A Word from our Pastors

The Work of the Pastor by William Still

2011-12-29T12:04:00.000-08:00

Ben and Dave and I have or [in my case] are reading The Work of the Pastor by William Still. Great read! I think it would be helpful for every church member to read and to meditate on a great question: What is the work of the Pastor? Here's a quote that I found to be very convicting:

"The pastor is called to feed the sheep, even if the sheep do not want to be fed. He is certainly not to become an entertainer of goats. Let goats entertain goats, and let them do it out in goatland. You will certainly not turn goats into sheep by pandering to their goatishness." William Still [1911-1997] The Work of the Pastor

feeling the weight of our lawlessness so that we can wonder at the lustre of God's grace "in Christ."

2011-12-22T12:15:00.000-08:00

"If we were suspended over a chasm by a chain of ten links, how many links have to break before we fall? If while driving down the highway, we're pulled over by a police officer because we're speeding, does it make any difference to the officer that we haven't broken the income tax laws or stolen anything from our neighbors? Obedience to one law doesn't negate disobedience to another law. To break one is to become a lawless person." Warren Wiersbe on Zechariah 5:4

Really excited about tonight!

2011-12-17T06:09:00.000-08:00

Hey, I'm at my office printing the programs for tonight's concert at the Waverly Community House. The program is beautiful. The choir sounds great, the Scripture and other readings are true, and the location is ideal. Hope you can make it. The concert starts at 7:00 p.m.

Unhelpful

2011-12-14T10:44:00.001-08:00

Because of the inherent power of music, the texts we sing about God can be especially helpful [texts that teach and admonish], harmful [texts that are heretical or theologically inaccurate], or unhelpful [texts that are superficial or shallow]. Having just listened to a raft of new worship songs at worshiptogether.com, I can't say the texts I listened to were either helpful or harmful—just musically unsingable and textually unhelpful.

Cancer cannot determine when you go home. Only your Father can.

2011-12-14T07:09:00.000-08:00

Amazing faith from R.C. Sproul Jr. whose wife Denise is battling Leukemia.

http://www.facebook.com/notes/rc-sproul-jr/the-kingdom-notes-the-terminal/201453839936152

Racism and "the ethnic universality of God's Mercy"

2011-12-14T06:46:00.000-08:00

Racism contradicts "the ethnic universality of God's mercy" as seen in Jonah: "And should I not pity Nineveh, that great city?" [Jonah 4:11]

Jesus and Paul: We preach Christ crucified

2011-12-14T06:41:00.000-08:00

“It’s startling that Jesus’ response to the clamoring of the Jewish sign-seekers in Matthew 12:39-40 is essentially Paul’s response to the Jewish sign-seekers in I Corinthians 1:23. ‘So you want a sign” Jesus says in Matthew 12:39-40? OK I’ll give you one. Remember Jonah? He was in the belly of the great fish for three days—so here’s the sign I’m going to give you. Like Jonah who was in the belly of the great fish for three days, so I’m going to die and lay in the belly of the earth for three days.’ And Paul’s response to the Jewish sign seekers in I Corinthians 1:23–it’s like Jesus’ response to the sign seekers of Matthew 12:39-40. Paul’s response goes something like this. ‘When Jews everywhere are seeking for signs, we’ll preach Christ crucified.’”
Lord's Day Sermon December 4, 2011

God Substitutes (and their dangers)

2011-11-30T11:23:00.000-08:00

From Tim Keller's notes in "The Reason For God."

If you centre your life and identity on your spouse or partner, you will be emotionally dependent, jealous and controlling. The other person’s problems will be overwhelming to you.

If you centre your life and identity on your family and children, you will try to live your life through your children until they resent you or have no self of their own. At worst, you may abuse them when they displease you.

If you centre your life and identity on your work and career, you will be a driven workaholic and a boring, shallow person. At worst you will lose family and friends and, if your career goes poorly, develop deep depression.

If you centre your life and identity on money and possessions, you’ll be eaten up by worry or jealousy about money. You’ll be willing to do unethical things to maintain your lifestyle, which will eventually blow up your life.

If you centre your life and identity on pleasure, gratification and comfort, you will find yourself getting addicted to something. You will become chained to the ‘escape strategies’ by which you avoid the hardness of life.

If you centre your life and identity on relationships and approval, you will be constantly overly hurt by criticism and thus always losing friends. You will fear confronting others and therefore will be a useless friend.

If you centre your life and identity on a ‘noble cause‘, you will divide the world into ‘good’ and ‘bad’ and demonise your opponents. Ironically, you will be controlled by your enemies. Without them, you have no purpose.

If you centre your life and identity on religion and morality, you will, if you are living up to your moral standards, be proud, self-righteous and cruel. If you don’t live up to your standards, your guilt will be utterly devastating.

A Day of Feasting or Fasting?

2011-11-21T13:59:00.000-08:00

18 Now kJohn's disciples and the Pharisees were fasting. And people came and said to him, l“Why do John's disciples and mthe disciples of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?” 19 And Jesus said to them, n“Can the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast. 20 oThe days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and pthen they will fast in that day. 21 No one sews a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment. If he does, the patch tears away from it, the new from the old, and a worse tear is made. 22 And no one puts new wine into old qwineskins. If he does, the wine will burst the skins—and the wine is destroyed, and so are the skins. But new wine is for fresh wineskins.” Mark 2:18-22

The question is: is today a a day of feasting or fasting? Several have questioned my understanding of this text which I preached this past Sunday. So for them and others who may be questioning but not asking, let me explain more carefully why I think that today is a day of feasting and not fasting.

First, is context. The two attendant parables give strong support to today as a day of feasting. In both of the illustrations there are two new things, a new patch and new wine. These two news things stand opposite to the two old things, an old garment and an old wineskin. The two new things refer to what has been introduced by the revealed Messiah. What He is replacing is old and unrepairable, being made obsolete by what has been introduced through him. Although the Messiah will be physically taken away from them in death, he will shortly return in spirit to continue what he inaugurated, represented by the new patch and new wine. There is no going back to the old now that the new is come. The new is here to stay and the old is gone for good. Grace and faith reign, while law and works are dead! That calls for a feast, not fasting.

Second, is other scripture. Right before his ascension Christ promised the eleven disciples that they had all authority under heaven and earth to go and make disciples of all the nations. And they would not be alone, for he would be with them, even to the end of the age - see Matt 28:20. Though he would not be with then physically, he would be with them in spirit. Another text is Hebrews 13:5 which states: Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” According to this text, Christ is with us. He has not left or forsaken us. The only possible way to harmonize these texts with Mark 2:20 is to understand Jesus as referring to the time between his death when he was violently taken away (see Isa 53:8) and the coming of his Spirit on the day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit came upon the small band of believers with great power and joy (see Acts 2:13)

Hope that helps.

Is Depression a Sin?

2011-11-21T12:58:00.000-08:00

This past Sunday I made the rather abrupt comment that “depression is a sin.” Several have asked me to clarify what I meant by that statement, and I need to because there are important qualifiers that I left unsaid that need to be said. Ironically, what I should have not said (as I did), I didn’t say enough about!

What I did not mean by that statement was that all forms of depression are to be categorically traced to willful sinful thoughts or actions in a persons life. I do believe that chemical imbalances can induce depression in a person. In such cases, this kind of depression cannot be treated as you would a spiritual issue, but requires expert medical intervention. While we must be careful not excuse personal sin on medical grounds, we must not fail to recognize that our minds, like the rest of our bodies, can at times become sick and require medical solutions.

What I did mean by this statement was that depression, as is commonly experienced by most, feelings such as unfounded fear and anxiety, extreme discouragement, self-pity, lack of hope, etc., has at its’ root, sin - specifically the sin of unbelief. When these feelings and thought patterns engulf us, I believe that it is due ultimately to a failure to grasp all we have and are in Christ. If we believe Romans 8 then we have no legitimate reason for any of these fears and anxieties. God is, after all, for us! This is the form or kind of depression I was referring to in my statement. The divine treatment is such cases is prayer, the Word of God, fellowship and service.

God's Abounding Grace…

2011-09-12T11:21:00.000-07:00

John Milton reminds us in this beautiful sonnet that God holds us accountable only for what we have, even if it is just a little. Incredibly John Milton goes on to write Paradise Lost blind. Truly, does God’s grace abound each of our lives!

On His Blindness

When I consider how my light is spent
Ere half my days in this dark world and wide,
And that one talent which is death to hide
Lodg'd with me useless, though my soul more bent
To serve therewith my Maker, and present
My true account, lest he returning chide,
"Doth God exact day-labour, light denied?"
I fondly ask. But Patience, to prevent
That murmur, soon replies: "God doth not need
Either man's work or his own gifts: who best
Bear his mild yoke, they serve him best. His state
Is kingly; thousands at his bidding speed
And post o'er land and ocean without rest:
They also serve who only stand and wait."

The Slow Death of Congregational Singing

2011-08-29T08:44:00.001-07:00

http://www.matthiasmedia.com.au/briefing/library/5175/

singing congregationally with piano has become too important to us

2011-08-29T08:26:00.000-07:00

Jeremiah Burroughs reminded me this week that superstition is raising anything higher than it has in it by nature. For instance, singing hymns congregationally with a piano is wonderful. It sort of naturally fits us as a local church, and we have good reasons for singing in this way; however if singing hymns with a piano causes us to become critical of others who sing orthodox, gospel-doctrine perhaps differently than we do, than singing congregationally with a piano has become too important to us, and the seeds of idolatry have perhaps been sown. Freedom from man’s commands is found in worshipping in accordance with God’s Word.

Really, Martin?

2011-05-17T17:32:00.000-07:00

"This is a short epistle, but a model of Christian doctrine, in which is comprehended in a masterful way all that is necessary for a Christian to know and to live."

(Martin Luther on the book of Titus)

Helpful Historical Context

2011-05-17T17:30:00.000-07:00

“During Jesus’ time, Judaism was divided into many competing sects. Some, including many of the Pharisees , had become tradition bound and focused on on outward conformity to the Jewish laws, without the right heart attitude. Others, the Essenes, sought refuge in ascetic desert communities. Still others, the Sadducees, had emptied Judaism of the supernatural to the extent that it wasn’t much different from Greek philosophy. And still others, the Zealots, hoped for a national deliverer, a warrior-king like David or Judas Maccabeus, who would drive out the hated Romans and restore the nation of Israel to its ancient glory. When we realize this, it’s easy to seem why so many were disappointed by the humble man from Galilee.”

from “So What’s the Difference?”, by Fritz Ridenour, pg 70

Roger Ebert, "Soul Surfer," and "eerie optimism"

2011-04-23T14:37:00.000-07:00

I was just reading Roger Ebert’s review of the recently released “Christian” film “Soul Surfer.” In it Ebert writes, “The flaw in the storytelling strategy of ‘Soul Surfer’ is that it doesn’t make Bethany easy to identify with. She's almost eerie in her optimism. Her religious faith is so unshaken, it feels taken for granted.”

Of course it’s true that the natural man doesn’t receive the things of the Spirit of God; however I sometimes wonder what an unbeliever must think of moral, Christian-inspired attempts at film minus any objective content of the gospel. Perhaps these films may leave the unbeliever in disbelief at the synthetic, cosmetic “eerie optimism” of such a hollow world view devoid of what Paul was unashamed of – namely the true gospel. Merely mentioning Jesus or putting on display the behavioral fruit of the gospel is not a distinctively Christian message for an unbeliever. Mormons and Roman Catholics could gladly do the same.

And in the midst of confessing this exclusive and distinctive gospel of grace, we still lament – we still groan – and yes even our faith at times is shaken and diminishes. When in Psalm 77 the psalmist remembers God, he moans. When he meditates, his spirit faints. He cannot speak. He cannot sleep. What does he do? He remembers the deeds of the LORD. He remembers His wonders of old. He ponders all His works.

So if a Christian film is Christian, and there are many good films that aren’t, let’s at least be clear about why it’s Christian. And let’s give believers permission to lament, so that our optimism rather than seeming “eerie” is objectively grounded in the gospel and yet truly human.

What is Ash Wednesday and Lent?

2011-03-29T13:06:00.000-07:00

Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent. Ash,a symbol of repentance in the ancient world, is applied by the priest to forehead of the penitential participant heralding the start of the Lenten season. Lent is a forty (40) day period (immediately before Easter) devoted to fasting and mourning over ones sins. The forty day period is in imitation of Christ’s forty day wilderness temptation and suffering. Pinpointing a date for when Lent was first recognized is debated. Sometime around the 4th century seems to be the general consensus. So what could be so bad about a period of repentance and sorrowing over sin? What harm is there in participating in these ancient rituals?

