Run A What?

Let me show you something from the book of Hebrews that was pointed out to me in passing by a friend and mentor. His statement was short and to the point but not developed. I wanted to see if his suggestion held up upon a closer examination. So I went digging in the gold mine that is the word of God and uncovered a beautiful nugget of truth.

On Crosses and Slaves

I have often been amazed (though not surprised) by the manner in which the truths of God get subverted. You might think I mean the ways people creatively explain away certain verses that make them uncomfortable or ignore a clear, contextual meaning of a verse in order to say something radically different than the precious truth God originally intended. Though these subversions are rampant, there are some just as sinister and even more calculated rejections of truth. Unfortuantely, they are widely overlooked and accepted by even strong evangelicals. So much so that we need to begin to wake up and recover some important realities that have become numb to us for decades. Let me illustrate what I mean.

Jesus Was A Loser

Matt 10:38-39
“And whoever does not take is cross and follow behind me, is not worthy of me. The one who has found his life will lose it and the one who loses his life because of me will find it.”
I hate success. Not because I value being a slacker or approve of mediocrity. I hate success because more often than not it asks me to be something I can no longer be. When I look at Jesus I don’t see what the world would even remotely classify as successful. You would never see Him on an election ballot for the simple reason that when it was all said and done his popularity would have tanked. His crib would never be featured on MTV since he was homeless. He would never have made the front or even back cover of Forbes because he was penniless. I could go on but I think you get the picture. Jesus was a loser. Those in the first century recognized it and if He lived and walked among us today the world would conclude that no one could possibly be more politically, financially or personally unsuccessful than Jesus.

This is why I hate success. If I actually follow Jesus then success in this world won’t just be something that is unattainable for me it will also be something incompatible with a life marked not by material prosperity or social popularity but by ridicule, suffering and loneliness. But unfortunately Christians (particularly of an American Middle Class Variety) have found a way to make a happy marriage of success and Christianity. The reality, however, is that much damage has been done to the authenticity of genuine discipleship. Many people kick-back instead of truly following Jesus and experiencing a great personal cost. Only one of these is truly compatible with the gospel.

Of course, to end this short essay here would mean I was in fact too short. The One who walked the earth as a loser and calls His followers to a similar life promises something all together different when that life of suffering draws to a close. In life Jesus may have been a loser but in death He would definitely prove to be anything but. You see His resurrection proved He would never ever lose again. He defeated His enemy and ours as well. But then He made a promise: “But this is the will of the one who sent me, that I lose none of the ones he has given me but I will raise him in the last day.” (John 6:39) Did you hear that? You may lose much in this life when you follow Jesus, but you will share in His resurrection upon death. The losers have miraculously and undeservedly become winners. I hope for His glory and your good that you live joyfully as a loser never forgetting that you will one day lose no more.

What's In A Name?

Originally Posted by William on our old site for the benefit of those following the arrival of our first daughter and now reposted since we have once again expanded the female wing of our family tree.

We thought we would give a little insight into the names we have chosen for our children, especially since I didn't go into much detail when we shared the good news of adding a little female presence (Now two little girlies) to our boy house! The names we chose for our children have been mostly inspired by men of the faith who have impacted our lives greatly either by their writing or by their testimony of faith, but most especially their exposition of Scripture.





Silas Haddon - Silas is the name of the missionary partner of the apostle Paul, with whom he was stranded in prison. Also the amanuensis of Peter for the book of 1 Peter. Haddon is named for Charles Haddon Spurgeon who was quite possibly one of the most influential Christian preachers in history. This man has truly been an inspiration to me as a man called into pastoral ministry and a lover of good preaching.





Kace Renwick - Kace was to be named Cornelius after the centurion in Acts whom Peter witnesses to, but after some issues we decided to nix the name and only call him Kace, as that was to be the nic-name. It was taken from a theologian and famous apologist Cornelius Van Til whose family called him Kees (pronounced Kace). Renwick is taken from a covenanter named James Renwick (pronounced Rennik) who was martyred for the faith. His life and testimony can be read in Fair Sunshine, it is a wonderful story of God's glory going forth in the lives of His people.





Gresham Jeremiah - Gresham is named for J. Gresham Machen (rhymes with kitchen) who carried the mantle of reformed theology to Westminster after the death of Warfield and old Princeton. He founded the OPC denomination and was a great proponent of conservative and biblical theology. Jeremiah is obviously taken from the great prophet whose ministry could never be measured in worldly standards as a success although he was so faithful to the Lord in all he did. Jeremiah and the New Covenant made in Jeremiah 31 have truly been a great encouragement to Larissa and I throughout the years.





