What do I mean write your own Message Bible? First, The Message Bible is a paraphrase Bible written by Eugene Peterson.  I’ve often found myself gently saying, “It’s not a translation it’s a paraphrase” when references to The Message would come up.

Many folks like The Message.  To a point that’s fine if it’s used for what it is, a paraphrase.  People have told me that it’s great to use during devotions though I wouldn’t recommend it for deep Bible study.  Actually, I don’t think you need to use The Message at all.  Let me explain.

Let’s look at why Peterson wrote The Message.

“While I was teaching a class on Galatians, I began to realize that the adults in my class weren’t feeling the vitality and directness that I sensed as I read and studied the New Testament in its original Greek. Writing straight from the original text, I began to attempt to bring into English the rhythms and idioms of the original language. I knew that the early readers of the New Testament were captured and engaged by these writings and I wanted my congregation to be impacted in the same way. I hoped to bring the New Testament to life for two different types of people: those who hadn’t read the Bible because it seemed too distant and irrelevant and those who had read the Bible so much that it had become ‘old hat.’” (Source)

He wanted his adult students to feel in English what he did from New Testament Greek. More life and connection. I understand that and it’s a good motive. But why rely on someone else’s paraphrase?  We have some pretty very good Bible translations available today. Good in the sense of translation from Greek to English. Good in the sense of being fairly easy to read. So here’s my challenge to forgo The Message.

There are many challenges in life. Learning the Bible so we can know God better is no exception to life’s challenges. Some passages in Scripture require harder work to understand than others. People are different and have different levels of understanding. This doesn’t stop all of us from working hard at other areas in life. Pick your category of hard work: family, marriage, parenting, friendships, career, crafts, hobbies, sports, etc.

Take your passion and focus it towards knowing God. Depending on where you are in your understanding it may be wise to first go to your pastor(s) and get guidance. Instead of The Message, study the Bible yourself to better understand the meanings of words and phrases. Take that understanding through prayer and journal your own paraphrase of the verses you choose. Don’t we all paraphrase Scripture at one time or another during conversation? You may also grab a book to help you understand more of how to understand what you’re reading. How about a break down of suggestions?

Suggestions for Study

• Go to your pastor(s) for guidance explaining your study desires and ask that he be available for when you get “stuck”.
• Use a translation like the NIV or ESV. Or possibly start with the NIV then move to the ESV or NASB, for example.
• Get a how to study book like How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth.
• Set aside time to study whether your devotional time or another time.
• Journal your own paraphrases on selected passages as you pray and work through the Bible.
• Memorize Scripture too as you work through understanding it.
• Other resources – Online study tools at Studylight – ESV Study Bible – New Bible Commentary: 21st Century Edition – New Bible Dictionary – The Message of the Old Testament: Promises Made – The Message of the New Testament: Promises Kept.
• Again, keep your pastor(s) close.

Of course, there are many more resources, especially, as you advance in knowledge.  These suggestions are just a start.  Of course, my message isn’t as much about The Message as it is about encouraging Bible study to experience the richness of Scripture as you grow and know God better.  So study, learn and make your own paraphrase. Who knows, you might even take up Greek and Hebrew next!

Work hard, it’s worth it…

Mark

Jesus saves us from ourselves, our sin and His wrath.  He does this inspite of ourselves.  Think on this as you worship with your brothers and sisters on the Lord’s Day.  Love Jesus, love your church family.  Think about where you were or where you would be if it weren’t for Jesus.  Go. Worship together. Be fed by His grace.  And don’t forget this on Monday.

WALKING WITH GOD.—Genesis v.24.
by William Cowper(1731-1800)

Oh! for a closer walk with God,
A calm and heavenly frame;
A light to shine upon the road
That leads me to the Lamb!

Where is the blessedness I knew
When first I saw the Lord?
Where is the soul-refreshing view
Of Jesus and his word?

What peaceful hours I once enjoy’d!
How sweet their memory still!
But they have left an aching void,
The world can never fill.

Return, O holy Dove, return!
Sweet messenger of rest:
I hate the sins that made thee mourn,
And drove thee from my breast.

The dearest idol I have known,
Whate’er that idol be,
Help me to tear it from thy throne,
And worship only thee.

So shall my walk be close with God,
Calm and serene my frame:
So purer light shall mark the road
That leads me to the Lamb.

Today is John Calvin’s 500th birthday. (See cake at left)  Whatever our disagreements with Calvin it cannot be denied that Protestants (everyone?) owe much to his theological study.  God certainly gifted him in areas many of us only wish our minds could go.

Calvin was more than a mind though.  He had deeds along with his creeds.  Check out these two articles to learn more:

• Calvin the Evangelist by Dr. Frank James, associate Professor of Historical and Systematic Theology and President at RTS/Orlando.

• Calvin on Missiology & Church Planting by Mark Driscoll, pastor and founder of Mars Hill Church in Seattle.

You can check out The Calvin Quincentenary to keep up with the Calvin500 tour where there is a huge appreciation of Calvin’s life and work.  They also have many resources for those interested.

Past Calvin Tributes

Church historian Philip Schaff put together some notable quotes of appreciation for Calvin. They are printed in 1854 from Calvin Translation Society, Edinburgh. I will offer a few below. Follow the source link to read them all.

“Present my respectful greetings to Sturm and Calvin (then at Strassburg], whose books I have perused with singular pleasure (quorum libellos singulari cum voluptate legi).” Martin Luther (1483–1546).

“Calvin is a truly learned and singularly eloquent man (vere doctus mireque Facundus vir), an illustrious restorer of a purer Christianity (purioris Christianismi instaurator eximius).” Martin Bucer (1491–1551).

“I have been a witness of Calvin’s life for sixteen years, and I think I am fully entitled to say that in this man there was exhibited to all a most beautiful example of the life and death of the Christian (longe pulcherrimum vere christianae tum vita tum mortis exemplum), which it will be as easy to calumniate as it will be difficult to emulate.” Theodore Beza (1519–1605).

“Calvin, a reverend father, and worthy ornament of the Church of God.” Bishop Jewel (1522–1571).

“In short, a man wonderfully conversant with and attached to the books of the Holy Scriptures, and such, that if he had turned his mind in the proper direction, he might have been ranked with the most distinguished doctors of the Church.” Etienne Pasquier (1528–1615). Roman Catholic.

“That incomparable Calvin, to whom mainly, next to God, the Church owes its Reformation, not only in France, but in many other parts of Europe.” Moses Amyraut (1596–1645).

“The Genevese should bless the birthday of Calvin.” Montesquieu (1689–1755).

Tributes to the Memory of Calvin from History of the Christian Church, Volume VIII: Modern Christianity. The Swiss Reformation. by Philip Schaff.

Calvin On Birthday’s

Calvin didn’t write on “birthday’s” directly.  However, he did comment on birthday’s when writing on Genesis 40:20 concerning Pharaoh’s birthday.

With regard to what Moses records, that Pharaoh celebrated his birthday by a great feast, we know that this custom has always been in use, not only among kings, but also among plebeian men. Nor is the custom to be condemned, if only men would keep the right end in view; namely, that of giving thanks unto God by whom they were created and brought up, and whom they have found, in innumerable ways, to be a beneficent Father. But such is the depravity of the world, that it greatly distorts those things which formerly were honestly instituted by their fathers, into contrary corruptions. Thus, by a vicious practice, it has become common for nearly all to abandon themselves to luxury and wantonness on their birthday. In short, they keep up the memory of God, as the Author of their life, in such a manner as if it were their set purpose to forget Him.

Taken from Calvin’s Commentary on Genesis – Volume 2.

Calvin is one of the giants of the faith on whose shoulders we stand regardless of theological position.  So what would Calvin say about his birthday if he were alive with us (he is alive) today?  He would certainly point us to Jesus.  It seems that as long as we use Calvin’s work to continue pointing to Jesus Christ and not John Calvin, he would be pleased.

Blessings,

Mark

PS Yes, there are 500 candles on that cake.  How funny Calvin have thought it be if we put those candles that won’t blow out on his cake?

PPS It’s also Justin Taylor’s birthday so Happy Birthday to him too!

This is the first giveaway for the book Godology: Because Knowing God Changes Everything by Christian George.  Check out my recent review of Godology for more info about the book.

I’ve got three new books to giveaway and this will be the first.  The other two will follow within the coming weeks.

To Enter Book Giveaway Drawing

• Leave name and email address for entry. (If you comment below I will have these two items.)

For additional entries:

• Subscribe to this blog and let me know.
• Write your own blog post promoting this giveaway and provide your link.

Either leave this information in the comments below or CLICK HERE to fill out the form.

The drawing will end on Friday, July 24.  A name will be randomly drawn to receive a FREE copy of Godology.

Have fun!

Mark

P.s. Here’s one endorsement from the back cover.

“Godology is a rock-solid theology penetrated with the urgency and joy of spiritual discipline. Excellent food (an image often employed) for the soul.”

Tom J. Nettles, professor of historical theology, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary

Godology: Because Knowing God Changes Everything By Christian George.  Moody Publishers, January 1, 2009. 176 pages.

What first caught my attention about this book was the foreward by J.I. Packer.  Right away this made me want to look further into Godology.

Godology is a book explaining the attributes of God in more modern terms.  The author creatively engages the reader using many modern illustrations and then leads into explaining God’s attributes.  This made the book easy and enjoyable to read.  For example, check out the chapter titles and their corresponding sub-titles.

1. Mardi Gras and Icicles: God’s Unity

2. Jesus Ninja: God’s Power

3. Sunsets and Dinosaurs: God’s Creativity

4. Showing Some Skin: God’s Vulnerability

5. Chocolate for the Soul: God’s Holiness

6. Rhapsody in Red: God’s Love

7. Jealous is My Name: God’s Jealousy

8. Inbox (1): God’s Wisdom

9. Cardboard Crosses: God’s Patience

10. Feng Shui Faith: God’s Mystery

11. G-Force: God’s Mystery

Don’t let the titles fool you.  George does not redefine God in modern or post-modern terms just to get a point across.  He uses such terms to bridge the gap and his point across. While this might be seen in a sense as contextualization, the author takes the reader from such terms into Scripture to make his points.  He tackles cultural items and brings them into biblical focus challenging the reader to think of how he lives within such culture.  An example from page 43.