To understand the danger one has to understand the teaching of the Roman Catholic church about penance. The idea of penance began with the Latin Vulgate (late 4th century latin translation) which wrongly translated the greek term “metanoia” as “penance” instead of the more appropriate term repentance. So instead of John the Baptist saying “repent” in Matt 3:2, he is quoted (translated) as saying “do penance” which is understood by a Roman Catholic to mean to do something good in order to make for something bad. The sacrament of penance requires that a Roman catholic confess his sin to a priest, who then grants pardon, which is conditioned upon the confessor doing something, some act to counteract the sin and procure God’s forgiveness. Biblical repentance however is not about “good deeds” or human effort, but a change of heart and a trusting in the cross work of Christ alone as sufficient payment for sin - the sole basis of God’s forgiveness. It was this very doctrine that got Martin Luther thinking and writing. The first three of his famous ninety five thesis deals with this very topic:

Thesis 1:
When our Lord and Master, Jesus Christ, said "Repent", He called for the entire life of believers to be one of repentance.

Thesis 2:
The word cannot be properly understood as referring to the sacrament of penance, i.e. confession and satisfaction, as administered by the clergy.

Thesis 3:
Yet its meaning is not restricted to repentance in one's heart; for such repentance is null unless it produces outward signs in various mortifications of the flesh.

Luther clearly understood that no amount of good deeds (penance) will ever make up for sins committed. Genuine biblical repentance is about a genuine change of heart and a new, living, personal saving faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ that results in a changed life.

The fatal and damning theology behind such rituals as Lent is penance...do something good to make up for something done wrong. That is the essence of Roman Catholic theology - God gives grace, man cooperates with that grace by works and through those efforts secures God’s grace. The underlying message of Lent is that man can earn forgiveness and righteousness through pious, self-sacrificing efforts. And that message is opposite of the true biblical gospel which insists that faith alone saves apart from all and human merit.

Why We Don’t Recognize Ash Wednesday, Lent, etc...

2011-03-29T12:52:00.000-07:00

“So why don’t you participate in Ash Wednesday and Lent?” In the past that question always made very uncomfortable. I guess partly because I didn’t know why I didn’t and partly because I felt as if I was giving the impression that I really didn’t take my Christian faith seriously. Usually the conversation ended there with my sincere friend somewhat baffled by my lack of devotion and me left in an uncomfortable defensive lurch.

If you haven't noticed, Lenten observance is an increasingly popular practice among protestant Christians of late. The form it takes is not the full blown ritual perfected by the Roman Catholic Church, but a less ritualized one that in essence is identical. The actual ritual of having ash applied to your forehead and observing certain dietary restrictions for 40 days prior to Easter, is replaced with calls for acts of self denial and personal sacrifice by contemporary evangelical voices. Just listen to K-Love and you will hear it piously pitched to the audience during this time of year.

So why don’t you participate in Lenten observances? Over the next couple days/week I want to explore some of the ritual and ceremonial practices of the old apostate Roman system and show Biblically why they are unnecessary and worse destructive to true faith.

Thank You.

2011-03-01T11:45:00.003-08:00

Words fail to convey our deep and humble gratitude for the incredibly generous love gift presented to our family Sunday. While we were not expecting that kind of help, we are certainly grateful for it. The Lord knows each of our needs and graciously he has worked through you, his body, to faithfully provide for ours. Even greater than the gift itself is the outpouring of sincere love for us which is the most overwhelming part of receiving this gift. We have been treated far better than we deserve. Through this offering we have come to experience more fully the nature of God's unsolicited, undeserved, abundant and abounding, free (yet costly), grace given us in Jesus Christ. Through this grace gift both you and God's grace in Christ have become much more real and precious to us.

"Oh, to grace how great a debtor
Daily I’m constrained to be;
Let that grace now like a fetter
Bind my wandering heart to Thee:
Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it;
Prone to leave the God I love.
Here’s my heart, oh, take and seal it,
Seal it for Thy courts above."

Wendy Update

2011-03-01T11:45:00.001-08:00

Yesterday (Mon, Feb 28) was Wendy’s appointment with her baby doctor in Tunkhannock. This was the first she had be able to see him since the delivery, for various reasons. He, along with the help of a general surgeon and a few x-rays, discovered that she has a partially block bowel. Given all that it could have been, that was the best possible diagnosis! Apparently one 1/2 of our digestive system, specifically our large and small intestines, should contain liquid (left side - I think), and the other 1/2 should contain mainly solids (right side). Her problem is that the opposite is true, where there should be liquid there is solid, and vice versa - thus the problem. This problem is probably due to the effects of surgery coupled with the heavy doses of antibiotics she received for the stomach abscesses which killed the needed functioning bacteria in the bowels. Sooo, all that to say, she is feeling much better today. The pain has greatly decreased, her stomach is not nearly as bloated nor as tender to the touch. We are probably as much relieved in mind as body as well. Hopefully there is not something else wrong in her body which has precipitated this problem. Time will tell. Thank you all for your prayers and help during these past few weeks! We really could not have done it without your help and prayer. The Rusts.

Progress Report...

2011-03-01T11:14:00.000-08:00

As you can probably tell from the photos, Lilly is faring very well! She weighs in at a whole 5lbs, just about 2 more than when she was born. Her routine is quite routine, right now it's just eat, sleep, eat, sleep. She is still on a monitor and will be for at least several more weeks. We have been told that they will typically keep the monitor on until at least 40 weeks. Though at times it is a nuisance, it is also a comfort as we don't have the typical breathing fears related to newborns. So in one way we sleep a bit more soundly when everything works as it should with the monitor, which is not always the case. Over all Lilly is doing just what she ought to be doing. Considering all the many and varied complication that could have happened, we are very grateful for all the growth and progress she has made to this point. The Lord has surely been with us. Thank you for all your prayers in her behalf! The Rusts

God is faithful!

2011-02-01T07:05:00.000-08:00

"The Jewish people are the only people in the world today who still inhabit the same land, embrace the same religion, study the same Torah, speak the same orginal language, Hebrew, and hear the same name Israel, as they did 3,500 years ago." Martin M. van Brauman

Some new pics from today...

2011-01-27T18:56:00.001-08:00

Lilly Grace weighed in today at 3lbs .05 ounce. The Doctors tell us that the plan is to now just wait for her to grow, as there is not much else needed. The magic number is 1800 grams which I think is 4lbs. In that case then she will probably be at Moses Taylor for another 3 weeks approx. Here are some pics of her today.

A New Wind of Doctrine Blowing Your Way...

2011-01-25T19:56:00.000-08:00

Contemplative spirituality (CS) is the latest fad sweeping through the evangelical church in America. It is actually a new term for a rather old heresy known as Mysticism. It seems to be very popular with those who have been subjected to church growth teaching and philosophy popularized by ministries such as Willow Creek, Saddleback Community, and Mars Hill which convinced many that numbers and large crowds rather than doctrinal faithfulness was the measure of true success. The effect was that vital Christian doctrines, essential to christian growth and development, were sidelined in favor of more appealing, self-help, therapuetic, man centered “talks” aimed at appeasing “goats”. The “sheep” that remained were left sick and starving. It is understandable then that many of these bewildered and confused sheep are attracted to a new teaching that promises them deeper fellowship with God and help in finding their “true self”.

CS is a blend of postmodern thought (there is no absolute truth, it is all subjective), monastic mysticism, eastern thought, new age theology, and modern psychology. CS relies upon techniques such as “centering prayer” which encourages the worshiper to clear their mind of all rational thought in order to focus more fully on the “presence of God” which they refer to as “practicing the presence of God”. Relaxation techniques, repetition of self selected “sacred words”, symbols both real and mental, as well as scents are some of the things employed in “practicing the presence of God” and finding the “true self”.

While much could be said, and needs to be re-said, I will mention one of the troubling, un-biblical aspects of CS. It is apparent that the focus of CS is human centered and inward focused. The worshiper is instructed to look inward, to seek and find the “true self”, to hear God speak to “them”. The Bible however instructs us to do the opposite. The Bible tells us to look away from ourselves, and to look by faith to Christ. CS tries to apprehend God through physical means such as iconic symbols, scents, special silent and solitary spaces, and warm emotive feelings. But this is not the way God will be sought or found. God has designed that he will only be discovered by faith alone (Heb 11:6), through Christ alone who now appears in the presence of God for us (Heb 9:24).

Man’s problem with faith though is that is difficult, unnatural and unappealing to our flesh. It is unappealing because we don’t want to look away from ourselves, it is unnatural because we prefer sight to faith, and it is difficult, even impossible, for faith is not a faculty we naturally possess, it is a gift (Eph 2:9). It is so much easier and appealing to try to seek after God through sight and feeling - that is the natural human way. God however demands the we come by way of faith (alone) through his son Jesus (alone).

CS is dangerous, deceptive, and deadly. While it promises to lead a person to a closer and deeper fellowship with God, it actually leads away, slowly and subtly, from a true and saving knowledge of the living God.

Here is link that will get you started on learning more:

http://www.gotquestions.org/contemplative-prayer.html

Growing BIG...

2011-01-25T16:59:00.000-08:00

Lilly is progressing fabulously! Her weight has hovered right around 3lbs for the past two days. Her color is great, as is her appetite. She is noticeably more active and alert seemingly responding to our voices. The more alert she grows the more intense our desire to have her home and care for her here. As you think of us, you pray that Lilly would continue to progress rapidly and that we would remain patient until the day she is good to come home.

Growing @ Moses Taylor Hospital

2011-01-23T14:43:00.000-08:00

Ok, a quick update on Lilly! She arrived early Friday afternoon at Moses Taylor on via ambulance from Danville. As of Saturday she weighed a whopping 2 lbs, 150z! The Doctors have taken away all supplemental feeding leaving her to rely on solely on milk from mom. As far as when she might be released to go home, I have heard two criteria mentioned. The first is a weight of 4lbs. The second, she must be proficient at suck/swallow. We have heard various prognosises as to her length of stay. They vary between 4-7 weeks. Of course we are hoping sooner than later! When you think of us, please pray for her continued rapid development. So far, we have been able to visit every day for several hours. Thanks to all who have helped out by watching Calvin, Ben and Ellie while we make our trek to Scranton. We'll post another update in a few days. With love, the Rust's.

Great News!

2011-01-19T17:28:00.000-08:00

Wendy is home as of last night! We also found out today that Lilly will be transferred to Moses Taylor this coming Friday, weather permitting. Both Mom and baby are doing great. We will be traveling back to Danville again tomorrow in the late afternoon which I pray will be our last trip for a long while. Thank you for praying and for your many well wishes. We love you all. The Rust's

Closer to Coming Home...

2011-01-18T11:07:00.000-08:00

Great news all around! Wendy will be coming home tonight (10 pm discharge), and Lilly came off her c-pap today which means that she is breathing solely on her own. Hopefully she will be transferred to Moses Taylor shortly. Overall, things are progressing rapidly for the good. We will post any further significant developments. We are grateful for all who have prayed for us these past few days.

Lilly Grace...

2011-01-17T06:22:00.000-08:00

3lbs, 1 oz. 15 inches long. She is doing very well for only being 30 weeks and 5 days. She no longer needs oxygen, but is still on a cpac. Thank you all for your prayer and concern on her behalf.

New Arrival.

2011-01-16T20:13:00.001-08:00

Well, Lilly is here! We have not seen her yet as she was whisked away to the NICU. Wendy is progressing well through recovery.

with deep gratitude to the Lord,

Wendy, Lilly, and Ben.

Update from the Rust's.

2011-01-16T10:54:00.000-08:00

Early this morning Wendy was awakened by sever abdominal pressure. All signs pointed to labor, however her stomach remained flaccid during the contractions which confused us as to what was occurring. We called our doctor and she suggested we go and get checked out. Upon arriving at Wyoming Valley Geisinger they determined that her "water" had broke and that she was indeed in labor. They made the decision to transfer her to Geisinger in Danville via Life Flight (thanks Nate for the safe and smooth flight!) just in case the baby decided to come sooner than later. She arrived here around 11 am. The plan is to stop the contractions. They have administered several medications through and I.V to stop any further developments.

