The Voyages...

In Praise of Brevity

2012-02-01T09:46:00.000-05:00

I have not had much time to post new things around here, but I have another post up over at Christians in Context. This time I write in praise of brevity, specifically in the use of Creeds, Confessions and Catechisms to guide us in the basic formations of our doctrine.

Here's an excerpt:

Here’s what I would suggest: we must read weighty treatments of doctrine but we don’t necessarily start or stop there. Treatises can enrich our lives but so can brevity. When was the last time you pulled out a Creed, a Confession, a Catechism or your own church doctrinal statement and said: what are the cores of orthodoxy? This blog is after all about orthodoxy. Consider the Apostles’ Creed or the Nicene Creed. Do you know them? Could you discuss them? They don’t say it all--but in those moments when you need to say enough without a deluge, what better tool?

I have personally been blessed by reading the Westminster Shorter Catechism with my four girls (and I’m not even a paedobaptist). One example of that blessing, it has been exciting to see its movement from Questions 24-30. There is progress: Christ’s three offices (prophet, priest and king) to the linchpins of historia salutis: Christ’s humiliation and exaltation to the application of redemption specifically on the role of the Holy Spirit. Christ’s continuing work in exaltation or the Holy Spirit’s application are often overlooked in pop-evangelicalism somewhat truncated theology. But here a catechism lays a grid. It is brevity. But it is like laying pillars that go deep upon which we hang more complex and thorough explanations of the topic. As I read it I realized how much of my seminary education could be hung around these questions.

When was the last time you checked the pillars of your theology? Those of us who love theology and the Bible can amass great amounts of knowledge while over time neglecting the continual reassessment of vital cores. Have you looked for cracks your understanding of the basics? Are your fundamentals sound? Can you state them briefly or do you fumble for words with ever expanding convolutions that covering for your lack of mental clarity? The Trinity? The Deity of Christ? Soteriology? Christ’s death and resurrection and the benefits flowing from both?

Read the whole thing here.

Who wants Old People in the Church?

2012-01-25T09:21:00.000-05:00

This week I have another post up over at Christians in Context entitled "Who Wants Old People in the Church?"

In our age, it is quite common to view the elderly as passé and unequipped to respond to new trends like development in technology, emerging ideas and shifting values. Youth and vitality are prized against the wisdom that can come with age. It is the cult of youth, and you can find it in the church. The push today is for young pastors to revel in being unbalanced towards Generation X or younger. It is sad when church leaders then set no goals in correcting the imbalances as if older people are poison to the church.

All things being equal in the Biblical mandates for a church, young people typically choose young people to be around. Even a church meeting the Biblical marks can turn younger people away if too much gray hair is present. But can we be more balanced and see value of every generation? In this post, what I would like to do for the reader is commend to them why elderly are vital in the life of the church today...

Far too many blog posts have been written on the value of church planting and starting afresh with the new, hip and young than have been written about ministering to those closer to the end of life. Older generations are often rightly challenged to accept the younger in church life while few, if any, issue challenges in the reverse. I hope this post offers a small correction to that imbalance...

Young people can benefit from the wisdom age brings. Older individuals can benefit from youthful exuberance and energy. Old generations, just as much as the young, can be powerfully reshaped by God’s Word if the Spirit is at work.

Here are the seven reasons I think a church can benefit from the elderly in its midst:
(1) Opportunities for mentorship.
(2) Mutual care for one another in the body.
(3) Opportunities for younger generations to use their gifts.
(4) Children treasured as a gift.
(5) Prayer warriors and encouragers.
(6) A Bible that is alive.
(7) Honesty and familiarity with the realities of the end of life.

Read the rest here as I unpack them.

Are we Trinitarian enough?

2012-01-23T10:16:00.000-05:00

Last week, I posted a series of wise quotes from Sinclair Ferguson, including this one which has stuck with me:

"We actually think that the Holy Trinity is the most speculative and the least practical doctrine of our theology. But those who are wiser than we, believe it is the least speculative and the most practical. And the one who most believed that was of all the theologians... was the Lord Jesus Christ."

But also this one along the same lines:

"The reason that most of us as evangelicals have so little time for the early fathers is because we would never be so worked up about Christology as they were and we would never be so worked up about the Trinity as they were. Which means if its true we are the ones verging on heresy." --Sinclair Ferguson

Why is it today that of all the topics that evangelicals spend so much time discussion, meditating on an policing our Biblical understanding, we give the least amount of time to one of the most central matters of orthodoxy: The Trinity?

Ask most Christians and they can give you Biblical arguments for a wide range of topics and a host of subjects. But when it comes to a simple Biblical explanation and reflection on the Trinity--there is little meditation or consideration into his practicality for all areas of doctrine.

Of course, or doctrinal statement reflect an understanding of the Trinity. In our written confession we articulate the Trinity. But is the average really Trinitarian in a way that shapes their theology, their thinking, their prayers and meditations and their heart?

Even more we love debating positions on alcohol, sex, abortion, and a whole host of topics that are important issues to take stands on. But we rarely enjoy talking about the Trinity.

Our are prayers sufficiently Trinitarian? Do we consider our communion to be with the Triune God? Do we see how each of the persons work distinctly in the accomplishment and application of redemption? Do we see together their unity in the work of salvation--so that taken as a whole the work is indivisible?

Is our worship and practical devotion shot through with Trinitarian thinking? Does uniqueness of God's Trinitarian being enrapture our heart?

