On the Pilgrim's Path

I appreciate the in-your-face kind of allegory John Bunyan offers in "The Pilgrim's Progress." With names like Christian, Faithful, Fearful and Mistrust, battle weapons called All-Prayer, and places named "The Valley of the Shadow of Death," one need not expend too much effort decoding this allegory! 

No wonder I found this book such an encouragement when I first started out on my Christian walk! It made me aware that I, too, was a pilgrim passing through this world, that this was not my home and that I now served a new King. Though the path was narrow and fraught with danger, the one who remained alert and steadfast would reach his eternal home and enter the presence of his King.

... at the bottom of the hill ... he saw three men with shackles on their feet. They were fast asleep a little distance off the pathway. The name of one was Simple, another was Sloth, and the third was named Presumption.

Upon seeing them lie in this state, Christian went to them (if by chance he might awaken them) and cried, "You're like those who sleep on the top of the rigging, for the Dead Sea is under you, a gulf that has no bottom. Wake up, then, and leave here! If you desire, I'll help you rid yourselves of your shackles." He also told them, "If he who prowls around like a roaring lion comes by, he will certainly devour you."

With that, they looked up at him and began to reply in this manner:

                        "I see no danger," said Simple.

                        "Just a little more sleep," replied Sloth.

                        Presumption ended with, "Every tub must stand upon its own bottom."

       

          So they lay down to sleep again, and Christian continued on his way.

What good it did me to understand that I was on no easy pathway, that there would be struggles, fears, temptations, failures, as well as encouragements and God's daily provision during my own walk to the Celestial City. It set my heart to perseverance & reliance upon God along the way. I recommend the book to every new believer, lest they become lulled into the expectation of an easy journey, one without trials, without fears, without deprivations, without attack by the Enemy's forces.

Reading it again all these years later, different things capture my notice. I pine for the family that is left behind.

I told them what God had shown me concerning the destruction of our city. But I appeared to them to be like a mocker, and they didn't believe me... my wife was afraid of losing this world, and my children were carried away with the foolish delights of youth.

 And I grieve for the companions who start out on the walk with Christian, but turn back when the way becomes difficult and not to their liking...

Pliable began to be offended and angrily said to his companion, "Is this the happiness you've been telling me about all this time? If we make such poor progress at the beginning of our travel, what can we expect between here and our journey's end? If I get out (of the Swamp of Despond) alive, you will enter the fine country without me!

Whether newly saved or down the road a pace, I highly recommend spending time in this classic. L. Edward Hazelbaker's translation into modern English leaves you without excuse! Immerse yourself in the book Christians have read and profited from since it was first published in 1678.

... they were strangers and exiles on the earth. For those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a country of their own. And indeed if they had been thinking of that country from which they went out, they would have had opportunity to return. But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; for He has prepared a city for them.  [Hebrews 11:13-16]

"The Holiness of God" - FREE On-line Viewing

For a limited time, Ligonier is offering free on-line viewing of R.C. Sproul's video series based upon his book, The Holiness of God. I've listened through the tape series a few times and highly recommend it. Save $19.80 on the DVD series by taking advantage of this free offer!

Amazon gives the following description:

"The Holiness of God is Ligonier's most popular and enduring series. Literally thousands of people have testified to a transforming encounter with God through this series.

This classic can help you better understand the biblical picture of God's awesome holiness and why it is so foundational to God-centered, God-honoring theology and Christian living. In The Holiness of God, R.C. demonstrates that encountering God's holy presence is a terrifying experience. Dr. Sproul argues that this struggle is nonetheless necessary because it is the only way to cure our propensity to trust in ourselves and our own righteousness for salvation."

Click here to watch the series on-line.

What to Read? What to Read?

"Some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed and some few to be chewed and digested; that is, some books are to be read only in parts; others to be read, but not curiously; and some few to be read wholly, and with diligence and attention." [Sir Francis Bacon, Of Studies]

That got me thinking about how people choose what books they read. The modern book industry has become quite adept at flooding the market every year with "must-have" new books. Book marketing is both an art and a science. In our rush to consume the "new" we often forget all about the well-written older books. I recently read a book by British novelist Susan Hill ("Howards End is on the Landing") in which she poured over her bookshelves choosing a year's worth of reading/rereading material from among her own books. While I wouldn't necessarily make the same choices she did, her book did inspire me to take better advantage of my own library, instead of submitting to the siren call of book publishers and fattening the pockets of amazon stockholders.

I've considered "downsizing" my library, though the mere thought gives me the shivers. My interests do not generally run according to the offerings available in the local libraries. Their British history sections are pretty much limited to Princess Diana & her boys, theology & Bible commentaries are noticeably absent (and there is no seminary nearby), there's very little on archaeology, biographies are most likely to be about celebrities, and classic literature is usually available only in yellowed, brittle-paged paperbacks poured over & penciled in by hundreds & hundreds of former students. My aging eyes can't take the challenge. Such are the limitations of living in rural America where the current best sellers rule.

Somehow I have convinced myself that, not only will I live to be old enough to read & reread everything I want to, but extra time will miraculously appear from somewhere so that I may actually accomplish my goal. It's my dream and I'm sticking to it!

My first choice was to read something by Dorothy L. Sayers. I chose "The Nine Tailors," a Peter Whimsey mystery. I can't say I really wanted to know that much about British bell ringing, but it was fascinating to find out they are arranged on a mathematical basis, not by any particular tune. The ending seemed a bit abrupt. I'm still thinking about the significance of her having ended the book the way she did. Now I've started John Bunyan's "The Pilgrim's Progress." I chose a "modern English" text this time. I know, I'm a sissy. But there are so many books I'm working through for study, I decided to give myself a break in my pleasure reading. My next choice will be a Christian biography, I think, though I haven't quite decided which one yet.