We are now awaiting the effect of the I.V. If the contractions can be reversed, she will presumably be kept another three weeks (until she reaches the 34th week) at which point they will perform the c-section. If the contractions continue to progress, they will be forced to take the baby in the next day or so. And if they are forced to take the baby sooner than later they at least hope to prolong the birth for 48 hours as that will provide Lilly's lungs critical time to develop and strengthen.

Thank you for your praying on our behalf! And as you think of us please continue to do so. If we need anything else, we will be sure to reach out to you. As of right now, we have no immediate needs. Thank you so much for your love and concern for us.

We will keep you updated through the blog as events unfold.

with deep appreciation,

The Rust's.

The Beauty of the Psalms of David...

2011-01-11T10:12:00.000-08:00

Our Bible reading schedule has brought us once again to the Psalms. Most of us are naturally drawn to Psalms for the comfort that they almost always provide us when life turns rough and uncertain. I am learning to love the Psalms more as I continue to discover their structure, intent, historical context, soaring poetic expressions, and their many messianic references. They are a wonderful treasure of divine truth as well as an unbiased record of the human experience of the faithful. Their worth and beauty cannot be over estimated or over appreciated.

I came across a quote in the McCullough biography of President John Adams that puts in stark perspective the literary treasure we call the Psalms. Adams is nearly 90 years old at this point, he is at home in Quicy Mass., enjoying the his library and correspondences with such friends as Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Rush. He has spent a lifetime reading Shakespeare (once every year in retirement!), Cervantes, Cicero, and most all of the other essential classics. Now near the end of his incredible life he reflects and writes that: "The Psalms of David, in sublimity, beauty, pathos, and originality, or in one word poetry, are superior to all the odes, hymns, and songs in any language." Whether or not he was actually born again will only be known later, but what he did clearly understand was the true unparalleled worth of this part of our Bibles.

A favorite resource of mine that has greatly helped me in understanding and appreciating the Psalms more is the devotional commentary set by James M Boice. His exposition is simply wonderful. If you don't have them, get one and try it, you will not disappointed!

http://www.amazon.com/Psalms-Voume-1-41-Expositional-Commentary/dp/080106578X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1294772165&sr=8-1

Got Spurgeon?

2011-01-04T11:25:00.000-08:00

I'm doing the evening readings by Spurgeon this year. Wonderful! "'The Lord knoweth them that are His', is as true of the prodigals who are feeding swine as of the children who sit at the table" [January 4].

"What's left unsaid"

2011-01-03T11:18:00.000-08:00

It's surprising, as McGrath points out, how unproblematic false teaching or incomplete teaching is for many evangelicals. Paul and Jude appear clearly concerned with such dangers from within the church, and church history has validated those concerns. Often what's being said is not necessarily untrue. Rather, it's what's left usaid that may lead us down a slow path to theological liberalism.

"We are privileged to serve with you at Grace Baptist"

2011-01-03T11:10:00.000-08:00

As Pastors, we want to express to you how privileged we are to serve with you at Grace Baptist. You serve at Grace with great grace, and you love God’s Word and one another with the kind of love that God that God has loved us with in Christ. We’re grateful that God has given us a desire for both grace and truth. Truth without grace breeds legalism, and grace without truth breeds liberalism. But we’re grateful that God is given us both. And God has also given us growth. Our goal from the beginning was to grow no larger than approximately 300 people before we’d plant another church. For many churches, that might be a career goal for a local church. But praise be to God – we’re almost half way there, and in just six years. “Great things He has taught us, great things He has done!”

I'm adding these to my list of God's perfections as seen in Christ

2010-12-20T09:01:00.000-08:00

I'm adding these to my list of God's perfections as seen in Christ -- nearness, might, salvation, joy, gladness, love, and exultation with loud singing over His people: "The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love, he will exult over you with loud singing" [Zephaniah 3:17].

classic religious syncretism

2010-12-20T08:21:00.000-08:00

classic religious syncretism: “And I will cut off the name of the idolatrous priests, those who bow down on the roofs to the hosts of the heavens, those who bow down and swear to the LORD and yet swear by Milcom” [Zephaniah 1:5].

"Endless Happiness"

2010-12-18T14:36:00.000-08:00

“He was Lord of the world, but did not come into to it to exercise dominion, nor, as the Jews expected, to procure their temporal redemption and restore the kingdom to Israel. He came not to make his followers rich and honorable, fortunate or conspicuous in the world. But He came to deliver His people from everlasting destruction, from the captivity of sin, and to teach them how, by a holy life, they might obtain an endless happiness. In a word, Christ came into the world to advance the glory of God and the happiness of the earth by restoring us to the favor of our Maker, and a conformity to Him And certainly, if we have any sense of the evil of sin or the misery of hell, of the beauty of holiness or the glory of heaven, it must be a matter of great joy to celebrate the birth of Him who delivers us from the one and gives us assurance of the other. Henry Scougal [1650-1678] The Nativity of Our Savior

Trusting in what we make and see as the object and attractive power of our “creative” worship?

2010-12-18T07:41:00.000-08:00

"For its maker trusts in his own creation when he makes speechless idols." Habbakuk 2:18.

Do we worship worship? Are we trusting in what we make and see as the object and attractive power of our “creative” worship? Perhaps not like Babylonians who worshipped false gods, but more like syncretistic Israelites who worshipped the true God falsely.

Nahum and the magnificent range of God's perfections

2010-12-17T06:17:00.000-08:00

“Wrath” and “refuge” – Wow, Nahum captures the magnificent range of God’s perfections – “His wrath is poured out like fire, and the rocks are broken into pieces by him. The LORD is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble. He knows those who take refuge in him.”

As Edwards puts it, what an "admirable conjunction of diverse excellencies."

"She is not lost to you who is found in Christ"

2010-12-17T06:13:00.000-08:00

"All the brethren and sisters of Christ must conform to His image and copy in suffering [Romans 8:29]. And some do more lively resemble the copy than others . . . Ye have lost a child: nay she is not lost to you who is found to Christ. She is not sent away, but only sent before, like unto a star, which going out of our sight doth not die and vanish, but shineth in another hemisphere. Ye see her not, yet she doth shine in another country."

Samuel Rutherford [1600-1661] to the Elect and Noble Lady, my Lady Kenjiuke, on occasion of the death of her infant daughter [Tribulation the portion of God's people, and intended to wean them from the world.]

"The incarnation and virgin birth of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ"

2010-12-15T12:16:00.000-08:00

This is the season for marveling at the Father’s sending the Son into the world [John 17:18] in a body that the Father has prepared for the Son [Hebrews 10:5] so that the Son might accomplish the works the Father has given to Him [John 5:36], namely the saving of His people from their sins [Matthew 1:21]. We believe, like the university creed I grew up with puts it, “in the incarnation and virgin birth of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.”

This season is not only for marveling at the good news of the Son’s saving His people from their sins, but of the Father’s promise, “the gospel of God which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy Scriptures, concerning his Son” [Romans 1:1-3] – and of the Spirit’s declaring Jesus “to be the Son of God in power according the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead” [Romans 1:4].

The Father promises, the Son descends by condescending to become David’s offspring according to the flesh, and the Son is declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness.

So we ponder in our hearts the glory of the Trinity’s saving work – “Laud and honor to the Father, / Laud and honor to the Son, / Laud and honor to the Spirit, / Ever Three and ever One, / One in might, and One in glory, while unending praises run.”

Anticipating Tomorrow's Lord's Day Table

2010-11-06T11:46:00.000-07:00

The Lord’s Day Table corporate worship services are high days for our church. Many of us have become accustomed to the Lord’s Table merely being tacked on to the end of a worship service. At Grace, we desire to see and savor and linger over what Christ’s death has accomplished for His people. So we set aside the entire day for the enjoyment of remembering and treasuring the cross. In remembering Christ’s death, we should experience a kind of broken-hearted joy together – sorrow in remembering the suffering of Christ’s becoming sin for us who knew no sin, but joy in knowing and feeling that in His becoming sin for us, we became the righteousness of God in Him. So with broken-hearted joy, let’s enjoy every moment of this service together!

"We just believe the Bible"

2010-09-12T18:31:00.000-07:00

Every church believes and confesses something about the Bible. It's just that some churches don't write down what they confess about the Bible, or what they confess in writing about the Bible is vague and sketchy. They risk not being accountable to anyone for what they believe, and/or falling into insufficient or false teaching. Saying that you believe the Bible isn't enough. Many false religions say that.

Benjamin Keach's Catechism Questions 100-104 on Baptism [1677]

2010-09-12T15:34:00.000-07:00

Question 1oo: What is Baptism?
Answer: Baptism is a holy ordinance, wherein the washing with water in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, signifies our ingrafting into Christ, and our partaking of his benefits, and our engagement to be the Lord’s. [Matt. 28:19; Romans 6:3-5; Col. 2:12; Gal. 3:27]

Question 101: To whom is Baptism to be administered?
Answer: Baptism is to be administered to all those who actually profess repentance towards God, faith in, and obedience to our Lord Jesus Christ; and to none other. [Acts 2:38; Matt. 3:6; Mark 16:16; Acts 8: 12, 36; Acts 10:47-48]

Question 1o2: Are the infants of such as are professing believers to be baptized?
Answer: The infants of such as are professing believers are not to be baptized; because there is neither command nor example in the Holy Scriptures, or certain consequence from them, to baptize such.

Question 103: How is Baptism rightly administered?
Answer: Baptism is rightly administered by immersion, or dipping the whole body of the person in water, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. [Matt. 3:16; John 3:23; Acts 8:38-39]

Question 104: What is the duty of those who are rightly baptized?
Answer: It is the duty of those who are rightly baptized to give up [join] themselves to some visible and orderly church of Jesus Christ, that they may walk in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. [Acts 2:46-47; Acts 9:26; I Peter 2:5; Heb. 10:25; Romans 16:5]

"Join together the whole structure, growing into a holy temple in the Lord"

2010-09-12T15:23:00.000-07:00

Our joy-filled desire at Grace is to build a body. That is, our desire is not ultimately to subdivide our church into numerous "smaller churches" based on age or race or a thousand other ways we could divide ourselves. Rather, we desire to join together the whole structure “in Christ,” being joined together, growing into a holy temple in the Lord [Ephesians 2:21].

A Reason To Believe

2010-09-07T01:33:00.000-07:00

This quote is from R.C Sproul's book: A Reason to Believe. I am rejoicing today that GBC is full of sinners! What a gracious Lord we serve.

What happens is that people observe church members sinning. They reason within themselves, “That person professes to be a Christian. Christians aren’t supposed to sin. That person is sinning; therefore, he is a hypocrite.” The unspoken assumption is that a Christian is one who claims he does not sin. It reality just the opposite is the case. For a Christian to be a Christian, he must first be a sinner. Being a sinner is a prerequisite for being a church member. The Christian church is one of the few organizations in the world that requires a public acknowledgment of sin as a condition for membership. In one sense the church has fewer hypocrites than any institution because by definition the church is a haven for sinners. If the church claimed to be an organization of perfect people then her claim would be hypocritical. But no such claim is made by the church. There is no slander in the charge that the church is full of sinners. Such a statement would only compliment the church for fulfilling her divinely appointed task.

"will not pass away"

2010-09-06T06:20:00.000-07:00

Even in the face of “earthquake” [Luke 21:11] and “famine” [v. 11] and “pestilence” [v. 11] and “terrors” [v. 11] and “imprisonment” [v. 12] and “persecution” [v.12] and “adversity” [v. 15] and “death” [v. 16] and “hatred” [v. 17] and “desolation” [v. 20] and “distress” [v. 23] and “perplexity” [v. 25] and “fainting with fear” [v. 26] and “fear” and “foreboding” and “shaking” [v. 26] –

Even in the face of all of this, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away” [v. 33].

Enslaved by whatever people want to call corporate worship

2010-09-04T06:49:00.000-07:00

If the Bible is not the standard when we worship corporately, we risk becoming enslaved by whatever "privatized spiritual experiences" a group of people may want to call corporate worship. We may flirt with idolatry, if the Bible is assented to but muted, or make idols of the people or things that have taken its place. Doc

Psalm 1: Coverdale [1535] Sprowls [2009]. The timeless is always relevant.

2010-08-29T18:09:00.000-07:00

I loved reading and singing Psalm 1 this morning. Amazing! 16th century translation joined with a 21st century metrical psalm version. The timeless is always relevant. Great times today! Man, the piano sounds sweet!

