JOYFUL ORTHODOXY

Why Do Youth Grow Up and Stay in Church?

2013-07-30T12:10:00.002-05:00

It's no secret that, many times, youth who grow up attending church often leave the faith when they get to college. Jon Nielson writes for the Gospel Coalition on some traits shared by youth who stay in church after they've grown up:

1. They are converted.
2. They were equipped rather than entertained.
3. Their parents preached the gospel to them.

Read his explanation of each HERE.

Leaving CVCC

2013-07-25T14:48:00.000-05:00

My heart is full of thankfulness as I write this. I would have said something in church on Sunday but I know myself well enough to know that I would not have been able to keep it together. It would have turned into a blubbery, snotty mess of indistinguishable half-sentences. Maybe my imagination is lacking but I had a hard time picturing how anyone would want to see that.

Many now know, as of August 23rd I will no longer be the Associate Pastor at Central Valley Community Church. On September 1st I will give my first sermon as the Pastor of Stromsburg Baptist Church in Stromsburg, Nebraska.

Tristan and I have been praying about a transition into a senior pastor role for over a year. With Chris' encouragement and the support of the elders I began actively searching in January. The active search followed the most painful time I've ever experienced in ministry. God used a dog pile of circumstances to slowly and painfully reveal a host of weaknesses and sinful attitudes within me. The search itself was grueling and truly tested my patience (I often failed these tests) causing me to reflect a lot on what God has revealed to me about myself and ministry over these last few years.

At the risk of promoting my own wisdom, I'd like to share a bit of my story and include what God has taught me. My hope is that Central Valley Community Church would read it and be resolved that the commitment and sacrifice necessary to train pastors for ministry is not only worthwhile but also absolutely essential.

The First Couple of Years: I think that I know I'm arrogant...but I don't.

I never seem to plumb the depths of my pride. Every season of life a new layer is peeled away. I arrived at CVCC in 2007 thinking I was pretty special. My first youth group sessions, sermons and Sunday School lessons, while theologically sound, were also showcases for my own pride. I came into ministry with very idealistic expectations, believing I knew exactly how ministry should work and how the church should be. This blind pride made me impatient and graceless.

God's grace to me in this season was unfathomable. His waves and billows hammered at the fortress of my pride from every direction:

Pastors that were smarter, more experienced and more disciplined than me
My surprising inability to change people's hearts
Critics that couldn't and wouldn't be satisfied no matter what
Relationships that exposed my hard-hearted, critical spirit
The remaining presence of temptations I thought ministry would just "take away"

The Middle Years: I think that I know the Gospel...but I don't.

Every avenue that God used to hammer at my pride in those first years God also used to open the gospel up to me in ways I had not yet felt and experienced. The only new avenue was an amazing and beautiful wife. If God loves you, being married teaches you how often you need to seek forgiveness. If it wasn't for the gospel, marriage would cause me to frequently despair. Not because my marriage is difficult but because my marriage constantly causes me to come up against my limits, my internal ugliness and my only hope in Christ.

The anchor of this season, and the present one as well, was the truth that I need the gospel now as much as I did when I was lost. I began to see, because of passages like Colossians 1 and II Peter 1:9, that my need for the gospel had not diminished as I had "grown" as a Christian. It was my need for the gospel that had grown.

The Final Years: I think I know my future...but I don't.

One night I was listening to a seminar by Joshua Harris when a comment struck me. He said that the average time a pastor stays in one church is down to 3.5 years. In the seminar he encouraged youth and associate pastors to consider sticking with their ministries longer. He challenged associate pastors not to think of their ministries as a "stepping stool" into some other ministry. I was inspired. I had never wanted to think of CVCC as a stepping stone into something better but I had not resolved to commit any specific amount of time. I became excited at the prospect of working with CVCC, long term, to see more student pastors trained, more elders installed, more disciples made without seeking any of it to pad my resume.

These years have been difficult but precious. Tristan and I now have two amazing, beautiful kids and as our family has grown God has humbled us. CVCC's commitment to training student pastors grew into a formalized, theological rigorous, highly practical pastoral training program (visit the TPA site for more info). Our vision for ministry became more centralized on making disciples the long, hard (biblical) way. God radically blessed the finances of the church in a way that's allowed us to begin paying down our debt while supporting missions and church planting. I've seen students graduate to pursue God on their campuses and even on the mission field. I've also seen students graduate to pursue ungodly things, but, in most cases, they still let me share the gospel with them. I'm thankful for that. In all this I began to see myself at CVCC for a long time, acting on the conviction I felt when I first heard Josh Harris' challenge.

As 2011 was beginning to roll into 2012 we started to pray about whether God might be pleased to move us into another ministry setting. The factors and circumstances which contributed to this initial time of prayer and to our decision are too many to share.

Among them was a growing feeling that if I didn't move into a senior role I would begin to use my commitment to faithful associate ministry as an excuse to "hide out" where I was comfortable. My commitment to associate ministry was genuine but neither did I want it to become something I used to protect myself from change.

Additionally, God used the enduring affirmation, support, and insight of Pastor Chris, the elders, and the members of CVCC to confirm that it would not be foolish to pursue a senior pastor role. The refrain I keep on hearing from CVCC is that it's sad we're leaving but exciting to think about what God will do.

CVCC gave me the chance to receive training, formation and experience that no seminary in the world could have provided. Ever. I feel truly blessed to have received training at CVCC and to serve my last few years here as an associate pastor. If I could go back to 2007 I wouldn't even think about making a different decision.

Tristan and I are bursting with enthusiasm and love for the people we met in Stromsburg. We're so excited to join our new church home and be partners with them in ministry. Our time at Central Valley has been invaluable and life-altering. Through the ministry here we've seen more of God, more of His gospel and more of His Spirit in the people who worship him. God continues to chip away at my pride and his work won't be done until he arrives in glory. What a glorious day it will be to celebrate his coming in the company of the saints at Central Valley Community Church (and at Stromsburg Baptist Church).

We love CVCC very much! May His name be praised in Hartford because of your faith.

Tourette Syndrome and the Fear of Death

2013-07-23T14:20:00.001-05:00

In the following scene from the film, What About Bob, "Siggy" and "Bob" talk about their mutual fear of death. I have to say the clip doesn't appear very comical out of context, so you'll have to to trust me that it originally plays funnier. This scene was referenced in Sunday's Sermon on the Passover from Exodus 12.

As the clip closes Siggy has asked Bob, "what else is there to be afraid of?" Bob, who is already afraid of most things, responds, "There's always tourette syndrome."
Siggy naturally asks, "What's tourette sydrome?"

Following the clip we hear the two of them interrupting the peace and quiet of the house as they pretend to have tourette syndrome. After they're settled down Siggy says to his mom, "Bob gave me something much better to be afraid of than death."