If you could read from only your own library in the next year, what are some of the books you would choose? I'd be curious to hear your recommendations and the thinking behind your choices.

Ancient Board Games & Pieces

Apparently people have enjoyed playing board games for a very long time. It's interesting to find the progenitors of modern board games in Ancient Near East & Egyptian collections. The ancient Egyptian game, Senet, reminds me of a cross between cribbage and Parcheesi. We have a replica in the SS library that can be borrowed. (Directions included!) They used rib bones instead of die, and I've always appreciated that our replica game gives you the choice of wooden ribs or die. I think it's fun for the kids to figure out how many spaces to move by how the "bones" fall. We know a little more about this game, due to representations in tomb art and other ancient references, than we do about other Early Bronze games from the Ancient Near East. There's a Hounds & Jackals peg game in the Ancient Near East room at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston that closely resembles a cribbage board. Be sure to check it out if you visit. If you would like to read more about ancient games, you may enjoy this site, featuring games played in ancient Nabatea (think Petra) and common throughout the Near East.

                      Ivory Senet game from the tomb of Tutankhamun (c.1333 BC), Egyptian Museum

Egyptian Hounds & Jackals game, Metropolitan Museum of Art

Ancient Near East game boards and pieces, Early Bronze

                                                    

                                           Royal Game of Ur (British Museum) [Replica Game]

[Israeli Antiquities Authority website; The British Museum website]

Hebrew Word Pictures

"For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, 

And do not return there without watering the earth 

And making it bear and sprout, 

And furnishing seed to the sower and bread to the eater; 

So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth; 

It will not return to Me empty, 

Without accomplishing what I desire, 

And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it."

Isaiah 55:10-11

I love the word pictures of Hebrew poetry. I have much still to learn about the style, but with each new insight I gain, the more I appreciate the Psalms and other poetic sections of Scripture. I've been teaching the basics to our 5th/6th Sunday School class as part of a unit on basic hermeneutics, rules for rightly dividing God's Word. It has been quite exciting to see them catching on so quickly! I suspect their young minds are much quicker to absorb new concepts than ours often are. I especially love "the light bulb" look when they suddenly see & understand a passage in a way they had never seen it before. Up to this age, their approach to the Bible has been to consider it a collection of stories. They are more apt to view the Bible as a storybook about people who lived long ago - Moses, David, Jonah, Paul, than as a revelation of the living God, still active in the world today. By learning new skills they are awakening to the beauty of Scripture and the significance it has in their lives. 

This passage from Isaiah provides wonderful imagery of the effectiveness of God's Word by comparing it to rain and snow that falls upon the earth. "The images chosen," observes Delitzsch, "are rich with allusions. As snow and rain are the mediate cause of growth, and thus also the enjoyment of what is harvested, so also by the word of God the ground and soil of the human heart is softened, refreshed, and made fertile and vegetative, and this word gives the prophet, who is like the sower, the seed which he scatters, and it brings with it bread that nourishes the soul; for every word that proceeds from the mouth of God is bread. (Deut.8:3)"  (1)

(1) Quoted in Biblical Hermeneutics by Milton S. Terry [Eugene, OR: Wipf and Stock Publishers, 1999 (originally 1890), p.166]

For a very easy introduction to Inductive Bible Study, I recommend:

How to Study Your Bible, Kay Arthur

Flavor Your Spirit with the Words of God

"Oh, that you and I might get into the very heart of the Word of God, and get that Word into ourselves! As I have seen the silkworm eat into the leaf, and consume it, so ought we to do with the Word of the Lord—not crawl over its surface, but eat right into it till we have taken it into our inmost parts. It is idle merely to let the eye glance over the words, or to recollect the poetical expressions, or the historic facts; but it is blessed to eat into the very soul of the Bible until, at last, you come to talk in Scriptural language, and your very style is fashioned upon Scripture models, and, what is better still, your spirit is flavored with the words of the Lord.

I would quote John Bunyan as an instance of what I mean. Read anything of his, and you will see that it is almost like  reading the Bible itself. He had read it till his very soul was saturated with Scripture; and, though his writings are charmingly full of poetry, yet he cannot give us his Pilgrim’s Progress—that sweetest of all prose poems — without continually making us feel and say, “Why, this man is a living Bible!” Prick him anywhere—his blood is Bibline, the very essence of the Bible flows from him. He cannot speak without quoting a text, for his very soul is full of the Word of God. I commend his example to you, beloved."

Quoted from Charles Spurgeon  ["Mr. Spurgeon as a Literary Man,” in The Autobiography of Charles H. Spurgeon, Compiled from His Letters, Diaries, and Records by His Wife and Private Secretary, vol. 4, 1878-1892 (Curtis & Jennings, 1900)]

Suggested updated versions of John Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress, as well as the original, are listed below. Some of these are available in the SS Library. Just ask me!
The Pilgrim's Progress in Modern English
The Pilgrim's Progress: From This World to That Which Is to Come (illustrated)
Little Pilgrim's Progress: From John Bunyan's Classic, Helen Taylor (ages 9-12)
Dangerous Journey: The Story of Pilgrim's Progress, Oliver Hunkin (ages 9-12)
The Pilgrim's Progress (Unabridged, FREE for Kindle)

Be an "Amazing Old Man or Woman"

Jim Elliff (Christian Communicators Worldwide) recently wrote an essay entitled, "Preparing to Be an Amazing Old Man or Woman."  There is no retirement for a Christian, so it's worth taking the time to prepare yourself to be a faithful servant of God into your senior years. It's both a great privilege and a great responsibility to be used by God at any age! Here's an excerpt...