Coverdale's Translation:

Blessed is the man that hath not walked in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stood in the way of sinners, and hath not sat in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law will he exercise himself day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the waterside, that will bring forth his fruit in due season. His leaf also shall not wither; and look, whatsoever he doeth, it shall prosper. As for the ungodly, it is not so with them; but they are like the chaff, which the wind scattereth away from the face of the earth. Therefore the ungodly shall not be able to stand in the judgment, neither the sinners in the congregation of the righteous. But the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous; and the way of the ungodly shall perish. [1535]

And Zach's metrical version:

1.Bless'd is the man who does not walk / In wicked ones' deceit / Nor does he stand in sinner's way / Nor sits in scoffer's seat

2. And he does not delight in sin / But in God's righteous law / Where day and night it is his joy / To ponder all day long

3.The blessed man is like a tree / Who by the streams is found / His fruit is ripe, his leaf is strong / And all he does abounds

4. The wicked are not like the bless'd / Who firmly planted are / But like the chaff that blows away / To places near and far

5. .Therefore the wicked will not stand / There on the judgment day / Nor sinners with the righteous ones / Who prospered in God's ways

6. For God is just and knows all things / He will reward us all / The righteous will be bless'd by God / But wicked ones will fall [2009]

Yesterday Morning's Outreach!

2010-08-29T17:37:00.000-07:00

We had a great time yesterday morning inviting our community friends to visit Grace. God will give the increase. We delight in being faithful goers, in opening our mouths to speak of Christ. We scatter the seed, then simply go to sleep. God will give the increase. Entertaining the goats will not turn goats into sheep. They’ll simply remain “entertained goats.” The faithful proclamation of the gospel is the only divine remedy for a sinful heart. We do not lose heart. God is bringing great glory to Himself, using us as His means! “Great things He has done!” Pastor Doc

Preaching law, not grace"

2010-08-23T18:49:00.000-07:00

"To preach devotion first, and blessing second, is to reverse God's order, and preach law, not grace. The Law made man's blessing depend on devotion; Grace confers undeserved unconditional blessing; our devotion may follow, but does not always do so--in proper measure." William R. Newell [1868-1956]

Is "a new song" new music?

2010-08-19T13:33:00.000-07:00

"New song is not new music. In many ways it's just a synonym for the gospel." Scotty Smith, Christ Community Church

The Great Commission and Christian Singing

2010-08-18T07:48:00.000-07:00

"Making-disciples-by teaching" [Matthew 28:20] is the goal of Christian congregational singing [Colossians 3:16]. Christian singing is the teaching and correcting word of Christ spoken together in song to one another. It's corporately and joyfully didactic." Doc's Journal 8/18/10

Praying With Your Bible Open: The Practice of Biblically Saturated Prayer in Public and Private

2010-08-15T14:30:00.001-07:00

Sermon Outline
Luke 11:1-13
August 15, 2010

“Praying With Your Bible Open: The Practice of Biblically Saturated Prayer in Public and Private.”

I. The foundation [or “divine direction”] for Biblically saturating the practice of public and private prayer [Luke 11:1-13]
*The divine revelation from Jesus concerning the practice of prayer [vv. 1-4] so that his people might increasingly respond derivatively and dependently [v. 2 “When you pray, say”] and persistently [vv. 5-13] in prayer.

II. The dilemma of not Biblically saturating the practice of public and private prayer.
*The dilemma in prayer and worship [public and private] is that our response to God is often not shaped by the Word of God [Acts 4:24-26, 29].

III. The delight of Biblically saturating the practice of public and private prayer.
*Praying the Bible with an emphasis on the prayers of the Bible.
Herbert Lockyer, All the Prayers of the Bible [1959]
Prayers of the Bible: With Their Answers [1855] Collected by a Church Member published by A.S. Barnes & Company [google books]

*Learning from others who help us to practice praying the Bible. The Valley of Vision: A Collection of Puritan Prayers and Devotionals [1975]

*Singing the Bible as prayer.

more derivative and dependent than innovative and independent

2010-08-14T07:25:00.000-07:00

Prayer, if I'm reading Luke 11:2-4 correctly ["Pray like this"], is more derivative and dependent than innovative and independent. Prayers are our words and thoughts conforming themselves more and more to God’s Word as we progressively become more conformed into the image of Christ. Doc from Sunday's Sermon, Praying With Your Bible Open: The Practice of Biblically Saturated Praying in Public and Private [8.15.10.].

On the necessity of Public Pastoral Prayer

2010-08-11T08:58:00.000-07:00

I'm really excited about gathering together for prayer tonight. There is a kind of holy safety and quieting comfort that comes from a desire desire to devote oneself to the public gathering of the local church for prayer [Acts 2:42]. In preparation for our gathering I was reading Stuart Olyott's little work entitled, Reading the Bible and Praying in Public. It's only 22 pages; however these are rich meditations. He writes:

"We have grossly over-estimated the prayer life of our people. Countless numbers of brothers and sisters hardly pray at all. We can stir up their appetite. If our public prayers draw them into glory, and leave them with ravished souls, they will want to pray more and better." Stuart Olyott on the necessity of Public Pastoral Prayer

Hope to pray with many of you tonight!

Doc

Hearing One Another

2010-08-10T10:01:00.000-07:00

One of the implications of Christians speaking to one another while they are singing [Colossians 3:16] is that they hear one another. Christian singing is like a conversation. We may be speak the same words, but we're speaking those words intelligibly to each other as we admonish ourselves in love, peace, thanksgiving, wisdom, and in the name of the Lord Jesus. If the accompaniment overpowers the singing of God's people, than the Christian conversation becomes difficult to hear, and the encouragement that comes from clearly hearing brothers and sisters around them communicating with them lessens. So let's not take our cues for congregational singing from the culture. Attending a loud concert is one thing. It's the performance of a group on a stage not meant to accompany singers. That's cool for Montage Mountain on a Saturday Night. But the corporate singing of God's people on the Lord's Day is something quite different and absolutely unique to the Church. Doc's Journal, August 8, 2010

Inseparable

2010-06-14T08:17:00.000-07:00

Paul doesn't pray that his brothers and sisters love indiscriminately. Rather he prays that their love would abound [Philippians 1:26 "abundant rejoicing"] with increasing knowledge and discernment. So "love" and "thanksgiving" and "joy" and "fellowship" and "longing" are not at odds with "knowledge" and "discernment" and "the defense and confirmation of the gospel." For the Christian, they're inseparable.

very cinematic!

2010-05-21T08:58:00.000-07:00

the story of hushai, ahithophel, and absalom -- o man, very cinematic! civil war, intrigue, espionage, and suicide. but the real story transcends these mere details for the purpose of telling us of God: "For the LORD had ordained to defeat the good counsel of Ahithophel, so that the LORD might bring harm upon Absalom" ...[II Samuel 17:14]. How do we read the OT?

praying in Philadelphia for this morning's outreach in Dalton

2010-05-15T05:49:00.000-07:00

Connie and I are in Philadelphia for one of my student's wedding this afternoon, and I know that in a little more than an hour some of you will be inviting our neighbors to GBC and perhaps telling them the gospel story of Jesus and His love.

So I want you to know that I'm praying for you -- praying that our gospel boldness will increase and that more and more others will become a part of the body God is building at Grace!

A note to a friend

2010-05-11T14:54:00.000-07:00

Today I sent this note along to a friend. I thought it might be helpful for us as it relates to the texts we sing together:

"Thanks! It is easy to love a song [nothing wrong with that necessarily] or love a style [and that’s ok] too much – so much that the listener becomes lulled into suspending judgment [critical discernment] of the text.

And there are instances where there’s nothing wrong with a text, but because it’s not placed as an anthem of praise after strong teaching texts [like a dessert], or it’s what’s become a steady diet for the people, the song, without containing error, becomes unhelpful – not for what it says, but rather for what it doesn’t."

undoing the "ministry" mindset

2010-05-08T08:48:00.000-07:00

1. This is how Colin taught us to think about ministry.
2. Marshall and Payne [The Trellis and the Vine] have written it down.
3. Our people at GBC are being changed by it.
4. I read this and rejoiced!

“Imagine a reasonably solid Christian said to you after church one Sunday morning, 'Look, I'd like to get more involved here and make a contribution, but I feel like there's nothing for me to do. I'm not on the ‘inside’; I don't get asked to be on committees or lead Bible studies. What can I do?’

What would you immediately think or say? Would you start thinking of some event or program about to start that they could help with? Some job that needed doing? Some ministry that they could join or support?

This is how we are used to thinking about the involvement of church members in congregational life--in terms of jobs and roles: usher, Bible study leader, Sunday School teacher, treasurer, elder, musician, song leader, money counter, and so on. The implication of this way of thinking for congregational members is clear: if all the jobs and roles are taken, then there's really nothing for me to do in this church. I'm reduced to being a passenger. I'll just wait until I'm asked to ‘do something’. The implication for the pastoral staff is similar: getting people involved and active means finding a job for them to do. In fact, church growth gurus say that giving someone a job to do within the first six months of their joining your church is vital for them to feel like they belong.

However, if the real work of God is people work--the prayerful speaking of his word by one person to another--then the jobs are never all taken. The opportunities for Christians to minister personally to others are limitless.

So you could pause, and reply to your friend, ‘See that guy sitting over there on his own? That’s Julie’s husband. He’s on the fringe of things here; in fact, I’m not sure whether he’s crossed the line yet and become a Christian. How about I introduce you to him, and you arrange to have breakfast with him once a fortnight [14 days] and read the Bible together? Or see that couple over there? They are both fairly recently converted, and really in need of encouragement and mentoring. Why don’t you and your wife have them over, get to know them, and read and pray together once a month? And if you still have time, and want to contribute some more, start praying for the people in your street, and then invite them all to a barbeque at your place. That’s the first step towards talking with them about the gospel, or inviting them along to something.’

Of course there’s every chance that the person will then say, ‘But I don’t know how to do those things! I’m not sure I’d know what to say or where to start.’

To which you reply, ‘Oh that’s okay. Let’s start meeting together, and I can train you.’”
Colin Marshall and Tony Payne, The Trellis and the Vine, pp. 26-27

How to write an awful worship song

2010-05-06T09:51:00.000-07:00

Great post from Stephen Altrogge, a songwriter for Sovereign Grace.

http://www.theblazingcenter.com/2010/05/how-to-write-an-awful-worship-song.html

GBC Work Day Photos

2010-04-25T04:19:00.000-07:00

"astonished with admiration"

2010-04-24T19:48:00.000-07:00

It's 10:50 p.m. and I having a good time putting the finishing touches on our worship folder for tomorrow's Lord's Day service! Today has been a great day. The work day at the church accomplished not only getting things done, but getting things done together as a body. Sweet fellowship!

And I'm excited about reading Psalm 8 tomorrow morning as our call to worship. I thought I'd share with you how the 1599 Geneva Bible introduces the psalm. Awesome summary!

"The Prophet [II Samuel 23:2; Acts 2:30] considering the excellent liberality and Fatherly providence of God toward man, whom he made as it were a god over all his works, doth not only give great thanks, but is astonished with the admiration of the same, as one nothing able to compass such great mercies."

What a Christian sermon is not

2010-04-24T17:33:00.000-07:00

Zach, one of our church music graduates at BBC, posted this from Graeme Goldsworthy. My response is below the Graeme's thoughts. I'm not sure hyperbole was what Paul was after when he wrote to the Corinthians -- "And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testiomony of God with lofty speech or widsom. For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified."

Here's Goldsworthy's quote and my response to Zach's posting it:

From Zach:
Any sermon, then, that aims to apply the biblical text to the congregation and does so without making it crystal clear that it is in Christ alone and through Christ alone that the application is realized, is not a Christian sermon. It is at best an exercise in wishful and pietistic thinking. It is at worst demonic in ...its Christ-denying legalism." Graeme Goldsworthy

From Doc:
AMEN BROTHER ZACH! Did the capitalization of the first sentence heighten the effect? Preaching minus an application realized “through Christ and in Christ alone” turns the grace of Christ’s making us righteous into the law of our “trying harder” or “doing better” to make ourselves righteous. It’s defeating and confusing for believers, and leaves unbelievers believing they somehow can please God by what they do rather than trusting alone in what Christ has done in His person and work as seen and savored in the gospel.

A word of thanks to GBC for T4G!

2010-04-18T16:20:00.000-07:00

For all of us from GBC who attended the Together for the Gospel conference last week – thank you for your partnership in the gospel for making it possible for us to attend! My prayer is that the truth that we enjoyed will get spread around our church in numerous ways.