While I doubt the theological intentions of the writer, the clip does serve to show something about how we think about and deal with death. You and I, especially in America work very hard to insulate ourselves from death. On the extreme end we take special surgical or medicinal measures to appear younger than we are. In the middle range we speak of the dead as those who have “passed on” or “gone to a better place” no matter how much of a villain they may have been in this life. On the more subtle end we might do something like watch horror movies and subject ourselves to two hours of darkness as we watch death indiscriminately annihilate beautiful actors and actresses, so that when the lights come up we can look at ourselves and know that we’ve made it; we’ve escaped.

But none of us are going to escape it. We can’t deny that sin affects us (i.e., that we are sinners) because we can’t deny that we’re going to die. And what will we say to our maker when we face him in all of his perfection?

Exodus 11 through 12 offers an answer. You can listen to Sunday's Sermon, "The Benefits of Being God's Child" HERE.

July Elder Update 2013

2013-07-17T10:25:00.003-05:00

PRAYERS & PRAISES

The elders at CVCC meet once to twice a month as those given the responsibility of spiritually leading the church and nourishing it with God’s word. Since this responsibility is first and foremost a spiritual one, the first hour or more of our meetings is concentrated on praises and prayers. We feel it is valuable to publish a monthly report to not only share these praises and prayer requests but to update the congregation on the ministry at CVCC.

PRAISES:

God’s grace and presence with the youth and leaders who attended the Urban Plunge in Sioux Falls. It was enlightening, fruitful weekend.
The blessing of being able to send Hannah Ely to Bible translation training, fully funded.
New members and recent baptisms

PRAYERS:

For those individuals battling illness
Marriages and families
Unity in love and truth
Growth in our faith
Families experiencing loss and grief
The new families attending CVCC
Pastor Cory and family as they transition into a new ministry in Stromsburg, NE.
Brandon Church plant
VBS (July 28^th through August 1^st)
Our military and their families

Pastor Cory’s New Ministry

After more than a year and a half of prayer and 6 months of actively searching for a senior pastor position Cory and his family have been led to accept the senior pastor role at Stromsburg Baptist Church in Stromsburg, Nebraska. It will be a bittersweet transition for them but one they’re very excited about. Cory’s first Sunday at SBC is September 1^st. Pray for them as their hearts for ministry will be in two places at once until that time.

Zao Community Church

Please continue to be in prayer for Zach and the Brandon church plant. They are seeking to extend their reach to young families. In this regard, we would like to prayerfully consider the possibility of sending a couple of CVCC families to worship and partner with them. Info on Zao at: http://www.zaochurch.org/

Deacon Update

Several have answered the call to be on the deacon team. The elders have tentatively scheduled a training meeting for the deacons on September 22^nd immediately following the service. We look forward to working with this team, further defining their mission at CVCC and anticipate introducing the team this fall.

Two Services

Things are really shaping up for us to be able to go to 2 services beginning September 8^th. This allows us to make more room for those who wish to attend and also helps us stay ahead of the major growth that is in store for Hartford as we anticipate a lot of new housing being built right in our own neighborhood!

The demand of conducting two services has caused God to move in many people’s hearts to step up and fill holes. God is blessing our plans for this transition abundantly!

Schedule for Worship Services in the Fall:

8:30-9:30 1^st Service
9:45-10:45 Sunday School
11:00-12:00 2^nd Service

ELDER STUDY: Dangerous Calling

Once a month, our meetings consist largely of bible-based studies designed to grow our faith and equip us for elder ministry. For July, we continued the study, “DANGEROUS CALLING: CONFRONTING THE UNIQUE CHALLENGES OF PASTORAL MINISTRY” by Paul David Tripp.

July’s lesson centered on “The Danger of Arrival.” This means forgetting who we are in relation to God. The Word of God is the most accurate diagnostic for who we are and what we need. It tells us the horror of our sinful condition but at the same time offers hope and salvation. This ought to make us people that do not fear transparency and honesty but, as Christians, this is still something with which we struggle.

We were reminded that no one ‘graduates from grace’ and that we ought to consider our own sins to be as serious as the sins of others.

Psalm 51 provided the biblical basis for being reminded that our greatest problem is not our outward circumstances but our internal struggle against our sin and that this ought to produce in us not only humility but also courage to speak with loving honesty to one another.

It's a humbling thing to serve CVCC as elders and we count it a joy. Hard copies of the update are also available on the resource shelf in the entry way of the church. On those you'll find contact information for each elder. Feel free to share any prayer requests, praises or encouragements.

Is God Calling You to Partner with a New Church Plant?

2013-07-02T12:55:00.000-05:00

This past Sunday Pastor Zach Somerlot preached to us from Malachi 1 on God's mission for the world. His invitation was not only to participate in God's mission for His glory but also to consider whether or not God might be calling some of us to partner with him and his church as they are starting to minister in Brandon, SD.

Here is some of the information Zach shared with us, followed by a link to his sermon that invites us to consider an invitation to partner with the church plant in Brandon.

Disturbing Statistics in Brandon

According to the last census in 2010, Brandon’s population is 8,908.

That is a 42% growth rate since the last census ten years ago.

Only 26.1% attend a Christian church (not including the Mormon Church).

That means over 6,500 people in Brandon are not a part of a church.

Only 7.1% attend an evangelical church.

That means about 8,200 people do not attend an evangelical church.

Many of the church goers listed above who live in Brandon attend church in Sioux Falls.
Observations:
If this does give any indicator of the spiritual pulse of Brandon, it isn’t good. Many are lost in Brandon and are heading for hell.
Perhaps a bigger issue is that, if these statistics are correct, there is a shockingly low number of people laboring for the true gospel in Brandon: there is a low number of actual bible-believing Christians in Brandon. And many of the bible believing Christians, living in Brandon, many attend church in Sioux Falls.
Who then is aiming to reach Brandon? Not many! Brandon needs thriving churches who believe the bible, preach the true gospel and reach out to the lost!

What we are asking you to commit to:
Prayer

Labor in prayer for us and for more laborers.
Sign up to receive our weekly e-mail to guide your prayers

Your Presence

Attend our Sunday gatherings (services) every week or a couple times a week
Come to other events and meetings when able
Have your kids involved in our youth group and other events/ programs

Free us up to do ministry

It would be a huge blessing for us if you would help out in the nursery or help teach Sunday school.
It would also be a blessing to us if you manned tables, food lines, activities, etc., at events, which would free us up to interact with people.

Give us encouragement/ critical feedback

We hope you will encourage us to continue on with the mission
We covet your constructive outsider-coming-in perspective

I highly recommend listening to Zach's Sermon HERE for more details and the heart behind the mission.