Petra Anastasia - Petra is a Greek word that means foundational rock(It is also a historical location that was said to be unconquerable and therefore named petra) and is found in Luke when Jesus explains the importance of building your house on the solid rock (there are also other places in the Greek New Testament that the word is found all of which refer to Christ and the nature of salvation and His gospel). As a Greek student I liked the connotation of the word, but also the female of Peter. Anastasia is from the Greek word anastasis which means resurrection or a new beginning. She will have a name that reflects the truths of the Gospel of grace in Christ.

Libi Shiloh - Our Second Daughter gets the distinction of being the only child lucky enough to have my (Larissa) amazing naming skills. When we named the last four children, my awesome husband always had some great ideas and apart from Silas (which was our second name choice) I am just not as creative as Will!Turns out I am the WORST baby namer out there! I cannot decide on a name to save my life, I have to try out bunches to see if they "fit" my idea of this baby. But finally, I was able to narrow our names list. I began calling our littlest girl by this name and it really seemed to fit. So we decided to name her Libi, which in Hebrew means "my heart". We hope that Our daughter will have the Heart of Him who is the author of Love, Mercy, Grace, Compassion, Liberty, Redemption and most especially Life! Shiloh is a name we have enjoyed for years.  Shiloh means "peace" in Hebrew or place of peace. This is where the Israelites built the tabernacle and also a name used of the Messiah. We hope that is peace will reign in her heart and that she would not sacrifice truth for the sake of worldly peace, but always pursue peace that is rooted in the Gospel alone!

I hope that all of you enjoy this very intimate look into the history and legacy of the names we have chosen for these boys and girls. We continue to pray that they will be as faithful to the truths of the gospel.

Weak Things Of This World--Via TGC

Marketing Or The Gospel?!

Acceptability in the culture and increased church attendance have subtly but steadily usurped holiness and true worship as the primary objectives of our church gatherings. Preaching the Word and boldly confronting sin are seen as archaic, ineffectual means of winning the world. After all, those things actually drive most people away. Why not entice people into the fold by offering what they want, creating a friendly, comfortable environment, and catering to the very desires that drive their strongest urges? As if we might get unconverted worldlings to accept Jesus by somehow making him more likable or making his message less offensive.

That kind of thinking badly skews the mission of the church. The Great Commission is not a marketing manifesto. True evangelism does not require salesmen but prophets. It is the Word of God, not any earthly enticement, that plants the seed for the new birth. (1 Peter 1:23) We gain nothing but God’s displeasure if we seek to remove the offense of the cross. (Galatians 5:11)

John MacArthur

Do You Outsource Your Theology?

These are tough times for theology. Good doctrine seems to be assaulted on every front. From the church to the seminary, men and women, boy and girls have neglected the study of God. But this neglect on the part of the church might not be the kind of neglect one might expect.

Lately it would seem that this neglect is not of the active sort. Theology books are selling like hotcakes. It would not be a mistake to say that there has been a sort of resurgence in reading theology. Between the advent of E-Readers and the publication of a plethora of good books on God, many people can become and, indeed, are becoming theologians. On one hand, this is good and commendable. Pastors long for their people to understand theology and actually enjoy studying it. So this soaking up of theology is certainly not all bad, but it can be neglectful of God and His truth in a very real and profound way. Let me explain.

If people are actively reading and learning theology then how can it be that theology could actually be neglected? Well, the answer has to do with source. Where do people get their views on God? Think for a moment about where you get your views on God. If someone asks you a theological question do you answer with a explanation from a systematic theology book? Or, perhaps, do you appeal to well-known proponents from certain theological groups? Again, much of this sort of theological pursuit is good and healthy. But there is something inherently dangerous, lazy, and not very wise to locate the source of your theology primarily in a system or a scholar instead of in scripture.

A good corrective to this tendency would be to read and study scripture and then read and study scripture some more, perhaps even investing in some good commentaries to supplement your reading. Sometimes the English translations (for various reasons I won't go into now) distort the original authoritorial intent revealed in the Greek New Testament and the Hebrew Old Testament. You don't necessarily have to become an expert in biblical languages but you ought to consult those commentaries that actually exegete the original text. Spend more time in the text and your theology will be refined and developed exponentially.

Some may respond that they do this already. The unfortunate reality, however, is that the rampant biblical illiteracy in the church, at least the American evangelical church, exposes a bitter truth. Despite what they profess, people know little of the things they confess. Spend more time in the word than you do in the pages of your favorite Christian author. Be more exegetical than theological. The end result will be that you know more about the 5 chapters of 1 Peter than you do about the 5 points of your favorite theological system. But that's definitely not a bad thing.

