"Flippin ek Mark Greene - you're awesome!" What Mark wrote for LICC about the decade that's just coming to an end is absolutely spot on. As much as anything it's a wake up call to the church to recognise that the gospel is the only answer to the challenges we face and that we should step up and make this Good News known:
In December 1999, Britons voted John Lennon's 'Imagine' as the song of the millennium – reflecting, perhaps, our tentative hope that the 21st century might herald a better world. It hasn't. A decade ago most of us hadn't heard of Al-Qaeda and had never lived through a financial meltdown that threatened the economy of the world. We now have. And the conditions and ideologies that led to them have certainly not been addressed.
Here in Britain, we now have the unhappiest children in the G20 (UNICEF) and the most miserable adults in Europe (WHO). And only 6.3% of us go to church monthly. I do not despair for the church - Jesus will build his church - I ache for our nation.
In Romans 1 Paul posits that the further a culture moves away from the truth about God the more decadent it becomes. In today's Britain:
Blessed are the brazen for they will be applauded.
Blessed are the beautiful of body for they will be adored.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for fame for theirs is the kingdom of Cowell.
Blessed are the selfish and the individualists for their ends will justify their means.
Blessed are those who don't strictly believe in anything for they can dance to any tune.
Blessed are the drug-dealers, dream-weavers, make-over mavens and jingle-writers who help us forget our fractured hearts and our clipped wings and the echoing chasms of our souls.
In such a culture, we have no reason to be ashamed of the gospel. In a culture of salvation by works, the good news is that God loves you - whatever. In a culture where everyone is thirsting for transformation, the good news is that if anyone is in Christ, they are a new creation - reborn once and for all - with the minute-by-minute provision of the Holy Spirit to help live his deeper life minute by minute.
So then we - prayerfully, humbly, determinedly, lovingly - can do no better than seek our Master's voice for how we are to live and share this life day by day, place by place with those we have been called to serve.
After all, on the threshold of a new decade, has anyone really got a better offer than Jesus' invitation: 'Come to me all ye...'?
Good point very well made Mark. I need to really get this.....
Tuesday 22 December 2009
Monday 21 December 2009
Pastoring When You Can't "Pastor"
Thought you'd be interested to see this latest on Matt Chandler. If you've read previous posts you'll know that he has recently had a malignant brain tumour removed. I'm watching his story unfold and I've been deeply moved with what's happening. I'm also drawn to the fact that he's continuing to pastor his church as he's going through all this. I don't mean he's "leading" the church, running the organisation, etc I mean pastoring. He's feeding, nurturing, protecting and, I would say, disciplining the flock of God (1 Peter 5) that he's called to pastor and he's doing this by the way he's living with this terrible situation.
Below I've posted in the video that was played to his church this w/e. Again I'm humbled by what he says. One thing that caught my attention: "One of the reasons this is good for all of us..." What do you make of that?!
Message from Matt
Below I've posted in the video that was played to his church this w/e. Again I'm humbled by what he says. One thing that caught my attention: "One of the reasons this is good for all of us..." What do you make of that?!
Message from Matt
Thursday 17 December 2009
Suffering Well
James tells us to consider it pure joy whenever we suffer trails of many kinds. Trials - "pure joy"? Is he serious? Malignant brain tumours - pure joy?? Really?!
Those of us who want to be gospel centered and Christ honouring have got to get hold of this and the wealth of other scripture about suffering. I'm struggling more and more with Christians who find it easier and more agreeable to believe in a God who doesn't want to allow suffering and who therefore is somehow on the back foot much of the time rather than to believe in a God who reigns over all, who ordains all things for his glorious purposes and who supplies sufficient resource to enable us to be more than conquerors in any and every situation.
How do people ever live in the face of pain and loss when they don't have the assurance that comes from the fact that God's totally sovereign and He's our Father who loves. I don't get it.
Previously I posted Matt Chandler's DVD about the surgery that he was about to go through. Yesterday we heard the pathology results and I've posted below some of what the Elders wrote to their church. It's powerful and humbling, and I have to say, compelling and attractive. Allow your heart to be moved and do pray for Matt, his family and the church.
