A Hair Worth Splitting

I was reading RC Sproul's commentary on John 9 tonight. John 9 tells the familiar story when Jesus heals the man who was born blind. The story in it's full context is rich with festival significance and messianic implications. That aside, RC Sproul makes a distinction between two words that we often use interchangeably - witnessing and evangelism. I've tended to not like using the term "witnessing" so much as evangelism, and I think Dr. Sproul helped me finally put words to my preference.

He argues: "...they [witnessing and evangelism] are not synonyms. Any time I call attention to the person and work of Christ, I am bearing witness to Christ. But that is not the same thing as preaching the gospel." The man born blind was asked by the hostile pharisees to give an account of what happened to him. He says, "Whether he is a sinner or not I do not know. One thing I know: that though I was blind, now I see." (Jn 9.24-25) The man bears witness to what Jesus did for him - made him see. Our testimonies serve the same purpose. We can bear witness about what Christ has done in our lives.

But let's hear Dr. Sproul's caution well: "We should all have a prepared testimony, and we should be willing to share it at the drop of a hat." He continues, "But we shouldn't confuse our personal testimonies with the gospel. Sharing our personal testimonies is not evangelism." (John, p 181-182) When we have an opportunity to speak the gospel, let's make sure we aren't only telling our stories, let's tell THE story.

Bonhoeffer Quotes

Last night at our midweek service, we looked at a number of quotes from Bonhoeffer's Life Together. It was a refreshing time.

Here are three pages of gold. There's so much of this book that is quotable.

Enjoy!

Life Together Quotes

Why I Share the Pulpit

This past Sunday, I sat on the front row while a younger man from our congregation preached the Word. I was glad to be worshipping and listening to an exposition from the book of Hebrews. I took a few minutes during the service to explain why I think it’s a good thing to have other men preach. 

Here’s a summary of what I said. 

1. The Lord uses different voices. Different teachers have ways of communicating fundamentally the same truths but may say it or accent it slightly differently. This can be useful. After many years in youth ministry, I smile when students magically hear something “new” at camp. Sometimes it’s the simplest truth that they’ve heard hundreds of times, but  said in a slightly different way. Praise the Lord that God hasn’t made everyone sound just like me. I’m happy for diversity and how the Lord uses each of us.

2. I look for ways to demonstrate that the church isn’t all about me. Plurality needs some form of expression. I love having other people involved in leading the service, reading Scripture, and sometimes, preaching. I’m thankful that I have the primary responsibility for teaching the flock at SCC. I believe part of my teaching role is teaching by letting others teach. 

3. I firmly believe that the church must take ownership of the next generation of elders and preachers. We have the responsibility to test the giftedness of men for future ministry. I’m glad that in the summer of 1998, I was given an opportunity to preach my first sermon in a little country church outside of Jackson, AL. How would I know if I wanted to do this (or even could) for a living if never given an opportunity? Unfortunately, men get sent off to seminary every year with zero ministry experience. The church needs to step up in this area.

Roundup of Articles on Supreme Court Ruling

Here is a collection of what I’ve found to be the most helpful articles that have been posted about the recent ruling on Prop 8 and DOMA by the Supreme Court. This is an important issue that we need know about. I’m no legal expert but I do want to understand what is going on in our world. I’m thankful for these who have taken the time to get in the weeds to help us understand. 

Trevin Wax explains that this whole conversation can have some positive effect for the church. We need to use the opportunity. 

http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/trevinwax/2013/06/26/why-gay-marriage-is-good-and-bad-for-the-church/

Jesse Johnson walks through the legal maneuvering that has brought us to this point. The process is fascinating and sad. 

http://thecripplegate.com/where-the-prop-8-ruling-leaves-us/

Dr. Mohler gives a synopsis of what has just happened, what is at stake, and where this thing could likely go next. 

http://www.albertmohler.com/2013/06/26/waiting-for-the-other-shoe-the-supreme-court-rules-on-same-sex-marriage/

Similar to Trevin’s sentiments, Dr. Moore explains how the church must leverage this for gospel purposes. Marriage isn’t incidental to gospel preaching. 

http://www.russellmoore.com/2013/06/26/how-should-same-sex-marriage-change-the-churchs-witness/

Marvin Olasky of World Magazine walks through the logic of the dissenting opinion written by Justice Antonin Scalia. 

http://www.worldmag.com/2013/06/what_the_supreme_court_decision_means

38 Years of Faithfulness

Most of you who will read this post have some connection with me. That means the vast majority of you already know that 2 weeks ago, on June 6, 2013, my Dad went to be with Jesus. 

One of the added pains of June 6 is that’s only 2 days before June 8. On June 8, 1975, my mom and dad made a promise to one another. They said that it would only be death that would separate them. That’s exactly what they meant. 

I am grateful that my parents were faithful to one another for just shy of 38 years. The morning of the funeral service, my mom prepared an anniversary card, a Father’s Day card, and a birthday card to be placed in the casket. There are some things in life that you simply will never forget. 

The news today is flooded with stories of those who pervert this sacred bond and revel in  our cultural “progress.” I’m glad that my parents did not just teach me, but lived in front of me what it means to be committed to one another in a true marriage. 

Your Ultimate Father

This is the first Father’s Day without my Dad. As I browsed through Twitter this morning, the pics and kind words about having and being fathers is interspersed with those sad that they can’t celebrate this day with their own Fathers. It got me thinking about those who never had a Father involved in their life. Many people live without knowing their dads at all, or maybe the only memory of Dad is pain and heartache. 

If that’s you today, I want to remind you of one simple name of God: Father. The best dad in the world is not perfect. God the Father is the only father that never dies, he’s the Eternal Father (Is 9.6). He is the only one who perfectly gives good gifts to his children (Mt 7.11). He is the perfect disciplinarian as a Father (Heb 12.7-11). The best earthly fathers are just models that point to the true Father, God the Father. 

If you are hurting today, remember that this world is broken. The role of earthly fathers is designed by God to point us to himself, the true and everlasting father who loves his children more than we can even comprehend. 

In Loving Memory of My Dad

Last night the world lost one of the most energetic Kingdom workers God has ever made. My Father left his earthly body around 10:30 on Thursday night, June 6. He had gone to the store and walked back to his room. My mom found him on the floor. He was unresponsive to CPR. There was nothing the paramedics could do. His body was here but he had gone to be with Jesus. 

The flood of emotions and thoughts is impossible to convey right now. I did want to point all or our thoughts to some glorious truths that are serving as anchors for my soul this morning. 

God decides when someone leaves planet earth. "And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment". (Heb 9.27). We learn some valuable insights here. All people are going to die and all people die by appointment. You cannot leave planet earth without God's permission. 

A life lived for The Lord is never tragic. My dad loved God more than anything else. He ordered his life around Kingdom work. Though it may seem untimely to die at only 59 years old, the bigger tragedy is living a life that has nothing to do with God and his glory. Praise God that though we grieve, we grieve as those who have hope. (1 Thess 4.13)