In a day when most of our communications occurs online and iPhoto replaces tangible albums, we are beginning to hunger for the grainy life, the touchable life.  We need the nitty-gritty.  Face-to-face communities are becoming crucial again, along with eye-to-eye interaction.  Technology will continue to shape the future, but it’s also shaping us.  It can numb and distance us from what our souls were created to experience-walking with God in the cool of the day (Genesis 3:8).  I’m not talking about an interactive virtual walking tour, but rather, a breezy, creek wading, muscle stretching jaunt with Jesus.

George uses quotes from various individuals from Carl Sagan, Dan Brown, Orpah Winfrey to Shane Claiborne, C.S. Lewis, Charles Spurgeon and John Calvin.  Plus several more.  Some more conservative Christians might find this tough to read at times, but George uses the quotes well.  It’s nothing to be afraid of.  Just see the endorsement by Tom Nettles of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.  One can hardly get more conservative.

If your looking for a book on God’s attributes that’s easy to read as it moves you right along this is it.  It’s also a fun or funny book  as can be seen when the author catches “a glimpse of a topless fat guy catching doubloons.” (17)  This book would be good for teens and those folks who are trying to get into theology, but find it boring or hard to read.  The book is also creative enough for the teacher who might have trouble relating to folks in today’s culture.  Said teacher will certainly find creative ways to cross that cultural gap in their teaching.

I like and recommend Godology.

Mark

P.s. Tomorrow I will have a new post about winning a free copy of this book.  Stay tuned….

Logos Bible Software is celebrating the launch of their new online Bible by giving away 72 ultra-premium print Bibles at a rate of 12 per month for six months. The Bible giveaway is being held at Bible.Logos.com and you can get up to five different entries each month! After you enter, be sure to check out Logos and see how it can revolutionize your Bible study.

I will be promoting this giveaway with one post a month like this one.  It will serve as a reminder and an entry for me.

Great deal!

Also, if you don’t want to enter because you just don’t want one of these Bibles, enter anyways and send me your winnings.  I won’t mind.

As I get ready to travel for the Fourth of July weekend I wanted to give an update on what’s coming up on the blog.  I also want to make a brief note on the Fourth of July.  By the way, prayers for our travel safety would be much appreciated.

Fourth of July Note

When the patriotic holidays come along some local churches celebrate them with a religious zeal. It often becomes apparent just how much identity is wrapped up in the American flag.  I’ve seen hats, shirts, little flags, scarfs, numerous mentions of the flag, etc. all within the church and around her services. I understand this to a point. However, like our politics, patriotic holidays tend to have very strong influences on our churches. God has give us many blessings that are take for granted that don’t have near the large scale emotional impact and attention. Note, there are plenty of gatherings to attend in celebration, outside the church, and that’s just fine. It’s within the context of worship and the church house which gives me pause.

I understand the intentions are good, but the language many times wrong. To celebrate within our worship is to thank God and call us to repentance and service. We have certainly been blessed here in America, but this isn’t the Promised Land and it’s not like society is improving in a God honoring way. Just as Johnny Hunt said in a recent sermon, God has blessed American and it’s time American starts blessing God. To get a clearer understanding of where I am please see my Memorial Day 2009 Worship Service post which further expounds similar thoughts. I wish everyone a safe, happy and fun Fourth of July.

Books and Stuff…

• An interview coming up with Dr. Greg Wills for SBC Voices on his new book Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, 1859-2009. I better get him the interview questions before he changes his mind!  Dr. Wills is  a great guy, BTW.
• Religion Saves by Mark Driscoll.  This book will be part of a giveaway and Driscoll’s blog tour.
• Godology by Christian George.  A book review and 3 copies to giveaway!
• Unfashionable: Making a Difference in the World by Being Different By Tullian Tchividjian, a review.
• King James Only Controversy, The: Can You Trust Modern Translations? 2nd ed. By James R. White, a review and giveaway.
• Christianity In Crisis: The 21st Century By Hank Hanegraaff, a review.
• The Wordsmith, The Kid, and The Electrolux by Clifford Leigh, a review and giveaway.
• Satan and His Kingdom: What the Bible Says and How It Matters to You By Dennis McCallum, a review.
• Brothers, We Are Not Professionals: A Plea to Pastors for Radical Ministry By John Piper, a longer review. (If I can ever finish it.)

Finally, a book review with a possible giveaway.  I can’t say anything yet, but if you appreciate the recent work of Dr. Horton..stay tuned.

SBC2009

Plenty of folks who were present at this year’s Southern Baptist Convention have written some good posts on it.  I was able to watch/listen to most of it online.  I keep going back and forth about whether or not to write on it.  For now, let me give a couple of thoughts.  Two things I didn’t appreciate.  Chuck Colson and Mike Huckabee.

Colson, regardless of how good his presentation was, is married to a practicing Roman Catholic.  This is stated on page seven of a lawsuit against Prison Fellowship Ministries stating <i>Even Dr. Colson’s wife, Patty Colson, is a practicing Catholic.</i>  Even some Catholics have wondered why he doesn’t become Catholic.  I don’t see the value in promoting a man whose family not only doesn’t attend the same church, but attends a church with a false gospel.

Huckabee I didn’t appreciate because of the politics and moralism of his presentation.  I’m so tired of national politics in the SBC.  Getting “our guy” in office won’t and hasn’t solved our problems.  We’ve got to get back to the Gospel and away from moralism.

This is why I’m thankful for the Great Commission Resurgence awareness and task force.  While not perfect atleast we have a better chance at getting the Gospel back on the radar and working together.  I’m thankful for the current SBC leadership and hopeful for a better cooperating future.  It will be nice to see both the younger and older generation come together around the Gospel.

I don’t think I’ll have much computer access over the weekend.  I hope I didn’t forget to list any books.  Have a great weekend.

And that’s a wrap…

Mark

David Fitch has asked if we agree or disagree with his views on the work of The Gospel Coalition (TGC).  His views are expressed at Christianity Today’s Out of Ur blog post: Gospel Coalition or Expedition? How effective will The Gospel Coalition be in post-Christendom?

One of the problems with Fitch’s approach can be seen in his introduction. 

Here are five statements that encapsulate what I think TGC is implying in their work so far. [Emphasis mine]

He is building his response to his personal implications he gathered rather than what TGC has actually put forth.   TGC has spelled out their positions, understanding of the Gospel, ministry vision, etc. in their foundation documents.  Let’s look Fitch’s issues.

Pure Doctrinal Foundations

… impulse in the TGC… just get our doctrine right (…version of Reformed orthodoxy) …then mission and church renewal will follow.

Is this merely an impulse in TGC or an actual position?  TGC is not about just getting doctrine right in the sense of mere intellectual knowing.  Getting doctrine right is beyond mere assent it is biblical and motivating.  My question is – If we don’t get our doctrine right then what will follow?  If we aren’t driven by doctrine, our beliefs, then what drives us?  If Fitch is arguing against TGC doctrine is he then arguing for his own doctrinal positions?  If this is so, then he is defeated by his own argument.  If not, then he is essentially agruing for nothing.  Or, no doctrine.

…this is not 16th-century Europe…not the 1920’s North America, where the majority mainline Protestant population, under the influence of modernist liberalism… In post-Christendom territory there are very few Christians of any kind left who have any doctrine to be renewed.

Correct, we are not in those time eras.  We are, however, dealing with liberalism today. The Roman Catholic church is still very influential today through there social and political actions.  I would argue that not only do we need doctrinal renewal.  We need explicit, indepth doctrinal teaching.

The Reformation

The Reformation gave birth to the solas, especially sola scriptura (Scripture alone) and sola fide (faith alone), which in their time called people to renewed purity and personal commitment to the gospel… We must be sober about the doctrinal problems of the Reformation that elevate the individual and isolate Scripture (as an authority and conceptual document) away from the church and a way of life.

It was not sola scriptura and sola fide that promoted individualism and an isolated understanding of Scripture.  It was the misapplication of said doctrines.  In the USA, it would be the comingling of misapplication with the American Way that has caused many of the problems we have today.  This is the very thing TGC is seeking to combat.  A proper understanding and application of sola scriptura and sola fide takes us away from indivualism.  Sinful men will continue to abuse and misuse truths until the Lord returns.  It happened all throughout history even when God was literally speaking directly to His prophets.  The abuse and misuse of sound doctrine is no reason to abadone it.  All the much more reason for doctrinal renewal.

Female Pastors

I characterize the view of women in ministry in the TGC as 1) based in an inerrancy view of the text, which 2) latches on to texts as if they were isolated units of universal teaching on women, which then 3) leaves them blind to the New Testament’s overall elevation of women into ministerial authority in the church.

Fitch’s view of women in ministry seem to be based on 1) an errant and cultural conformity of the text, which 2) latches on to the text questioning the existence of any universal teaching, which then 3) leaves him blind in even being able to define women’s roles of ministry in the church.

Notice, Fitch’s statements are really just a pitch for his doctrinal position.  This is fine, but he shouldn’t act as if TGC should change their stance to comfort his when position cannot do likewise.

But I believe that the New Testament calls women into full participation in the new authority of the Kingdom unleashed in the church (this means I affirm the full ordination of women).

This is not merely a Protestant position.  Fitch is defining his view of women and “full participation” in a way that must include ordination.  There is no reason we cannot have full participation without ordination.  Just because he doesn’t hold the same position as TGC (or Roman Catholic and conservative Protestants) doesn’t mean this will cause a downfall for TGC’s vision.