May/June Elder Update (2013)

2013-06-26T09:36:00.002-05:00

PRAISES:

The youth within our Church who are going on “The Urban Plunge” to serve our neighbors in Sioux Falls.
The Church Body has so many loving members who comfort and support those in need.
The blessing of being able to send Hannah Ely to Bible translation training, fully funded.
New members and recent baptisms

PRAYERS:

For those individuals battling illness
Marriages and families
Unity in love and truth
Growth in our faith
Families experiencing loss and grief
The new families attending CVCC
Brandon Church plant
VBS (July 28^th through August 1^st)
Our military and their families

ELDER MEETINGS SUMMARY: May / June 2013

Summer Ministry Intern
Alex Qualm is working with Pastors Chris and Cory as they seek to build on his strengths and challenge him to grow. Alex will have an increased role on the worship team, train on Sunday morning media, and build on discipleship. Please continue to pray for Alex as he seeks to be faithful to God’s calling in his life.

Zao Community Church

Youth Ministry

Some of the youth ministry plans for the upcoming year were discussed. We reviewed what the structure may look like and what some needs may be. We praise the Lord for blessing us with individuals that are willing to serve in building up and encouraging the youth attending CVCC.

Deacon Update

We continue to seek God’s will in putting together a Deacon team. Several have answered the call to be on the team. We look forward to working with this team, further defining their mission at CVCC and anticipate introducing the team this fall.

Two Services

At this time, this is primarily a prayer request for a smooth transition. Pray for trust in a mighty God as we make this transition in the Fall.

Tentative schedule:

8:30-9:30 1^st Service
9:45-10:45 Sunday School
11:00-12:00 2^nd Service

New Members & Baptisms

Recent New Members: Wayne & Janelle Shanks

Baptisms: Hanna Ely, Zach Ely, Sophonise Nielson, Madison Holman, Jeremy Nettifee, Damir Muharemovic, Audra Pooley

ELDER STUDY: Dangerous Calling

Once a month, our meetings consist largely of bible-based studies designed to grow our faith and equip us for elder ministry. For May and June, we continued the study, “DANGEROUS CALLING: CONFRONTING THE UNIQUE CHALLENGES OF PASTORAL MINISTRY” by Paul David Tripp.

May’s lesson centered on FEAR, fear that can turn a ministry heart upside-down. The study reviews 4 debilitating fears to ministry. 1) Fear of you – feeling inadequate 2) Fear of circumstances – the unpredictable 3) Fear of others – opinions 4) Fear of future. Paul Tripp again stresses our nee
d to be in awe of God.

The June lesson spoke to mediocrity. Although the focus was on the worship service and sermon, the message could apply to all aspects of our walk with Christ. Paul stated that mediocre ministry won’t bear fruit. Then, going back to his core theme, if you lost your awe of God, mediocrity will be a problem.

A hard copy of this update will be available on the resource shelf at the church this coming Sunday. Feel free to contact any of the elders with additional prayer requests, praises, or encouragement.

What Are We Supposed To Do With This Zipporah?

2013-06-24T06:00:00.001-05:00

If you were in church on Sunday, or if you've been reading Exodus along with our sermon series, you probably won't soon forget the bizarre account in Exodus 4.

After Moses obediently begins his return journey to Egypt, being called by God to lead Israel out of slavery, God actually "sought to put him to death":

"At a lodging place on the way the Lord met him and sought to put him to death. 25 Then Zipporah took a flint and cut off her son's foreskin and touched Moses' feet with it and said, 'Surely you are a bridegroom of blood to me!' 26 So he let him alone. It was then that she said, 'A bridegroom of blood,' because of the circumcision" (Exodus 4:24-26, ESV).

Here's the basic summary of what's going on in this bizarre encounter:
1. Israel is a covenant people.
God has committed himself to Israel and has faithfully responded to Israel's suffering by sending them a deliverer in Moses.
2. Israel must bear the sign of God's covenant to be obedient to it.
The sign of this covenant was circumcision.
3. Moses' is supposed to be the leader.
As the leader and deliverer of God's covenant people, Moses has not been faithful to circumcise, even his own son.
4. Disobedience is VERY serious.
God takes our disobedience seriously and not even Moses is exempt from God's displeasure over disobedience.
5. Moses' life is preserved by the actions of another.
All of Moses' life is a lesson in the necessity of salvation because of the actions of another. Moses' life was spared as an infant by the actions of no less than 4 people (his parents, sister and pharaoh's daughter). Here, it is spared by the actions of his wife. God accepts the intercession on Moses' behalf.
6. Here, God spares the life of Israel's deliverer, that Israel might be saved from slavery.

The Big Question: So, what does this mean for us today?

Today, we have been given a far better deliverer from a far more serious slavery. Only, this deliverer, unlike Moses, was never disobedient. He was tempted in every way that we are, yet was without sin. This deliverer, unlike Moses, was not spared from death but was in fact slain according to God's definite plan and foreknowledge. By the death of this deliverer the mastery of sin was broken and by the power of His resurrection, we no longer need to return to slavery. Praise HIS name!

"For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin" (Hebrews 4:15).

"Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush him;

he has put him to grief..." (Isaiah 53:10 ESV)

"...for truly in this city there were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, alongwith the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, 28 to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place" (Acts 4:27-28, ESV).

"For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. 6 We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin" (Romans 6:5-6, ESV).

The Sign of Jonah

2013-06-24T06:00:00.000-05:00

I don't know if your experience was like mine, but I don't remember going to Sunday School as a kid and hearing about what happened with the prophet Jonah after Ninevah repented. I don't blame my sunday school teachers. I wouldn't know what to do with Jonah chapter 4 at first either.

What do we do with the fact that God's prophet, though he eventually obeys God's voice to go to Ninevah, still ends up angry that Ninevah repents and is saved? Jonah is so angry at God for showing them mercy, that he says he would be better off if he died.

"Therefore now, O Lord, please take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live” (Jonah 4:3 ESV).

One single key helps us dig into what we ought to think about this prophet's lack of character:

All of Scripture ultimately points us toward Jesus.

Here is an example of one current author applying this key to Jonah:
"This book...condemns Israel. If the wicked Ninevites find salvation by repenting in response to Jonah's judgment oracle because I AM is compassionate and forgiving, how much more would he have forgiven Israel if she had repented under prophets more noble than Jonah. And how much more should Israel repent at the preaching of Jesus, the Son of Man, who was delivered from the tomb."
- Bruce Waltke, An Old Testament Theology, p. 834

The Heroic Women of Exodus

2013-06-21T12:09:00.000-05:00

Talking with Pastor Chris today about his text for Sunday's sermon made us realize how a recurring theme in Exodus has been brave, heroic women.

Consider the brave deeds of:
The Midwives, Shiphrah and Puah (1:15-21)
The Hebrew midwives are commanded by Pharaoh to kill all the new born Hebrew boys. But, because they fear God more than Pharaoh, they do not obey and God blesses them and their efforts by giving them families.

Moses' Mother (2:1-3)
Moses' mother hides Moses to protect his life as long as she can, then, by faith, sends Moses down the river in a basket trusting God to do what was best (Hebrews 11:23).

Moses' Sister (2:4, 7)
Moses's sister follows the basket and bravely approaches Pharaoh's daughter to suggest that a Hebrew woman should nurse the child (thereby allowing Moses' own mother to nurse him again).