We were reminded that there is but one true gospel, and that to ignore “blatantly false” or “seductively revised” gospels is to ignore our obligation to “guard the good deposit” and “contend for the faith” and “adhere to the pattern of sound words.” This vigilance, we were reminded, was Paul’s vigilance, as he warned fledgling local churches of false teachers who would arise within the Christian community attempting to improve “the” gospel that can’t be improved upon.

We were reminded that it’s not our job to try to save Christianity for relevance. The gospel is always relevant. Our job, as John MacArthur taught us, is to sow the seed and go to sleep. “The wonder of the gospel is this: you sow the seed, you go to sleep, and it grows [Mark 4:27] . . . The thinking that more persuasive words and ingenuity result in more conversions inevitably result in adjusting and eventually corrupting the Gospel.”

We’ve got a great thing going here at Grace! I was mightily encouraged that we’re doing what God “in Christ” has called us to do.

And, by the way, how cool was it to hear 7,000 men and women sing hymns and songs accompanied by Bob Kauflin with only a piano. The human voices really rocked. Bob had all the songs written out in four parts. It was really amazing to hear human voices singing loudly theologically helpful texts and good tunes. So as Al Mohler put it, “to love Christ is to cherish and contend for Christ’s gospel.” So GBC, let’s continue to be faithful!

Rapture Insurance...(for your pet!)

2010-02-19T15:20:00.000-08:00

This is for all the members at Grace who have pets! I wonder if this is joke perpetrated by R.C Sproul upon unsuspecting dispy's?!? You will have to decide. Thanks to David Boyles for the link.

http://www.aftertherapturepetcare.com/

The Cross

2010-02-19T14:42:00.000-08:00

Our brother Kim wrote this poem in response to our preaching text this past Sunday : 1 Corinthians 1:18-25. I thought you would enjoy reflecting upon it.

The Cross

Jesus Christ the Son of God
Made His way to tread the road
Of sinners and of the dead,
Bore the cross until the end.

Bitter cup had He to drink
So God’s wrath in Him would sink;
If it were the Sovereign will
Let it be on Calv’ry hill.

Shameful pain on cruel cross,
Spilled out blood I thought it gross;
But it’s what washed all my sins,
Holy Son for hopeless souls.

Mocking mars on fairest Face,
Dropping sweats gave no solace;
His Father did forsake Him
Life Giver, died He for me/Kim.

Then they buried His body
And leaving the cross empty;
But death couldn’t hold His power,
He rose to live forever.

At the cross He crushed my pride,
None could I then from Him hide;
With my all I asked His grace,
Pardon from Him I embrace.

Copyright@Lian Muan Kim

So what's wrong with proclaiming the gospel as "a personal relationship with God?"

2010-02-19T13:10:00.000-08:00

How I've enjoyed hearing the public testimonies these past months from our new members! They've been great. Which is why I feel at ease to encourage us to keep using Biblical language as we proclaim not ourselves but the person and work of Christ.

Michael Horton in his book The Gospel-driven Life, helps us by identifying 3 popular misconceptions of the gospel which, as he writes, "share in common a tendency to identify salvation [hence the gospel] with our own experience of conversion rather than with the news of Christ's objective work in history." Here's Horton:

Misconception # 1: "A personal relationship with God"

"Nowhere do we find the apostles proclaiming the gospel as an invitation to have a personal relationship with God. After all, they presupposed that everyone has a personal relationship with God already. In fact, our major problem is that we do have a relationship with God: the relationship of a guilty defendant before a just judge.

Offering the gospel as a personal relationship with God assumes that one is currently in a neutral situation, lacking the joy of knowing God. Or perhaps, if not neutral, this condition is thought of in terms of separation, a breaking off of communication. However, we have seen that all people know God and suppress this truth in unrighteousness. Our problem is not that we are not on speaking terms with God [or vice versa], but that God is declaring his righteousness and we are shaking our fist in his face.

As Paul points out in Ephesians 2:1-9, the problem that the gospel addresses is that fact that we are born into the world 'dead in trespasses and sins,' 'children of wrath,' and enemies of God.
So the gospel does not offer the possibility of a personal relationship with God, but announces a different relationship with God based on Christ. Instead of enemies, we have been reconciled through Christ's sacrifice [Romans 5:8-11]. 'Therefore having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ'" [Romans 5:1].”

Michael Horton, The Gospel-driven Life [2009]

Replacing the substance of Christ with the shadows of method and technique: a facebook post to a friend

2010-02-18T18:11:00.000-08:00

Yeah, I'm really tired of worship wars, if that means getting worked up over a particular style of music that might be used in expressing theological truth. At BBC, we “rock” and “folk” and do all kinds of stylistic settings of theological texts. My point is that legalism, which could be well defined from Matthew 15 as teaching as doctrine the commandments of men, has many faces. Our hearts are idol factories, desperately wicked – unknowably so. And so to worship the waiter, whether the waiter is contemporary or traditional forms, and miss the meal is dangerous. I grew up experiencing what I consider to be, in some respects, traditional legalism. And from the trendy legalism side, just read [I won’t mention names] current church growth literature. It seems like they’re often telling us that that if we don’t incorporate what is the latest church growth business method, our churches will die. Now there may be some helpful ideas in the literature but, good grief, “Salvation is of the Lord.” And that’s where the substance of Christ can easily get replaced with the shadows of method and technique. And I say this ultimately for my sake, for I am at the same time a forgiven and recovering Pharisee. Have you read John MacArthur’s, Ashamed of the Gospel? I just purchased the 2010 update. David Wells’, The Courage to be Protestant is another excellent read that deals insightfully with many of the ideas we’re conversing about.

Doc

"Worshipping our greater and more perfect tent not made with hands"

2010-02-15T12:36:00.000-08:00

This morning I read 18 times in two chapters [Exodus 39-40] that God’s people prepared for God’s worship "as the LORD had commanded Moses." And the result of their obedience to his command was the reestablishment of God’s dwelling with man – the glory of LORD filling and settling on the tabernacle.

So how do we as the people of God on this side of the cross worship from the heart as the Lord has commanded us? The answer for us is rooted in gospel worship – the worship of Christ, our “greater and more perfect tent not made with hands” [Hebrews 9:11].

“How much more, since Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and more perfect tent not made with hands, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God” [Hebrews 9:14].

"Praise Him! Praise Him! Jesus, our blessed Redeemer!" Praise our Word that was made flesh and “tabernacled” among us [John 1:14]!

2010-02-12T15:00:00.000-08:00

“So for the sake of your tradition you have made void the word of God . . . In vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men" [Matthew 15:6, 9].

Trendy legalism enslaves worshippers to the bondage of evangelical cultural coolness. It doesn't feel like bondage because we think we've freed ourselves from the shackles of traditional legalism. But really, we've just replaced one kind of legalism for another. I call it reverse legalism.

May the substance always be Christ!

2010-02-08T13:18:00.000-08:00

Psalm 133
A Song of Ascents, of David.

1Behold, how good and how pleasant it is
For brothers to dwell together in unity!
2It is like the precious oil upon the head,
Coming down upon the beard,
Even Aaron's beard,
Coming down upon the edge of his robes.
3It is like the dew of Hermon
Coming down upon the mountains of Zion;
For there the LORD commanded the blessing--life forever.

On this past Lord’s Day we sang together Psalm 133 set to the same tune as the hymn Amazing Grace. As I sang I realized that I was singing with my mouth but not with my mind. What was I supposed to make of oil running down Aaron’s beard? And what is special about dew from Mr. Hermon? Mount Hermon? So in keeping with Jonathan Edwards commitment to never allowing himself to pass over anything in Scripture that he did not understand, but to stop and search it out, I thought I should do the same in regard to Psalm 133. Here is what I found.

Psalm 133 is a song of David that many speculate was written at the time he was finally installed as king at Hebron over all Israel. In order to adequately describe his feelings of joy and peace at the reuniting of the nation, David draws upon two rich poetic images to help us see and feel his joy.

The first image David draws upon is that of the fragrant sweet smelling incense that was poured all over the head of Aaron and spilled down upon his beard and robe when he was anointed High Priest. His anointing was a public act that was part of the process in setting him apart as high priest before the Lord. The oil was symbolic of the fact that the people’s advocate was not just acceptable before the Lord, but a pleasing fragrance to Him. I think what David is saying here is that brotherly love and unity is a fragrant aroma ascending to the Lord and pleasing Him.

The second image is that of Mt. Hermon. At 9,200 feet it has the distinction of being the tallest mountain within the borders of ancient Israel. Most every picture you see of Mt. Hermon will show snow covering its three rounded peaks. During hot summer months cool refreshing streams of water and drafts of cold air flow down this mountain and refresh the dry arid ground below. David says that harmony and unity among brothers is just like those cool flowing breezes that descend down Mt. Hermon; it is wonderfully and joyfully refreshing.

Armed with this knowledge, may I suggest at profitable Bible study. Try looking up in your concordance every other occurrence of Mount Hermon in the Bible and see where it might lead you or what it might teach you. Let me know what you find!

A "god" of our own making?

2010-02-01T08:49:00.000-08:00

“God said to Moses, ‘I AM WHO I AM' [Exodus 3:14]. In other words, God is telling us that He will not be ‘defined or determined by anything other than Himself’ [RSB]. This is why we don’t want to risk worshipping God without Biblical definition—a "god" of our own making rather than the God who has defined and determined Himself to us in His word.” Doc’s Journal, February 1

Who's the Story About?

2010-01-22T13:10:00.000-08:00

It’s unfortunate that we’ve taught children that the great heroes of the Bible stories are ultimately men and women – when these great men women are there to teach us first and foremost who God is. It's natural for us to "exchange the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man" [Romans 1:23]. And it's natural for us to elevate ourselves from the best supporting actor category to the best actor category where God alone deserves to be the only nominee. So when we read the stories of the Bible, it's foundational for those of us in Christ to see the God-centeredness of God saturating the narratives of Scripture.

I mean it's eye-catching, for example in Genesis 41, that Pharaoh dreams of 7 plump and attractive cows who are eaten by 7 thin and ugly cows, all standing on the banks of the Nile. There's also sort of a movie-like action picture thrill we experience when discovering that Pharaoh's baker is hanged while his cup-bearer is saved from walking the Green Mile.

But these interesting but ancillary details are directing us to God who "oversees the course of human action to achieve His good and set purpose [RSB, p. 81].

Notice that the purpose of Genesis 41 is ultimately about getting us to see God Himself:

41:16 "It is not in me; God will give Pharaoh a favorable answer."

41:25 "God has revealed to Pharaoh . . ."

41:32 " . . . the thing is fixed by God, and God will shortly bring it about."

41:39 "Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, 'Since God has shown you all this, [see now even Pharaoh is getting the point] there is none so discerning and wise as you are."

41:51 "Jospeh called the name of his firstborn Manasseh. 'For,' he said, 'God has made me forget all my hardship.'"

41:52 "The name of the second he called Ephraim, 'For God has made me fruitful in the land of my affliction."

In his book, Preaching the Whole Bible as Christian Scripture, Graeme Goldsworthy writes:

“That the Bible is first and foremost a book about God as he reveals himself in Jesus Christ means that the preacher must be absolutely scrupulous in making this clear. The further away from a gospel-oriented mindset people are, the harder it will be to motivate them to listen to the exposition of God’s word. Thus we frequently begin by ‘scratching where it itches.’ We start with a commonly felt need or problem, which may be anything from low self-esteem to animal rights or global warming. There is nothing wrong with such an approach, and, indeed, it may be necessary is some situations. But unless the problem is redefined by the gospel, we are in danger of reducing the Christian message to a pragmatic one of helping us feel better or make the world a better place to live in."

May we see more and more and preach and teach our children more and more that the great men and women of the Bible are there to teach us first and foremost who God is. Soli Deo Gloria!

"Stunning, disarming, overwhelming"

2010-01-03T04:54:00.000-08:00

Brothers and Sisters,

I'm really enjoying Alister McGrath's history of Protestantism. Here's an excerpt, in hopes that you might read it.

“Luther found when Paul . . . speaks of the ‘righteousness of God’ being revealed in the gospel, he does not mean that we are told what standards of righteousness we must meet in order to be saved. Rather we are confronted with the stunning, disarming, overwhelming declaration that God himself provides the righteousness required for salvation as a free, unmerited gift. God’s love is not conditional upon transformation; rather, personal transformation follows divine acceptance.” Alister McGrath, Christianity’s Dangerous Idea: The Protestant Revolution—A History from the Sixteenth Century to the Twenty-First [2007]

Semi-Pelagianism and my garage door

2009-12-29T06:16:00.000-08:00

My Sears garage-door-opener is partly broken. When I push the remote garage-door-opener-button, it goes up 24 inches and stops. My friend who knows about garage-door-openers tells me that the garage-door-opener-motor is exhausted.