I believe TGC will be impotent to engage the culture of post Christendom if it cannot give witness to the new “politics of Jesus” in its gender politics.

Is Fitch implying we must forgo our doctrinal beliefs just to be more culturally relevant?  Haven’t American evangelicals been involved enough in politics to the detriment of the Gospel?  Do we need more?  Maybe I don’t quite understand what Fitch means by “politics of Jesus”.  Besides, in this age of accept everyone and everything should TGC’s position on this be just fine?

The New Perspective

John Piper and Don Carson have energetically sought to dismantle the “new perspective” on Paul…it is a mistake to see the new perspective as the enemy. ..we will forever be hindered from socially embodying the gospel…worse, emerging Christians will continue to make the error of separating social justice from the redemption of the individual in Christ.

I agree with Fitch that the emerging folks do err in separating social justice from redemption.  This is one of the things TGC is seeking to answer with a proper understanding of justification and the Gospel.  The New Perspective also takes us back to one of Fitch’s earlier statements about the 16th century and Roman Catholicism.  The New Perspective might actually open the door for Protestants to move to the Roman church so even here it is a problem.  Again, these things are actually reasons to support TGC with its quest for renewal.

Megachurches

Because of their tendencies to individualize the gospel, the reading of Scripture, and salvation and to separate doctrine from “way of life,” TGC does not see the problem of the megachurch for the future.

I’m not necessarily a “fan” of megachurches.  They too have their problems.  This doesn’t mean though that they will be less healthy than a church of 50.  Also, is it the megachurch or the American cultural influences and improper undertanding of the Gospel that leads to individualism?

…gospel must take root in a social communal embodiment, where the gospel can be seen, heard, understood, and experienced by those completely foreign to our faith in Christ.

Agreed.

This kind of communal embodiment is nigh impossible in mega sized organizations (although I’ve seen it at least once).

Yes, this can be very tough in large groups.  I agree.  It doesn’t mean that this problem is limited to the megas though.  Yet, more reasons to promote TGC.

…solid preaching and culturally relative apologetics will gather post-Christendom into its churches. I fear TGC then becomes a force for coalescing mega-size churches that preach to the already initiated.

OK, if post-Christendom gathers in these megachurches wouldn’t this tell us that TGC’s vision is working?  Also, if these churches are growing via post-Christendom wouldn’t this mean folks are “already initiated” or else the churches wouldn’t be growing?  In the very least if post-Christendom regularly attend megachurches aren’t they being initiated?  As I understand it, primarly to worship God not to build around what does or does not attract post-Christendom.  TGC calls for much more than preaching and apologetics.  It calls for living out the Gospel in all areas, not just Sunday morning, but all areas of our lives.  It seems to be a good biblical solution to me.

The bottomline is TGC’s vision, if followed, will cause many renewed Christian lives for the Gospel.  Its motivation is for whole-life Gospel living.  If TGC’s vision fails it’s not for lack of its biblical roots.  It’s for lack of sinful men not living the Gospel.

Agree?  Disagree?  What did I miss?

For what it’s worth…

Mark

Did you know that God commands you to be happy?

Serve the LORD with gladness! Psalm 100:2

Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart. Psalm 37:4

The best news in the world is that there is no conflict between your greatest possible happiness and God’s perfect holiness. Being satisfied with all that God is for you in Jesus magnifies him as the greatest treasure and brings you more joy—eternal, infinite joy—than any other delight ever could.

You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore. Psalm 16:11

John Piper,  For Your Joy

Think on that…

Mark

P.s. That path to happiness is found in the Gospel which is summed up here: Got 60 seconds?

Would you like a free copy of Bibleworks8?  I know I sure would!  It would be especially helpful if I start seminary soon as planned.

Fellow blogger Nathan W. Bingham over at Cal.vini.st (Cool url!) is offering a way to get this software…for free!

Want in on this? Find out how to register to win: Cal.vini.st First Anniversary Giveaway

Bibleworks8 is loaded with new stuff too!

So, go enter while I think of a way to bribe Nathan…

Another year.  Another Father’s Day.  A useless holiday that we made up to spur the economy i.e. to get people to spend money.  That’s just about what I used to think anyways.  Not so much anymore.

Today when I think of Father’s Day I think of my father, myself as a father and my heavenly Father.  There is something about growing up that makes you appreciate your parents and other older adults in your life.  Part of it is just the maturing process and appreciating life in general.  Fatherhood is important and has helped me grow in many areas.  I’m going to share from four of those areas: Appreciation, humility, ministry and some reflections.

Appreciation

I’ve really grown to appreciate my dad more and more over the years.  As I seek wisdom as a father I reflect on what I mine did for me.  My dad has always put his family first.  He sacrificed himself and his things for the family.

Even today he is the go to guy when the rest of the family needs something.  Even though he doesn’t have much to give he will do whatever he can.  I appreciate this more today than I ever have in the past.  The sad thing is that I don’t even know what to do to show this appreciation.  I’m just very grateful that my father was a great model for me.  But now I’m a father and I hope I am half the man my father was in those areas of sacrifice.  This is amplified now that I’m a Christian as I see everything through the lens of Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross of undeserving sinners like me.

Humility

God has given me a wonderful daughter that I don’t deserve.  Atleast from my perspective I don’t.  God apparently doesn’t see it that way.  Neither does my wife I might add.  Fathering is a big task and I’m thankful to do it in humility and with great care.

See, my teen daughter is my step-daughter.  But you won’t hear me call her that unless I have to for clarification of some kind.  Of all the men God (and my wife) could have picked to shepherd her I get the privilege.  It’s just humbling.  I’m not sure how else to describe it.  I think she deserves better.  (My wife is gonna kick my behind for saying that.)  I pray that God gives me the ability to be a good father.  Next to being a husband this is my second ministry.

Ministry

As I’ve begun seeking pastoral ministry in the past months I’ve taken another look at my life.  Before considering pastoral ministry I needed to see how I was ministering to my family.  This is the primary ministry God has given me.  If I cannot take care of my family, then I certainly cannot take care of a congregation.

In this ministry as a father I’ve learned to work through difficult issues and make hard decisions.  I’ve learned to do this in love.  To grow in love while learning to confront, correct, teach, etc. is not easy.  But I love it!  I’ve learned lessons that I can take and use to minister to others.  I’ve thankful to God for this ministry of fatherhood.

Reflections

Below are six reflections about being a father.  There are many more, but these are some key points.  Despite all my failures Jesus strengthens me and sustains me.    This is the basis of these reflections.  I’m just trying to show and live out for my daughter the grace of God in my life.

• Love your child.  Whatever stupid thing they do you’ve probably done worse and/or more.  Jesus still loves you.
• Forgive your child.  Whatever wrongs they do to you you’ve done worse towards God.  Jesus still forgives.
• Apologize to your child.  Parents over-react and say and do stupid, sinful things.  Repent.  Model repentance to your child.  Show them and explain it.
• Pray with and around your child.  Show them that prayer is important in your life and theirs.  Don’t just do it during special occasions or quietly as if you’re ashamed.  Pray often and with confidence.
• Attend church.  Show your child that being involved in the life of the local church is important.  Get involved and get them serving too.
• Love Jesus always.  The above points will show your love for Jesus, but say it too.  Talk about Jesus.  Make Him central so your child doesn’t become religious.  This goes no matter where or what activity you’re involved in.

Thank you dad for being the role model a father should be.  Thank you Father God for Your Son Jesus, His grace and my earthly father.

Humbly,

Mark

Ride to Live, Live to Ride is the motto you’ll find on biker t-shirts.  It’s really a cool saying.  The motto can be changed to reflect whatever is primary in your life from riding motorcycles to sports to your job.  In reality the motto is about self.  The primacy of me we might say.  So what do you say?  How about something better? 

The Apostle Paul left us with an even cooler saying – To live is Christ and to die is gain.  Paul was right!  But which does your life really look like?  Is your life your own?  Or does it belong to Jesus?  Does your life look like your own?  Or does it look like it belongs to Jesus?

I can’t answer those questions for your life directly.  They are for you to pray about and consider.

Titus 2:11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, 12 training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, 13 waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, 14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works. 15 Declare these things; exhort and rebuke with all authority. Let no one disregard you. [ESV]

That is just one example from Scripture exhorting us to live for Jesus.  Not only exhorting us, but reminding us that it is by the grace of God that we do so.  Jesus redeemed us from unholy lives.  Let’s look at how God may use us when we live the life He saved us to live.

Real Life Example

Listen to the first 15 minutes of John MacArthur at Resolved 2009, A Theology of Creation.  It will convict you about your Christian life.  You never know who might be watching you.  Whether the Lord shows you or not, you just never know.

Listen to the whole thing, sure.  But listen to the first 15 minutes.  Then stop. Meditate on what God did in Dr. MacArthur’s life.  Think about your life.  Pray.  What does your life look like?  What should it look like?

If that doesn’t convict you come back and tell me why.

Mark

If you’ve read my testimony you’ll see that I grew up in a legalistic religion.  I could never be good enough.  Since I was the one on the receiving end of the legalism it really was a never ending road.  Whether it was a cuss word or a beer, I was done.  However, even Christians are prone to legalism, especially, when it comes to alcohol.  Not every Christian who disagrees with moderation is a legalist, but those tendencies may be present.  Especially, when it become a sanctification issue.

The debate of whether or not Christians should or may drink any alcohol whatsoever will go on until we get to share a glass of wine with Jesus in the Kingdom(Matt. 26:29).  This is especially true in the Southern Baptist Convention.  Just look at Dealing with Legalism which has 95 comments thus far.  I do have a question that goes beyond moderate use of alcohol by Christians.

Who would you rather have in your church, alcoholics or legalists?  How would you answer and why?  Eventually, an alcoholic will easily see his sin.  It’s not hard to see the addiction in his life.  The legalist actually embraces his sin as righteousness.