Dear church,
In the first chapter of Philippians, the Apostle Paul writes that whatever imprisonments, beatings and trials he may have suffered, they all “serve to advance the gospel” of Jesus Christ. We implore you to keep the gospel of Christ as the main focus as we walk with Matt and Lauren through this trial.
On Tuesday, Dr. Barnett informed Matt and Lauren that the findings of the pathology report revealed a malignant brain tumor that was not encapsulated. The surgery to remove the tumor, the doctor said, was an extremely positive first step; however, because of the nature of the tumor, he was not able to remove all of it.
Matt, who is being released from the hospital today, is meeting with a neuro-oncologist this week to outline the next steps of the recovery process. There is a range of treatment possibilities but the exact course of action has not yet been determined. He will continue outpatient rehab.
The Lord is calling Matt and Lauren and The Village Church body to endure this trial. It will be a challenging road for Matt, his family and our church body. The gospel is our hope and the Lord is our strength. Matt and Lauren continue to find solace and hope in Christ. They weep facing this trial, but not as those without hope and perspective. The gospel clarifies their suffering and promises more of Christ through it all.
You have done a wonderful job respecting the family, and we ask that you continue to do this. They are processing all of this together and need you to give them precious space. Please do not visit them at their house unless personally invited by the Chandlers. The best way to serve the family is to continue to be faithful in prayer.
Those of us who want to be gospel centered and Christ honouring have got to get hold of this and the wealth of other scripture about suffering. I'm struggling more and more with Christians who find it easier and more agreeable to believe in a God who doesn't want to allow suffering and who therefore is somehow on the back foot much of the time rather than to believe in a God who reigns over all, who ordains all things for his glorious purposes and who supplies sufficient resource to enable us to be more than conquerors in any and every situation.
How do people ever live in the face of pain and loss when they don't have the assurance that comes from the fact that God's totally sovereign and He's our Father who loves. I don't get it.
Previously I posted Matt Chandler's DVD about the surgery that he was about to go through. Yesterday we heard the pathology results and I've posted below some of what the Elders wrote to their church. It's powerful and humbling, and I have to say, compelling and attractive. Allow your heart to be moved and do pray for Matt, his family and the church.
Dear church,
In the first chapter of Philippians, the Apostle Paul writes that whatever imprisonments, beatings and trials he may have suffered, they all “serve to advance the gospel” of Jesus Christ. We implore you to keep the gospel of Christ as the main focus as we walk with Matt and Lauren through this trial.
On Tuesday, Dr. Barnett informed Matt and Lauren that the findings of the pathology report revealed a malignant brain tumor that was not encapsulated. The surgery to remove the tumor, the doctor said, was an extremely positive first step; however, because of the nature of the tumor, he was not able to remove all of it.
Matt, who is being released from the hospital today, is meeting with a neuro-oncologist this week to outline the next steps of the recovery process. There is a range of treatment possibilities but the exact course of action has not yet been determined. He will continue outpatient rehab.
The Lord is calling Matt and Lauren and The Village Church body to endure this trial. It will be a challenging road for Matt, his family and our church body. The gospel is our hope and the Lord is our strength. Matt and Lauren continue to find solace and hope in Christ. They weep facing this trial, but not as those without hope and perspective. The gospel clarifies their suffering and promises more of Christ through it all.
You have done a wonderful job respecting the family, and we ask that you continue to do this. They are processing all of this together and need you to give them precious space. Please do not visit them at their house unless personally invited by the Chandlers. The best way to serve the family is to continue to be faithful in prayer.
Wednesday 9 December 2009
Picket Fence Theology
The last few Sundays at LBC have been a great encouragement. Last Sunday was no exception.
Another testimony of someone being healed, this time John. Prior to that we'd heard from Dee, Richard, and Audrey. Ralph had also shared his experience of the sufficiency of the Lord's grace in the face of terminal cancer. You could feel a rise of faith in the room each time we heard these wonderful stories. We've also had two men become Christians over the last couple of weeks, David and Adam. Further still we've seen a significant change in the atmosphere surrounding our Friday night youth work. We highlighted the urgency of the need this time last year as the increasing numbers of young people and police involvement was making the viability of the ministry uncertain. We started to pray and saw a marked change so much so that now we hear that the police have officially recognised that things have improved in the area significantly.
At some churches this stuff is just ordinary, at LBC, where we've been labouring hard for little obvious fruit, it's immense!