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It’s not uncommon for God to use older people. Take Caleb who fought giants as an octogenarian. Or Moses, who led a cantankerous people up to the promised land at 120. Remember Anna, the widow, who served God with prayers at the temple in Jerusalem. God delights in doing this, because it makes clear that the power for living and doing the will of God isn’t found in mere human capacity, but in God Himself. Is it possible that God could use you even more in your latter years than in the earlier ones?

1.  Learn the Bible as well as possible while you can read and think well. When you come to the latter years, you are supposed to be wise. Now, please tell me, how can you be wise without thinking God’s thoughts?

2.  Clear your conscience. Don’t harbor unresolved issues that will create worrisome trouble for you both now and later.

3.  Put love first... Jesus and the authors of the New Testament all testify to the supreme place of love in the life of true believers. It is the mark of maturity, the royal law, the perfect bond of unity. It is above all, and is the law of Christ.

4.  Be a giver... Be open-handed with your time, money, and things. 

5.  Don’t quit serving. Be an example of gracious service to God. God’s people don’t retire, but they do take different assignments. 

6.  Be an example of faithfulness. Loyalty to church... is in short supply these days. You can rectify that. Be as faithful to the gatherings and activities of the church as is physically possible. If you cannot drive, don’t feel badly about asking someone to pick you up. You can help cover their gasoline, or you can take them out to eat at times to show your gratitude. Be there even in the evening when most old folks sink into their easy chairs. What better place is there to be than in the fellowship of other believers? It will cheer your spirits, when slouching in the recliner will depress you. Teach the younger ones that they should pay any price to be with other believers. 

[The entire essay may be found here.]

Tang Dynasty Horses

Earlier this week I enjoyed spending the morning at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston with my oldest grandson, Nehemiah. On the way home he declared that he and I were "museum buddies," which truly warmed his Nana's heart! When I asked what his favorite work had been, he said he liked the Tang horses best. He's almost 5 and doesn't understand much about time and ancient history, but is able to connect with certain works, which greatly pleased me. I was particularly surprised when, unable to find a certain painting by Millet shown in his book, he pointed to another work by Millet on display and said, "There's another one of his paintings." Good eye, my boy! It will be interesting to see how his interest develops.

The Tang Dynasty horses, from the early 8th Century AD, have been popular with a number of children I've brought to the MFA over the years. This may be partially due to their resemblance to several famous "Disney" horses. Since I first saw them I have been convinced that the Disney artists were often inspired by ancient Chinese drawings and ceramics. The Chinese camel ceramics also have a familiar look about them.

I thought you might enjoy taking a look at these magnificent creatures. They are quite large, almost 2 feet tall and, as Nehemiah noticed from his low vantage point, they are hollowed out. (Take a look under their stomachs if you happen to see any at a museum.)

You can take a little self tour of some of the images of horses from the MFA in various mediums by clicking here. Enjoy!
If this area interests you, I'd recommend looking for a copy of "Imperial China: The Art of the Horse in Chinese History". Amazon has reasonably priced used copies. (Click on a photo for a closer look.)

Look familiar?

Where Infinite Value is Found

John Piper was recently the Keynote Speaker at the International Christian Retail Show for publishers & authors. He gave the following seven reasons why the Bible is of infinite value.

Many American believers are drowning in personal copies of God's Word, yet seldom open a single copy from Sunday to Sunday. They neglect to plug into our God-given source for power, a tool the Holy Spirit can use to great effect if we would only soak ourselves in it.

This is in contrast to believers around the world who hunger and thirst for God's Word. When my son spent a summer ministering in Uganda, men walked for miles and miles just to hear solid teaching and be given a Bible. A missionary friend, with New Tribes Missions in Papua New Guinea, just started teaching through Scripture, beginning with Genesis. Again, men and women are walking for miles to hear the teaching. They recognize it for what it is, the source of Truth, and it is beginning to have an affect upon them. How many people groups long for a copy of the Bible in their own language ... and you have so many available to you! Show your thankfulness by reading it, meditating upon it and obeying it!

Believers need to spend time deeply engaged with God's Word on a daily basis. "If conscience is to be directed by the Spirit of God it must be governed by the Word of God." (Mary S. Wood)  Plug into your power source!

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The Bible is of infinite value ...

1.  ... because it awakens and sustains faith. 

   "So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God."  (Rom.10:17)

2.  ... because by it we receive the Holy Spirit, who is infinitely valuable.    

    "Does He who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you do so by works of the law, or by 

     hearing with faith --"  (Gal.3:5)  

     Companion Passages: "be filled with the Spirit" (Eph.5:18) / "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly" 

     (Col.3:16) 

3.  ... because it creates and sustains spiritual life. 

     "these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing 

     you may have life in his name." (Jn.20:31)   

     "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God."  (Mt.4:4)

4.  ... because it gives hope.  

    "For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and 

     through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope."  (Rom.15:4)

5.  ... because it leads us to freedom.

     "If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set 

      you free." (Jn.8:31-32) 

     "Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth." (Jn.17:17) 

     "If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set 

      you  free." (Jn.8:31-32) 

6.  ... because by it alone can we defeat Satan. He's a real being and he's very powerful. Jesus relied 

      upon Scripture to defend Himself against him, can you do any less?

      "I am writing to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one."  (1Jn.2:13)

7. ... because it is the source of full and lasting joy.

