Theism as a direct assault against God as it denies his exhaustive knowledge of the future, and as Ware demonstrates, would if true, dramatically lesson our confidence in God.

At the same time, Ware is sensitive to the authors whom he critiques. Ware says, "It is the views of this movement and its advocates that I oppose, not the individuals who advocate them (9)." Ware successfully avoids attacking the open theists themselves, and more importantly undermines the weaknesses in the exegesis and theology of the open theists.

Open Theism proposes that God voluntarily created this present universe with human beings who are free to make decisions regardless of whether they please God or not. Because human beings are created free, God does not know perfectly what the future holds. Open Theists believe that if God knows the decisions of mankind before they actually were made then somehow they would not be free decisions but predetermined by God.

The importance of God's Lesser Glory is significant because many open theologians including Boyd, Sanders, and Pinnock claim to be evangelical Christians. Subsequently, this means that each of these theologians sincerely believe the theologies they espouse are biblical. This point makes Ware's treatment of the subject all the more weightier. The classical Christian understanding of God's exhaustive knowledge of past, present, and future and open theism, which denies God's exhaustive knowledge of the future, cannot both be true.

In God's Lesser Glory, Ware chiefly interacts with open theologians Gregory Boyd, Clark Pinnock, John Sanders, and David Basinger. In chapters 2 & 3, Ware lays out the open theist position chiefly described by the theologians named above. Ware not only describes the theology of open theism but he also expresses the so-called applications and benefits this view of God brings to his people.

The driving contention of open theists, according to Ware is genuine relationship. Open theists reject God’s exhaustive knowledge of the future because it simply eliminates, according to them, any potential for an authentic interaction between God and mankind. Therefore open theists reject the idea that God decreed points about our lives in eternity past before we were born. Open theists also reject doctrines like irresistible grace. Any doctrine which impedes human freedom is rejected.

In chapter 2 & 3, Ware highlights some of the more prominent biblical texts used by open theists as evidence that God does not know the future. God’s comment of “now I know that you fear me,” to Abraham as he is about to sacrifice his son Isaac (Genesis 22:10-12), God’s repenting of making Saul King of Israel (1 Samuel 15:11, 35), God’s changing of his mind about the descendants of Abraham with Moses (Exodus 32), and God’s word about how he thought Israel would turn back to him, but they did not (Jeremiah 3:6-7) are all discussed through the lens of open theology.

In the minds of the open theologians these texts demonstrate first, that God did not know if Abraham was willing to slay Isaac, therefore it was important for God to establish a test to see if Abraham was trustworthy. Second, open theists declare that God repents like man, therefore he has remorse about his own actions. Third, God can even be wrong about his understanding about what will take place in the future.

Ware even makes note how some open theologians believe that God knew it was a possibility that Adam and Eve could choose to sin, but considering all that God did for them, it was not probable. Furthermore Sanders, as quoted by Ware (46-47) suggests that Jesus’ death on the cross was not fully known by God until after the prayer in Gethsemane.

Ware goes on to show that in the minds and hearts of open theists, the implication of God not knowing the future helps with ministering to hurting people. Ware gives a lengthy example given by Boyd (56-58). But the question that arises in this reader’s mind is: how is it helpful to me to know that God does not know the future and that he is either unwilling or unable to sovereignly counter the choices of his sinful creatures?

From this point in the book, Ware scripturally demonstrates the teaching of God’s perfect knowledge of the future, the very thing open theists claim the Bible teaches otherwise. Ware primarily accomplishes this by diving into the teachings of Isaiah in chapters 40-48. Through many examples (42:9, 44:6-8, 44:24-28, 45:1-7), it becomes clear that God’s claim to being God is inextricably tied to his knowledge of the future. For example, God says in Isaiah 42:9, “Behold, the former things have come to pass, now I declare new things; before they spring forth I proclaim them to you.”

Ware does move on to other areas in Scripture which also teach God’s exhaustive knowledge of future events. He cites examples from other OT passages like Psalm 139:4, 16 where God is ascribed to have the knowledge to know the number of our days before there is even one. How can this be true under the Open Theism model where God cannot know the future actions of free human beings, decisions that might lead to one’s death?

Ware gives NT examples which ascribe to God the son, Jesus Christ a knowledge which open theists declare he cannot have. In John 16:4, Jesus clearly tells his disciples things that will befall them before they happen. Again, is this so because God is great with odds, or because he really does know the future? Most of us who are familiar with the Bible will quickly recall Jesus’ accurate prophecy concerning Peter’s threefold denial. Again, how can Jesus know how many times Peter will deny him, and in addition to this, know when he will deny him?

There are further texts which speak in favor of the classical position. Texts like Acts 2:23 and 4:27-28 clearly teach a predetermined plan, known to God of Jesus’ death. Ware addresses both these as well, in addition to other texts, but Ware does not stop here. He moves on to describe how this theology assaults the wisdom of God. Instead of a God who knows all things, you have a God who can only predict. But in his predictions, as argued by open theists, he can be wrong. As Boyd illustrates in his story back in pages 56-58, God can lead people down a path which he thinks will benefit them in the future, but at any given time, his calculations may prove damaging, and somehow this is supposed to be comforting.

As Ware goes on to say in chapters 7-9, this theology does not drive us to exalt God. Nor does this theology help us to take comfort in God. Open theism diminishes our view of God. The picture of God we see in Open Theism is more like a really wise man rather than a God. The picture we get of God in Open Theism is not the God described in Romans 8:28

Here is the crux of the argument in my mind. It comes down to weighing all the relevant texts. Christians need to honestly weigh the difficult texts in Scripture. We need to seriously consider those difficult texts raised by open theists. But we also need to take the vast amount of texts which undeniably speak of God’s perfect knowledge of the future and consider them. Then we must try to reconcile them if we can. My sympathies are with Ware. I believe the overwhelming support favors the classical view of God. This also means that my explanations might be a little more complicated when dealing with texts like Genesis 22 and 1 Samuel 15. Nevertheless it seems clear to me that the Bible teaches God's perfect knowledge of the future, and if we surrender this truth, we end up with an altogether different God than the one revealed in Scripture. This also is the conclusion Ware comes to as well. He says in conclusion on page 230, “We have here, then, a fundamentally different god, not merely a different version of God. For the sake of the glory that is God’s alone we have no choice but to reject the openness model.”

I highly recommend this text for pastors. While it is not common to meet open theists in my neck of the woods as they say, it never hurts to be prepared. In addition to this, the book is helpful in its analysis of some of the difficult texts raised by open theists. Readers might also want to follow up God’s Lesser Glory by Ware with God’s Greater Glory also by Ware as he lays out a systematic presentation of the doctrine of God’s providence.

The Lost Tomb of Jesus...Here are some problems

Here is my attempt to synthesize many of the criticisms that have been levied against the Documentary film, The Lost Tomb of Jesus. Much of the information presented here comes from Ben Witherington and Richard Bauckham, as noted in the end notes.

Claim #1--The tenth ossuary is lost.

Based on this claim, the filmmakers suggest that the recent ossuary purchased on the market (not unearthed from a tomb) which had the inscription James, son of Joseph, brother of Jesus could be a likely candidate as the missing tenth Talpiot ossuary. James Tabor even goes on to say that the measurements of the missing ossuary and the measurements of the known James ossuary are a match.