The Trinity should be like jet propellant to how we think, act and worship as evangelicals--as Christians. It seems to me we are contented in our day to relegate to a statement on the page of our doctrine but necessarily something that courses through our veins. Our thought-life and devotional life should be such that that if pricked, we would bleed the Trinity. This then begs the question: are we really as God-centered and gospel centered as we claim to be?

How can be better recover this centrality of the Trinity in our doctrine and in our life?

A Request: Make this Video

2012-01-19T06:00:00.006-05:00

Anyone out there who is good with video, is creative and a bit artsy? Please make this into a YouTube video:

What is "the indelible mark of the Shorter Catechism"? We have the following bit of personal experience from a general officer of the United States army. He was in a great western city at a time of intense excitement and violent rioting. The streets were over-run daily by a dangerous crowd. One day he observed approaching him a man of singularly combined calmness and firmness of mien, whose very demeanor inspired confidence. So impressed was he with his bearing amid the surrounding uproar that when he had passed he turned to look back at him, only to find that the stranger at once came back to him, and touching his chest to his forefinger, demanded without preface: "What is the chief end of man?" On receiving the countersign, "Man's chief end is to glorify God and enjoy him forever" --"Ah!" said he, "I knew you were a Shorter Catechism boy by your looks!" "Why, that was just what I was thinking of you," was there joinder.

It is worth while to be a Shorter Catechism boy. They grow up to be men. And better than that, they are exceedingly apt to grow to be men of God. So apt, that we cannot afford to have them miss the chance of it. "Train up a child in the way he should go, and even when he is old he will not depart from it."
--B.B. Warfield, Selected Shorter Writings, vol 1, p.383-84

I can see this in my head but don't have the video skills (equipment or money) to produce it.

I can imagine this wild west looking town.

Here's how I propose the script go:

Classic western. Guns slingers. A mustached guy in a sombrero popping up behind the watering trough with his six shooter. Some guy on the roof with his long rifle. Smoke rising from the barrel as you hear the crack of the rifle.

Pan to a shot of officer's boots walk aside of a building towards the main street. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. A steady rhythm of walking. Move to a wide shot as the officer steps out from along side the building. He pauses and surveys the dangerous situation--camera angle from behind his head as he turns slightly to survey. With barely a pause he begins again and walks straight out in the street. He turns and proceeds down the center of the street.

You can see a crowd running along the sides of shops as there is a growing fear and people grab items and run. It is a bit chaotic and riotous. No one ventures into the street except the soldier.

As the officer walks down the street, off the side the only other man in the street but not in the crowds who are fearfully staying close to the shops, there is a tall strong man. At first glance, he almost looks like an outlaw with his rough exterior and exuding confidence. He walks upright head held high--like a man on a mission.

He passes the officer and their eyes lock. Camera angle from above: as they have passed the outlaw looking fellow turns, moving to the center of the street.

The army officer turns. They lock eyes. Camera angel from under the boots of one of the men as the stair at each other. The impression is that there is about to be a gun fight--the crowds hush. Women pull their children close shielding their eyes from the impending violence.

Close camera angle on the officer and he looks like he is about to get gritty.

Army officer: "what is the chief end of man?"

Quite movement of camera to zoom in on the other man.

Tough-looking fellow: "To glorify God and enjoy him forever"

Army officer, facing becoming light and joyous: "Ah! I knew you were a Shorter Catechism boy by your looks!"

Tough-looking fellow: "Why, that was just what I was thinking of you,"

The two men grasp in a firm shake as they grab each other's forearms.

The camera angle pans upward, the words 'The Westminster Shorter Catechism' as a deep announcer voice says: "It is worth while to be a Shorter Catechism boy. They grow up to be men."

On Evangelical Sex Challenges

2012-01-18T09:38:00.000-05:00

Over at Christians in Context, I have a post up about Evangelicals and our sex challenges. Specifically, the 'sex challenges' that Scripture gives of abstain for a time for prayer is the one that pastors never mention. Here's an excerpt:

Spend any amount of time in the evangelical world or blogosphere and you have probably run across a sex challenge of some kind. I have seen the challenges come in the 7-day, 10-day, and 30-day varieties. Their basic common trend is: have sex ____ number of days in a row to revitalize your marriage. In the last week or so several prominent pastors have published books on sex further adding to the evangelical preoccupation with the topic.

Sex challenges, along with preaching through Song of Solomons, are often propagated as means by which one can grow the church. After all, since the world cares about sex, it needs to know that God and church care about sex. Sex challenges, the paragon of niche marketing, can miss the need to minister to the least among us. I fail to see how the challenges aid the parentless child brought to church by their grandmother, the widow grieving the loss of a spouse, or the aging who just worry if they can faithfully care for their spouse up to end.

Even more, in our zeal for sex challenges, evangelicals miss the one sex challenge that Scripture actually does give us: the challenge to abstain for prayer. Scripture clearly states: “Do not deprive one another, except perhaps by agreement for a limited time, that you may devote yourselves to prayer; but then come together again, so that Satan may not tempt you because of your lack of self-control” (1 Corinthians 7:5)”

When was the last time you heard a pastor challenge a zealous young couple deeply passionate in their intimacy that they might mutually agree to take some time off for a season of prayer together? It makes me wonder: in our zeal to recover Biblical sexuality have we lost the balance of Scripture? What if prayer can do more for your marriage?

Read the rest here. I make that case that I am not against healthy marital intimacy. Instead, it is rather telling though that 1 Corinthians 7:5 and abstaining for prayer is marked missed in today's evangelical world.