     "Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits  

      in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and 

      night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not 

      wither. In all that he does, he prospers."  (Psalm 1:1-3)

     "I rejoice at your word like one who finds great spoil." (Psalm 119:162)

     "for I find my delight in your commandments, which I love."  (Psalm 119:47)

     "Oh how I love your law! It is my meditation all the day."  (Psalm 119:97)

     "How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!"  (Psalm 119:93)

      Jesus said, "These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full."

      (Jn.15:11)

      

 

Tears of the Saints

Lift up your eyes ... make disciples ... support ... pray ... send ... go ... have an eternal perspective on your life, Christian.

Finding Direction in Ministry

I admit to being taken aback by the tone of some of the ministry books coming out. To me, the mark of a good ministry book is the amount of focus given to rightly divided biblical truth. Am I seeing God... His beauty... His worthiness ... His infinite love and power ... what He asks of us ... the attitude and methods He requires for me to serve Him in the manner He desires? Am I being encouraged to maintain a humble attitude, a God-dependence, a self-denying manner of giving of my "self" to God and others? 

Unfortunately, many young ministry authors are choosing instead to play the "blame game"... who's fault is it? You may be familiar with this type of approach. Everything pretty much boils down to sheer failure on the part of the previous generation of parents and/or church members. The idea of a young, relatively inexperienced author setting himself up as the repository of knowledge and then proceeding to inform his audience about (1) how faithful believers of the previous generation did it all wrong, and (2) how he, the author, has the answer all of them missed, is incredibly audacious, no matter how skilled, insightful or creative he might be. Let me point out a few biblical truths we should never forget.

Truth #1: The parents and Christians of the previous generation, and the one before them, and the one before them, and so on, succeeded or failed as they remained true to God's revealed truth in Scripture. If you really want to be a godly parent or a godly servant of the Lord, then you need to really know God and His Son, Jesus Christ. Know His Word, obey it and teach it. Deny "self." Let the beauty of Christ increasingly shine forth in your attitudes, your words, your priorities and your actions.

Truth #2: Every generation has blind spots ... yours will, too. As each individual believer submits himself to the truth of God's Word, he will be renewed in his mind, which will result in a lifelong process of "putting off" wrong thinking and "putting on" God-honoring thinking.

Truth #3: The power to reach people for God, whether they are your children or those whom you minister to, resides with God. He is the One at work, He is the One calling, He is the One justifying, He is the One sanctifying ...  that He may receive all the glory. Don't be fooled into thinking it's your ideas, your skills, your abilities, your insight. You'll never survive a lifetime of faithful service if you mess this one up.

Truth #4: Developing an outlook, a worldview, a chronic attitude of finding fault will kill your own spiritual growth. Jesus wants you to keep your eyes on Him, not on the real or imagined shortcomings of others. He wants you to edify people using His Word. He wants to use you to build them up, to help them grow spiritually, to promote the unity of the body, to love the unlovely. Did you know the Greek word variously translated "exhort/ beseech/ encourage/ comfort" appears some 111 times in the New Testament? Do you want to know HOW to love, HOW to comfort, HOW to teach, HOW to impact the lives of others? Come alongside and shed the truths of God's Word into their lives! Scripture commands it again ... and again ... and again. Pray for them without ceasing. Keep your eyes upon Jesus, the Author and Finisher of your faith. Abide in the vine. Abide in the Word. That's how God says He wants you to minister. It may not sell books, but it will honor the God whom you serve.

How to Become a Better Reader

Do you read with your mind? You may be convinced that reading speed is the priority ... after all, there are so many books you want to read! Some may seek sheer, mindless entertainment, not considering that every piece of writing comes from a particular world-view which affects your thinking whether you realize it or not. Better to recognize it and be able to analyze it!

"'Every person carries in his head a mental model of the world - a subjective representation of external reality,' writes Alvin Toffler in Future Shock. This mental model is, he says, like a giant filing cabinet. It contains a slot for every item of information coming to us. It organizes our knowledge and gives us a place from which to argue. As E.F. Schumacher says, 'When we think, we do not just think: we think with ideas. Our mind is not a blank, a tabula rasa. When we begin to think, we can do so only because our mind is already filled with all sorts of ideas with which to think.' These "more or less fixed ideas" we think with constitute our mental model of the world - in other words, our world view." [James Sire]

I've read many books about how to be a discerning reader.  One of the best outcomes, I've realized, is that these skills have also helped me to become a better reader of God's Word. I'm currently rereading James Sires' The Joy of Reading (quoted above). Sadly, it's out of print. You may find a used copy on line, but be aware the binding will give way as soon as you start reading it. I've demolished two copies thus far. It's worth keeping it all together with a big rubber band, however! He does have a newer book covering the same ground, How to Read Slowly.

I thought I'd share a few of his recommendations to help get you on the road to becoming a more thoughtful, discerning reader. If you can't bear the thought of marking up a book, hopefully you will enjoy keeping a journal as you read. I've found both methods incredibly useful. One advantage to journaling is that you are able to refresh yourself to the main points of the book long after you've read it. Whether you hand write your observations & favorite quotes in a journal (I prefer spiral binding, which keeps it lying flat.) or use your laptop (easier on arthritic thumbs) ... why don't you give it a try! Remember ... it's not how fast or how many books you read, it's how well you read. These practices may slow you down considerably at first, but with a little practice they become second nature.

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1. Do not try to read fast; read at your normal rate - or more slowly. Speed reading may be of value for some things, but not for reading world-viewishly.

2. Read with a pen or pencil in hand: underline passages and terms and allusions which the author seems to be most interested in. This will come in handy as you attempt to find the thesis statement and the structure of the argument.