Problems:

1. Amos Kloner and Joe Zias who were both archaeologists who worked the original site of the 10 ossuaries in 1980. Both have categorically denied that the 10th ossuary is missing.[1]

2. Furthermore, both archaeologists have stated that the tenth ossuary was blank with no ornamental designs or any inscriptions of names.[2] This is important because the James ossuary has an inscription.

Claim #2—The James ossuary was purchased around the same time the Talpiot tomb was discovered (1980).

Relatively speaking, perhaps this is true, but preciseness is very important here. If it could be proven that the James ossuary was purchased before the 1980 Talpiot tomb discovery then the claim would surely be put to rest.

Problems:

1. Oded Golan (who purchased the James ossuary) has consistently said that he purchased the James ossuary before 1978 when Israeli laws changed.[3]

2. Oded Golan, in fact said he purchased it in the mid-70’s.[4]

3. In addition to this, in his ongoing trial, evidence has been produced which shows Golan with the James ossuary in a picture dated to the seventies.[5]

This is important because the Talpiot Tomb was not discovered until 1980 making it impossible for the James ossuary to have come from it. In light of this evidence, the patina test comparing the molecules contained on both the James ossuary and ossuaries coming from the Talpiot Tomb becomes less meaningful. Ted Koppel even produced a quote from the lab clarifying that the patina test alone does not prove that the ossuaries came from the same tomb.

Furthermore, it has been noted by many that the spikes did not align precisely in the film (I noticed this as well).

Claim #3: The Jose ossuary is compelling because it is rare and there is biblical evidence which suggests that Jesus had a brother who was called Joses (Mark 6:3).

While it is true that Jesus had a brother who was called Joses in the Gospel according to Mark, it is also true that the Gospel according to Mark also records another Joses (Mark 15) who was not Jesus’ brother. So while it might be rare to find this name on an ossuary, apparently it is not so rare that two Joses were running around together within Jesus own followers.

Claim #4: Jesus, son of Joseph is Jesus of Nazareth, son of Joseph

A further question needs to be asked. The assumption by the filmmakers is that Jose is Jesus’ brother. If so, why would Jesus be the only brother distinguished as Jesus son of Joseph? Jose is not distinguished this way. It is merely Jose. Jesus own followers did not identify Jesus as “Jesus, son of Joseph.” If any of the two brothers should have had son of Joseph scripted by it if this were Jesus of Nazareth’s family tomb then it would have been Jose, not Jesus.

Matt 1:16 (NASU) Jacob was the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, by whom Jesus was born, who is called the Messiah.

Mark 5:7 (NASU) and shouting with a loud voice, he ^said, "What business do we have with each other, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I implore You by God, do not torment me!"

Hebr 4:14 (NASU) Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession

Luke 3:23 (NASU) When He began His ministry, Jesus Himself was about thirty years of age, being, as was supposed, the son of Joseph, the son of Eli,

His critics call him the son of Joseph in (exception in John 1:45)

John 6:42 (NASU) They were saying, "Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How does He now say, `I have come down out of heaven'?"

Mark 6:3 (NASU) "Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? Are not His sisters here with us?" And they took offense at Him.

The claim that this is Jesus of Nazareth comes from the combination of the names and its location coupled with statistics. But as we shall see it is one big chain of speculation that cannot withstand scrutiny.

Claim #5: Maria was the styled and common name of Jesus’ mother.

Problem 1. Yet in the earliest texts to the time of Jesus (Gospel of Matthew, Mark, Luke, & John) Mariam is used just as often as Maria with reference to Jesus’ mother. In fact, Mariam is used of Mary the mother of Jesus more than Maria.

Claims #6-7: The Mariamenou-Mara ossuary belongs to Mary Magdalene. Mariamne is rare, and there is a connection to Mary Magdalene.

This will be the most technical debate involving all the arguments made by the film.

Problems:

1. Mary Magdalene IS NEVER referred to in the earliest gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, & John) as Mariamene/Mariamne. She is always identified as Maria and Mariam Magdalene.

Why is this important? Because these particular gospels were written by individuals who lived in the same time period with Jesus and who knew Mary Magdalene.

Mariam—Hebrew name This name was most commonly translated in Greek as Maria and Mariame/Mariamme[6]

One of the major criticisms of the film is the way the producers talk about Mary Magdalene within Christian tradition. Many of the examples which are used in this film are not grounded within universally accepted Christian tradition but are found in Gnostic traditions. Gnostics are people who took some principles from the Bible and perverted its teachings to fit there own ideology. They would also use some of the characters from the Bible and tell apocryphal stories to further illustrate the perverted doctrines they believed.

In the film they allude to competing understandings of Christianity, and that the Catholic Church won out, thus they stamped out or tried to stamp other legitimate forms of Christianity. The church combating perverse theologies is nothing new. The Apostles themselves, as demonstrated in Scripture had to at nearly every turn combat some false teaching.

All of this is to say that these “Christian traditions” as used in the documentary are called apocryphal and Gnostic for reasons. They are unhistorical stories using biblical names. They are also false teachings. It is within Apocryphal and Gnostic traditions where Mary Magdalene’s name is eventually transformed from Maria/Mariam to Mariame/Mariamme.

Examples:

1. Celsus—a strident critic of Christianity spells her name Mariamme (3rd century)

2. Gospel of Mary: Mariamme (3rd Century)

3. Sophia of Jesus Christ: Gnostic work spells it Mariamme[7]

Hippolytus appears to be the first writer to refer to Mary Magdalene with a spelling of Mariamne (with the ‘n’) in his work called Refutation of all Heresies (note the title).[8] Hippolytus is refuting false claims made about Mary Magdalene, similar myths propagated by the Lost Tomb of Jesus/Divinci Code theorists.

Dr. Tabor mentioned Hippolytus’ work on the critical segment of the show in defense of the name, Mariamne but he said Hippolytus’ work was 2nd century, however it was written between 228-233 making it 3rd century (even farther from the time of Jesus).[9]

In addition to this scholars are unsure whether Hippolytus himself wrote it that way because there are two manuscript chains flowing from the original and one has Mariamme and the other has Mariamne, so Mariamne may be even a later development in the 3rd century.[10]

Dr. Richard Bauckham believes the name Mariamne is a late deformation of the name Mariamme by users who were not familiar with the name (it was rarely used after the fall of Jerusalem in 70 AD). The filmmakers also put forth the Acts of Philip as another source where the rare Mariamne is used for Mary Magdalene. Again, here is the major problem. The Acts of Philip dates to the 4th-5th century (hundreds of years beyond the time of Jesus). And it is universally accepted as Apocryphal, that is an unhistorical account using Biblical characters including Mary Magdalene. So while the filmmakers are technically correct to link the name Mariamne to Mary Magdalene. It can only be established as a link to a time period hundreds of years beyond the time period the historical Jesus and Mary Magdalene. And as Dr. Bauckham has demonstrated, the name was most likely a corruption of the name Mariamme by later Greek speakers who were unfamiliar with the name.