Pharaoh's Daughter (2:5, 6, 10)
Pharaoh's Daughter, against her father's orders and preferences adopts and raises Moses as her own son.

Moses' Wife Zipporah (4:24-26)
Before Moses returns to Egypt the LORD intends to put Moses to death because, as the man chosen to lead God's covenant people, he was not leading his own family to keep the covenant by circumcising his own son. Zipporah steps in, circumcises her son, and thereby saves Moses' life.

In most of these instances we see Moses' life being saved by the actions of another. While each of these scenarios have lessons on their own, together, they remind us that our salvation has come because of the actions of another and that God uses both sexes to bring glory to His name and accomplish his plans in history.

How to Support our Students Going on the URBAN PLUNGE

2013-06-10T11:31:00.001-05:00

What is the Urban Plunge?

The Urban Plunge is a Weekend Missional Experience in Sioux Falls. The Urban Plunge engages followers of Christ to move out of the “pews” and into their communities. Urban Plunges mobilize churches and plant the seed and passion for ministry and missions among its participants. This truly is not a “tour of poverty.” It leads participants to discover how they can use their passions and talents to make a difference for Christ; it provides hands-on leadership development for this generation that wants so much to be Christ-like.

What will our students be doing?

Visiting with and encouraging inner city youth at Volunteers of America
Serving ice-cream to folks at the St. Francis House
Doing work projects in local neighborhoods
Helping out at the Center of Hope
Serving at the BanqueAnd much more

How You Can Support Our Students:

Each student must pay a $130.00 registration fee. This covers their lodging and food for the whole trip. To raise funds we're asking people to consider making a pledge for a student who participates in our bowling for missions event.

The idea is that students get pledges for, let's say, 10 cents for every pin they knock down at our bowling night. If a student knocks down 130 pins, that's $13.00. All they need is 10 people to make that pledge and their mission trip is paid.

Naturally, our students have family contributing and will contribute as much as they can themselves. But, this is an opportunity to make it a little easier on them and partner with them in their pursuit to serve our neighbors in Sioux Falls.

To Download a Pledge Form simply CLICK HERE

Completed Pledge Sheets can be dropped in the box in the entry way of the church or in the offering boxes. Your pledge will be greatly appreciated by the students who need it.

Fear and Hope at the Same Time

2013-06-07T09:47:00.000-05:00

Psalm 147:10-11,

"His delight is not in the strength of the horse, nor his pleasure in the legs of a man, but the LORD takes pleasure in those who fear him, in those who hope in his steadfast love."

In, "The Pleasures of God" John Piper comments on this strange reality of hoping in God and fearing God at the same time.

"Suppose you were exploring an unknown glacier in the north of Greenland in the dead of winter. Just as you reach a sheer cliff with a spectacular view of miles and miles of jagged ice and mountains of snow, a terrible storm breaks in. The wind is so strong that the fear rises in your heart that it might blow you over the cliff. But in the midst of the storm you discover a cleft in the ice where you can hide. Here you feel secure. But, even though secure, the awesome might of the storm rages on, and you watch it with a kind of trembling pleasure as it surges out across the distant glaciers.

At first there was the fear that this terrible storm and awesome terrain might claim your life. But then you found a refuge and gained the hope that you would be safe. But not everything in the feeling called fear vanished from your heart. Only the life-threatening part. There remained the trembling, the awe, the wonder, the feeling that you would never want to tangle with such a storm or be the adversary of such a power.

And so it is with God" (The Pleasures of God, p. 186).

Exodus Sermon Series Begins

2013-05-30T06:00:00.000-05:00

Since the last Old Testament book we preached from was Genesis, it made sense, if we wanted to go back to the Old Testament, to just pick up in Exodus.
Here's the introduction from our first sermon in the series, followed by a link to the audio:

"Some have said that America is, in many ways, a culture of fame. We don’t have royalty the way other countries do. The people who walk red carpets in our culture are movie and rock stars. In fact, we generally have become so fame curious that there are actually people who are famous for being famous.

If we think that we’re untouched by this in our own lives, if we think that somehow we haven’t, even to the small degree, participated in this all we have to do is look at our Facebook pages to see how often we either promote ourselves, or secretly wish that people will “like” our humorous or profound status updates.

The downside to fame, generally, is that the more attention we have the more subject we are to scrutiny and criticism and the more we realize, none can really stand up under it. The more we know about our celebrities, the more flawed they turn out to be. The more we look into our own hearts, the more we look into our own motivations, the more we see that needs to change.

The book of Exodus shows us something about how God handles his own fame. The banner we’re waving over Exodus in the coming weeks and months is that in Exodus the LORD is revealed. The LORD is going to make His name famous from one end of the world to the other because of what He’s going to do in Exodus and unlike our celebrities, and ourselves, the more we come to know of this God the more endearing, awesome, and glorious he seems to us.

We’re beginning our series in Exodus by, rather than taking a look at one text, approaching it from 10,000 feet to see three ways that God reveals Himself in it and how, ultimately, the way He reveals Himself will point us to Jesus Christ."

LISTEN HERE

What I Like to Think Tolkien Would Have Said about the Life of Pi

2013-05-29T10:46:00.000-05:00

I guess the Life of Pi is supposed to be kind of a big deal. It was nominated for a slew of Academy Awards (whatever that's worth) and was based on a popular 2001 novel. Being a parent means that I'm not nearly as current as I used to be on what's cinematically popular these days (unless it stars a Muppet) but when something seems to be as big a deal as "Life of Pi" I try to get around to seeing what the hoopla is about. People still say 'hoopla' right?

The Life of Pi tells the story of Piscine (Pi) Patel and the remarkable account of his survival at sea, with only a ferocious bengal tiger to keep him company. In his harrowing journey Pi manages to survive without getting eaten, endure severe storms, behold the unspeakable wonders of creation, discover an island made entirely of seaweed (which also happens to eat up its guests at night like a venus fly trap) and find "God."

The story unfolds as the adult Pi tells his story to a young, burnt out, skeptical writer who is promised that Pi has the sort of story that will make him believe in God again. Pi, like many before him, is curious about God from the very earliest stages of life. Perhaps he's a bit more zealous than most at finding out the truth, but he's not strange in his quest to know a God who makes sense out of life and gives us a purpose.

In a childish naiveté that he never really grows out of, Pi tries to be a Christian, a Hindu, and a Muslim at the same time. Despite his father's rebuke that he must choose one over the others Pi remains convinced that he can believe all three at once. This quest for God among religions is a big part of why the story is so appealing.

Wouldn't it just be nice if everyone was right and no one was wrong? Isn't it likely that we all believe basically the same things but we just use different symbols and words to express them? Why can't we all just get along? Jesus, Vishnu, Allah...what's the real difference?

In the worst storm that Pi experiences at sea he shouts into the thunder, lightning and rain, that he's given up everything to find God. He roars, "I lost my family! I lost everything! I surrender! What more do you want?"