Let us not be deceived by outward appearances.  Satan “disguises himself as an angel of light” (2 Cor. 11:14).  He keeps his deadliest diseases most sanitary.  He clothes his captains in religious garments and houses his weapons in temples.  Legalism is a more dangerous disease than alcoholism because it doesn’t look like one.  Alcoholism makes men fail; legalism helps them succeed in the world.  Alcoholism makes men depend on the bottle; legalism makes them self-sufficient, depending on no one.  Alcoholism destroys moral resolve; legalism gives it strength.  Alcoholics don’t feel welcome in the church; legalists love to hear their morality extolled in church. Piper, John. Brothers We Are Not Professionals. Nashville: B&H Publishing, 2002. 155.

While the alcoholic may see his problem, how do we show the chains of legalism?  Legalism introduces new laws.  New rules to follow.  What really changes though?  For example, the Moral Majority could get their guy elected.  The world was still lost, the Gospel absent and the only real change was the name of the office holder.  It was a campaign for morality, which is a good thing, but without the Gospel true change cannot come.  A change in habit does not change the heart.

Total abstinence as an entrance requirement may secure a church membership with one common attitude toward alcohol, but it is of no help in making us a pure people who do not live according to the flesh. Ibid. 158.

To invite someone to a new set of rules without the life changing Gospel of love is to offer nothing.  See, the alcoholic already knows he needs to stop.  So to bring him to a church where someone else just tells him to stop isn’t very helpful.  They need to see their sin and helplessness.  They need Jesus who can change the heart and work forward from there.

Some days I wish I just carried my own sin in a bottle.  It would be much easier to see.

For what it’s worth…

Mark

Warning.  Caution.  Disclaimer.  These are popular words.  We see them on everything and everywhere today.  They are good, bad, indifferent and life saving.  Should we have something of those words at our Christian conferences where “celebrity” pastors and theologians speak?  Maybe.

There are many good, Gospel-centered conferences offered these days.  I was at one of the last week.  The Advance09 Conference.  I even took notes.  I did think about the issue of the men speaking, who speak often, and if some sort of spiritual caution or reminder is in order.

Two men more qualified than I have broached the topic.  John Piper and Kevin DeYoung have written on evangelical heroes and superstars respectively.  I encourage you to read them both.  So why this post?

Appreciation

First, I really appreciate those who might be deemed “celebrity” pastors/speakers.  They are serving the Kingdom.  Most of them pastor their own churches.  This means they must word extra hard to prepare for these conferences.

There heart is for the Gospel.  The Lord has blessed them with such a ministry and gifts that they might bless the rest of us.  It’s a great thing.  My observation is in no way meant to take away from their work for the Kingdom.  I enjoy the audio from most of these conferences.  God uses them to convict me.  To help me grow.  So, why a disclaimer?

A Disclaimer, Really?

At these conferences we attempt to learn to see the areas of life address through the lens of the Gospel.  The Gospel is not new.  The topics addressed are not new.  The Bible we read is not new.  Yet, neither the Gospel nor the Bible will ever get old.  We will need them until Christ’s return.

Yet, these conference speakers don’t just say: Just look at life through the lens of the Gospel, goodnight.  The same topics are addressed over and over from different perspectives that God has given each speaker.  As Matt Chandler said at Advance09, if he is saying something a you’ve never heard before then you need to get out of ministry.  Yet, the message is repeated over and over.  Jesus taught the same things over and over.  It’s part of our growing as a Christian, our sanctification.

So why not a reminder that these speakers are not our pastor(s) or elder(s)?  We tend to be reminded and taught of most other things concerning the Christian life.  Mark Driscoll’s list of ministry idols was helpful and is along the same line of thought.  I really appreciated John Piper explaing just how sinful of a person he is.  Especially, helpful was the admission that he struggles with one-on-one engagement.  Why else though?

Local Pastors

The local pastor, your pastor is to whom you’ve been given for the watching over of your soul. You are to emulate the life of your pastor not necessarily the “celebrity” speakers.  Though, they too should have lives worthy of such following.  The speakers will not personally know you to be involved in your life.  Nor will you know them in such a way.  Also, your pastor is responsible to God for your soul.  He is your assigned shepherd and answers to Jesus for you.  Don’t make his life in this area any harder than it is.

If you are a pastor you are responsible to your other elders and congregation.  You’ve got to love your own flock that God has given you.  You can’t expect your congregation to look and be like Matt Chandler’s or RC Sproul’s.  You are responsible for God for the souls given you in your congregation not in another’s congregation.  Whose to blame?

Real Indictment

Did you catch it?  The real indictment?  The real indictment and concern about offering a disclaimer is not the “celebrity” pastors themselves.  (I only call them that for lack of a better term.)  The real indictment is the rest of us.  Those of us taking in these conferences like it were the first drink of water we’ve had after two months in the desert.  We are the ones who could be making idols of them.

Regardless of whether or not they get caught up in themselves.  Regardless of what their intentions might we are responsible for not letting ourselves make idols of these men.  We have enough idols all ready.  Don’t we?

While a sort of disclaimer might not be a bad idea some times, it’s not necessarily a requirement.  Though it may be helpful as a humble reminder at times.

For what it’s worth…

Mark

This is an interesting discussion by some Lutheran pastors on free-will and salvation.  They even discuss Roman Catholic and Protestant differences.

One of the questions at about the 20 minute mark by email was concerning God’s foreknowledge.  It was along the lines of if God knows what you’re going to eat for dinner is it possible for you to eat something contrary to what God knows you will have.  I think this is slightly the wrong question.

The answer given was that God’s foreknowledge does not determine what you’ll eat.  That wasn’t the question though.

The right question is this: Is there ever a point in time at which God does not know what you will do i.e. choose to eat for dinner?

What do you think?

Mark

How awesome is it to for a Christian conference to make the local news?  The final day was good.  I’m too tired to write out any notes.  I hope to have some final reflections on the event soon.  I was certainly blessed by the messages and fellowship.  Check out the news story.

There’s about 2,900 miles between Mike Anderson’s home in Seattle, Washington, and Durham. But something drew him here this weekend.

“I think God’s doing some things that are pretty special right now,” he said. “He’s both focusing on theology, which lots of times has been kept in the churches that are viewed as more conservative and they haven’t engaged with people. At the same time, he’s raising people up with a heart to care for people and to save people and to go out to the ends of the Earth.”

Anderson was one in a crowd of 2,700 (Read the whole thing)

Today was day two at Advance09 here in Durham, NC.  It was another good day.  To catch up you can find all of the uploaded audio for you to download here: Advance09 Session MP3’s.

Order of Events

• Ed Stetzer – Keys to Understanding Church and Kingdom
• JD Greear – Planting is for Wimps: Revitalizing a Church Around the Gospel
• Eric Mason – The Ultimate Shepherd
• Mark Driscoll – Ministry Idolatry
• John Piper – Let the Nations Be Glad, Part One
• Q&A Panel

Ed Stetzer – Keys to Understanding Church and Kingdom

How do I say this?  Ed rocked the house with this presentation!  Is that contextualized enough for you?

Ed gave a brief history lesson on why the Kingdom seemed to fall off the map in recent times.  The two main reasons he gave are dispensationalism and liberalism.  He mentioned how dispensationalists are coming around.  They are calling themselves progressive dispensationalists which he said is like baptists calling themselves united baptists.

He was in Matthew 16 today.  He offered three main points.

1. Church needs to recognize the centrality of Christ.
2. Peter’s confession is the foundation of the church.
3. The church is God’s tool for Kingdom mission.

I appreciated his message in calling churches to focus on Jesus.  He ended with a few bangs.  Americans have a low view of church and are often Americans first and biblicists second.  He called for men to get over their man-crush on Mark Driscoll and to love their own church/people.  Get away from this type of ministry pornography.  Don’t try to show your people cool. Show them Jesus.

Ending with a quote by Augustine: Te church is a whore, but still my mother.

JD Greear – Planting is for Wimps: Revitalizing a Church Around the Gospel

Greear decided to change his topic after listening to the day one presenters. I might have missed it, but I do not know what he changed his topic to.  He did speak on revitalization while focusing on our problem of being religious in our churches today.

He opened with a great illustration about his “success” being God’s work and nothing he accomplished.  He said it’s like a woodpecker pecking on a telephone poll.  Along comes a bolt of lightening.  It hits the telephone poll and splits/explodes the poll. The woodpecker jumped back just flapping it’s wings next to the poll.  Now everyone wants the woodpecker to speak about how it did that to the telephone poll.  Love it!

Greear gave six timeless characteristics of religion using Matthew 23.

1. Love recognition. (Titles, praise, honor)
2. Substitute religious rituals for God. (Checking boxes when done with certain deeds.)
3. Elevate religious tradition over God. (Speech, dress, altar calls)
4. Elevate religious things over loving other people. (Judgemental)
5. More aware of others’ sins than their own. (Good vs. bad)
6. Think the sermon is always about someone else. (Repentance)

Even though I wish he would have gone into detail on the “hows” of revitalizing a church, of how he did it, I think his message was important.  It’s important for pastors to hear, sure.  Probably moreso for congregations to hear which is why I think the pastors at the conference would have benefitted moreso from hearing how to “fix” these things.

Eric Mason – The Ultimate Shepherd

Mason also changed his topic.  He changed it from The Ultimate Shepherd to Credibility of Church.  What he actually did was exegete Ephesians 3:20-21.

I’m not sure I really got how the new topic fit with Ephesians 3:20-21.  I did appreciate some of the things he said about the church.  The churches credibility needs to be embedded in Christ.  We’ve got to point to God.  God shows Himself off through the church.

An interesting point was he thinks that Reformed people sometimes make an idol of out Total Depravity.  “I’m a worm. I’m a fart.”  We do this so much that even our confessing about how bad and unworthy we are becomes about us.  It sure is something to think about.