Therefore, there is ZERO EVIDENCE that Mary Magdalene was ever called Mariamne by her contemporaries. All the evidence points to Maria/Mariam Magdalene being the name she was addressed by when speaking with 1st century Jews and Gentiles.

2. Is there really a direct connection with Mariamne (Acts of Philip, Hippolytus) with the name written on the ossuary itself, that is mariamenou? The Discovery Channel Filmmakers are equating the two presumably by contraction (Mariamene contracts to Mariamne). I say presumably because they never say, and they were never asked. Why is this important? Because the inscription Mariamenou does not come from Mariamne, but Mariamenon/Mariamene.[11]

Therefore, if Mariamne is not contracted from Mariamene as Bauckham suggests, then there is not even a connection between this inscription and the Acts of Philip anyway (even though we have already demonstrated how weak that point was).

Claim #7: Mariamenou-mara should be translated as “belonging to Mary or the Master.”

The filmmakers suggest that Mara in Aramaic means Master (maranatha; see 1 Corinthians 16:22), and we affirm this point. But did not the filmmakers say that this box alone was inscribed in Greek unlike the rest of the boxes which were inscribed in Aramaic?

Rahmani suggests that the box could be translated instead of “belonging to Mary or the Master” as “belonging to Mary who {was also called} Mara (short for Martha). It was not uncommon for a person to have a Greek name (Mariamene) and an Aramaic one (Mara).[12]

Misc. Criticisms
As I have shown already, the statistical argument is shallow once you take Matthew and Mary Magdalene out of the equation. Furthermore, we have no evidence that the Maria ossuary in this Tomb is the mother of the man identified as Jesus, son of Joseph. We have no evidence that Jose was the brother of the man identified as Jesus, son of Joseph. Statistics are only as good as the formula, and the formula presented in this documentary is rampant with gross speculation.

The DNA evidence only proved that Mariamenou-Mara was not maternally related to Jesus, son of Joseph. She could have been a half-sister from their father’s side. She could have been an aunt from his father’s side. She could have been a cousin from his father’s side, etc….

There is the claim also that the beloved disciple was not John the Apostle, but a son of Jesus through Mary Magdalene. And this was linked to the ossuary inscribed “Judah, son of Jesus.” John makes abundantly clear the purpose of Jesus’ words was to incite John the Apostle (historic understanding for the identity of the beloved disciple) to take Jesus’ mother into his own household and care for her, which the texts says he did (John 19). Yet the filmmakers said this could have been Jesus speaking to his own blood son. But did you notice the Judah, son of Jesus ossuary? It was for an infant or child. It makes no sense for Jesus to say this to a child, why? Because a child cannot take care of himself let alone his mother.

Theological Note: Dr Tabor made the point that he believes the Bible does not endorse a physical resurrection. And he alludes to 1 Corinthians 15:35. The historic Catholic/Protestant understanding of Scripture affirms the bodily resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth. Here is an attempt to understand Paul in 1 Corinthians 15:35-58 Spiritual does not equate to the opposite of physical. Paul is not saying the body will not be physical, but it will be wrought by the Holy Spirit (see 1 Cor. 2:13).[13]

The spiritual are those who have been born again, and are being changed by the Spirit into conformity to Christ through sanctification.

Reflect on Romans 8:11 Roma 8:11 (NASU) But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.

Reflect on John 20:24-28 Thomas put his hands in the physically resurrected body. The earliest accounts make abundantly clear that Jesus body was gone (Matt 28:6; Mark 16:6; Luke 24:22-23; John 20:12).

---

[1] Ben Witherington, http://benwitherington.blogspot.com/2007/02/problems-multiple-for-
jesus-tomb-theory.html

[2] Ibid.

[3] Ibid.

[4] Ibid

[5] Ibid.

[6] Ricahrd Bauckham, http://www.christilling.de/blog/2007/03/guest-post-by-
richard-bauckham.html

[7] Ibid.

[8] Ibid.

[9] Ibid.

[10] Ibid.

[11] Ibid.

[12] Ibid.

[13] Anthony C. Thiselton, 1 Corinthians, NIGTC, 1276-1281. See also Denny Burk, http://www.dennyburk.com/?p=631

A Survey of Various Blog Posts

Like many in the Christian world, my attention has been captured by the claim of the supposed discovery of the tomb of Jesus of Nazareth. The official web site for this show which will air Sunday Night on the Discovery Channel is found here.

Some of strongest criticisms I have found on the blogosphere are:

Problems Multiply for Jesus Tomb Theory by Ben Witherington
The Smoking Gun---Tenth Talpiot Ossuary Proved to be Blank by Ben Witherington
Did They Really Find Jesus' Bones? by Craig Blomberg
The Alleged 'Jesus family tomb' by Richard Bauckham
Also Darrell Bock has posted several posts on this subject found here. Dr. Bock will also be a part of the guest panel of scholars who will debate the merits of this film after the show on the Discovery Channel.

Denny Burk has amassed a catalogue of various sources of additional critiques of the 'Lost Tomb of Jesus.'

Thabiti Anyabwile has posted his thoughts from his recent trip to Southeast Asia where he debated Muslims and many opportunities to interact with both Muslims and Christians living in a Muslim dominated country.

Mark Overstreet has linked to an article written by John MacArthur who disagrees with the methodology of Mark Driscoll and believes he has soaked up too much of the culture in his attempt to be culturally relevant with the gospel.

Local Associations and State Conventions

Many Southern Baptist bloggers have recently attended, listened to, commented upon, and reflected on the recent Baptist Identity II Conference held at Union University in Jackson, TN. The most thorough commentator that I have found on the conference was Timmy Brister.

The topic which most peaked my interest was presented by Mike Day entitled, The Future of Baptist Associations and State Conventions. As a young pastor, one of my goals has been to become active in participation on all levels of Baptist life including the local, state, and national levels. I attended my first national convention in Greensboro, NC and will also be attending this year's national convention in San Antonio, TX. I have not made the state convention yet, but plan on attending this year's conference. I also have attended many of our local associational meetings.

One of the main reasons I have made this a goal pertains to the issue of stewardship. As the Pastor of a local church, it is partly my responsibility to lead the church I pastor to be fiscally wise in the way we spend money. My desire is to maximize our church expenditures towards the goal of making the maximum impact for the kingdom of God.

So I am in the process of evaluating how the money we contribute to the Local Association, the SC State Convention, and SBC is being used. Understanding where the SBC money is being used is pretty simple. The official breakdown can be found here at sbc.net. The bulk of the money sent to the SBC goes to support the work of the IMB, NAMB, and the six Southern Baptist seminaries.

However, deciphering just where and on what money is spent for in the State Convention is more difficult. I have looked through the state annual information, but there is little detail, so the end result is that you know a category of where money is spent, but you have little idea on what it is being spent.

Local Association expenditures are more easily assessed because of my more direct role in the process.

Day's address is timely for Southern Baptists. There needs to be much thought put into
the future operations of both the local association and state convention. First let me say, there is quality work being done on both levels. Gary Horton, who works at the South Carolina Baptist Convention, provided for me and the church I pastor valuable guidance on how to properly set up a minister's compensation. He has continued to be helpful whenever we have needed assistance on a financial issues. And recently our local association began to financially support of church planter in the Northeast.