This is where Pi "meets God". He personally encounters him in the storm because it's in the storm that he surrenders and his prayers in the storm are answered when he is rescued.

As Pi concludes his account he confesses that there is a far less "miraculous" version of his story that was told to the press. This served the insurers of the wrecked boat by giving them a story they could bring back to the company with some credibility. The ending pushes the question onto the audience, "Which story is true? Which do you want to be true?"

The adult Pi asks the writer (and by extension, the audience), "So which story do you prefer?"
The writer responds, "The one with the tiger. That's the better story."
Pi agrees, "Thank you. And so it goes with God."

Here, the Life of Pi embraces the truth that all of us are born with what Jerram Barrs calls "echoes of Eden." We've been made to know that God exists and that he is divine and supreme. We have something of a memory of paradise and so every story containing the miraculous is a better story, because it is the truer one.

J.R.R. Tolkien argued that this was the true appeal of Christianity. Not that its "mythology" was more attractive over against pagan mythology but that it was best because it was the only mythology that really came true. Life of Pi wants to say that the true God is found in personal experience - that there is no real fundamental difference between Jesus and Vishnu. Authentic faith is found existentially regardless of historical facts (like the resurrection of Jesus for example).

Tolkien argued that the historical aspect of faith was vital and that in the resurrection of Christ the echoes of Eden in every great myth become a historical reality that promises true and lasting hope to those who surrender.

Tolkien says, "The Gospels contain a fairystory, or a story of a larger kind which embraces all the essence of fairy-stories. They contain many marvels—peculiarly artistic, beautiful, and moving: “mythical” in their perfect, self-contained significance; and among the marvels is the greatest and most complete conceivable [joy]. But this story has entered History and the primary world; There is no tale ever told that men would rather find was true, and none which so many sceptical men have accepted as true on its own merits. For the Art of it has the supremely convincing tone of Primary Art, that is, of Creation. To reject it leads either to sadness or to wrath."
Tolkien knew that to combine religions, myths and faiths in a way that equated them was in fact to disbelieve them all. They cancel each other out. But to believe in Christianity, in the actual resurrection of an actual Christ, made the best fairy stories come true.

Helping Crossway

2013-05-20T13:57:00.000-05:00

What is Crossway?
Crossway is a not-for-profit Christian publishing company. We became big fans of Crossway when the ESV Study Bible was published. When you purchase an ESV Study Bible not only do you get a Bible packed full of helpful resources but you get access to all that content (and much more) online. My personal favorite is the Greek App you can add to your online account allowing you to study the New Testament in its original language.

Unlike many other publishing companies that distribute Christian writing, Crossway is ministry-minded, offering much of their publications at reduced prices or for free. One of their goals is to spread the word of God as far as is possible and so recently they've endeavored to publish their ESV Study Bible for Chinese readers and produce Bible Study curriculum for free worldwide distribution online.

How You Can Support Crossway
Recently, Crossway's headquarters was severely damaged by a flood and the cost of the damages have put much of their ministry at risk. Here's a copy of the letter from Crossway's president, asking for support and assistance:

Dear Friends of Crossway,

As you may have heard, a flood swept through Crossway’s headquarters on April 18. About two feet of water poured into our 32 first-floor offices due to unrelenting rains. The damage was extensive and repairs and rebuilding will take five or six months. You can see the damage in the above video.

More important, however, is the impact this could have on major ministry projects that we have planned.

As a not-for-profit ministry, Crossway is not only committed to publishing the ESV Bible and gospel-centered content, but also to providing God’s Word to hundreds of thousands of people overseas, either free or at a substantially reduced cost. Because of the recent flood, however, some of these international ministry efforts are now at risk.

That’s why I’m writing today — first, to ask for your prayers at this critical moment; and, second, to ask (if the Lord should lead you) for a gift of support. Your gift will help us cover three things:(1) the portion of the damage not covered by insurance, and (2) the installation of new safeguards to flood-proof our building. But most importantly (3) your gift will help ensure that crucial Bible ministry projects can continue to advance.

I would be deeply grateful to you if you are able to help us at this critical time.

Specifically, we need your help to raise $360,000 by the end of our fiscal year, May 31st.

Your support will make it possible especially for us to continue moving forward with the following priority projects:

• Translation costs for the ESV Chinese Study Bible, to be published in Mainland China

• Printing costs for 60,000 copies of the Chinese-English ESV bilingual Bible, also for publication and distribution in Mainland China

• Completion and global distribution of the ESV Gospel Transformation Bible this fall

• Development of the Knowing the Bible studies, to be offered free digitally worldwide

Though we don’t know exactly how the Lord will use these events for his kingdom and for his glory, we are confident in his grace and mercy and in his gracious provision for the work he has called us to do – trusting his words in Isaiah 43:2: “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you.”

If you'd like to consider supporting an organization that has resourced your church in countless ways you visit their WEBSITE HERE.

May Prison Ministry Update

2013-05-09T21:03:00.001-05:00

Contributed by Harlan Moss:

It is said that there are no two snowflakes alike. Neither are there any two people alike. That is why law enforcement can do finger prints and not one is like anyone else. Each person is unique in their own way and yet we all have a common problem, sin, which we have inherited. But when Jesus died on the cross, He covered all the sins of every true believer. His blood never looses its power to save, and free us from bondage to sin! Even though every inmate has ended up in prison for various crimes, the inmate’s stories all deal with a sin problem.

One particular man who came into the prison a few months ago didn’t know where he belonged spiritually. He had attended various non-Christian services. As time went on he started seeking the Lord. One evening before the church service he came into the office to talk with me. His heart was heavy with the guilt of his past sins. He had been in the military and had killed people, (of course this is what war involves). After he came back from the Middle East war he got involved in a gang in California. The gang appreciated him because he was not afraid of anything or anyone. He ended

up in prison because he was visiting someone he knew in South Dakota and was arrested for some drug offense. He talked about the guilt he was carrying from his past and couldn’t believe that God could forgive him, and he didn’t know how he could forgive himself. We talked about some Bible passages and how the Lord wanted to set him free from his past. I pointed out to him that the devil wanted him to dwell on his past so he couldn’t be used of God. A week later I visited with him again and he realized he needed to get right with the Lord. I asked him if he wanted me to lead him in a prayer or if he wanted to pray in his own words, which he did. He prayed a heart felt prayer from his heart with

tears running down his face. He felt his burden had been lifted and asked if he could meet with me regularly, to which I agreed.

Another inmate who has recently entered prison told me that he had been released from prison in 1999. When he was released he didn’t see much need for God in his life. He has three children, and thought it was necessary to send his children to church because they wanted to go to church. He told me that now he realizes how wrong he had been for not getting involved in church himself. One statement his 10 year old son made to him when he left his home to go to prison, was, “Dad, God will be with you.” That touched him so deeply that he knew he had to get right with the Lord.

He mentioned to me that he needed a Bible, so I asked him if he had ever committed his life to the Lord and he said he had not. I went over the gospel of salvation with him and then I prayed with him to trust Christ as his Lord and Savior. He has been faithfully attending my Bible studies.