3. If you are reading a book other than an article or essay, read the preface and any other introductory material. This will often tell you what the author thinks he is doing and may give you valuable insight into his presuppositions, the methods he employs, and so forth.

4. Use a dictionary [dictionary.com] or other reference works [wikipedia.com] for all words and concepts you do not understand. One way to increase your vocabulary is to write the definition that applies above the word itself. (Here is a side benefit: You will learn to write small!) [I highly recommend Zebra F-402 pens!]

5. Underline [or highlight] major organizational words such as first, second, etc. This will help you understand the structure of the argument. You may wish to write numbers in the margins alongside important turns in the argument so that later you can grasp the organizational flow. 

6.  After reading the essay or chapter, immediately review it and locate the thesis. Most essays or chapters contain one sentence or paragraph or brief section which says in a nutshell what is going to be discussed or has been discussed. Usually this will be either near the beginning or near the end... Underline this section(s) and write thesis in the margin.

7.  Construct and note in the margin a crude outline of the entire essay or chapter. This is to help you see the way the author argues. It may lead you to discern how he thinks and why he believes his reasons are valid... With a book it is often helpful to study the Table of Contents. Some give an elaborate breakdown of the flow of the argument.

8.  Determine the genre of the piece you are reading. Ordinarily this is easy... You know you are reading an essay, a poem, a novel, a drama and so forth... Literary forms which cross the boundaries of fiction and history, such as historical fiction novels and fictionalized history force you to ask questions about what is fact and what is imagination. [It has been my experience that the more you know about an historical period, the less you will enjoy fictionalized accounts of it. Which, I suppose, should be a warning when I read fiction about time periods I do not know so well!] You also need to be sure that you have correctly identified the writer's relation to his material. Is he being facetious, satiric, humorous or straight? The stance of the author may vary through the piece, and it's important to note any shifts in approach.

9.  Consider if and how the author has achieved his purpose. What kind of evidence does he draw on? What authorities does he cite? Which does he criticize? Why? What objections does he take into consideration? Does he refute them? How?


 

Gospel Focus - Youth

Statistics will back me up, but one thing I have personally observed over the years is the sad reality that only some of our youth will come to have a saving relationship with Jesus Christ. Others will completely turn away, following their own heart's desires and others will "play" at Christianity, knowing all the outward forms, but lacking the regenerative power within their hearts. The response of too many parents will be that the church should "do" something guaranteed to bring about their child's salvation. If people in the church were only friendlier, their child would have been saved. If Youth Group had been more attractional, their child would have wanted to come and subsequently been saved. If more care packages had been sent out to the college freshmen, their child would have been saved. If a Youth Leader or Sunday School teacher had spent more personal one-on-one time, their child would have been saved. If the kids in Youth Group had been less cliquish and more loving, their child would have been saved.  I've heard it all and often wondered if those who hold such opinions have seriously studied the truths of Scripture. Yes, we're to be faithful messengers, but it is the Holy Spirit who saves, and  like the wind, He moves as He chooses. Jesus said, "The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit." (John 3:8)

So if it's the work of the Holy Spirit, then what is our role as Sunday School teachers, Youth leaders and parents? Scripture tells us we are to preach the gospel, for it is the gospel that is the power of God for salvation. (Romans 1:16) We are to teach who God is, what He expects of us, how He has worked in the past, how He continues to work today and what He will accomplish in the future. We teach how to rightly divide His Word, in the hope that the Holy Spirit may choose to use it at some point in the future to bring them to a saving knowledge of Christ. We diligently pray for their souls ... without ceasing. We model for them what God can do with an obedient heart that loves Him. These things need to be the focus of our teaching and practice, not merely promoting an outer conformity to prescribed behavior, for that would be repeating the errors of the Pharisees, nor fooling ourselves that attendance alone will guarantee a quickening of their spirit.

Pastor Jon Nielsen, College Church in Wheaton, recently wrote a post concerning these things. Instead of focusing on the youth who walk away, he made observations about the 20-somethings who stayed in the church or came back to it. You may read an excerpt below.
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... there is no one easy solution for bringing all of those “lost” kids back into the church, other than continuing to pray for them and speaking the gospel into their lives. However, we can all look at the 20-somethings in our churches who are engaged and involved in ministry. What is it that sets apart the kids who stay in the church? Here are just a few observations I have made about such kids, with a few applications for those of us serving in youth ministry.

1. They are converted.

The apostle Paul, interestingly enough, doesn’t use phrases like “nominal Christian” or “pretty good kid.” The Bible doesn’t seem to mess around with platitudes like: “Yeah, it’s a shame he did that, but he’s got a good heart.” When we listen to the witness of Scripture, particularly on the topic of conversion, we find that there is very little wiggle room. Listen to these words: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come” (2Cor.5:17). We youth pastors need to get back to understanding salvation as what it really is: a miracle that comes from the glorious power of God through the working of the Holy Spirit.

We need to stop talking about “good kids.” We need to stop being pleased with attendance at youth group and fun retreats. We need to start getting on our knees and praying that the Holy Spirit will do miraculous saving work in the hearts of our students as the Word of God speaks to them. In short, we need to get back to a focus on conversion. How many of us are preaching to “unconverted evangelicals”? Youth pastors, we need to preach, teach, and talk—all the while praying fervently for the miraculous work of regeneration to occur in the hearts and souls of our students by the power of the Holy Spirit! When that happens—when the “old goes” and the “new comes”—it will not be iffy. We will not be dealing with a group of “nominal Christians.” We will be ready to teach, disciple, and equip a generation of future church leaders—“new creations”!—who are hungry to know and speak God’s Word. It is converted students who go on to love Jesus and serve the church.