However I have often wondered why local associations and state conventions do so many ministries which could and maybe should derive from local churches. For example, why is it necessary for any church to send money to the association only to have the association send that same money to a church planter when the church could in the first place send the money directly to the church planter? The benefits of the church sending it directly outweigh the benefit of it being sent by the local association. One benefit to the church is the relationship it fosters between a congregation and the church planter and his family; missions becomes more personal. However, when the Association sends the money, it tends to only affect a small number of pastors, as pastors generally are the ones who attend these meetings.

Mike Day addressed some of the problems we currently have in regards to the ministry of local associations and state conventions. One specific issue is the problem of redundancy. We have churches, associations, and conventions all doing the same work. Money is being spent on all three levels to fund the same ministries. Moreover, why are associations and state conventions implementing so many ministries anyway? The goal should be that the churches within the local associations and state conventions take the lead in Christian ministry.

Like Mike Day, I do not have all the answers. I am also not educated enough on my own local association and state convention to make a final judgment about its effectiveness in regards to my own church's financial stewardship. But I do know that young pastors are far and few between. Our local association, while not attended well overall, is poorly attended by young ministers and young laity. My prayer is that God will give myself and the other participants of the association and convention the wisdom and boldness to move forward on how churches can best cooperate in the work of God's kingdom.

A Rare Snow in South Carolina

Early this morning, snow began to fall for the first time in the 27 months I have lived here in upstate SC. However, it quickly changed from sleet to freezing rain, to rain. The kids were able to get out and enjoy the slush. This was the first snow for my youngest daughter. And she did not want to come back into the house.

Is This a Good Thing?

I only recently became aware that churches these days are giving incentive pay to pastors based on meeting certain objectives. For example, if the church administers the baptism of 50 individuals, then the Pastor gets a bonus. Or if Sunday morning attendance increases from 350 to 500, then the staff are rewarded financially. This article does not go into any specific objectives set for Deep Creek Baptist Church, but does acknowledge some of their incentives to be based both on objective and subjective tests.

I see the dangers as many, and the benefits as few. What does it say to the world, when our Pastors are not motivated by the Glory of God alone, but God and financial incentive?

Book Review: The Difficult Doctrine of the Love of God

Carson, D. A. The Difficult Doctrine of the Love of God. Wheaton: Crossway Books, 2000. 93 pp. $14.99.

D. A. Carson is Research Professor of the New Testament at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. Carson is widely published and is renown for his work in many fields. He is the co-author of a New Testament Introduction. Carson has written numerous commentaries. His writings have broached a wide array of topics including Worship, Christian suffering, Postmodernism, the Emerging Movement, KJV-Only Controversy, and Exegesis.

This short introduction on the doctrine of the love of God had its beginnings in a lecture series by Carson delivered at Dallas Theological Seminary in 1998. This lecture first appeared in print in the 1999 volume of Bibliotheca Sacra.

One might be tempted to ask, "What is so difficult about the doctrine of the love of God?" This is the first question which Carson seeks to answer and in so doing illustrates the growing problem of the biblical ignorance many have when addressing this topic. In chapter one, the author discusses reasons why the doctrine of the love of God is difficult. The first difficult issue in expressing the love of God today is a source issue. Christians should ground their understanding of the love of God in the Bible. Non-Christians ground their understanding in many sources, but not normally in the Bible. The source determines our understanding, and due to the varying sources used to determine the meaning of the love of God we have worldview clashes and a plethora of definitions in the culture.

The second difficulty arises from the first. Understanding the love of God also requires an understanding in complementary doctrines also taught about God in the Bible including the holiness of God, the sovereignty of God, and the providence of God (p 11). The culture in large has already purged these qualities from their vocabulary when speaking about God. This development will necessarily lead to a divergence in our understanding what the love of God entails.

The third problem area arises from the dominant worldview prevalent in industrialized countries, which is Postmodernism. The rejection of the absolute trivializes any attempt to be dogmatic when addressing any topic, not just the doctrine of the love of God. The result of Postmodernism leads to many competing understandings of the love of God, and to reject any of the treatments is considered taboo.

If I have understood Carson correctly, his fourth and fifth difficulties are internal issues. First, Carson says that Christians have themselves been too quick to neglect how the love of God is compatible with God's justice, God's sovereignty, and the problem of evil. Perhaps we have tried to make the love of God seem simpler than what it really is. The author's fifth point is that Christians in their attempts to articulate the love of God have also neglected the diverse ways Scripture talks about the love of God.

This leads Carson to list five different expressions of the love of God used in the Bible, followed by short definitions and Biblical examples. They are:

1. The peculiar love of the Father for the Son, and of the Son for the Father (p 16).
2. God's providential love over all that he has made (pp 16-17).
3. God's salvific stance toward his fallen world (pp 17-18).
4. God's particular, effective, selecting love toward his elect (pp 18-19).
5. God's love is sometimes said to be directed toward his own in a provisional or conditional way--conditioned, that is, on obedience (pp 19-21).

Carson next warns against wrong approaches in the quest for understanding the love of God. First, we should not seek to absolutize any one the five ways in which the Bible speaks about the love of God over the other four. Second, he warns us against trying to speak of these loves independently. Third, he cautions us against a word study approach. Carson's rejects the often preached, "agapao means only unconditional love versus phileo means only erotic love" approach as this has now been debunked academically.

Throughout the duration of chapter 2 through the last chapter (chapter 4), Carson examines biblical texts of each of the five categories previously mentioned. Along the way the author gives a few examples of how each expression of the love of God helps us to understand another expression of the love of God. For example, Carson examines the love which the Father has for the Son from John 5:16-30 (pp 30-34). The Father's love is expressed by his showing the Son all things. The full expression of himself to the Son enables us to more fully understand John 3:16 as the Father so loved the world, he gave his only Son, the Son whom he has uniquely shown all things.

The Difficult Doctrine of the Love of God is very helpful as an introduction into the subject of the expressions of the love of God. The book has many strengths. Already mentioned, Carson helps the reader to see how even the church's understanding of the love of God has been distorted due to the pressures coming from the culture. This book harkens us back to the Scripture as the ground for our understanding the love of God. Carson also encourages us to think comprehensively as well, for the church today is saturated with teaching on the 3rd category he lists, God's salvific stance toward his fallen world (pp 17-18), to the neglect of categories 1, 4, and 5 (see above).

Additional strengths of this book are Carson's discussions on the impassability of God and the relationship between the holiness and love of God found throughout chapters 3 and 4. Carson writes concerning the impassibility of God, "Closer to the mark is the recognition that all of God’s emotions, including his love in all its aspects, cannot be divorced from God’s knowledge, God’s power, God’s will. If God loves, it is because he chooses to love; if he suffers, it is because he chooses to suffer. God is impassible in the sense that he sustains no ‘passion,’ no emotion, that makes him vulnerable from the outside, over which he has no control, or which he has not foreseen . . . Our passions change our direction and priorities, domesticating our will, controlling our misery and our happiness, surprising and destroying or establishing our commitments (p 59-60).

One weakness to the book was perhaps the lack of integration of the fifth expression of the love of God with others. Just how do the conditional promises of Scripture relate to the effective, particular love and the providential love of God for all creation?