Every story of these men is unique in how God has brought each one to Himself. Even though these men’s lives vary, the cross of Christ continues to set the captive free when there is true repentance and faith!

Please keep this ministry in prayers that the Lord will continue to lead me to the inmates who need to be set free from their lost condition so they can experience a new life in Christ!

In Christ,

Harlan Moss

Your gifts are appreciated and tax deductible. The checks can be made out to and sent to: South Dakota Prison Chaplain’s Association (SDPCA), P.O. Box 90509, Sioux Falls, SD 57109-0509. Please designate "Harlan Moss" in the memo section of your check.

March/April Elder Update

2013-05-01T14:27:00.001-05:00

The elders at CVCC meet twice a month as those given the responsibility of spiritually leading the church and nourishing it with God’s word. Since this responsibility is first and foremost a spiritual one, the first hour or more of our meetings is concentrated on praises and prayers. We feel it is valuable to publish a monthly report to not only share these praises and prayer requests but to update the congregation on the ministry at CVCC.

PRAISES:

God’s grace and mercy are so great! We have many praises to give to Him.
For the youth within our Church who follow God’s Word and make great decisions.
The Church Body has so many loving members who comfort and support those in need.
For those individuals hearing God’s calling and are returning to Gods Church.

PRAYERS:

For those individuals battling illness
Marriages and families
Unity in love and truth
Growth in our faith
Families experiencing loss and grief
The new families attending CVCC
Matt and Pricilla Backwater – as Matt and Pricilla pray to God and consider a ministry at the Cass Lake Reservation.
Our graduates as they embark on a new phase of life

ELDER MEETINGS SUMMARY: March/April 2013

Training up a New Generation of Pastors: The story of two Alex’s

A call to ministry taps all believers on the back of the shoulders. But, how and when is an individual to know if that calling should lead to vocational ministry? The Lord is doing great works in the hearts of a couple young men as they wrestle with such a calling. As many of you may know, the elders have been praying for Alex Decker as he contemplated vocational Ministry. To equip him for future ministry, the elders were prepared to offer him a student pastor position. Sometimes God’s plans are not our plans. After prayer and petition, Alex felt as if God is calling him in a different direction. God is powerful. God is sovereign. Even though He hasn’t called Alex to vocational ministry, He has given Alex a passion for teaching. A gift that will be used for God’s glory.

Where one calling’s path leads away, another wanders hither. Alex Qualm has grown up at CVCC and has become a reflection of the power of Christ. Recently, Alex informed us that he is considering a call to vocational ministry. The elders have discussed how to help him work out his calling. The young man has already been an active part of the worship team. As of right now, the elders agreed to wet his ministry feet with a summer intern position. We have not determined anything concrete about specific duties, but he will focus in the areas of worship and discipleship. Please pray for Alex as CVCC yearns to realize its calling of raising up a new generation of pastors.

Budget to be Completed Earlier

Considering the holiday rush and the fiscal year, the elders have determined that CVCC would be better served if our annual budget was calculated and voted on earlier in the year. We have decided to move the Praise and Mission meeting to sometime in late November or early December.

Deacon Update

The elders have informed our initial round of candidates. We have gained a couple of “yeses”, as well as some “no’s” all with a humble, encouraging spirit. We have resolved to obtain an answer from the remaining candidates by the next elder meeting. Moreover, we reviewed a list of alternate men and women and prayed for them. God has been good to CVCC giving us such an array of individuals who work hard for the kingdom.

Pray for the elders as we seek to be obedient to the scriptures. Pray for those considering the call to be deacons. Praise God for his faithfulness in 2012 and for eternity!

Is it Time? Two Services

The Lord had blessed CVCC. We knew this day would come eventually, and praise the Lord it may have come sooner than we expected—the day when we would need to go to two services. At the last couple of meetings, the elders hashed out the details. The hardest adjustment will come from the worship team. Tentatively, we feel the following schedule fits best with the needs of the church.

8:30-9:30 1^st Service
9:45-10:45 Sunday School
11:00-12:00 2^nd Service

We plan to roll out this schedule next fall on a trial basis.

ELDER STUDY: Dangerous Calling

Once a month, our meetings consist largely of bible-based studies designed to grow our faith and equip us for elder ministry. This month we continued the study, “DANGEROUS CALLING: CONFRONTING THE UNIQUE CHALLENGES OF PASTORAL MINISTRY” by Paul David Tripp.

This week’s lesson centers primarily on the awe of God. Paul Tripp does admit theology is very import to our faith, but it is not an end. It is a means to an end. Our issue with God is not a primarily theological problem. Our problem with God is an awe issue. Naturally, a lack of awe of God leads to bad theology. If we aren’t amazed by God, why would we want to learn more about Him? Tripp states that our lack of awe gnaws at every aspect of our lives. Have humility issues? It’s easy to let arrogance take over when we believe we’re great and God is not. Passion Problems? When we find our joy in treasures that wear, we only find nothing but despair. Discipline? How can we possibly stay motivated reading our Bible, Praying, and our spiritual practices if they’re simply hoops we have to jump through?

Ultimately, awe trumps our purpose. God, in Christ Jesus, has called us to renew our awe in Him. And from this newfound amazement, we are called to proclaim a righteous awe of God to others.

The Coming of Christ and the Thessalonians

2013-04-30T06:00:00.000-05:00

We've dived back in to the Thessalonian letters on Sunday mornings and last Sunday's was again addressing the subject of Christ's return. In the midst of so many divergent ideas about the "end times" it's refreshing to hear a straight-forward explanation of the text in question.

2 Thessalonians 1:3-12

"3 We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers, as is right, because your faith is growing abundantly, and the love of every one of you for one another is increasing. 4 Therefore we ourselves boast about you in the churches of God for your steadfastness and faith in all your persecutions and in the afflictions that you are enduring.

5 This is evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are also suffering—6 since indeed God considers it just to repay with affliction those who afflict you, 7 and to grant relief to you who are afflicted as well as to us, when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels 8 in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. 9 They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might, 10 when he comes on that day to be glorified in his saints, and to be marveled at among all who have believed, because our testimony to you was believed. 11 To this end we always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling and may fulfill every resolve for good and every work of faith by his power, 12 so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ" ( ESV).

Here's Chris' outline followed by a link to the audio
Paul's Words Call the Thessalonians to be Encouraged in their suffering because:
1. Christ's return will bring judgment on those who afflict the afflicted.
2. Christ's return will bring relief to the afflicted.
3. Christ return will bring God glory in the final redemption of His saints.
4. Christ's return will cause us to marvel.

The Sermon is titled, "When Jesus is Revealed."
LISTEN HERE

Introverts

2013-04-28T21:34:00.000-05:00

Any introverts out there? I think you'll like THIS ARTICLE "Four Lies About Introverts". The four lies are listed below but I'd recommend reading the whole thing.