2. They have been equipped, not entertained.

... youth pastors especially need to keep repeating the words of Ephesians 4:11-12 to themselves: “[Christ] gave . . . the teachers to equip the saints for the work of the ministry, for building up the body of Christ.” Christ gives us—teachers—to the church, not for entertainment, encouragement, examples, or even friendship primarily. He gives us to the church to “equip” the saints to do gospel ministry, in order that the church of Christ may be built up.

If I have not equipped the students in my ministry to share the gospel, disciple a younger believer, and lead a Bible study, then I have not fulfilled my calling to them, no matter how good my sermons have been. We pray for conversion; that is all we can do, for it is entirely a gracious gift of God. But after conversion, it is our Christ-given duty to help fan into flame a faith that serves, leads, teaches, and grows. If our students leave high school without Bible-reading habits, Bible-study skills, and strong examples of discipleship and prayer, we have lost them. We have entertained, not equipped them . . . We don’t need youth group junkies; we need to be growing churchmen and churchwomen who are equipped to teach, lead, and serve. Put your youth ministry strategies aside as you look at that 16-year-old young man and ask: “How can I spend four years with this kid, helping him become the best church deacon and sixth-grade Sunday school class teacher he can be, ten years down the road?”

3. Their parents preached the gospel to them.

As a youth pastor, I can’t do all this. All this equipping that I’m talking about is utterly beyond my limited capabilities. It is impossible for me to bring conversion, of course, but it is also impossible for me to have an equipping ministry that sends out vibrant churchmen and churchwomen if my ministry is not being reinforced tenfold in the students’ homes. The common thread that binds together almost every ministry-minded 20-something that I know is abundantly clear: a home where the gospel was not peripheral but absolutely central. The 20-somethings who are serving, leading, and driving the ministries at our church were kids whose parents made them go to church. They are kids whose parents disciplined them and held them accountable when they were rebellious. They are kids whose parents read the Bible around the dinner table every night. And they are kids whose parents were tough, but who ultimately operated from a framework of grace that held up the cross of Jesus as the basis for peace with God and forgiveness toward one another.

This is not a formula! Kids from wonderful gospel-centered homes leave the church; people from messed-up family backgrounds find eternal life in Jesus and have beautiful marriages and families. But it’s also not a crap-shoot. In general, children who are led in their faith during their growing-up years by parents who love Jesus vibrantly, serve their church actively, and saturate their home with the gospel completely, grow up to love Jesus and the church. The words of Proverbs 22:6 do not constitute a formula that is true 100 percent of the time, but they do provide us with a principle that comes from the gracious plan of God, the God who delights to see his gracious Word passed from generation to generation: “Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.”

Youth pastors, pray with all your might for true conversion; that is God’s work. Equip the saints for the work of the ministry; that is your work. Parents, preach the gospel and live the gospel for your children; our work depends on you.

[The entire post may be found here.]

William Wilberforce

The church history website christianity.com has a short overview of the life of William Wilberforce written by Dan Graves. (See below.) Many of you may have seen the film, but don't stop there! Films are notorious for twisting facts and glossing over spiritual issues. Read a good biography such as Hero for Humanity by Kevin Belmonte. [There's a copy in the FBC Library.] Christian biographies are an excellent way to learn how believers through the ages have persevered to the end, living out their lives to the glory of God. What an encouragement to our own Christian walk!  "Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith..." (Heb.12:1-2)
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No man fought harder to abolish slavery than William Wilberforce. A member of Parliament, he introduced antislavery measures year after year for 40 years until he retired in 1825. On ... July 26, 1833, as he lay dying, word was brought him that the bill to outlaw slavery everywhere in the British empire had passed in Parliament. The dream for which he had struggled for decades was now within sight of fulfillment!

Wilberforce had not always been a serious opponent of slavery. As a youth he was a witty, somewhat dissipated man about town who had misspent his time at Cambridge. He was invited to every party.
A friend of William Pitt (who became Prime Minister) and a member of Parliament, Wilberforce seemed assured of a bright political future. And then in 1784, after winning his election in Yorkshire, he accompanied his sister to the Riviera for her health. Isaac Milner, a tutor at Queen's College Cambridge and acquaintance from college days was asked along. Isaac agreed.

Milner had become a deep and evangelical Christian. He began to persuade Wilberforce to commit his life to Christ. Wilberforce had always thought himself a Christian. Now he saw that total commitment to Christ was needed. He struggled in anguish for several months. During that time he read Philip Doddridge's The Rise and Progress of Religion in the Soul. Here was a faith far deeper than anything he had known. Gradually he yielded.

At once he began to wonder if it was proper for him to hold a seat in government. He confided in Pitt. Pitt, wanting Wilberforce as an ally, urged him to remain. Unsettled in his conscience, Wilberforce spoke to the rector John Newton. Newton, best remembered as the author of the hymn "Amazing Grace," had been converted while a blasphemous sailor and slaver. He counseled Wilberforce to remain in politics and champion good causes.

Friends suggested that the young man take up the slavery issue. Pitt also requested it. After many doubts, Wilberforce decided it was what God wanted. He also felt he must tackle causes which would raise the standard of life and morals in England. The friends who gathered around him became known as the Clapham sect because most lived in the village of Clapham.

Rarely in history have so many owed so much to so few. These dozen or so Clapham men and women not only fought against slavery but also against every sort of vice. Many were wealthy. They employed their worldly goods in behalf of godly causes. Education of the masses, support of Bible societies, private charity, protection of chimney sweeps, creation of Sunday Schools and orphanages--these and dozens of other causes received their attention. But it is the abolition of slavery which remains their greatest achievement.