The Difficult Doctrine of the Love of God is a must read for preachers. It has been my experience that preachers have sorely neglected the depth of the riches of the love of God. This book will awaken Christians to the complexity and comprehensive nature of the love of God, and I hope along the way help Christians to know the richness of the love which God has for the church in Christ. In addition to this The Difficult Doctrine of the Love of God will serve as a rudder to steer us back to Scripture and away from culture for our understanding of the world around us.

A Few Good Quotes on Various Topics

"Things are allowed to be said and done at revivals which nobody could defend . . . If, for a moment, our improvements seem to produce a larger result than the old gospel, it will be the growth of mushrooms, it may even be of toadstools; but it is not the growth of trees of the Lord."
C.H. Spurgeon, An All-Around Ministry, 375-376 (Quoted from Revival and Revivalism, by Murray, xvi)

"Even today the earth sustains many monstrous spirits who, to destroy God's name, do not hesitate to misdirect all the seed of divinity spread abroad in human nature. How detestable, I ask you, is this madness: that man, finding God in his body and soul a hundred times, on this very pretense of excellence denies that there is a God?"
John Calvin, Institutes of Christian Religion 1, 55-56

"The task of all Christian scholarship--not just biblical studies--is to study reality as a manifestation of God's glory, to speak and write about it with accuracy, and to savor the beauty of God in it. It is a massive abdication of scholarship that so many Christians do academic work with so little reference to God. If all the universe and everything in it exist by the design of an infinite, personal God to make his manifold glory known and loved, then to treat any subject without reference to God's glory is not scholarship, but insurrection."
John Piper, The Pleasures of God, 298

"Worship is the language of love and growth between believers and God; evangelism is the language of introduction between those who believe and those who don't."
Marva Dawn, A Royal "Waste" of Time, 124

"When we fail morally, physically, emotionally, we do not quit worshipping or outpouring, it is that we change gods."
Harold Best, Lecture Notes from the Worshipping Church Class at SBTS in 2003

Dr. Mohler's Reflections on His Recent Health Crisis

Dr. Mohler writes about his recent health crisis in his latest commentary. I know a great many people were breathing a sigh of relief and thanking God for his recovery, including myself. While, I do not know Dr. Mohler personally, I have benefited spiritually from his leadership at The Southern Baptist Seminary, where I graduated in 2003. In addition to this I have greatly been helped through his writings, preaching and teaching at Highview Baptist Church in Louisville, KY, and his radio show. I pray God would continue to minister through this servant of the church.

Reflections on the Flood and the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami

I am preaching from Genesis 6-8 this Sunday. As I was writing out my sermon the thought came to mind, why did so many authors back in December of 2004 just after the Tsunami occurred feel it necessary to defend God's righteousness in light of the massive loss of life? I mean, if God's righteousness was ever in question, it would not have been in 2004, it would have been back in the days of Noah when he decided to blot out the entire human race with the exception of Noah and his family.

The Flood and the Tsunami of 04 were certainly both tragic and heart wrenching calamities. Noah was on a boat for a year, and he must have shed many tears thinking over the massive loss of life. I know I cried my share of tears listening to the stories which came out after the Tsunami of 04. Certainly these were times to mourn with those who mourn, and these were times to love our neighbors.

However, these two events are not occasions for us to put God on trial. In fact, the Flood was a trial of sorts for the human race. We failed. We were judged guilty. And God killed nearly everyone.

No human being is deserving of life. We are fortunate though that God establishes covenants like he did with Noah, sparing his life. God has established another covenant. This one is through the blood of his only begotten son, Jesus Christ. Entrance into this covenant requires only that we repent of our sins against God and come to God in faith clinging to the righteousness of Christ. This covenant will protect us from all Tsunami's, floods, and will even save us from the Christ who will come again with eyes aflame and a sword proceeding from his mouth to judge the wicked.

A Word About the President

Talking about the President these days, almost without exception, leads to a heated exchange of opinions. Some people address why they think the President has ably lead the country during his tenure (although this group seems to be shrinking daily). Others address why they think the President is leading this country deplorably. Still others are unsure what to think, and largely think his legacy will be written 40-50 years from now.

Here is what I think. The conversations that I would like to have with the President will not be occurring anytime in the near future. Therefore, my task a Christian citizen of the United States of America is to pray for him in the hope that he might make the correct decisions which come before him.

1Timothy 2:1-3 says, "First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior,"

I might add that I confessed my sin to God in response to my consistent neglect of this command, and I think many more Christians need to do so as well. I am resolved should politics and talk about the President come up in the near future (and it will), my first response will be to pray before I say anything else.

Will you join me?

A Reflection on Philippians 2:14-18

It seems that when I see many Pastors' past experience, there tends to be a large list of churches at which they previously served. While I do not have before me any hard statistics, I believe I have read that Southern Baptist Pastors tend to average around 3-5 years in each pastorate.

Surely there are legitimate reasons why some pastorates end so quickly:
1. Some Pastors are deceived by congregants into thinking the church is one way, but after the Pastor arrives, the church is different. For example, the Pastor might have been told that he will have charge of the spiritual leadership of the church (which he should, hopefully alongside with other elders), but when he arrives, he quickly finds out that he has this authority only on the approval of some families or deacons. In effect, he cannot lead the church, so he ends up leaving.
2. Some Pastors end up having to die on hill for Jesus. For example, the Pastor begins to reach out to the local Hispanic population, and after some time, some of them convert and they begin to come to church. At the next leadership meeting, the Pastor is told that the church is not pleased with the influx of Hispanics. The Pastor says that he is going to continue to minister to this people group. The church eventually tells the Pastor to start looking for new employment.
3. Many Pastors labor genuinely and optimistically in a church for 3-5 years, yet the church will not respond to his leadership and in the end the Pastor decides to leave because of this issue.

Yet we all know that many Pastors leave because a bigger, better, higher paying, better located, perk offering church calls and while his current church is slowly moving forward, the enticement of the invitation from the other church is too powerful to turn down.

In Philippians 2, the Apostle Paul exhorts the church toward sanctification (vv12-13), and in v14 he gives practical instruction on how to pursue sanctification. In vv15-18, he gives three reasons why the Philippians should do all things without grumbling and disputing. The first reason is for the Philippians own sanctification (v15a). The second reason is for the sake of the believer's witness to a lost world (v15b).

Interestingly, the third reason for Paul exhortation to do all things without grumbling and disputing is for Paul's sake. In verses 16-17, he says "so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain. Even if I am to be poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrificial offering of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all."

Paul's investment in the Philippians sanctification weighs heavily upon his conscience. He believes that their sanctification is his responsibility. The Philippians must run and finish the race of faith, and Paul sees himself playing a pivotal part in their completion of that race. If they finish, Paul is vindicated and his work has not been in vain, but if they fail to finish the race, Paul seems to see their failure as his own.

Perhaps if Pastors souls were daily pricked with the understanding of this weighty responsibility, we would not be so quick to depart the church where are currently serving. Too often, I believe we do not stay because we have not sufficiently invested ourselves into the lives of our congregations. And as a result, it is easier for us to leave.