Mark Driscoll – Ministry Idolatry

Excellent presentation.  He laid out 20 points of idolatry. These were in groups of 4, 5 and 11.  He touched on all aspects of life.  They will apply to you whether you are a pastor or not.  Very convicting.  It would make a nice list of which to evaluate your life.

He ended by dropping a grenaide.  He said that repentance is not what you preach it’s what you practice first.  Quoting Packer that the first part of the Gospel is repentance and if you don’t repent you’re a heretic.

“Some of you guys are heretics.”

John Piper – Let the Nations Be Glad, Part One

Piper basically went through his book Let the Nations Be Glad.  Not verbatim, but it’s never tiring to be reminded of our mission with the Gospel.  Piper’s passion really comes through on this topic.

He ended speaking about those who’ve never heard the Gospel and how they are judged.  I heard some conversation around me and they seemed confused as to how to Piper’s position.  I’m sure he’s written elsewhere about it and another listen will help.

Q&A Panel

Interesting questions.  The questions will be posted at Advancethechurch.com/notes

Piper said something that we might miss at times.  He said preaching is as important as praying. We pray to have the Holy Spirit open the eyes to see what is preached.  The Holy Spirit doesn’t go where the Gospel is not.

This reminds me that if we are to pray for someone’s conversion we must present the Gospel to them or else what will they be converted to?

One more from Piper was his answer to not idolizing people like him.  He said to talk to his wife and see how sinful he really is.  He admitted failure in one-on-one conversation with the Gospel.  It’s easy to do before a large group,sure.  He falls short in many places.

We need to hear admissions of short coming from the highly thought of pastors.  Knowing that Piper too struggles with one-on-one sharing the Gospel shows us that he too is human.

For what it’s worth…

Mark

I’m having a great time at the Advance09 Conference.  A great time of learning and conviction.  I’m rooming with a brother named Kris from NC who also put some notes up.

I’m going to give you today’s line-up and some highlights from my notes.  You can go over to DesiringGod.org and download The First Three Advance09 Messages.

The Line-Up

• Mark Driscoll – What is the Church?
• Tyler Jones – Decline and Resurge
• Bryan Chapell – Communicating the Gospel Through Preaching
• Matt Chandler – Preaching the Gospel to the De-Churched
• Q&A Panel

Mark Driscoll – What is the Church?

Driscoll started with a dictionary definition of church.  As he said this definition is not helpful.  He moved through looking at the church throughout history.  Touching on the modern era and the missuse of Matthew 18 i.e. where ever two or more are gathered is not a church.  Then the Emergent Church, early creed, Wycliffe, Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Calvin, Luther to the Anabaptists.

The question we must answer is – Who is Jesus?  This is the starting point in defining the church.  We went back to Genesis 3:15 to look at the Gospel onto the incarnation.  The church is the result of the work of the Holy Spirit through the work of Jesus.

Driscoll fired of the charge of some pastors being cowards.  They are cowards because they are afraid to preach.  Afraid of the people.  They just want a job, pay check, prestige and offer suggestions not commands.  This approach with lead people to become false teachers.  The culture is kindling and the Gospel must be the priority preached with authority.  It is always, only and totally about Jesus.

He gave 8 marks of the local church.

1. Regular church – regenerated church membership distinguished from unbelieving attenders.
2. Qualified leadership – ontological equality with functional leadership, male elders and deacons (male/female at Mars Hill).
3. Gathering for worship – Jesus the center of worship with preaching based on the authority of Scripture.  50% is doing, serving and 50% is receiving from God such as grace, faith, salvation, spiritual feeding, etc.
4. Sacraments rightly administered -  communion every week (at Mars Hill).  If baptists can’t grasp this they should talk to a Presbyterian.  So what if communion makes the service a little longer.
5. Unified by the Spirit – Closed-handed vs. open-handed theological positions.  Leadership needs to say what they believe as well as what they don’t believe and be united.
6. Church discipline – Matthew 18 misused i.e. a rape victim can’t just go up and say to the rapist that the rape was wrong so repent.  Churches should have a policy addressing church discipline, most don’t have one.  The bigger the church the harder it can be.
7. Great Commission love – a Gospel community will be living, loving and expressing generosity together.
8. Obey Great Commission – reach the nations. People must be missional and go out with the Gospel.

He addressed a few more things such as missional/attractional, gathered/scattered church, pastor equips/people go out and biblical principle/cultural method.  He also touched on parachurch ministries.  I enjoyed the message overall.  I’m not sure who needs it more some pastors or their congregations.  Some people will not like some of the things such as coward comment and the call to end Sunday School.  Check it out.

Tyler Jones – Decline and Resurge

The church is a body and like our bodies we need to take care of it.  The church needs care.  The world is dark.  It is dark because we, as people, are dark.  Jesus is the only hope.  He offers this hope through the church.

Love the church. Love is more than emotion it is sacrifice. The church should be a priority in the life of believers and effect all of our lives structure.

Jones gave some reasons the church is in decline.

1. Debilitating focus on political alignment.
2. Not passing faith to our children.
3. Failure of Christian education.
4. Inter-denominational fighting.
5. Less overall resources i.e. buildings, people, money.

The church has a threefold problem.  We’ve taken our eyes off Jesus, off mission and have developed a toxic nature.  The answer is long-term active repentance.  He shared a personal story about repenting of the sin of territorialism and reaching out to local pastors.  He called on some pastors to step down.  Those who’ve disqualified themselves through pornography, infidelity or pedophilia.

Jones had some good things to say, but for some reason he was the toughest for me to follow.  I appreciated his personal stories about working with other local pastors.

Bryan Chapell – Communicating the Gospel Through Preaching

I don’t really have to say much here because Dr. Chapell provided his notes from the session.  You can download them here: Notes from Bryan Chapell’s session right off the Vintage21 website.

He does start off with a hard hitting question.  Why is it so easy to sin?  Because we love it.  There are four basic categories of Scripture and they all point to Jesus.  Prediction, preparation, reflecting and end result are all because of the work of Christ.

I always enjoy listening to Chapell.  He has a way with illustrations that is just amazing.

Matt Chandler – Preaching the Gospel to the De-Churched

He starts by telling us that everything we’ve all ready heard is not new.  If it is new to any pastor then that pastor should step down and leave the pastorate.  It’s not the information we need.  It’s the power of the Holy Spirit we need to carry out all of this theology.

Chandler went over the church at Ephesus.  He pointed out three areas in Ephesus and challenged us to apply them today.

1. Fear of the Lord – Acts 19:17, Jesus name exalted. Get back to the nature and character of God in preaching.
2. Confessing – Acts 19:18, build in confession by preaching the cross.  We have nothing in ourselves to confess if we leave out the cross.  Stop trying to make what we believe to be cool.  If everyone likes what you’re preaching it’s probably not the Gospel.
3. Destroy idols – Acts 19:18, quotes Calvin on us being idol factories.  We are too comfortable with our sins and must destroy it.  Need to recover the doctrine of the Holy Spirit.

I do like listening to Chandler.  He has a way of making you laugh and then walking you to step on a rake that hits you between the eyes.  Convicting.

Q&A Panel

This was an interesting session that was answered by Driscoll, Chapell and Chandler.  Tyler Jones asked the questions.  They are taking questions at Advancethechurch.com for tomorrow.  The questions centered around: people not being able to find a solid local church/leadership, when to stay or move on, open vs. closed-handed issues, shepherding, influence/leading within the church, tensions and parachurches.

The answers were good, but not answered in a black and white manner.  The guys were careful not to tell people to just church hop, etc.  They were not easy topics to handle.Hopefully, the audio will be up soon as I’m too tired right not to type out some notes.

I’m looking forward to tomorrow’s teaching and fellowship.

Mark

(Note: This will be the first post until the drawing is over.)

Yesterday, I interviewed Mark McCallum, author of the novel Taking Three.  Check out the interview if you haven’t.  Today, I will provide a short review and a way for readers to get a free, signed copy.

Review

Taking Three by Mark R McCallum. Sense of Wonder Press. Rockville, 2008. 256 pages.

Comedian Robin Williams once joked about getting pulled over for speeding in a small town in the South. The sheriff who pulled him over wore mirrored sun glasses. The mirror was on the inside. The type of small town everyone jokes about. Where someone sneezes on one side of town and everyone on the other side knows it.

This is like the town named Soke  where Taking Three is set.  Like many small towns there’s always a town legend. A legend that’s true to some and unbelievable to most. Soke is no different. In fact, it is exactly that. This is what made the book intriguing and interesting.

The legend in Soke is name Old Coals. Just what or who is Old Coals? That’s what the reader is left to find out for themselves. The story centers around a boy named Robbie Callahan, Officer Merl Burt and, of course, Old Coals. There is a good mix to the cast of characters. Just like you’d expect to find in a small town. Personalities of all types that really stand out.

The reader is taken through a variety of scenes and emotions left to wonder what’s next. From the vivid imagination of 11 year old Robbie Callahan to the skeptical, yet inquiring, Merl Burt.  To Robbie’s mother Mallison who can’t bear the thought of losing her son. The story will definitely keep the reader turning the pages.

Mark McCallum did well with the characters. Robbie Callahan’s imagination is just what I would expect from an 11 year old boy. The way the scenes are acted out in his head make the reader wonder if it’s really happening. Add the emotions of his mother who thinks she is about to lose him.  And then right in the middle of Robbie fighting a battle with his imagination there is Officer Burt investigating, yet never satisfied with the answers he gets.

Of course, Old Coals is always in the background even when he’s not mentioned by name. There is a good cast of characters, but you’ll have to read the book to find out where folks like Wacky Jacky, Alex Simons and Bucky fit. And what about the pennies? You’ll have to read.

I liked the format of the sentences and chapters. The author combined short and long sentences with some chapters as short as one page. This kept the book moving steadily along. The short chapters were great for breaking up the reading while giving insight into another place in the story. It was a great story about the unknown. It kept you wanting to know just what it is you don’t know.