It's been important too that alongside all this we've talked about the "now and the not yet" of the Kingdom - "picket fence" theology as Eleanor Mumford puts it. Sometimes we see God break in in power, healing and saving people but sometimes.....we don't. Now you see it now you don't. Fence, gap, fence, gap.
We continue to remember, therefore, that as we pray for more and greater manifestations of the Lord's glory we trust in His total sovereignty. It's His work and in His mercy He chooses to use us - God uses "means" or "secondary agents" as Calvin likes to put it - but it's all down to Him.
So just as when things are tough and there's not much fruit on the tree we're confident because the gospel tells us we're known, chosen and loved unconditionally so when things are going well and the stuff we've been praying for is happening we're humble because they gospel tells us it's all by grace.
Another testimony of someone being healed, this time John. Prior to that we'd heard from Dee, Richard, and Audrey. Ralph had also shared his experience of the sufficiency of the Lord's grace in the face of terminal cancer. You could feel a rise of faith in the room each time we heard these wonderful stories. We've also had two men become Christians over the last couple of weeks, David and Adam. Further still we've seen a significant change in the atmosphere surrounding our Friday night youth work. We highlighted the urgency of the need this time last year as the increasing numbers of young people and police involvement was making the viability of the ministry uncertain. We started to pray and saw a marked change so much so that now we hear that the police have officially recognised that things have improved in the area significantly.
At some churches this stuff is just ordinary, at LBC, where we've been labouring hard for little obvious fruit, it's immense!
It's been important too that alongside all this we've talked about the "now and the not yet" of the Kingdom - "picket fence" theology as Eleanor Mumford puts it. Sometimes we see God break in in power, healing and saving people but sometimes.....we don't. Now you see it now you don't. Fence, gap, fence, gap.
We continue to remember, therefore, that as we pray for more and greater manifestations of the Lord's glory we trust in His total sovereignty. It's His work and in His mercy He chooses to use us - God uses "means" or "secondary agents" as Calvin likes to put it - but it's all down to Him.
So just as when things are tough and there's not much fruit on the tree we're confident because the gospel tells us we're known, chosen and loved unconditionally so when things are going well and the stuff we've been praying for is happening we're humble because they gospel tells us it's all by grace.
Monday 7 December 2009
Suffering and the Sovereignty of God
We had a great time as LBC gathered together yesterday morning but more on that at some other point.
I talked for a bit before I got into my main message about the pastoral need there is around our church to get a better grasp of the truth about God's sovereignty. I've just become so aware recently that we've got to get this aspect of doctrine better nailed down because the absence of a strong, Biblical understanding of suffering is causing no small amount of pain.
Jack's got his arm in plaster (again) and as I was out in the car with him last week I asked him, rather mischievously, "So, Jack, did God want you to break your arm?"
"Of course he didn't!" Came the reply followed by a noise representing incredulity that only adolescents can make when their parents have asked a ridiculous question.
"So how come you're arm's broken?" I asked nonchalantly as we continued to drive.
"Yeah, well it's not His fault I slipped over!"
"So you're saying he couldn't stop it..... the God of the whole universe who put stars into space couldn't stop a medium sized, twelve year old boy from slipping over on a basketball court?"
At this point I could hear the cogs whirring....
"No....yes....no.....Dad!!!"
I put the question to him another way and simply asked him whether or not God had allowed his accident. Jack recognised that if God was the all powerful God he'd been brought up to know then, yes, for some reason, God had indeed allowed him to slip over. The alternative, an impotent God who had limited powers, who was often on the back foot and would wring his hands wishing he could do more was no God at all.
As we approached our destination I reminded him that God was also His Father who loved Him even more than I did and as a Father, the perfect, all powerful Father, He would never let anything happen to us that would do us ultimate harm. He was a Father who would only ever let things happen to us that would be for our good.
Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us. (Romans8:35,37, NLT)
Hard, so hard when you've got your arm in plaster and you can't play bass for weeks.
I said I didn't know why God had allowed it but I did know He was in charge, that we were loved by Him and that the Bible says (James 1, 1 Peter 1) God uses even bad stuff to do really important work in us.