Paul says to the Elder Timothy, "Pay close attention to yourself and to your teaching; persevere in these things, for as you do this you will ensure salvation both for yourself and for those who hear you." Let all preachers feel the weight of this commandment. Our congregation's sanctification is our responsibility as we minister on behalf of God in the Holy Spirit teaching the Word of God.

Pray for Dr. Mohler

Hey guys, if you see this please pray for Dr. Mohler. This is the following from albertmohler.com:

Dr. Mohler's health has sustained a setback. Over the past 36 hours Dr. Mohler has suffered from unrelenting pain. This unusual degree of pain signaled concern for the attending physicians and prompted additional tests this afternoon. In the past hour these tests have revealed that Dr. Mohler is suffering from pulmonary emboli in both lungs. His condition is quite serious and he has been moved to the intensive care unit of Baptist East Hospital in Louisville, KY for immediate treatment.

Please make this a matter of urgent prayer. Thank you once again for your concern and support during these days.

Naomi says that emboli (clots) can form after surgery, and they are very serious.

(Update)

Dr. Mohler's health has improved significantly. You can check here for the most recent news.

Listening to other Preachers

For some time now, I have both read articles by Pastor Mark Driscoll and articles about Pastor Mark Driscoll (positive & negative), but have yet to listen to any of his sermons. This has much to do with my current residence. I live in rural South Carolina, and we only have slow dail-up available to us. So it takes some time to download sermons.

However, I have made it a point to download some sermons during the night. This week, I downloaded two sermons by Mark Driscoll preached from a series on 1 Corinthians titled, "The Weaker Christian," and "Good Sex, Bad Sex."

I found both sermons to be biblically based and his ability to apply the sermons was exceptional. I found myself agreeing with about 99% of everything he preached. The usual exception I had was an occasional "over-the-top" use of humor.

That being said, I believe I am going to add him to the list of preachers I listen to. You can find his podcasts at both iTunes and here.

(Update)
As the commenter noted, the link I provided above does not transfer to a site which is dedicated solely to Driscoll's sermons. This updated link, as suggested, takes you to his sermon feed through Mars Hill Church in Seattle.

A Sad State of Affairs

You can find in this New York Sun article the latest statistics from New York City in the year 2005 relating to birth rates. Last year there were 122,725 live births. There were also 88,891 abortions performed in New York City last year. This means that 42% of all known pregnancies ended in death.

In addition to this sad news, the referenced article above stated that of the 122,725, 44% of the children were born to unwed mothers. Furthermore, of the 122,725 births, 52% of them were paid for by Medicaid.

The Mission of the Church?

Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori, the Presiding Bishop and Primate of the Episcopal Church, issued a statement at the Newsweek/Washingpost On Faith Blog addressing the withdraw of some Episcopal Churches in Virginia from the oversight of the American Bishop.

The most disturbing aspect of her statement is the lack of a clear articulation of the reconciliation found in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Her assessment of the church's agenda of reconciliation seems only to address human-to-human relationships, and how we treat one another.

She says, "The Episcopal Church continues to focus on its mission of reconciling the world, particularly as it cares for the least, the lost, and the left out." Furthermore she states, "Our mission as a Church is the reconciliation of the world. We will continue to feed the hungry, house the homeless, educate children, heal the sick, minister to those in prison, and speak good news to those who have only heard the world's bad news."

Jesus, most assuredly speaks to man's obligation to love fellow man. But the reconciliation found in the gospel of Jesus Christ chiefly concerns itself with man's reconciliation with God. Sadly, nothing in this article comes close to saying just how one is reconciled with God. One would think if a Christian were speaking to the mission of the Christian Church, he or she would have to address man's reconciliation with God through the blood of Jesus Christ.

Perhaps Romans 5:6-11 will clear the fog:
6 For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— 8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. 10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. 11 More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

Christmas Reflections from Romans 5:12-21

"Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned...Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men (Romans 5:12,18)."

Joy to the world! The Lord is come...Joy to the earth! The Savior reigns...Repeat the sounding joy, repeat the sounding joy...No more let sins and sorrows grow nor thorns infest the ground; he (Jesus) comes to make his blessings flow far as the curse is found...Let earth receive her King. Let every heart prepare in room...Let men their songs employ...And heaven and nature sing...He rules the world with truth and grace, and makes the nations prove the glories of his righteousness, and wonders of his love, and wonders of his love (Isaac Watts, Joy to the World! The Lord is Come).

"If, because of one man's trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ (Romans 5:17)."

Hail the heaven born Prince of Peace! Hail the Son of righteousness! Light and life to all he brings, risen with healing in his wings. Mild he lays his glory by, born that man no more may die. Born to raise the sons of earth. Born to give them second birth (Wesley & Whitefield, Hark! The Herald Angels Sing).

"...but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord (Romans 5:20b-21)."

Tell out my soul, the greatness of the Lord: Unnumbered blessings give my spirit voice; tender to me the promise of his word; In God my Savior shall my heart rejoice...Tell out, my soul, the greatness of His name: Make known his might, the deeds his arm has done; his mercy sure, from age to age the same; his holy name, the Lord, the Mighty One...Tell out, my soul, the greatness of his might: Powers and dominions lay their glory by...(Timothy Dudley-Smith, Tell Out, My Soul, the Greatness).

Praying with my Children

As a parent of two young girls, I am trying to teach my children the importance of prayer. We traditionally pray before all our meals. We routinely pray each night before bedtime. We pray together with the sick when Lydia makes visits with me.

From time to time I reflect on how I might teach my daughters diverse ways in which we may pray to God. Since my three year absolutely loves Away in a Manger, we recently began praying the third verse with her. It not only is an excellent prayer for children, but also for adults. I have been praying it as well when I make petitions to God.

Be near me, Lord Jesus, I ask thee to stay
Close by me forever, and love me, I pray;
Bless all the dear children in thy tender care,
And fit us for heaven to live with thee there.

The Girls Cont'

These pics come from Glen Royal BC this past weekend.

The Girls...

Lydia begged for us to put up the Christmas tree early, so for the first time ever, we set up the tree before Thanksgiving.

Christmas Music

I am one of those who loves to listen to and sing Christmas songs. In fact my entire family loves Christmas songs. We just recently purchased Third Day: Christmas Offerings, and it has not disappointed.

The album contains many classics such as O Come All Ye Faithful, Silent Night, and Away in a Manger. Of course all of these classics are set with a Third Day feel. In addition to the classics Third Day has written some original Christmas music as well.

Born In Bethlehem, Jesus, Light of the World, and Christmas Like a Child are all quality additions to the great extant collection of Christmas songs. Born in Bethlehem will most likely be selected for play in the congregational setting, however my favorite is Merry Christmas. This song addresses the adoption of a little girl, and how the little girl now has a home and a family with whom she can now celebrate Christmas.

Honoring My Grandmother

My Grandmother, Ruth Denton, has been a faithful member of Glen Royal Baptist Church in Wake Forest, NC for many years now. She has been playing the piano at Glen Royal BC since 1963, and has rarely missed a Sunday Gathering, choir practice, funeral, or wedding. She is currently battling cancer, and taking both chemo and radiation, yet still continues to play the piano (well I might add) in worship every Sunday.