Lie #1

Extroversion is the biblical ideal.

Lie #2

Introverts don't like people.

Lie #3

Solitude is selfish and indulgent.

Lie #4

Introversion is incompatible with teaching and leadership gifts.

Read the Whole Thing HERE.

Esther 3 and Revelation 12: Haman and the Dragon

2013-04-22T15:59:00.003-05:00

Esther 3 introduces us to Haman, the architect of the infamous plot to annihilate Israel, God's chosen people. We've been studying Esther in Sunday school and this week, we were introduced to Haman and the main source of suspense in the book of Esther. Within only a few years of Esther's (secretly a Jew) ascent to the throne as the Queen of Persia the King's right hand man, Haman, hatches a plot to utterly annihilate the Jews. The seeds of this unthinkable plot are planted when Mordecai (secretly the Jewish cousin of Esther) refuses to bow down to Haman in homage and respect. Haman the Agagite's anger burns hot against Mordecai the Benjamite and extends to all his people. Incidentally, for a brief history that may explain a bit of their antagonism toward one another read I Samuel 15.

Esther 3 is hardly the only example of God's people being persecuted. The Scriptures are full of examples of God's children bearing unspeakable wrath at the hands of those who oppose God. What we didn't have time to uncover in Sunday School was one of the most gripping portrayals of this reality - one that even summarizes and explains the true root of persecution: Revelation 12.

Revelation 12 introduces us to several figures:
1. The woman about to give birth (vv. 1-2).
2. The great red dragon (vv. 3-4).
3. The child of the woman (vv. 5-6).

Without going into too much detail on each (there are far better blogs for that) let me give brief identities for each.

1. The woman about to give birth represents the people of God.
Notice the twelve stars on her head? This could easily be a reference to the twelve tribes of God's chosen people, Israel. But, if that's not clear enough, Isaiah 66 clearly portrays Israel as a woman in the pains of giving birth.

“The sound of an uproar from the city!

A sound from the temple!

The sound of the Lord,

rendering recompense to his enemies!

7“Before she was in labor

she gave birth;

before her pain came upon her

she delivered a son.

8Who has heard such a thing?

Who has seen such things?

Shall a land be born in one day?

Shall a nation be brought forth in one moment?

For as soon as Zion was in labor

she brought forth her children.

9Shall I bring to the point of birth and not cause to bring forth?”

says the Lord;

“shall I, who cause to bring forth, shut the womb?”

says your God.

The context of the passage speaks of a persecuted Israel but one who will give birth, grow, and become a nation for God. This is what Israel had set their hope upon; not only offspring, but an offspring that would "rule the nations" (Rev. 12:5) as God's chosen Messiah.

2. The Great Red Dragon represents Satan.
Revelation 12 actually makes this one really easy for us.
"And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world—he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him (Revelation 12:9 ESV).

3. The Child represents Jesus Christ.
The other person we see ruling the nations with a rod of iron in Revelation is none other than Jesus Christ.
"11 Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. 12 His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head aremany diadems, and he has a name written that no one knows but himself. 13 He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God. 14 And the armies of heaven,arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses. 15 From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. (Revelation 19:11-15, ESV).

What Does This Vision/Story Reveal?
1. The main activity of Satan, prior to the coming of Christ, was to prevent the coming of Christ.
"And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she bore her child he might devour it" (12:4b).
See also Genesis 3:15 where the serpent is told that while he will strike the heel of Eve's offspring, ultimately, the offspring will crush the serpent's head.

2. The main activity of Satan, after the resurrection of Christ is to make war on those who have faith in Jesus Christ.
"16 But the earth came to the help of the woman, and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed the river that the dragon had poured from his mouth. 17 Then the dragon became furious with the woman and went offto make war on the rest of her offspring, on those who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus. And he stood on the sand of the sea" (Revelation 12:16-17, ESV).

3. Because of the Gospel Satan's war is already lost.
"10 And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God. 11 And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death. 12 Therefore,rejoice, O heavens and you who dwell in them! But woe to you, O earth and sea, for the devil has come down to you in great wrath, because he knows that his time is short!”
13 And when the dragon saw that he had been thrown down to the earth, he pursued the woman who had given birth to the male child" (Revelation 12:10-13, ESV).

Lessons
1. Persecution is not, primarily about us. It comes to us because Satan hates Christ and so he hates those who have been saved by Christ. This is an age old war and we will not win against persecution with physical, worldly weapons.

2. The war of persecution is already won because of the gospel. Because of the gospel those who are persecuted are blessed with eternal hope and have nothing to lose.

3. Christ knows what it's like to be "pursued by the dragon" and lives to comfort, love, and provide salvation to those who are his.

Can God Make A Rock So Big That Even He Couldn't Lift It?

2013-04-15T09:12:00.000-05:00

You may not have heard this question as a serious challenge to Christianity but it's quite a famous one. "Could God, who is all powerful, make a rock so big that he couldn't lift it?" If you say "yes," then he's not all powerful. If you say "no," then he's not all powerful. Christianity unraveled!

Not so much. The question is sophomoric philosophy at best and nonsense at worst. Here's an answer from "The Problem of Pain" by C.S. Lewis:

"You may attribute miracles to [God] but not nonsense. This is no limit to his power...You have not succeeded in saying anything about God: meaningless combinations of words do not suddenly acquire meaning simply because we prefix to them two words 'God can.' It remains true that all things are possible with God: the intrinsic impossibilities are not things but nonentities. It is no more possible for God than for the weakest of His creatures to carry out both of two mutually exclusive alternatives; not because His power meets an obstacle, but because nonsense remains nonsense even when we talk it about God."

In other words, asking this question is like asking if God could use his sovereignty to become "unsovereign." It makes no sense.

Theological Reflections on the Suffering of a Parent

2013-04-11T13:34:00.000-05:00

I struggle with whether it's appropriate to use the church blog to update my church, extended family, and friends about my personal life and the state of my dad's health since his stroke. After all, no one else really gets that privilege right? It can't be stated too enthusiastically how blessed we feel to know of those who are thinking about and praying for my dad, but, to avoid abusing the purpose of this blog, I thought I'd simply share my own spiritual/theological reflections on this current struggle rather than using it as a platform for updating everyone. Hopefully, these words will be an encouragement to anyone going through anything similar. Take it also as an invitation to contact us any time you want to know how dad is doing or how to pray for him more specifically.

Reflection #1
Neither the existence of God, nor being a Christian, spares us from unspeakable confusion and pain.
It's easy to think, "Why would a good God let this bad thing happen?" But, without God, and especially without a good God, who says strokes are bad? If we're simply the product of millions of years of macro-evolution and natural selection then strokes may simply be nature's way of maintaining the survival of the fittest and are therefore not bad. But, if there is a God, and he is, in fact, good then he would hate strokes, he would hate sickness, he would hate death and anything that harmed his creation. This is the very thing the Bible shows us about God. When Jesus visited the tomb of his friend Lazarus in John 11 it says that Jesus was "deeply moved" and "greatly troubled". Jesus is sad and angry in this passage. Death was not invited into his world. It is an invader and Jesus shows us his anger at this and he shows us his long term plan for dealing with it by not only raising Lazarus from the dead, but also by raising himself from the dead not many days later.