  

 

Like Matches in the Hands of a Child

"At that time the disciples came to Jesus and said, "Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven? And He called a child to Himself and set him before them, and said, "Truly I say to you, unless you are converted and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever then humbles himself as this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven." (Mt.18:1-4) No one comes to God without humble, child-like faith. It's the place we must start the Christian life. Jesus said, "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." Only those who come to understand their spiritual poverty, their utter bankruptcy before a holy God may enter, because only they are able to entrust themselves completely to Christ's finished work on their behalf. As long as they hold onto any vestige of the idea they have somehow earned or even co-earned their salvation, they have missed Christ's point.

But we are not to remain child-like when it comes to knowing and obeying God's Word. "For everyone who partakes only of milk is not accustomed to the word of righteousness, for he is an infant. But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil." (Heb.5:13-14) The implications of long-term biblical illiteracy are catastrophic, both personally and corporately! As believers, we need to maintain that child-like humility as we approach God's Word, but we need to be progressively maturing in our understanding of and obedience to it.

I recently came across a descriptive post making this very point at The Ordinary Pastor blog. Personally, I'm better at handling Scripture than I am at illustrating it. Therefore, I'm always thankful for those who excel in this area!

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One of my joys in life is the time that I get to spend with our kids before their bed time. They love to read their books. They talk and discover. It’s great.

I noticed an alarming trend with our youngest little girl though. Zoe likes to skip pages. She moves ahead to her favorite part and then she starts gabbing. Oftentimes she is talking about things that do not even relate to the story. You  know, things like, “Monkey says “AHAHAHA!” or “RED hat!” These are important facts, no doubt, but not really related to the story.

As I was sitting there, smiling and laughing, I was convicted. I think that a lot of times we read our Bibles like Zoe reads her cardboard books. Sometimes we are all about moving the book mark ahead in the Bible reading program. We fail to sit and stare at the scenery, discover new details, and breathe in the fresh gospel breeze. 

Other times when we do focus on details, we focus on things that aren’t key components of the big picture. We can get really good at knowing verses and not knowing the story. Texts without a context are like matches in a kids hand. It’s just a matter of time.

Still other times we may read our Bibles with the level of intellectual engagement that rivals a 2-year-old. The Bible is meant to be read, chewed upon, digested, and lived out. It is not merely a spiritual flouride that we swish around in our mouths for a morning cleaning, and then spit out with little impact throughout the day. Instead, we are to marinate our very souls in it that we might begin to have the biblical flavor and scent sweat out in our very lives.

So, yes, become like a dependent, humble, amazed and vulnerable little child when you come to Jesus. And walk in this posture in your ongoing neediness. However, when it comes to our Bible reading, we would be better off if we wiped our chins and engaged with the Book a bit.

20 Ways to Engage Your Neighbors

The past few months I've become aware of several families at church who have been making concerted efforts to  reach out to their neighbors. Sometimes it can be difficult to come up with creative ideas, so I thought I'd share some suggestions I happened upon in a blog and adapted a bit for our area. "Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us." [2Cor.5:20]
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Not all of these are for everyone, but hopefully there will be several ideas on the list that God uses to help you engage your neighbors.

1. Stay outside in the front yard longer while watering the yard
2. Walk your dog regularly around the same time in your neighborhood
3. Sit on the front porch. letting kids play in the front yard
4. Pass out baked goods (fresh bread, cookies, brownies, etc.)
5. Invite neighbors over for dinner
6. Attend the parties invited to by neighbors
7. Do a food drive or coat drive in winter and get neighbors involved
8. Have a game night (yard games outside, or board games inside)
9. Grow a garden and give out extra produce to neighbors
10. Start a weekly open meal night in your home
11. Do a summer BBQ every Friday night and invite others to contribute
12. Host a sports game watching party
13. Host a coffee and dessert night
14. Organize and host a ladies' craft night
15. Organize a tasting tour on your street (everyone sets up food and table on front porch)
16. Start a walking/running group in the neighborhood
17. Start hosting a play date weekly for other stay at home parents
18. Organize a carpool for your neighborhood to help save gas
19. Have a front yard ice cream party in the summer
20. Help elderly neighbors with yard work or home repairs

[original post]

Who's Running the Show?

Living the balanced Christian life is not an easy thing. A motivating pastor or college professor, a book or two promoting "extreme" Christian living, having an awakening sense of the great need in the world all have the potential to get us running around, darting in different directions like humming birds seeking out nectar. The current stress in Christendom seems to be upon "doing."  But undergirding all that "doing" needs to be a life centered upon Christ. That's ground zero, that's our starting point and that's our resting point. If it's not, then what we're "doing" is in our own strength, not Christ's, for our own glory, not Christ's. Goals can become "ours," not Christ's. Our methods can easily become "what works," not what honors Christ. Here's an interesting piece concerning these things. An excerpt...

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“There is a first-rate commitment to a second-rate mission.” That is what Roger, a leader in global church planting, said as he looked at the rock climbers ascending a cliff in the Alps. Many of us called into ministry feel the same way. Rather than giving our lives to climbing a rock, building a business, or amassing a fortune, we are committed to what really matters; a first-rate mission -- advancing the Gospel and the Church of Jesus Christ.

But what if we’re wrong?

Roger spent decades serving Christ and planting churches on four continents. But after reflecting on his labor for the kingdom of God, his confession surprised many of us. “I’ve given most of my energy to a second-rate mission as well,” he said. “Don’t get me wrong. Church planting is great. But someday that mission will end. My first calling is to live with God. That must be my first commitment.”