But I can help it work! If I press the remote garage-door-opener-button, and get out of my car in time, and lift up on my garage door, the motor keeps working! The garage door goes to the very top. Its teamwork you see! Sears and me [pardon the bad grammar. I like “me” better] working together!

So I’m going to write Sears and tell them that my plan is better than their plan. They need to reinvent a garage-door-motor that only lifts a garage door up 24 inches. That way people can help Sears. They’ll feel really good about that. And Sears will get some of the credit. They’ll also be helping people to exercise! And maybe it won’t cost them as much money to make a garage-door-opener-motor that only lifts a garage door up 24 inches.My Sears garage-door-opener is partly broken. But I can help it work! [Galatians 2:21]

Misbehaving?

2009-12-21T07:51:00.000-08:00

Even with the myriad of "How-to" books crowding both non-Christian and Christian bookstores, it still might be a struggle to find a book title like, "How to Behave in the Household of God." It's probably not going to make the top 10 list of "How-to" books to ask for on our Amazon wish list. It sounds kind of like - hmm - a corrective maybe? "C'mon man!" It's been a stressful week. Let's do church - ugh - coming as we are and doing what we'd like? Won't that work?

Paul doesn't think so. In fact, Paul writes his first letter to Timothy so that Timothy "might know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, a pillar and buttress of truth" [I Timothy 3:15].

Notice the relatonship of the church's behavior with "knowledge" and "truth." Churches are saints in union with the Truth. Churches hang out with truth and support [pillar and buttress] the truth against false teachers from within the church who "depart" [4:1] from the truth. Wow man! Paul doesn't sound like a area community church I heard about recently whose stated goal was to "connect people with God." What does that means? It doesn't sound like Paul. It sounds more like a vacuous Joel Osteen slogan. What a profound difference from the first words of Jesus' public ministry: "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand" [Matthew 4:17].

Maybe we're becoming less like Paul and Jesus and more like Fiyero from the show Wicked who sings, "Dancing through life, skimming the surface, gliding where turf is smooth." Paul's emphasis, in contrast, is on knowing "how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, a pillar and buttress of truth."

stewards of a new building!

2009-12-19T22:34:00.000-08:00

In Psalm 126:3 the psalmist writes, “The LORD has done great things for us; we are glad.” Gladness characterizes the people of God in Christ. And we are glad that, on this Lord’s Day, we’re worshipping in a new church building! Who could have imagined that God would entrust to us such a wonderful place? Our mouths are filled with laughter and our tongues with shouts of joy [Psalm 126:2]. From three couples meeting in a living room five years ago to this memorable day, God has and continues to lavish grace and steadfast love on GBC. Thank you Pastor Colin for beginning this race. Thanks Pastor Ben for taking the baton from Colin and persevering in the race that’s been set before you. Thanks Gary for the countless hours you've spent recently making all the difficult places smooth. And thank you brothers and sisters of Grace who’ve spent hundreds of hours moving and cleaning and preparing meals and serving in countless ways. God is building His church, and the gates of hell won’t prevail against it. Our body is working together! “Praise, praise the Father, praise the Son, and praise the Spirit, three in one!” This unity will continue as we continue to devote ourselves to doctrine, prayer, the ordinances, and fellowship. Let’s also continue corporately to sing, pray, read, and preach the Word, rejoicing in the gospel with all those who love the gospel!

"No one is eternally condemned for failing to find purpose in life"

2009-12-14T21:12:00.000-08:00

Here's a short excerpt from the Lord's Day sermon on December 6, followed by a quote I used by Michael Horton.

"So the reason not to have sex outside of marriage should not be ultimately because you might contract a sexually transmitted disease, or that there's a boatload of regret that accompanies it, or that it’s personally harmful or hurtful, or has deep ripple effects in leadership, or even because there will be spiritual consequences for you. These may all be true; however our text reminds us that sin doesn’t fall short of the glory of self-esteem or the glory of wellness or the glory of your best life now. Sin falls short of the glory of God." Lord's Day Sermon, December 6

"In the biblical perspective, that which makes sin sin is not first of all the unhappiness of shame that it brings to us and those around us, but the objective offence that it is before God. No one is eternally condemned for failing to find meaning, purpose, or fulfillment in life. But when sin is first defined vertically--that is, in reference to God--our nagging sense of unworthiness and guilt finally finds a real source and object. Only real sins can be forgiven. We cannot forgive ourselves. Even the forgiveness of other people cannot erase the debt and give us a righteous status. Only if our sins are first of all offences against God can they be objectively, fully, and finally forgiven." Michael Horton, The Gospel-Driven Life, p. 50-51 [2009]

Left Behind Alone In Your Bedroom!

2009-11-23T09:55:00.000-08:00

Here's the introduction I scribbled together for GBC's public reading of II Thessalonians 2 for yesterday's Lord's Day service. We're trying to keep our explanations plain, short, and introductory:

In II Thessalonians chapter 2, Paul is writing to correct a false claim concerning the “Day of the Lord” [known as the Parousia] or the coming of Christ at the end of the age in power and glory. The false claim was that Christ had already returned, and the Thessalonians were really shaken up! In fact, word that is translated “shaken” in verse 2 is the same word that’s used in Acts 16:26 to describe the “great earthquake” in Philippi. So these Thessalonians were falsely alarmed that Christ had returned.

If you grew up in a Christian home like I did, perhaps you experienced the terror of waking up to find that your parents were gone! Your conclusion was that Jesus had come back and now you were left behind alone in your bedroom. When mom and dad did return, you were relieved to know that Christ hadn’t returned. In fact, Bob and Doris [mom and dad] were standing in the doorway of your bedroom at 19 Sennet Drive.

So perhaps we can understand the great sense of relief the Thessalonians experienced to know that the “Day of the Lord” had not occurred – relearning what they had heard before [v. 5]: that prior to the Parousia a rebellion must come first [v.3], followed by the revealing of the man of lawlessness [also referred to as the son of destruction or perdition] "who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship."

So, in fact, the Thessalonians hadn’t been left behind, and Paul encourages them to stand firm, giving thanks for them that they’ve been chosen of God to be saved through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in truth. He ends with a precious benediction of love, and comfort and good hope through grace.

"Connie, the less I know about you, the more I love you!"

2009-11-17T17:13:00.000-08:00

We don’t sing over and over again, “Let us love and sing and wonder” – or maybe shuffle the words around singing endlessly, “Let us wonder and love and sing.” No, we love, and sing, and wonder because, as the song goes on to say, the law’s loud thunder has been hushed in Christ, and we delight in the Son who gives us light. So let’s not sing passionately about how we feel about God for no particular reason.

If my wife Connie asks me, “David, Why do you love me?” – and I say, “No reason particularly because I’m learning that the less I know about you the more I’ll love you – so lets keep our praise of each other vague like, ‘Your awesome!’ or how about ‘I praise you!' In fact, I don't even need to mention your name at all."

If I said that, I might deservedly get my you know what kicked off the porch of our yellow raised ranch house on White Birch Road. Because the truth is that the more I intimately know Connie, the more I’ll intimately love her. How much more our union with Christ. It’s what we rightly know about God, not what we don’t, that inspires greater heights of love for God in Christ. So, Father we want you to satisfy us early in the morning with your steadfast love – so that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.

When Were We Regenerated?

2009-11-08T04:35:00.000-08:00

Question: When Were We Regenerated?
Answer: "But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ--by grace you have been saved." Ephesians 2:4-5

christians in the world: double listening, spiritual not spatial separation, and contextualization

2009-11-03T04:39:00.000-08:00

Let me encourage you to pick up a copy of Tullian Tchividjian's, Unfashionable: making a difference in the world by being different [2009] published by Multnomah Books.

In chapter 8, entitled “Where in the World are Christians?”, Tchividjian explains that Christians should be people of what he calls "double listening," both listening to the world's questions and answering them from the Word. Tullian quotes Abraham Kuyper's famous line, "There is not one square inch in the entire domain of our human existence over which Christ, who is sovereign over all, does not cry, 'mine!'" So as God's "agents" of accomplishing the cultural mandate [fill, increase, be fruitful, and subdue], "we must not withdraw from the world but rather bring the standards of God's Word to bear on every dimension of human culture."

This means being "spiritually separate" without becoming "spatially separate." The mistake that modern fundamentalism made was one of "cultural retreat." Fundamentalists have seen the problem as not "in here" [in our sinful nature] but "out there." This gives rise to a kind of "self-righteousness and radical withdraw." Of course Tchividjian explains that a new kind of withdraw is seen when "traditional places of worship [turn] into sprawling campuses--cities within cities. Many churches now have their own restaurants, nightclubs, exercise programs, and yellow pages, running the risk of abandoning contact with the world." Tullian comments, "Jesus didn't invite the world to come to church; he directed the church to go into the world [John 17:18; John 17:15; Matthew 28]." Salt cannot preserve what it does not touch. Light cannot illuminate what is not dark. Tullian writes, "When we operate according to the idea "If we build it, they will come," we fail to take into account this distinct nature of new covenant ministry and mission. Instead we're called to operate with this mind-set: 'God is building: therefore we should go.'"

So we should contextualize, that is that we should be "giving people God's answers [which they may not want] to the questions they're really asking and in ways they can understand." It's here Tullian quotes Tim Keller: "To overcontextualize to a new generation means you can make an idol out of their culture, but to undercontextualize to a new generation means you can make an idol of the culture you come from." Tullian summarizes the chapter: "Instead of being culturally removed on the one hand or culturally relaxed on the other, we should seek to be culturally resistant. We're making contact with the world while colliding with its ways. We're culturally engaged without being culturally absorbed. We're to maintain a dissonant relationship to the world without isolating ourselves from it."

Great book! My prayer is that GBC will be a congregation of readers, reading the Bible first but reading widely so that we might "bring the standard of God's Word to bear on every dimension of human culture."

Newton and Double Imputation: "My breaches of the law are His, and His obedience mine."

2009-10-28T09:17:00.000-07:00

Wow! what a great line from Newton's hymn, "Great God From Thee" that I can't get out of my head. "My breaches [a violation as of a law] of the law are His, and His obedience mine." We sang the musical setting in chapel this morning from "By Thy Mercy" -- a recent CD recorded by the guys at Indelible Grace Music http://www.igracemusic.com/

Here's Newton's text. It's Hymn No. 119 in Gadsby's Hymns [1834]. I'd encourage you to order a copy of Gadsby's Hymns and read it along with your Trinity hymnal. Here's the web address where you can order Gadsby's hymns http://www.graceandtruthbooks.com/listdetails.asp?ID=78

Hymn No. 119 Access to God in Christ-[Eph. 2:18; 3:12; Hebrews 10:19]
1. Great God! from thee there's nought concealed,
Thou seest my inward fraom;
To thee I always stand revealed
Exactly as I am!

2. Since I can hardly, therefore, bear
What in myself I see;
How vile and black must I appear,
Most holy God, to thee!

3. But since my Saviour stands between,
In garments dyed in blood,
'Tis he, instead of me, is seen,
When I appraoch to God.

4. Thus, though a sinner I am safe;
He pleads, before the throne,
His life and death on my behalf,
And calls my sins his own.

5. What wondrous love, what mysteries,
In this appointment shine!
My breaches of the law are his,
And his obedience mine.

Spurgeon, Total Depravity defined, a question, and how the doctrine changes us

2009-10-27T10:58:00.000-07:00

Since in January GBC will begin exploring the Doctrines of Grace, I thought it might be helpful to begin early by asking and attempting to answer a question related to the first of these five doctrines, Total Depravity. First a classic quote on Calvinism from Charles Spurgeon:

"There is no such thing as preaching Christ and Him crucified, unless we preach what nowadays is called Calvinism. It is a nickname to call it Calvinism; Calvinism is the gospel, and nothing else. I do not believe we can preach the gospel, if we do not preach justification by faith, without works; nor unless we preach the sovereignty of God in His dispensation of grace; nor unless we exalt the electing, unchangeable, eternal, immutable, conquering love of Jehovah; nor do I think we can preach the gospel, unless we base it upon the special and particular redemption of His elect and chosen people which Christ wrought out upon the cross; nor can I comprehend a gospel which lets saints fall away after they are called, and suffers the children of God to be burned in the fires of damnation."