As I talked with Jack I wasn't at that point aware of the news regarding Matt Chandler's brain tumour. Matt is a 35 year old pastor in the States who has been significantly used by God. He has a passion for Reformed doctrine in general and the work of God in sanctification in particular and has seen his church grow from 150 to 5000 ish in 7 years. I mention this last bit about the growth in his church because it adds to the question: Why, Lord, would you do that? Matt's surgery was on Friday and before he went in he recorded this video message which was played at his church this weekend. Do watch it and allow God to encourage you regarding his sovereign, sustaining and sufficient grace.
Video from Matt
I talked for a bit before I got into my main message about the pastoral need there is around our church to get a better grasp of the truth about God's sovereignty. I've just become so aware recently that we've got to get this aspect of doctrine better nailed down because the absence of a strong, Biblical understanding of suffering is causing no small amount of pain.
Jack's got his arm in plaster (again) and as I was out in the car with him last week I asked him, rather mischievously, "So, Jack, did God want you to break your arm?"
"Of course he didn't!" Came the reply followed by a noise representing incredulity that only adolescents can make when their parents have asked a ridiculous question.
"So how come you're arm's broken?" I asked nonchalantly as we continued to drive.
"Yeah, well it's not His fault I slipped over!"
"So you're saying he couldn't stop it..... the God of the whole universe who put stars into space couldn't stop a medium sized, twelve year old boy from slipping over on a basketball court?"
At this point I could hear the cogs whirring....
"No....yes....no.....Dad!!!"
I put the question to him another way and simply asked him whether or not God had allowed his accident. Jack recognised that if God was the all powerful God he'd been brought up to know then, yes, for some reason, God had indeed allowed him to slip over. The alternative, an impotent God who had limited powers, who was often on the back foot and would wring his hands wishing he could do more was no God at all.
As we approached our destination I reminded him that God was also His Father who loved Him even more than I did and as a Father, the perfect, all powerful Father, He would never let anything happen to us that would do us ultimate harm. He was a Father who would only ever let things happen to us that would be for our good.
Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us. (Romans8:35,37, NLT)
Hard, so hard when you've got your arm in plaster and you can't play bass for weeks.
I said I didn't know why God had allowed it but I did know He was in charge, that we were loved by Him and that the Bible says (James 1, 1 Peter 1) God uses even bad stuff to do really important work in us.
As I talked with Jack I wasn't at that point aware of the news regarding Matt Chandler's brain tumour. Matt is a 35 year old pastor in the States who has been significantly used by God. He has a passion for Reformed doctrine in general and the work of God in sanctification in particular and has seen his church grow from 150 to 5000 ish in 7 years. I mention this last bit about the growth in his church because it adds to the question: Why, Lord, would you do that? Matt's surgery was on Friday and before he went in he recorded this video message which was played at his church this weekend. Do watch it and allow God to encourage you regarding his sovereign, sustaining and sufficient grace.
Video from Matt
Friday 4 December 2009
Being Human, Being Holy
I'm rereading Jim Packer's book A Passion for Holiness, a book that had a big impact on me when I was a student at LST. The idea that holiness is not ethereal, it's not about hair shirts and no sex (was it Richard Foster who put it like that?) has really caught my attention. Packer says holiness is essentially about becoming more human. He writes:
Genuine holiness is genuine Christ-likeness and genuine Christ-likeness is genuine humanness - the only genuine humnanness there is. Love in the service of God and others, humility and meekness under the divine hand, integrity of behaviour expressing integration of character, wisdom with faithfulness, boldness with prayerfulness, sorrow at people's sins, joy at the Father's goodness and single mindedness in seeking to please the Father morning, noon and night, were all qualities seen in Christ, the perfect man. Christians are meant to become human as Jesus was human.
Holiness....becoming more like Jesus, becoming more authentically human, becoming more alive!
Genuine holiness is genuine Christ-likeness and genuine Christ-likeness is genuine humanness - the only genuine humnanness there is. Love in the service of God and others, humility and meekness under the divine hand, integrity of behaviour expressing integration of character, wisdom with faithfulness, boldness with prayerfulness, sorrow at people's sins, joy at the Father's goodness and single mindedness in seeking to please the Father morning, noon and night, were all qualities seen in Christ, the perfect man. Christians are meant to become human as Jesus was human.
Holiness....becoming more like Jesus, becoming more authentically human, becoming more alive!
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