What Roger articulated was a temptation that many in ministry face. To put it simply, many church leaders unknowingly replace the transcendent vitality of a life with God for the ego satisfaction they derive from a life for God...

Is impact everything?

The students I meet with often worry about what awaits them after graduation. This is a reasonable concern for any young adult, but for many of them the worry extends far beyond finding a job with benefits. They fixate, and some obsess, about “making a difference in the world.” They fear living lives of insignificance. They worry about not achieving the right things, or not enough of the right things. Behind all of this is the belief that their value is determined by what they achieve. .. When we come to believe that our faith is primarily about what we can do for God in the world, it is like throwing gasoline on our fear of insignificance. The resulting fire may be presented to others as a godly ambition, a holy desire to see God’s mission advance--the kind of drive evident in the Apostle Paul’s life. But when these flames are fueled by fear they reveal none of the peace, joy, or love displayed by Paul. Instead the relentless drive to prove our worth can quickly become destructive.

Sometimes the people who fear insignificance the most are driven to accomplish the greatest things. As a result they are highly praised within Christian communities for their good works which temporarily soothes their fear until the next goal can be achieved. But there is a dark side to this drivenness. Gordon MacDonald calls it “missionalism.” It is “the belief that the worth of one’s life is determined by the achievement of a grand objective.” He continues:

Missionalism starts slowly and gains a foothold in the leader's attitude. Before long the mission controls almost everything: time, relationships, health, spiritual depth, ethics, and convictions. In advanced stages, missionalism means doing whatever it takes to solve the problem. In its worst iteration, the end always justifies the means. The family goes; health is sacrificed; integrity is jeopardized; God-connection is limited.^[1]

...While a vision for serving God is needed, and the desperate condition of our world cannot be ignored, there is a higher calling that is going unanswered in many Christian communities. As shepherds of God’s people, we must not allow our fears of insignificance to drive us into an unrelenting pursuit of church growth, cultural impact, or missional activism. Instead, we must model for our people a first-class commitment to a first-class purpose -- living in perpetual communion with God himself.

[Related post "Eyes on God"]
[entire post here.]
[1] Dangers of Missionalism

Expectations

In Letter 30 of The Screwtape Letters (C.S. Lewis), the high-ranking demon, Screwtape, counsels his young protege, Wormwood, with this bit of advice for tempting men away from God and into sin: "Whatever men expect, they soon come to think they have a right to." One difficulty we face as we live out the Christian life is that we've synthesized our expectations concerning what this life should be like, our "world view" if you will, from any number of sources ... not all of them biblical. The more time we personally spend in God's revelation, the more aware we become of areas in our thinking where we need to change our view of reality and truth. That's what it means to "renew your mind." (Eph.4:22-24).

Though it was more than 40 years ago, I can clearly recall the high expectations everyone had for the members of my graduating high school class.  Our class song was "The Impossible Dream"... 1968 was the beginning of the you-can-be-whatever-you-want-to-be, you-can-have-it-all movement. That's not true, of course. It's really an unkindness to even make such promises. It didn't take long for things to fall apart... bad behavior, bad circumstances, bad health, bad luck. In similar fashion, many begin the Christian life with equally impossible expectations. Often it comes down to one question ... Why did you start the Christian walk? Was it in the expectation of having an easier life? Was it in the expectation of having a support system of people to help smooth your path through life? Was it in the expectation of having a life crisis resolved? Or was it because you saw the beauty and value of Jesus Christ, and came to understand that His worth, His excellence was such a treasure, you were willing to suffer any insult, any want, any deprivation, any difficulty or unpleasantness if you could only follow Him, love Him, serve Him?

Jesus told us to consider the cost of following Him ... "And He was saying to them all, "If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me." [Lk.9:23] Luke uniquely adds that one interesting little word to Jesus' call to those who follow Him ..."daily". Today ... and tomorrow ... and every single day after that until you're home. Are you willing to deny "self" daily... i.e. are you willing to have your toes stepped on, willing to be ignored in ministry, willing to suffer illness, mistreatment, discomfort, criticism, pain, insult, willing to have things not go your way? Are you willing to graciously submit to the authority He has placed over you, willing to live for Christ's glory, not your own, willing to completely entrust yourself to Him, to deny your will for His will? That is what Jesus asks of His followers.

In his letter to the Philippians, the Apostle Paul offered believers great insight from his own walk before the Lord. Few, if any, of us can say we have followed our Lord as faithfully and single-mindedly as Paul did. And what did he get for his life of faithfulness? Ease? Respect? Appreciation? Safe travels? No pain? No trials? No discomfort? He lists his earthly struggles in 2 Cor.11:23-27. 

... in far more labors, in far more imprisonments, beaten times without number, often in danger of death. Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.  

Yet, to the church at Philippi he wrote, "I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content." [Phil.4:11] How did he do that? Well, he says it was something he "learned," which means God allowed him ample opportunities to practice being content in Christ, to find his joy and contentment in his relationship with Him. Secondly, we see in other portions of this letter that Paul set his expectations upon the right goals for his earthly life, God-honoring goals, ones that were impervious to any circumstance he might face. Read through Philippians and find them. He made it his goal to magnify Christ [Phil.1:20]. He made it his goal to pour out his life in Christ-honoring service to others [Phil.2:17]. He made it his goal to know Christ [Phil.3:8]. Philippians 1:21 sums it all up, "For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain." Make THAT your goal in life and you will be content, no matter the circumstance, no matter the trial, no matter the pain, no matter the grief. Develop an eternal perspective to life and like Paul, though you may grieve, though you may suffer, though you may be mistreated or maligned ... you will be content.