What is Total Depravity?
[Genesis 6:5; Romans 1:18-3:21; Romans 7:18; 8:7-8; Romans 14:23; Ephesians 2:1-3]

Definition 1: "Total depravity means that our rebellion against God is total, everything we do in this rebellion is sin, our inability to submit to God or reform ourselves is total, and we are totally deserving of eternal punishment." TULIP: What We Believe About the Five Points of Calvinism

Definition 2: "Our first parents, by this sin, fell from their original righteousness and communion with God, and we in them, whereby death came upon all: all becoming dead in sin, and wholly defiled in all the faculties and parts of soul and body." The 1689 London Baptist Confession

Definition 3 "All people are conceived in sin and are born children of wrath, unfit for any saving good, inclined to evil, dead in their sins, and slaves to sin; without the grace of the regenerating Holy Spirit they are neither willing nor able to return to God, to reform their distorted nature, or even to dispose themselves to such reform" The Canons of Dort [1619]

Question:
Can't unbelievers do good things?

"We recognize that the word 'good' has a broad range of meaning. We will use it in the restricted sense to refer to many actions of fallen people which in relation to God are in fact not good. For example, we will have to say that it is good that most unbelievers do not kill and that some unbelievers perform acts of benevolence. What we mean when we call such actions good is that they more or less conform to the external pattern of life that God has commanded in the Scripture. However, such outward conformity to the revealed will of God is not righteous in relation to God. It is not done out of reliance on him or for his glory. He is not trusted for the resources, though he gives them all. Nor is his honor exalted, even though that's his will in all things [I Corinthians 10:31]. Therefore even these 'good' acts are part of our rebellion and are not 'good' in the sense that really counts in the end -- in relation to God." TULIP: What We Believe About the Five Points of Calvinism

How does the doctrine of Total Depravity change us?

"''But surely we must not tell the sinner that he cannot respond unless God first does a work of regeneration in him!' someone argues. 'That will make him complacent, or even despairing.' On the contrary, that is exactly what the sinner needs to know. For it is only in such understanding that sinful human beings know how desperate their situation is, and how absolutely essential God's grace is. If we are hanging on to some confidence in our spiritual ability, no matter how small, we will never seriously worry about our condition. There will be no sense of urgency. There will be time to believe later on. But if we are truly dead in sin, as the Bible says we are, then we will find ourselves in near despair. We will see our state as hopeless apart from the supernatural and totally unmerited working of the grace of God . . . Far from keeping us away from Christ, the true knowledge of radical depravity helps us abandon ourselves to his grace."
James Montgomery Boice and Philip Graham Ryken, The Doctrines of Grace: Rediscovering the Evangelical Gospel

The Power Of Silence

2009-07-21T08:34:00.000-07:00

The following is a post by Pastor Mark Dever, a good and faithful brother ministering in Washington D.C. He has authored a number of books which are well worth your time reading. I would love to hear your comments, so don't be afraid to respond.

Making Silence Together

by mdever

One of the most frequently commented upon aspects of the morning Lord's Day service here at Capitol Hill Baptist Church is nothing we do. Or rather, it is the nothing we do. It is our moments of silence.

There's silence between various aspects of the service. I encourage service leaders to NOT do the "no-dead-airspace" TV standard of busy-ness. We LIKE "dead air space." "Dead air space" gives us time to reflect. To collect our thoughts. To consider what we've just heard or read or sung. The silence amplifies the words or music we've just heard. It allows us time to take it all in, and to pray. We have silence to prepare ourselves. We have silence between the announcements and the scriptural call to worship. We even have a moment of silence AFTER the service! I pronounce the benediction from the end of II Corinthians, invite the congregation to be seated. And then, after about a minute of silence, the pianist begins quietly playing the last hymn that we had just sung. During those few moments, we reflect and prepare to speak to others and depart. We do business with God. We prepare ourselves for the week ahead.

I'm a sound addict. Even as I write about silence now, I've got Paganini blasting in my study! But yesterday morning in church during one of our silences, I became aware of how corporate a labor such public silence is. Everyone works to be quiet. People stop moving their bulletins or looking for something in their purse. There's no movement. We, together, hear the silence. It engulfs us. It enhances our unity. It is something we all do together. Together we consider what we've just heard. Together we contribute to each other's space to think.

Why has the church forgotten this? Our culture knows it. At the most solemn moments, we have a minute of silence. And everyone listens to the silence. And thinks about why we're being silent. Why don't we do this in the church.

In the last century, E. M. Forster, in A Passage to India, referred to "poor little talkative Christianity". Perhaps there was a day when all Christians did was gather to listen to the Bible read and preached, and to prayers. But that day is long gone in most evangelical churches. These days we gather more to watch than to listen. And to sing.

But in all the noise of our choirs, and drums, and electic guitars, and organs, and praise bands, where is the solemnity? Where is the dignity and majesty that is so often indicated in the Bible by a stupified silence, soaked in awe and covered with wonder?

Ecclesiastes 3:7 tells us that there is a time to speak and a time to be silent, but we seem to have forgotten today that there is a time for silence. God calls his people before Him in silence: "the LORD is in his holy temple; let all the earth be silent before him," (Hab. 2:20).

Certainly as Christians we have much to rejoice over--loudly and joyfully and expectantly! But is no part of our regular assemblies to reflect the weightiness of our sinful selves before a holy God, the silence of conviction, even of sorrow? Furthermore, is no part of our regular assemblies to reflect the stunning weightiness of our forgiveness in Christ, the silence of marvel, and even the humility of some incomprehension?

We silence ourselves exactly because God has not kept silent. We silence ourselves in order to hear God speak in His Word (cf. Deut. 27:9) We silence ourselves to show our assent to God's charges against us (cf. Ps. 39:9). We silence ourselves to show respect and obedience and humility and restraint (cf. Zeph. 1:7;
I Cor. 14:34; I Tim. 2:12). We silence ourselves to search our hearts (cf. Ps. 4:4).

We silence ourselves in our own times of prayer, reading and meditation on God's Word. And we should also silence ourselves in our periods of corporate worship. Making silence together builds and unifies the church, witnesses to the majesty of God and tacitly proclaims His greatness to all who hear.

http://blog.9marks.org/2009/07/making-silence-together.html

The Best of John Calvin

2009-06-06T05:16:00.000-07:00

This year the Christian church marks with joy the 500th anniversary of John Calvin's birth in 1509. The mention of his name still calls forth strong sentiments among the faithful even today, some 500 years later. While most Christians probably only associate his name with "Calvinism" as we know it, there is much more to understand and learn about this giant of the Christian faith. In a previous post I mentioned that Calvin was no mere cold theologian,but he was first and foremost a pastor.

In the preface to Calvin's sermons on Ephesians the publisher notes: "Though he was a scientific theologian who intended, God helping him, to establish solid doctrinal foundations in the Reformed churches; and though he was a lecturer to the students who met in the College at Geneva, toiling to set before them the meaning of Scripture in the clearest light; nevertheless it was not to these activities so much as to the pulpit itself that was the major part of his time was given. His primary obligation was not to fellow-scholars, nor even to his students, but to the ordinary people - citizens of Geneva and exiles, shop-keepers and merchants, the young and the old - who crowded St. Peter's day by day to listen to his sermons in French."

Emile Doumergue, Calvin's foremost biographer would agree: " That is the Calvin who seems to me to be the real and authentic Calvin, the one who explains all the others: Calvin the preacher of Geneva..."

More later on the fascinating story of how his sermons were lost and then found. But till then, here is a taste of Calvin the preacher.

https://www.sermonaudio.com/sermoninfo.asp?SID=717061313209

Mark Driscoll on What is the Church....

2009-02-24T09:00:00.000-08:00

Linked below is a lecture given by Pastor Mark Driscoll to what seems to be a gathering of fellow pastors. His topic is: What is the church? This is my first introduction to Pastor Driscoll and what I heard resounded in my heart and mind. I think it will for you too. This is a message we all need to hear given our times. Please take a few moments and take a listen to:

http://rss.marshillchurch.org/~r/mhcsermonaudio/~3/L_5OneqFOuM/20080225_putting-preachers-in-their-place_audio.mp3

Thanks to all the guys who have been encouraging me to tune into Driscoll!

Pastor Ben.

A Taste of John Calvin...the Pastor

2009-02-18T07:22:00.000-08:00

2009 marks the 500th anniversary of the birth of one of Christianity's great heroes -John Calvin. Calvin was 16th century pastor, writer, theologian, scholar, and reformer of the church who lived during a time of great danger, political turmoil and ecclesiastical corruption. As an individual he suffered much from personal physical maladies which he eventually succumb to at just 55 years of age. What he accomplished during that short time is of inestimable value to the church and the world. He is probably best known for the "Institutes Of Christian Religion" which today are still widely considered as the most important piece of literature ever written, after the Bible. What many are not familiar with though are his sermons. To really understand John Calvin one must read his sermons, because in them you hear and see not only his mind but his heart as well. He was no mere cold theologian, but he was first and foremost a pastor who sought to teach and apply the truth of Scripture in a plain and loving way to those in his church, day after day.

Here is an excerpt from a sermon I recently read. It is representative of his sermons in that you can get a feel for how understands life and the world. I do not know if this quote would be considered as the "best" of Calvin. Probably not. I chose it simply because it resonated in my heart as I read it.

This quote is from a sermon he preached while preaching through the book of Acts on Sunday, April 13, 1550. His text is Acts 4:1-4.

His opening remarks are:

"Among the means by which our Lord wants our faith to be put to the test is this: Satan exerts all his power to prevent the word of God from going forth. And when his word begins to be made known, the wicked oppose it vigorously, for they are the devil's instruments for waging against God and Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. That is what Luke is now bringing to our attention. We have heard how the apostles taught the people and how that was a sign that the gospel was to be made public. But here the devil is, making serious inroads against that endeavor. It is an attempt to test the faith of the apostles and of all those associated with them. Seeing that everyone was resisting God's truth, they had to be armed with perseverance so they would not be daunted by that resistance. It is true the devil will make a valiant effort, but he will not be able to do anything against Jesus Christ, for since our Lord is seated at the right hand of God his Father (Eph 1:20-22), all creatures are in subjection to him. Consequently, when the devil tries to prevent the spread of the gospel, he can do so only with God's permission. He can do nothing on his own authority, but God gives him leeway to do everything within his power so that when there is nothing more he can do, we will realize the power of God's truth notwithstanding the fact that his truth remains victorious whenever the world and the devil come into conflict."

Ultimately we remember and celebrate the life of John Calvin some 500 years after his birth not because he was a great writer or simply because he was a brilliant mind, which he was, but rather because of what and who he wrote about. Like few other men in history Calvin was able to look at life and the world from a truly God-centered perspective. He was able to clearly see the weakness, pride, rebellion, and helplessness of man apart from God like few others.

A Good Word From Pastor Spurgeon

2008-11-28T06:25:00.000-08:00

Never think of the Church of God as if she were in danger. If you do, you will be like Uzza; you will put forth your hand to steady the ark, and provoke the Lord to anger against you. If it were in danger, I tell you, you could not deliver it. If Christ cannot take care of his Church without you, you cannot do it. Be still, and know that he is God… When you begin to say, “The Church is in danger! The Church is in danger!” what is that to thee? It stood before thou wert born; it will stand when thou hast become worm’s meat. Do thou thy duty. Keep in the path of obedience, and fear not. He who made the Church knew through what trials she would have to pass, and he made her so that she can endure the trials and become the richer for it. The enemy is but grass, the word of the Lord endureth for ever.

Your people will volunteer freely in the day of your power; In holy array, from the womb of the dawn, Your youth are to You as the dew. PS 110:3

18 Properties of Humble Souls...

2008-11-26T10:59:00.000-08:00

The following is an excerpt from Vol. 3 of the works of Thomas Brooks, a puritan pastor from the 17th century. He is developing the idea that: those that are lowest in their own esteem are highest in God's esteem, proved... 18 properties of a humble soul.

Over the next few weeks I hope to share with you more of Thomas Brooks, but for now, enjoy pondering these 18 searching proofs.

1. A humble soul under the highest spiritual discoveries, and under the greatest outward mercies, forgets not his former sinfulness and his former outward meanness

2. He overlooks his own righteousness, and lives upon the righteousness of another, to wit, the Lord Jesus.

3. The lowest and meanest good work is not below a humble soul

4. A humble soul will submit to every truth of God, that is made known to it; even to those divine truths that are most cross to flesh and blood.