Over all it was a good and enjoyable read. While this book is not like The Shack it was a story of faith of sorts, but in a different way.  A more general and generic faith not necessarily the kind that one seeks for eternal life. Not that McCallum ever claims this in the book, however, I wanted to point that out. You will have to read the book to make that judgment for yourself. The author did a great job of leaving the mystery and faith aspects of the book opened for each reader. It’s more of a pursuit of just what Old Coals is, what role does faith play and how is he defeated. I had to go back and re-read the ending. I’m still not settled on Old Coals.

A Free, Signed Copy?

OK.  I’m having a drawing and giving away a signed copy of Taking Three.  Want a chance to get one?  Here’s how to enter the drawing! (If you came here directly see above for the review.)

Drop a comment below on this post.  In your comment just tell me one thing about why this book interests you.  It can be as simple as “I really enjoy reading novels”.  Though a little more would be appreciated.  Or, CLICK HERE and submit your name and email address.

If you want one more entry, subscribe to this blog.  Then, contact me and let me know that you did so.

Entries will be closed Monday, June 8 at 5 pm.  The winner will be announced the next day.

For what it’s worth…

Mark

P.s. Don’t let the cover scare you.  Go ahead and sign up for the drawing!

Today we’ll be talking to Mark R. McCallum. He is the author of the new book Taking Three, a supernatural thriller about Death coming in threes. Mark is a brother in the Lord, friend and fellow church member. He serves us every Sunday morning by arriving extra early to make sure the coffee is brewed and ready to drink before everyone arrives. Let’s get to it!

Give us a little background about yourself. Where are you from?

I grew up in the Atlanta area and currently live in Covington. Attended Presbyterian College as an undergrad and the University of Georgia as a grad student. Spent 10 years as a sportswriter and have worked as a writer/editor for Internet-related companies since 1995. Online, I worked on projects ranging from the defunct baseball web site Fastball.com and Ken Burns’ THE WAR to homedepot.com’s homepage. I’m single with a passion for baseball, hockey, World War II history and writing.

When and why did you begin writing as a career?

My literary career likely began in a Creative Writing class my senior year in high school. I asked if I could turn in a short story for extra credit. When I got an A- on it, I realized there was something to this. I could make something up and get credit for it. I went from there to earning a Bachelors in English and a Masters in Journalism, turning both into a decade-long career as a sportswriter. I’ve been earning paychecks by the word most of my life. But I was always writing for someone else and not myself.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

Probably not long after I no longer considered myself a shortstop. LOL. When you put “sportswriter” on your 1040, you know you’re a writer, but I never considered myself an author until I finished Taking Three. I never believed I could sustain a story long enough to write a novel. My entire career required I tell a story in 15 inches or less, so I was geared to writing short. Imagine how surprised I was to find I’d told a story that kept a reader’s interest for 250 pages.

Do you have a specific writing style?

That’s difficult for me to answer since I don’t really think of my writing as a style. It could be conversational if you’ve talked to me before. You’d probably hear me saying the words I’ve written. I have an attention to detail, so you’d pick up on that, also. While my subject matter might be more Revelation, I’d say my style is more Genesis: symbolic, factual, and hopefully, with a few well-worded phrases.

What books have most influenced your life most?

Outside of the Bible, who knows? I’m not sure I can point to Victor Hugo’s Les Miserables, which grabbed me as a kid and took me through some incredible emotional moments. Or step from there into Mordor for Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings. Or peer through the fog in Jack Higgins The Eagle Has Landed and say this had the greatest impact on me. Maybe John Peterson’s Mystery in the Night Woods, ordered from my Weekly Reader influenced me to wonder at what’s in the dark and be fascinated with what if. I think those books and more probably instilled a desire in me to tell a tale that would make a difference in someone else, to get them talking. And for me, to find that perfect phrase. To so connect with another that you can’t stop reading because you have to know what happens next.

If you had to choose, which writer would you consider a mentor?

I love Stephen King’s writing style. He does such a wonderful job of painting pictures, creating characters and locking you so into the story that you keep reading.

As you and I have talked prior to this interview you told me that the story of God working through this book wasn’t the topic of the book itself. Rather, you said it was in the actual writing of the book. What did you mean?

Prayer, and faith, played a big part in this book coming together. Before a word had been written, I was going through a miserable work experience. Even my best friend told me “You have lost your Happy.” During that time, I had this horrific nightmare. It woke me 6 am on a Saturday morning in a cold drenched sweat. I NEVER have those kind of dreams. I told myself, “If not now, when?” I started writing down the scene at 6:15 am.

Not sure how good it was, I asked Tom Hallman for his opinion. He’d tell the Emperor he had no clothes and I knew he’d tell me to stop writing if it weren’t worth publishing. He said “You’re not wasting your time.” I finished the first draft in two months and sought a publisher, all the while putting the manuscript in God’s hands through prayer. After four years and 14 confirmed rejections, I was running out of options. I flat asked God for some encouragement. “Help me see if this is what you want me to pursue. If not, I’ll spent no more time on it.”

Two days later, a small publishing house called. They wanted to publish my novel. Nothing tops good news like an answered prayer.

Taking Three is your first book. What inspired you to write it?

Trying to figure how those two characters in the nightmare mentioned above got to that moment in life proved the genesis of Taking Three.

How did you come up with the title?

Originally, I intended to simply call it “3″ since I like being succinct. But all my years of writing Internet copy with calls to action forced me to add an action verb.

Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?

Faith matters.

What drew you to write about a supernatural creature?

My imagination feels compelled to wander into the unknown. I’m fascinated with why things happen in life, knowing we can’t know the reasons for God’s plan until we join Him and experience the big ah-ha. I mean, why does Death seem to come in threes? What evil lurks in the hearts of men. What happens if I turn over this rock? I’m pretty sure the seals breaking in Revelation caught my attention at a very young age.

And how one views life makes such a difference. What you might consider your demons, I might see as angels trying to help you find your way. These are things we can’t see. I want to peel back the curtain and expose the wizard. Or not.

Are experiences based on someone you know, or events in your own life?

I based some scenes involving Robbie and Duncan on exaggerated past experiences and incorporated time at the hospital and certain locations as backdrops. But the story and events are as real as the characters themselves. Depends on how much you believe in them.

If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything in this book?

You are constantly in edit mode, so I know I could find things I wanted to change. But all my years a sportswriter trained me not to dwell on what was in the newspaper yesterday. Move forward.

What was the hardest part of writing your book?

Letting go. There comes a point where you must let your creation make its own way in the world. I’ve found that the hardest part of the writing the next book is recapturing the discipline to write every day. I believed finding the time to write would be difficult, but when this story grabbed me, I couldn’t wait to get to it EVERY day. I had to find out where my characters were going to take me each evening and seeing if each new scene would fit perfectly into the big picture.

Did you learn anything from writing your book and what was it?

How much I absolutely love to write fiction and that sometimes the story takes on a life of its own. In the sequel, I’ve actually had a character write himself back into the novel when I was positive he wasn’t going to make it. Nothing makes writing more fun to an author than characters who come alive off the page.

What book(s) are you reading now?

John Costello’s 10 Days to Destiny, The Secret Story of the Hess Peace Initiative and British Efforts to Strike a Deal with Hitler, Zodhiates’ The Behavior of Belief and The Quarterly Journal of Military History.

Are there any new authors that have grasped your interest?

I haven’t been able to pick up a new author in a while. I’ve got a ton of historical books on my counter and continue to wade through them. But isn’t it fun to discover someone new? Or even someone you haven’t noticed and discover they’ve got an extensive library published. I loved when I found Robert B. Parker and Stephen R. Donaldson after college and knew I didn’t have to wait for their next novel. It was already available.

What are your current projects that people might be interested in?

The sequel to Taking Three, which advances our story four years into the future. I have promises to keep to several characters.
Do you have any advice for other writers?

Read, read, read. The best thing any writer can do is be well-read. You get exposed to other styles. You become better informed. Anything can spark an idea. Take advantage of libraries. One of the more depressing moments in my life was walking into a gigantic bookstore and realizing I’m not going to live long enough to read everything I want to read. LOL

Do you have anything specific that you want to say to your readers?

Have faith. It’s the central theme of Taking Three, believing the impossible is possible. That just because it doesn’t make sense doesn’t mean it’s not real. What your father might be teaching you might not make sense. What your friend might be trying to tell you might sound ridiculous. But maybe there’s some purpose you can’t see. Sometimes, you simply have to have faith. Knowing when that moment is makes life what it is. It’s like that great scene in “Field of Dreams” where Moonlight Graham tells Ray Kinsella: “You know we just don’t recognize the most significant moments of our lives while they’re happening.”
Where can people buy your book if they’d like a copy?

The novel is available at any major online retailer like Amazon, Barnesandnoble, Borders or the official web site, Takingthree.com. And if you know the author, he’s got copies with an autograph.

If anyone has any questions please feel free to post them in the comments.  I’ll get Mark to mosey on over and answer.  That or I will sit next to him in church and make him listen to me sing!

I want to thank Mark for taking time to answer some questions and give insight into his world of writing.

Thanks!

Mark

P.s. I will be posting a short review of this book along with a chance for folks to get a free, signed copy.

Below are the most view posts for May 2009*.

• Memorial Day 2009 Worship Service – I give some thoughts on patriotism in the church during worship service.  The comments will provide some insight as to why I keep blogging.

• Divine Rape and Forced Love – A response to an SBC pastor who offers some poor arguments against Calvinism.

• Dear President Obama – No! – John Piper’s video on abortion addressed to Barack Obama.  Good conversation in the comments.

• The Shack Is Only Fiction? – A brief reply to those who keep saying that The Shack is only fiction.  Considering revising.  What do you think?

• Unchangeable Free Will – Another reply to the SBC pastor referenced above on Calvinism.  I attempt to show that his own illustration is self-defeating.