I had the honor to preach last Sunday at Glen Royal BC. This was a special service for me also, not only because we honored my grandmother, but also because many family members were present, and also because Glen Royal BC is the church where my introduction to the Christian faith began. I preached from Philippians 2:5-8 exhorting Christians to model the example of Christ to an unbelieving world.

We love you Grandma
"Charm is deceptive and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised."
Proverbs 31:30

New Statistics on Out of Wedlock Births

Although these statistics are preliminary, the article states they are not likely to change. 1.5 million births out of 4.1 million in 2005 were children born out of wedlock. This accounts for 37% of all births in the United States.

The Culture of Death and the Church of England

The Church of England apparently is heading in the direction of affirming euthanasia in certain circumstances when dealing with sick infants.

The Passing of a Church Member

Phil Crawford, a member of the church I Pastor, passed away yesterday afternoon. The attribute of Christ which Phil Crawford best demonstrated to me in the past two years was faithfulness. Phil Crawford was always among the first three to arrive at church. He taught Sunday School every Sunday morning until about three weeks ago. He probably has missed fewer Sunday Morning gatherings than I have in 2 years (about 4). And one time a month, on Sunday morning, he would minister at a rural nursing home. Phil Crawford died 91 years of age.

Rest in Peace, Phil Crawford, we will miss you.

The Lord's Day Article in the BF&M

The Baptist Faith & Message, which is a commonly used statement of faith for Southern Baptist churches and is the official statement of faith for Convention entities, is a document of core Christian doctrine. The Baptist Faith & Message, first adopted in 1925 by Southern Baptists, used the New Hampshire Confession of Faith as a working document from which to craft the new statement of faith.

The Baptist Faith & Message has been revised two times, one in 1963 and again in 2000 with additional amendments being added infrequently. One particular change made from the 1963 BF&M and adopted in the BF&M 2000 occurs in the article addressing the Lord's Day. Here is the article on the Lord's Day as it appears in both the BF&M 1925 and 1963:

The first day of the week is the Lord's day. It is a Christian institution for regular observance. It commemorates the resurrection of Christ from the dead and should be employed in exercises of worship and spiritual devotion, both public and private, and by refraining from worldly amusements, and resting from secular employments, works of necessity and mercy only excepted.

Here is how the article is stated in the BF&M 2000:

The first day of the week is the Lord's Day. It is a Christian institution for regular observance. It commemorates the resurrection of Christ from the dead and should include exercises of worship and spiritual devotion, both public and private. Activities on the Lord's Day should be commensurate with the Christian's conscience under the Lordship of Jesus Christ.

The main changes in the document are the removal of the statement, "refraining from worldly amusements," and the addition of this statement, "Activities on the Lord's Day should be commensurate with the Christian's conscience under the Lordship of Christ."

Do you agree with the change? Or do you think the change has weakened the article?

I believe in light of Paul's teaching in Colossians 2:16-17 and in Romans 14:1-12, the BF&M 2000 is more faithful to the biblical witness despite the fact that it really says less.

It would be good reading to find a tabletalk session of those on the BF&M committee who made the revision to this particular article.

Christian Witness from the Amish in Pennsylvania

Romans 12:14, "Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them."
Matthew 5:44, "But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you"
Matthew 6:14, "For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly father will also forgive you."
John 15:13, "Greater love has no one than this, that someone lays down his life for his friends."
Matthew 5:16, "In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven."

These are just some of the verses that come to mind after reading these various news reports about how the Amish community in Pennsylvania are responding to the killing of five young girls, and shooting of five others by Charles Roberts IV.

Here is a sampling of how this Amish community responded:
--Over half of those who attended the funeral of Charles Roberts IV were Amish. Read here.

--Within a few hours of the shooting, the Amish were extending forgiveness to the Roberts family and seeking to comfort them. Read here.

--And a remarkable story coming from inside the schoolhouse is the courage and sacrifice of at least two of the girls. 13 year old Marian Fisher in an apparent attempt to save the other girls requested that Roberts shoot her first. He did, and she died from the gunshot. Marian's younger sister, Barbie, then requested that she be shot next. She lived. Read here.

Mark Overstreet first pointed out these stories, you can find his posts here.

The Workings of a Sovereign God

"I want you to know brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel, (Philippians 1:12)"

God often works in ways we would not normally choose. God also moves in ways which might seem at first to be contrary to his major goals. For example, I am sure Paul would rather not have been in prison for a number of years, both in Caesarea and Rome. Paul's imprisonment also would seem to be an impediment to the cause of the gospel for Paul was a major force in the spread of Christianity during the Apostolic Era.

Yet, God's word reveals to us that Paul's imprisonment was instrumental for the advance of the gospel. The chains which Paul was bound brought Paul together with Roman Imperial Guards. As a result of this necessary condition, the gospel spread throughout the Imperial Guard. And not only this, but Paul's imprisonment emboldened the Christians in Rome to preach the gospel without fear.

Furthermore, when Jesus called Paul to himself, he commissioned him to preach to the Jews, the Gentiles, and kings (Acts 9:15). It was during his imprisonment that the Apostle heralded the gospel to kings.

Our limited vision inhibits us from seeing the larger workings of God. And while it sometimes appears that God is absent or not working all things for good to those who love him, we must trust that he is. We must walk not by sight, but by faith.

One of my favorite stories of God's providence is the story of John Bunyan's imprisonment. Bunyan was jailed for illegally preaching the gospel. He could have left the prison at any time had he agreed not to preach the gospel. He refused to quit. He preached in the prison to the extent, people were coming to here him while he would preach from the prison courtyard (both prisoners and freemen). Eventually he was banished a central location where his contact was limited. It was here that God desired to take Bunyan, as he wrote the gospel in an allegorical story which we know as The Pilgrim's Progress. Through this writing, Bunyan would preach the gospel to far more people than he could have through any other method.

We should strive to see the working of a Sovereign God in our own lives even in times of discomfort and trial. This is the hope we have as Christians. God is working at the same time to bring glory to his name and for the good to those who love him and are called according to his purpose.

The Nature of Deception

Here are two quotes concerning the deceptive nature of wickedness. One is modern. One is ancient.

"Wolves don’t come with business cards that say 'Wolf.' They dress up like sheep, talk like sheep, and are published by sheep publishers."
Mark Dever

"Error never shows itself in its naked reality, in order not to be discovered. On the contrary, it dresses elegantly, so that the unwary may be led to believe that it is more truthful than truth itself."
Irenaeus of Lyons

Desiring God 2006 National Conference

The Desiring God 2006 National Conference officially began tonight. The theme for the conference is: Above All Earthly Powers: The Supremacy of God in a Postmodern World. Usually, everything John Piper does gets put up on his website for free, so I would check back from time to time in order to listen to the various sessions. Here is a list of speakers and their topics for the conference:

David Wells, Professor of Historical Theology at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, will speak on "The Supremacy of Christ in a Postmodern World."

Don Carson, Professor of New Testament at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, will speak on "The Supremacy of Christ and Love in a Postmodern World."

Tim Keller, Senior Pastor at Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York City, will address "The Supremacy of Christ and the Gospel in a Postmodern World.”