5. A humble soul lives not upon himself, nor upon his own actings, but upon the Lord Jesus and His actings.

6. He judges himself to be below the wrath and judgments of God.

7. A humble soul doth highly prize the least of Christ.

8. A humble soul can never be good enough, it can never pray enough, nor hear enough, nor mourn enough, nor believe enough, nor love enough, nor fear enough, nor joy enough, nor repent enough, nor loathe sin enough, nor be humble enough.

9. A humble soul will smite and strike from small sins as well as for great, for those the world count not sin, as well as for those that they count gross sins.

10. A humble soul will quietly bear burdens, and patiently take blows and knocks, and make no noise.

11. A humble soul will in all religious duties and services, trade with God upon the credit of Christ.

12. A humble soul endeavors more how to honor and glorify God in afflictions, than how to get out of afflictions.

13. A humble soul seeks not, it looks not, after great things.

14. A humble soul rejoices in the graces and gracious actings of others as well as in its own.

15. A humble soul will rather bear wrongs than revenge wrongs offered.

16. A humble soul, though he be of never so rare abilities, yet he will not disdain to be taught what he knows not, by the meanest persons.

17.A humble soul will bless God, and be thankful to God, as well under misery as under mercy; as well when God frowns as when he smiles; as well when God takes as when he gives; as well under crosses and losses, as under blessings and mercies.

18. A humble soul will wisely and patiently bear reproof.

...for God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble
(1 Pt 5:5)

He Said What?!?

2008-11-08T14:12:00.000-08:00

Posting a blog was really not even on my mind tonight as I was sitting here preparing for tomorrow's sermon from Psalm 110. There are only a few things that can distract me on a Saturday evening from my sermon prep, one of those things is blatantly faulty exegesis. Studying through verse 2 of Ps. 110 [The Lord will stretch forth Your strong scepter from Zion], my curiosity was piqued over how one of my reformed brother's would "explain" Zion. My reformed friends usually howl whenever I suggest that they too often spiritualize the biblical text to make it fit their theology instead of allowing the text to say what the text says, and thereby informing their theology and understanding.

This is a classic example of what spiritualizing a text looks like:

http://www.tulip.org/trf/mprophets/zec08a.htm

The link is to an "exposition" of Zechariah 8:1-23 (never mind the Joel title at top as it is wrongly applied). While this is actually more of a devotional than an exposition, what I want you to notice is how the author interprets this passage. Notice particularly that in his exposition that Zion is no longer a specific geographic location but is representative of the the church. What?!? Notice how he handles the other explicit images in this text. The few ones that he does deal with, and they are scant - just like his "exegesis" (typical of a reformed hermeneutic when dealing with passages such as these), they are reinterpreted or reapplied to apply to the church.

A literal hermeneutic reads this text and does not see the church, but a national Israel in view, and the promises of a real, yet realized,future for her. The events foretold in this passage are mainly related to a future millennium, which are vividly described in this passage as a time when "old men and old women will sit again in the streets of Jerusalem, each man with his staff in his hand because of age (vs 4), and a time when "ten men from all the nations will grasp the garment of Jew saying, "Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you." ' I am advocating that these are not events which we are free to reinterpret or reinvent to fit our presuppositions, but rather ones we must seek to understand and allow to inform and direct our theology/eschatology.

The "E" Bomb...

2008-11-06T19:12:00.000-08:00

This past Wednesday evening (Nov 5) we spent some time looking at the message Malachi unflinchingly delivered to his arrogant, unrepentant, backslidden nation. They had all the trappings of religion, but their hearts were far from God. For example: they were offering the LORD "seconds" in their worship (1:7 ff), had become weary and bored with worship (1:13 ff), were divorcing their wives and marrying pagan women (2:10 ff) which was a flagrant violation of the covenant, were believing that God was actually blessing the wicked who were prospering (2:17), were robbing God by not giving generously (3:8 ff), and were seriously questioning if serving God was really worthwhile (3:14). It seems that the root cause of their condition is identified immediately by Malachi in verses 1 and 2 of chapter 1:

"I have loved you," says the LORD. But you say, "How have you loved us?" "Was not Esau Jacob's brother?" declares the LORD. "Yet I have loved Jacob;"...

Their sinful, shortsighted, and arrogant attitudes were a result of forgetting God's sovereign electing love (God loved Jacob, but hated Esau - Rm 9:13). They had come to believe that they somehow deserved God's special favor and love. They treated lightly God's gracious love and consequently became arrogant and indifferent to the God who chose them.

What a timely lesson for each of us! God's indictment of these people who lived some 2,400 years ago could easily be made against each of us. At the risk of offending some with the "E" word, maybe it is time that we all reflected a little more on this crucial aspect of God's love for us. It certainly is a great comfort and source of strength when things seem to be going very badly. And ultimately, it brings great praise to the God who loved us!

At the following link, the author draws and number of contrasts between God's eternal election and the election that is probably on your mind right now. I encourage you to read it and then rejoice in the free grace of our great God and Savior.

http://teampyro.blogspot.com/search/label/sovereignty%20of%20God

2008-09-25T14:44:00.000-07:00

In connection with our recent look at Ephesians 5:21-33, I want to make you aware of an important document known as the "Danver Statement" and also the organization from which it originated. Let me encourage you to spend some time looking through this site, their statements, and various articles.
http://www.cbmw.org/Danvers
As Christians we cannot afford to be ignorant of what is happening around us concerning this issue; there is simply too much at stake for us to remain passive in our thinking and complacent in our practical living in the area. What we think about this issue will demontrate itself in how we conduct our marriages.
Will the marriages of those who are members at Grace Baptist Church clearly illustrate and proclaim the truth of Christ and His relationship to the church or will our marriages detract and deface this holy picture and disgrace the name by which we have been called?Pray for one-another that we would each grow in this area so that our marriages would grow in conformity to the beautiful pattern seen and set in the relationship between Christ and His church.

Another Must Read Book

2008-09-09T14:42:00.000-07:00

The discovery of a great book is somthing like happening upon an Indian arrowhead while searching in a 100 acre field, it is as rare as it is exhilarating. When that elusive arrowhead, or book, is finally found you instantly want to share your treasure and awe with others. “More Than Meets the Eye” is such a book for me and one I want you to share in as well.More than any other book I have read, “More Than Meets the Eye” highlights the genius, the power, sophistication and artistry of God from the smallest aspects of the creation (sub-atomic particles, atoms, systems, etc) to the largest (anti-matter, light, stars, black holes, planets, etc). The author, Richard Swenson, has compiled an impressive, mind-numbing array of medical and scientific data chronicling the works of God in the creation. Although not designed or written to be a biology or science textbook, it does contain much of both so as to force the reader come to grips with a God that is far bigger, greater, wiser, stronger, and faithful than you ever imagined. Let me give you a small taste of what you will find:“The human body is composed of ten thousand trillion trillion atoms – a number far greater than the stars in the universe. In each person, more than a trillion of these atoms are replaced every on-millioneth of a second. These atoms, in turn, are comprised of sub-atomic particles, some of which have life span of than a billion billioneth of a second. It is entirely possible that we have no sub-atomic bottom. As the technology becomes increasingly sophisticated, we discover yet smaller particles. We are, perhaps, infinite in the sub-atomic direction. pg 94Each human cell is made up of a trillion atoms. The body contains between 10 and 100 trillion atoms. We tear down and rebuild over a trillion cells every day. Each cell is remarkable in its own miniaturized way, with electric fields, protein factories, and hundreds of ATP energy motors 200 thousand times smaller than a pinhead. In a lifetime, the heart beats over two billion times and pumps sixty million gallons of blood through sixty thousand miles of blood vessels. pg 94The core temperature of the sun is fifteen million degrees centigrade. It is so hot that a pinhead heated to the temperature of the center of the sun “would emit enough heat to kill anyone who ventured within a thousand miles of it,” explained physicist Sir James Jean. “ pg 148And on and on he goes.I highly recommend this book and hope you will purchase a copy today. However big your view of God may be today, “More Than Meets the Eye” will cause you to realize that it is probably way too small.You can learn more here: http://www.richardswenson.org/index.html

Why We Don’t Display A National Flag When Our Church Meets. (Part 4)

2008-09-05T14:42:00.000-07:00

Displaying a State Flag is Antithetical to Our Baptist Convictions.
Displaying a state flag at our Christian assemblies undermines what our Baptist forefathers believed and sacrificed for at the beginning our great nation. It was because of early colonial Baptists like Roger Williams, Isaac Backus, and John Leland, who persistently and courageously fought for the freedom to worship God, attend, and support the church of one’s choice that we enjoy the freedom to worship as our conscience dictates today. Religious liberty was essentially a new concept even in early America; for many years the state regulated the church, even in colonial America. The two were intertwined each working to aid the other. Baptists argued that the church and state should not be so conjoined. These Baptist champions resented having to financially support the local church/state parish and in its state appointed pastor, they were unwilling to submit to having special state orders so as to be licensed and thus free to preach at will, and so they resisted and worked tirelessly to see that every man had the religious freedom to worship and support the church of his choice based solely upon the dictates of his conscience. The product of their ceaseless effort is the 1st amendment to the United States constitution which guarantees that the state has no authority to establish a state church or religion nor can the state prohibit the free exercise of religion.Reintroducing the state back into the church is unwittingly undoing and undermining a precious freedom we enjoy as Americans citizens. Why would we want to blur the distinct lines between the two God-ordained, unrelated spheres of church and state by displaying a state flag in our assemblies? What biblical connection is there between these two separate spheres? There are none.While we as Baptists certainly appreciate our freedoms afforded us as American citizens, it does not follow that we ought to display the flag or feel obligated to do so. Such freedoms are ultimately unrelated to the purposes and responsibilities of the church and her members, and so every effort should be made to preserve the blessings we freely enjoy in the church over what we have been blessed with by the 1st Amendment. After all that is what it was designed to secure for us. As shown previously we do the church no service by displaying a flag, and neither do we do our country a service when we naively and unwittingly undermine our rights as free citizens by reintroducing the state back into the realm sacred to Christ, His church.
(for more on Isaac Backus and other Baptist champions you can click here: http://www.siteone.com/religion/baptist/baptistpage/portraits/backus.htm)

"The Slow Death of Congregational Singing"

2008-09-05T14:41:00.000-07:00

I hope all of our members will read Michael Raiter's article entitled, "The Slow Death of Congregational Singing." Published in April 2008, it's simply one of the best explanations of why congregational singing "in many churches has been in its death throes for some years now." Here are a couple of excerpts that I hope will motivate you to click on the link at the bottom and read Raiter's article."People hear the word of God from the mouths of the pastors and the Bible expositors, but they also hear a sermon during the time of singing. Someone has said that a person's theology is no deeper than the songs they sing. I'm sure that's true, and it's quite an indictment on the modern evangelical church. There is, perhaps, no greater evidence of the theological illiteracy of this Christian generation than the songs we sing and write. Every song is a sermon, and it is critical that the God and the gospel that is proclaimed from the pulpit is the same God and the same gospel preached from the music team.""Whether you travel across the urban areas of Asia, Africa, North America or Australia, everywhere you go, increasingly, the singing in the church—both the songs that are sung and the style of music—is the same. It's the McDonaldization of our world. And in every church you visit across the world, the music is just the same. I'd describe it as the ‘Hillsongization’ of music except that it's such a clumsy word. Oh, the words of the songs might differ, but it's the same music team singing the same way. There's the obligatory leader with the obligatory two or three singers accompanying her, the obligatory drummer, the obligatory keyboard player and the obligatory two guitarists. You're allowed some freedom in your choice of a sax or a flute, depending on the resources available, but it's all exactly the same for every song in every place.Surely it's time to sit down and ask ourselves what is the best medium for actually promoting congregational singing? From my observation, our present approach has been weighed in the balances and found wanting.""As I travel around visiting churches, I've noticed again and again that, for all their good intentions (and the vast majority are, I believe, well-intentioned), the music teams are killing congregational singing. I know that sounds harsh, but I see it in case after case. I enjoy the sound of an electric piano, the beat of the drums, the rhythm of the guitars, and the backing of the saxes and flutes, but my favourite instrument is the human voice. Nothing lifts my soul like being a part of 50— 100—300 saints in full voice, singing the praises of God and the glories of the gospel. Unfortunately that's a disappointingly rare experience."Here's the link:http://matthiasmedia.com.au/briefing/library/5175/