• Uncommon Prayer Requests – Biblical prayer requests that we don’t often consider as we gather in Sunday School and such to pray.  It was also posted on SBC Voices by its editor.   I was told in the combox that one pastor is going to use them.  Humbled!

• Blog Relaunch With Thesis DIY Theme – This blog was recently redesigned and here are some details with screen shots.  You can also learn a little more about this blog and its background.

• Deeper Conference in Atlanta: Paul Washer – An interesting presentation by Paul Washer at Johnny Hunt’s church.  Their theological views aren’t exactly inline.

• A Look at Passion City Church – Some thoughts on Louie Giglio’s Passion City Church plant per his interview in Christianity Today.  Maybe I was a little harsh.  I tried to look through the lens of the importance of the local church.  There are long comments from Randy whom I might have scared away from commenting.  I didn’t mean to.

Given the redesign I think it was a good month.  I am wondering what my readers would like to read more about.  If any of you lurkers out there wouldn’t mind commenting I’d appreciate it.

Thanks to all the visitors.

Mark

*I’ve eliminated The Shack Review because it will probably get the #1 spot for top posts for months to come.

As the story goes the we get our word dynamite from the Greek word dunamis.  Dunamis means power.  This can be a powerful illustration in a sermon where we read about the power of God in the Bible.

We can actually see the dynamite of God!  Powerful!  Right?  If you’re tracking with me I have some illustrations to offer using the power/dynamite replacement method.  Just take the places where the Greek word dunamis is used and replace it with dynamite.  Voila!

There are more verses, but I’m just taking a few from the NASB.  This would make JJ Walker proud!

• Matthew 22:29 But Jesus answered and said to them, “You are mistaken, not understanding the Scriptures nor the dynamite of God.

• Matthew 24:30 “And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the SON OF MAN COMING ON THE CLOUDS OF THE SKY with dynamite and great glory.

• Mark 5:30 Immediately Jesus, perceiving in Himself that the dynamite proceeding from Him had gone forth, turned around in the crowd and said, “Who touched My garments?”

• Mark 6:14 And King Herod heard of it, for His name had become well known; and people were saying, “John the Baptist has risen from the dead, and that is why these miraculous dynamites are at work in Him.”

• Mark 9:1 And Jesus was saying to them, “Truly I say to you, there are some of those who are standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God after it has come with dynamite.”

• Acts 1:8 but you will receive dynamite when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.”

• Acts 3:12 But when Peter saw this, he replied to the people, “Men of Israel, why are you amazed at this, or why do you gaze at us, as if by our own dynamite or piety we had made him walk?

• Acts 6:8 And Stephen, full of grace and dynamite, was performing great wonders and signs among the people.

• Romans 15:19 in the dynamite of signs and wonders, in the dynamite of the Spirit; so that from Jerusalem and round about as far as Illyricum I have fully preached the gospel of Christ.

• 1 Corinthians 2:4 and my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of dynamite,

• 1 Corinthians 15:24 then comes the end, when He hands over the kingdom to the God and Father, when He has abolished all rule and all authority and dynamite.

• 1 Corinthians 15:56 The sting of death is sin, and the dynamite of sin is the law;

• Ephesians 1:19 and what is the surpassing greatness of His dynamite toward us who believe. These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might

• Romans 1:4 who was declared the Son of God with dynamite by the resurrection from the dead, according to the Spirit of holiness, Jesus Christ our Lord,

• Romans 1:20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal dynamite and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.

• Revelation 3:8 ‘I know your deeds. Behold, I have put before you an open door which no one can shut, because you have a little dynamite, and have kept My word, and have not denied My name.

• Revelation 19:1 After these things I heard something like a loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, saying, “Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and dynamite belong to our God;

Awesome, huh?  Now I will let D.A. Carson tell you why you shouldn’t use them.

Our word dynamite is etymologically derived from the Greek word dunamis (dynamis, power, or even miracle.)  I do not know how many times I have heard preachers offer some such rendering of Romans 1:16 as this: “I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the dynamite of God unto salvation for every who believes”- often with a knowing tilt of the head, as if something profound or even esoteric has been uttered.  This is not just the old root fallacy revisited.  It is worse: it is an appeal to a kind of reverse etymology, the root fallacy compounded by anachronism.   Did Paul think of dynamite when he penned this word? And in any case, even to mention dynamite as a kind of analogy is singularly inappropriate.  Dynamite blows things up, tears things down, rips out rock, gouges holes, destroys things.  The power of God concerning which Paul speaks he often identifies with the power that raised Jesus from the dead (e.g. , Eph. 1:18-20); and as it operates in us, its goal is (eis soterian, “unto salvation,” Rom. 1:16 KJV),  aiming for the wholeness and perfection implicit in the consummation of our salvation. Quite apart from the semantic anachronism, therefore dynamite appears inadequate as a means of raising Jesus from the dead or as a means of conforming us to the likeness of Christ. Of course, what preachers are trying to do when they talk about dynamite is give some indication of the greatness of the power involved. Even so, Paul’s measure is not dynamite, but the empty tomb. Carson, D.A .. Exegetical Fallacies, 2nd ed.. Grand Rapids: Baker, 2002. 33-34.

So the next time you hear this illustration used kindly email them this blog post.  This is actually the second option.  First, go talk to them with grace and understanding as a brother in Christ.

Bonus!

Carson offers one more illustration which I’m dying to hear someone use.

In exactly the same way, it is sheer semantic anachronism to note that in the text “God loves a cheerful giver” (2 Cor 9:7) the Greek word behind “cheerful” is hilaron and conclude that what God really loves is a hilarious giver. Perhaps we should play a laugh-track record while the offering plate is being circulated. Ibid. 34.

Enjoy your weekend!

Mark

Do you consider death?  After death?  It’s not the most comfortable thing to think about even for Christians.  It’s even tougher to talk about.  There is one such talk that you want to hear,  Rachel Barkey’s.

If you’ve not watched the video or downloaded the mp3 yet of Rachel Barkey at her site Death is Not Dying, please do so.  It’s a remarkable testimony of Jesus Christ given by Mrs. Barkey.  She is only 37 years old and will die of cancer in the coming months or sooner.

What about her spouse?  I want to direct you to friend and sister in Christ Carla.  She went through something similar as the surviving spouse.  Read her post Death is Not Dying: A Message We Need to Hear.  Her husband rejoiced to go home to Jesus.  She was left in a very difficult situation.  Please read her story.

Carla’s story will help realize the importance of being there for the surviving family members of those who’ve passed away.  As a body of Christ we need to be there for each other.

We need to be aware of their needs.  It’s not easy.  We fall short.  I’m offering this reminder for myself as much as I am for any who read this.

It’s all about the Gospel.  So consider your life and others’ in light of it.

Mark

[Photo taken from the header of Death is Not Dying]

I thought I’d try out Amazon’s new and really cool service.  That is, the ability to add your personal blog to Kindle.  Yes, there is now a Kindle edition of this blog.  I’m sure I’ll be retiring tomorrow from all the subscriptions!

If you can afford a Kindle I’m sure the $.99/month won’t kill you.  Reading this blog might, but that’s free!

Check it out here: Here I Blog (Kindle Edition) You even get a free 14 day trial.

If  I only had a Kindle…

Mark

It was something my family wanted to do.  I wasn’t sure if I wanted to though.  I almost felt like I would be observing something wrong.  The thought of going made me uncomfortable.  Well, I ended up going anyway.

This past Saturday I took the family to visit the Bodies: The Exhibition gallery.  It was fascinating.  It was more than I imagined.  Actually, viewing the bodies was not something I could accurately imagine.  A text book just doesn’t give the insight I was about to experience.

As we started the walk through the gallery it was really neat.  And weird.  I wasn’t sure how comfortable I was going to be.  I wondered if I could finish the whole thing.  Or if I might rush through and wait for the family.  It got easier.  Some how I got used to looking at deceased people and their parts.  I overheard one man say, after reaching the second room, that he didn’t know if he would be able to finish.

The most fascinating thing was really seeing God’s creation inside and out.  There is nothing as amazing as the human body.  Just how do all of our parts work together?  Of all the things we put our bodies through they still work.  We put our bodies through much physical, mental and medical stress.  They (usually) recover and continuing working.

Seeing hundreds of parts of the body was just incredible.  You get to see the large and small and even those parts you might never see.  It was amazing seeing things like groups of arteries.  Some of them reminded me of sea creatures.  All of these parts of our bodies are contained in what seems to be such a small area.  And they all work together in an incredible way.

It was also interesting seeing what babies look like in the womb.  Seeing this in pictures does not do these babies justice.  You want to really see what babies who are aborted look like?  Well, you can.  They look like what they are, babies.  Persons.  It was a sad thought really.  It might be very informative if your children are old enough to understand.

The coolest part was where you got to see pairs of lungs compared.  A healthy pair versus a smoker’s.  The smoker’s lungs were visibly black.  Between the sets of lungs was a clear box with a small rectangle cut in the top.  That rectangle was so that people could drop in their cigarette packs.  There was a sign behind the box challenging people to quit smoking right then.  There were actually cigarette packs dropped in.

All in all it was a nice visit.  Though still somewhat uncomfortable I recommend going to see this exhibit.  We got to ask some questions at the end.  We were informed that none of the people on display died from violence of any kind.  Their deaths were natural.  The people either donated their bodies to science or they were unclaimed John and Jane Doe’s.  Also, none of the cigarette packs dropped into the box were staged.  They all came from customers.

For what it’s worth…

Mark

As the Lord’s Day approaches, how will prepare?  What do you expect?  How will you worship?

*Question 66: How is the Sabbath to be sanctified?

Answer: One day in seven should be especially devoted to corporate worship and other spiritual exercises that restore the soul’s rest in God and zeal for His name. It should provide physical refreshment and fit one for a week of devoted service to Christ.