Mark Driscoll, the Lead Pastor of Mars Hill Church in Seattle, will aim at the topic “The Supremacy of Christ and the Church in a Postmodern World.”

Voddie Baucham, the founder and leader of Voddie Baucham Ministries in Texas, will tackle the theme “The Supremacy of Christ and Truth in a Postmodern World.”

John Piper, Senior Pastor of Bethlehem Baptist Church, will speak on “The Supremacy of Christ and Joy in a Postmodern World.”

Should be fantastic. Check it out. Order it if you have to.

Local Church Membership

Mike Mckinley, pastor of Guilford Baptist Church in Sterling, VA and writer for 9Marks ministries, writes a helpful article on whether the the Bible really teaches Church Membership as it is often practiced today.

Pastor Conferences

I have been a pastor now for just over two years. I recently found out how refreshing a good Pastor's Conference can be. This past April, I attended the inaugural Together for the Gospel Conference in Louisville, KY, and came away thoroughly strengthened to come back and pastor at Little River.

Brent and Seth, I am interested to know if there are any Pastor's Conferences which you would recommend. I am familiar with a few like the Bethlehem Conference for Pastors and the Desiring God National Conference in Minneapolis, Minnesota. I am also aware of the Shepherd's Conference in Sun Valley, California. The main issue with these three conferences is the great distance and cost to get to them.

The Together for the Gospel Conference was not too difficult to drive, but this conference only occurs every two years. I am planning on going this next year to a Weekender at Capitol Hill Baptist Church, Washington D.C. This conference allows a pastor and possibly some key leaders from your church to see the workings of a very healthy church. You can see a more detailed description above by clicking on "Weekender."

Brent and Seth, are you planning on attending any of these types of events this coming year? If so, let me know. Seth, I know you might not, given how busy you are. Brent, I know it is a little early to be thinking about these things, however, I'd like to hear your thoughts.

The Pope and Islam

The Pope recently started a whirlwind of turmoil, when he was giving an academic address and quoted Byzantine emperor Manuel II Paleologus. The Byzantine emperor said concerning the prophet Mohammed, "Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached."

The Catholic Church response has been that Muslims have misunderstood the Pope. The Pope said the quote was not his view about the Islamic faith or Mohammed.

Dr. Albert Mohler, President of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary has an informative article about the Pope's comments, and the Roman Catholic's view of Islam. What is more surprising than the Pope's comments is the inclusivistic view Rome has of Islam. Here is a link to Dr. Mohler's article. Dr. Mohler also dedicated one entire episode of his daily radio show to the issue as well.

Knowing your Members...

I just recently finished preaching through the Gospel of Mark. As most of you are aware, Mark oftentimes created what are called by scholars, "Markan Sandwiches," where he would begin one story/event and would interweave another story before he would bring the first one to its ending. For example, in Mark 6:7-13, Mark begins a story about Jesus sending out his apostles for the purpose of kingdom ministry, but vv 14-29 address the death of John the Baptist. Then in verse 30, Mark picks up the apostles returning to Jesus to report what occurred.

I was trying to give an analogy to this literary device by comparing it to the FOX television show 24, when it went to commercial. For those who have never seen it, as the show breaks for commercial, we get to view what is going on in multiple situations, and that is what Mark does when he uses the "sandwich." He tells us about two events occurring generally at the same time.

I do not know why I asked the congregation that morning this question, but after I had given the analogy, I asked how many members had ever seen 24, AND NO ONE RAISED THEIR HAND. It was rather funny, but it did teach me to be more thoughtful in using analogies which my congregation will be familiar with.

A Special Wednesday Night Service

Tonight, Little River BC cancelled its own services in order that we may travel up to Spartanburg, SC where 89 Southern Baptist families are being commissioned as International Missionaries. No doubt, this will be one of the most special worship services I have ever attended.

The services begin at 6:30 PM at First Baptist Church, North Spartanburg. Use this post as a reminder to pray for our missionaries who are serving the Lord around the world. I am reminded now of a question asked by Dr. Tom Nettles, who teaches at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, when he said to a Baptist History class. He asked us, "What could be more exciting than going to another country obeying the Lord's Great Commission and founding a Christian Church where one never existed among a people who have never heard the gospel?"

This is exactly what many of the missionaries who will be appointed tonight will be laboring to achieve for the duration of their earthly lives. Let us pray for them.

Shiloh Visit

Last Sunday I preached a trial sermon for Shiloh Baptist church in Seymour, TN. Immediately after I preached, the congregation voted unanimously to call me as their pastor. It was a great weekend and a very exciting time for me and my family. My last Sunday here at West End will be September 24th. We will move the following week and begin our ministry at Shiloh on October the 1st.
We are not as fortunate as some to have a palacial mansion for a parsonage, but we were able to locate a nice home to rent for a while until we are able to decide where and what we might want to purchase. We are excited about moving into a little larger house, seeing that the one we are in now is a just a little bigger than a Volkswagen.
I have decided what I will be preaching through first. I am going to begin with 1 John on Sunday mornings, The Sermon on the Mount on Sunday Night, and Selected Psalms on Wednesdays. I have recently taught through 1 John on Wednesday's with my youth and love the practicality of John's epistle. I have preached a couple of times on a few text's from the Sermon on the Mount, but I have never preached from the Psalms.
I am currently determining my goals for this first year at Shiloh. 1st goal of all is to learn the names, this seems kind of like a daunting task. Next, I would like to go through the church role and meet all the families, whether they attend or not. Third, I would like to establish a church covenant that expresses a biblical view of church membership in it. In the future (2-3 years down the road) we would require everyone that wishes to remain a member of Shiloh Baptist to sign the covenant. Please note, I realize this must be done carefully and with great gentleness, but nonetheless, I believe it is essential to ever have integrity in reporting church membership. These things among 100's of other ideas are floating through my head. I look forward to seeing exactly what you guys think and what you suggest.

Beach Shots

Lydia with Salty Dog

More Pictures

Schooling Choices

As a parent of two small children, there is a fast approaching decision my wife and I must make concerning our children. How are we going to educate them? Are we going to enroll them in a public school, a religious private school, or should we home school them? These questions bring us both much anxiety.

I know we are not alone, many Christian parents are choosing alternative educational choices for their children. The public schools of our grandparents and parents no longer exist. And many young Christian parents who experienced public schooling and survived are now reflecting whether or not to send their own children into these same schools.

The Boston Herald has an interesting article on this issue. You can find it here.

HT: Mark Overstreet

Adoption

One of the images in Scripture used to describe a believer's status in Christ is adoption (Ephesians 1:5). In Christ we are reckoned sons of God (Galatians 4:5). And as sons, we inherit a new found intimacy with God illustrated by the fact that we can and should address him as Father (Romans 8:15).

One of the most pro-life and Christian actions a disciple of Christ can do is adopt. Few human actions can mirror so closely what God has done for believers in Christ than adoption. As God makes us his sons, we too can give a son (or daughter) our own name and fill his life with an abundance of blessing and joy.

This article by Russell Moore is a moving testimony about his own adoption of two sons. I know it will stir your heart, and I hope it might lead you to give serious thought to adopting a child of your own.