Reflection #2
It's ok to be sad and be honest about it.
Western culture is inundated with so many comforts that we've become impatient with and embarrassed by anyone that just can't seem to "get over it." One recurring thought I catch myself having in moments like these is, "I just don't know how to live in between these moments of crisis and resolution." This is because I assume I'm not allowed to be sad if I'm a Christian. If I'm a Christian the world should be full of sunshine and rainbows all the time, right? It sounds silly when you just come out and say it, but we still try to put on the best face and tell everyone we're "ok" don't we? But it's ok to live in between the moment of crisis and resolution and be sad for a while. How else will anyone know that they need to be sad with you? (e.g., Romans 12:15)

Reflection #3
One day, everything sad will "come untrue."
In J.R.R. Tolkien's "Return of the King" Sam Gamgee sees the "resurrected" Gandalf alive and well and asks, "Does this mean that everything sad is going to come untrue?" This was Tolkien's way of expressing his own beliefs about the implications of the resurrection of Jesus. If death has been beaten by Jesus, it changes everything. Because death has been defeated by Jesus Revelation 21:1-4 really can come true,
"Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”
This statement is now hanging in my dad's hospital room because I wanted him to know that one day, for those who take shelter in Christ, everything sad will come untrue.

Reflection #4
The love of family, friends, and a good church is good medicine.
Loved ones often deliver a host of words, prayers and deeds which sooth and nourish weary souls. In moments of grief and sadness, they may not land immediately, but trust me, when people look back on what you've done for them and said to them, they help with the healing. Don't worry if you don't know what to say. The very expression of the desire to help goes a long way.

The Equipment, the Manual, the Maker

2013-04-10T06:00:00.000-05:00

Recently I finished reading Douglas Wilson's "Father Hunger". Some people have said that Timothy Keller is the modern C.S. Lewis. I think it's actually Doug Wilson. Reading Wilson is oddly like drinking from a fire hose and learning to like it. There's so much in every little statement that it's impossible to catch everything, but because it's so packed you return to his words again and again.

I particularly liked his thoughts on how the doctrine of creation informs our views on sexuality:

If the world is created, then it become necessary to follow the manufacturer's instructions - which goes a long way in explaining why a number of people would find the existence of a Creator God more than a little inconvenient. If we start messing around with this equipment as though there were no factory of origin, but there actually is a factory of origin, there is a better than even chance that we are going to get all our warranties voided.
So the debate over creation is not a debate being conducted by disinterested scholars in a glorious vacuum of scientific disinterestedness and objectivity. It is not as though the issue of evolution has no practical or ethical ramifications. We are discussing whether or not a Creator God engineered everything we see around us, whether He left an operations manual with us to use, and whether or not He will conduct and inventory and audit when we are all done with it. The way some people are using the equipment, we do not find it surprising that they stridently insist that the idea of an audit is a myth that comes down to us from Neanderthal times" (Father Hunger, p. 136-137).

Buy the book HERE.

Watch Wilson's extremely controversial lectures and Q&A on sexuality HERE.

Timothy Pastoral Apprenticeship Article in American Family Association Journal

2013-04-09T10:41:00.000-05:00

Our humble little pastoral training program has been noticed by the American Family Association. An article from their journal is available online HERE. Thanks to the AFA for representing us well!

Here are a few selections from the article.
"TPA in particular is a program that stands out for its unique and versatile design. Structured as an apprenticeship that gives students intensive ministry training under the mentorship of an experienced pastor, it involves a network of churches which all take part in administering a program comprised of both an academic component of 66 credit hours and hands-on experience in the church."

"Dr. Alfred Mohler, a highly respected minister and president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, who also urged church involvement as an inviolable part of ministry training [says]:

'I would remind us all that seminaries, even at their very best and most faithful, can only do so much...The local church is the most important school for ministry and the faithful pastor is the crucial professor. The seminaries that serve best will be those who understand this.'”

READ THE WHOLE THING HERE.

Visit the TPA Website HERE.

Does God Give You More Than You Can Handle?

2013-04-03T10:17:00.000-05:00

It's been said that "God never gives us more than we can handle." This is supposed to be encouraging and I'm sure I've shared this advice with others countless times. But when you don't feel like you can "handle it" it's just not encouraging is it?. Is this due to the simple lack of perspective that difficulty can bring or is it possible that this statement is just not true?

These are some verses that came to my mind in contemplating this question:
Romans 8:26, "Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words (ESV).

2 Corinthians 11:30, "If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness" (ESV).

2 Corinthians 12:9, "But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me" (ESV).

Philippians 4:11-13, "Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me" (ESV).

Does God give us more than we can handle? Yes...and no. It seems like, perhaps, the better way to say it is, "God never gives us anything HE can't handle and strengthen us to face."

Are Christians Being Inconsistent When They Oppose Same Sex Marriage?

2013-04-01T06:00:00.000-05:00

In the debate over the legitimacy of same sex marriage, Christians are often accused of being inconsistent by citing Old Testament prohibitions against homosexuality while ignoring other Old Testament regulations like, for example, not wearing a garment made from two kinds of cloth (Leviticus 19:19).

Is this fair? I think Tim Keller masterfully and succinctly explains why this accusation is baseless. I've linked to the article before and it tends to make the rounds on the blogosphere when this debate heats up.

Here are a few select quotes followed by a link to the original article:

Once you grant the main premise of the Bible—about the surpassing significance of Christ and his salvation—then all the various parts of the Bible make sense. Because of Christ, the ceremonial law is repealed. Because of Christ the church is no longer a nation-state imposing civil penalties. It all falls into place. However, if you reject the idea of Christ as Son of God and Savior, then, of course, the Bible is at best a mish-mash containing some inspiration and wisdom, but most of it would have to be rejected as foolish or erroneous.

So where does this leave us? There are only two possibilities. If Christ is God, then this way of reading the Bible makes sense and is perfectly consistent with its premise. The other possibility is that you reject Christianity’s basic thesis—you don’t believe Jesus was the resurrected Son of God—and then the Bible is no sure guide for you about much of anything. But the one thing you can’t really say in fairness is that Christians are being inconsistent with their beliefs to accept the moral statements in the Old Testament while not practicing other ones.

One way to respond to the charge of inconsistency may be to ask a counter-question—“Are you asking me to deny the very heart of my Christian beliefs?” If you are asked, “Why do you say that?” you could respond, “If I believe Jesus is the the resurrected Son of God, I can’t follow all the ‘clean laws’ of diet and practice, and I can’t offer animal sacrifices. All that would be to deny the power of Christ’s death on the cross. And so those who really believe in Christ must follow some Old Testament texts and not others.”

Read the whole thing HERE.