Leviticus 23:3 “Six days shall work be done, but on the seventh day is a Sabbath of solemn rest, a holy convocation. You shall do no work. It is a Sabbath to the LORD in all your dwelling places. [ESV]

Isaiah 58:13-14 “If you keep your feet from breaking the Sabbath and from doing as you please on my holy day, if you call the Sabbath a delight
and the LORD’s holy day honorable, and if you honor it by not going your own way and not doing as you please or speaking idle words, then you will find your joy in the LORD, and I will cause you to ride on the heights of the land and to feast on the inheritance of your father Jacob.”
The mouth of the LORD has spoken.[ESV]

Matthew 12:1-14 At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry and began to pick some heads of grain and eat them. When the Pharisees saw this, they said to him, “Look! Your disciples are doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath.”

He answered, “Haven’t you read what David did when he and his companions were hungry? He entered the house of God, and he and his companions ate the consecrated bread-which was not lawful for them to do, but only for the priests. Or haven’t you read in the Law that on the Sabbath the priests in the temple desecrate the day and yet are innocent? I tell you that one greater than the temple is here. If you had known what these words mean, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the innocent. For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.”

Going on from that place, he went into their synagogue, and a man with a shriveled hand was there. Looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, they asked him, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?”

He said to them, “If any of you has a sheep and it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will you not take hold of it and lift it out? How much more valuable is a man than a sheep! Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.”

Then he said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” So he stretched it out and it was completely restored, just as sound as the other. But the Pharisees went out and plotted how they might kill Jesus.[ESV]

Mark 2:27 Then he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.[ESV]

Romans 14:5-6 One man considers one day more sacred than another; another man considers every day alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. He who regards one day as special, does so to the Lord. He who eats meat, eats to the Lord, for he gives thanks to God; and he who abstains, does so to the Lord and gives thanks to God.[ESV]

Go and rest in the Lord Jesus Christ as you worship tomorrow.

Grace and peace,

Mark

*Taken from A Baptist Catechism.

It was a mostly normal Sunday morning.  My wife and I left for church wondering if it would happen.  It did.  The Pledge of Allegiance was said.  The National Anthem was sang.  Everyone stood.  We sat.  It was uncomfortable, I admit.

This was about two years ago.  I don’t even remember if it was Memorial Day, The Fourth of July, Veteran’s Day, etc.  These holidays tend to run together in appearance during Sunday worship service.  So where is our patriotism?  Wait!

Did you catch that?  Sunday worship service.  We gather Sunday morning to worship God and be fed by Him.  This discussion is nothing new to us.  My father-in-law served and retired after almost 30 years.  We’ve had some interesting discussions on this topic.  We love him and are thankful for his service.  Our objection to explicit patriotism during corporate worship comes from our desire to be Christocentric.  But can’t you worship God by thanking Him for this country?

Yes and No

Yes, we can certainly worship God by thanking Him for the blessings He has given us in this country.  Just as Christians in countries like China or Iraq can thank Him for the blessings He’s given them.  The most important blessing of them all is Jesus Christ.  Having peace with God through faith in Jesus Christ is a radical thing in countries like China and Iraq.  In the USA, you can find Jesus on billboards and bumper stickers.  Even our poor are “rich” in a sense.  We’ve been so blessed that we often don’t see it.  We start to worship the creation rather than the Creator.  This brings me to “no”.

No, we can’t thank God for what He’s done if our focus is not on God.  We don’t need 800 American flags up in front of the church.  The Pledge of Allegiance during worship service is not an act of worship towards God.  It’s more like taking the bronze serpent that God graciously gave and worshiping it.  We sing “God Bless America” when we should be singing “God Forgive America”.  Based on what we’ve done with what God has given us we should be thankful He doesn’t remove some blessings!  Dr. John MacArthur offers a perspective on this in his sermon Can God Bless America? Even so, God in His continues to be gracious to us.  How should we react though?

Then how?

There are much larger issues than patriotism overshadowing the worship service.  Those are different topics for a different time.  I want to graciously offer another perspective on the topic at hand.  I understand not all churches are over taken by patriotism on certain US holidays.  Though there are many.  I’ve seen them and sat through them.

I appreciate our Armed Forces.  It takes certain personalities, gifts and desires to serve in such capacities.  The same goes for our everyday public servants from police, fireman, EMTs, social workers, etc.  As Christians in those occupations all have the responsibility to serve God through their work.  God should be praised for all of these types of work.  These non-military workers don’t get national holidays.  We have a bit of a cultural issue to deal with which is always tough.  Even for Christians.

Understand that …there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. [Rom. 13:1-ESV]  We praise God for our government not the government itself.  We are to pray for …all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. [1 Tim. 2:2-ESV]  And not just general prayers, but also for them …to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. [1 Tim. 2:4-ESV]  We honor those who serve and have served in the Armed Forces by thanking God for them.  We thank God that He gave them the ability to perserver in the hard times of service.  Even the Apostle Paul counted his life as nothing as he boasted in the Lord.

I understand it’s not the actual people asking to the center of focus.  They are merely accepting recognition.  I ask that God be the One being recognized and the praises are sung to Him and about Him.  What separates our celebration from the world’s is Jesus Christ Who is the very reason we gather on His day.  Let’s not move the focus on Jesus for certain holidays.  There are six other days of the week to celebrate US holidays.

A Prayer

We should just have a regular worship service with a simple recognition, prayer (see above) and thankfulness towards God if we are to celebrate certain holidays inside the church.  I offer a prayer for Memorial Day 2009.

Heavenly Father.  Oh great and wondrous God.  You have blessed us beyond measure with your Son Jesus Christ.  We thank you!  Thank you that you have put us in a country that we may worship and serve You freely.  Thank You for those You’ve used to keep that freedom and establishments in place.  We praise You that You’ve done so inspite of ourselves.  I pray Father that you would bless Your sheep who are serving in military capacities among the world.  I pray that they would be faithful servants that their lives would reflect Christ for that world to see.  I ask that You would convict those unbelievers who are around Your sheep to bring them to repentance and faith.  Please let us all be good stewarts of the grace You’ve given us to live among the government You’ve put in place.  Help us to take the Gospel as we are going and living.  May those who have served in our military be a testimony of Your sovereign hand as they share with others what You have done for them.  For your sheep currently on active duty and their families, please give them comfort.  Help them focus on Christ as they live through tough times.  I pray their lives would be a testimony of faith and reliance in Jesus.  Help them in times when they must serve under ungodly leaders.  Strengthen their faith.  I pray that You would give wisdom to those in our government that they would make wise decisions for the country.  I ask that you would convict us Christians to live out the Gospel under these great freedoms You’ve given.  Help us all to be faithful.  I ask all of this in Jesus name.

Amen.

Mark

I was listening to this on the way to work this morning.  It speaks of how the Trinitarian God works together in salvation.  This is a subject I don’t hear talked about much.  How often to we think of  how the Trinity works together in salvation?  This song made me think about just that!

Father, Son and Spirit: three and yet one

Working as a unit to get things done

Our salvation began in eternity past

God certainly has to bring all His purpose to pass

A triune, eternal bond no one could ever sever

When it comes to the church, peep how they work together

The Father foreknew first, the Son came to earth

To die- the Holy Spirit gives the new birth

The Father elects them, the Son pays their debt and protects them

The Spirit is the One who resurrects them

The Father chooses them, the Son gets bruised for them

The Spirit renews them and produces fruit in them

This is from Shai Linne’s song Mission Accomplished.  He is an artist at Lamp Mode Recordings.

Whatever your style of music I think we could use more lyrics like this.

What do you think?

Mark

Amen!

Spread the word. The world needs to watch.

Five minutes to leave.  We’ve got to go!  We’re going to be late. C’mon traffic!  Move cars!

The interview is in a week.  How do I answer those questions again?  I’ve got to say it just right.

What if I don’t get that job.  I need it.  I should check my email again to see if a decision has been made.  I wonder if I have a new voicemail?

I hope I did okay on the test.  When are grades posted?!  I think I studied hard enough.

It’s my kid’s first trip away from home.  I hope he’s okay.  He better call me every hour!

I hope my boss is out today.  I hope he doesn’t talk to me much today.  Can’t he just let me do my work?!

I have shared the Gospel with them.  Why won’t they just believe?  How many times to I have to tell them?  Can’t they see it?  It’s right there!

What if tomorrow never comes?  I will have no more days to worry about!

We Worry

On the Lord’s Day this week we will be studying Proverbs 10-12 in Sunday School.  Several verses stood out to me.  I had to pick one.  I did.

Proverbs 12:25 Anxiety in a man’s heart weighs him down, but a good word makes him glad. [ESV]

It is so true.  At the most basic level it’s true.  Take some of the examples of worry above to their conclusion and the anxiety goes away.  It goes away on that particular topic.  We are no longer worried about it.  The conclusion is your “good word” so to speak.  This is true even if it is not the ending you wanted.  That worry is over.

Greater Picture

The greater picture of relief is found in the Person of Jesus Christ.  After Sunday School we will continue worshipping.  We will be fed by praising the Lord through fellowship, singing and the sermon.  Let us focus on the Lord and forget our anxieties.

While you are gathered to worship tomorrow remember to cast all your troubles on Jesus.  Rest in Him.  Remember what Jesus said about this.

Matthew 11:28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” [ESV]

So don’t worry.  Just worship.  Remember His words and take refuge on this Lord’s Day.  Your life is not your own.  Most of the things we worry about don’t happen in the way we worried about them anyways.  And once they’re over we just find something else to worry about.  Trust in God’s goodness and sovereignty.  And worship well in peace.

The Next Day

Don’t stop here.  Take this peace from Jesus with you.  Be reminded throughout the week until the next Lord’s Day.  He doesn’t abandon us though we might be more tempted to abandon Him during the week.  So just remember these words of Jesus as He handles your anxiety.

Matthew 6:25 “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? 28And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, 29yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 33But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

34 “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.[ESV]

Worship well both today and tomorrow.

Mark