Why I Could Care Less If You Are A Christian

What does it mean when someone says they are a Christian? Many contemporary evangelical church members seem to be content with defining the term as someone who has merely let the name of Jesus roll off their tongue. Some time ago I spoke with a parent who lamented the fact that one of their children was living an ungodly lifestyle and time has revealed that they are apparently content in that lifestyle. I asked this parent if their child was a Christian and they responded with this statement: “Yes, they made a public profession of faith when they were younger.” I wish in that moment that I had asked a different question. I wish that I had asked that parent this instead “Is your child a Christ-follower?” I believe I would have gotten a different answer because that parent would have had to deal honestly with their child in the here and now and not clung to some past act that the present suggests never resulted in a genuine new birth. If this is what being a Christian is all about then I have no choice but to suggest that the Christians in our churches need to be evangelized as much as the lost in our communities.

I am firmly convinced that the New Testament paints a vastly different and more beautiful portrait of Christianity. In Mark 10, Jesus confronts a man who was willing to make a “public profession of faith” but yet unwilling to follow Jesus. The story begins in verse 17 when the rich fellow makes a “public profession of faith” that Jesus is a “Good Teacher.” This was not an easy thing to acknowledge in the first century and reveals much about the rich fellow’s understanding of Jesus. He knew and was willing to confess that Jesus was special. Not unlike many church members today who are willing to call Jesus “Good God” and “Good Savior.” Yet, as the rest of the passage reveals simply acknowledging certain realities about Jesus do not lead to eternal life. The rich fellow found out quickly that his public profession was highly inadequate as a means of inheriting eternal life. Jesus doesn’t tell him to just say “the sinner’s prayer” or to “make a public profession of faith.” Jesus calls him to something far greater than the recitation of some formulaic statement about His character. Jesus calls the rich fellow to abandon his idols and come follow the One True God who alone is worthy of all one’s worship. Jesus is a “Good Teacher,” a “Good God,” a “God Savior,” but He is also a “Good Lord.” In fact, the only “Good Lord” the world will ever know. Are those who want to cling to their “public professions of faith” really following Jesus as their “Good Lord?”

I realize some may say that I have taken the phrase “public profession of faith” and redefined it to mean something people don’t intend it to mean. Yet, I believe it is those who most often claim it who have redefined it. If being a Christian is defined as one who makes a “public profession of faith” but never sees a change in their life than either we must abandon that which the Bible says are the distinctives of those who know Christ or abandon our time-cherished but tragically flawed claims and titles. I absolutely affirm that the Bible defines a Christ-follower as one who was justified only by grace through faith in Jesus Christ not their works (Galatians 2:15-16). The Bible is equally clear, however, that a life transformed by the Gospel of Christ will ALWAYS translate into a changed life. Not a perfect life but a changed life. This is and always will be true because the new birth will never be delayed or aborted (John 3:1-15)!

For these reasons and many more I could care less if you are a Christian! I do very much care, however, whether or not you are a Christ-follower. If your life right now is one of constant and unrepentant rebellion against God than no “professions of faith” or titles you cling to will ever justify you or testify to the fact that you really are a Christ-follower. It is a radical, costly, and totally transformative thing when Christ saves a life. Christian, has He saved yours?

Are Children Really A Blessing?

I hope that your answer to this question is a resounding “Yes!” However, the troubling reality is that many in our nation would not only give a different answer but would also offer up a host of pathetic reasons why children are a bane and not a blessing. With such insane sentiments abounding we would do well to be reminded of the many ways children are indeed blessings from God. In this post I have no intention of providing an exhaustive list. Rather, I merely want to offer up 5 reasons why children have been and will always be blessings.

Children are blessings:

1. Because life is precious.
This is a simple truth but one I believe many Christians have expressed verbally yet denied practically. So many say they believe life is precious, yet they want very little to do with any life that makes their life uncomfortable. We need, now more than ever, to affirm by our actions not just our words that all lives, even the youngest of lives, are precious -- precious enough to trade our comfort and quiet for diapers and colicky cries.

2. Because they present the greatest opportunity to fulfill the Great Commission.
Where is your greatest opportunity to make disciples? It is not first and foremost in your neighborhood or in your community. It is not first and foremost in a village tucked away in the Ukraine. It is under your very own roof. Do you realize the blessing this is? For better or worse your greatest sphere of influence is your home. Make it count for the Kingdom. Love your children deeply, teach them God’s precious word, model humility, spend more time crying out to God for the souls of your children than whining about your 401k, and let them know every chance you get that they are desperate sinners in need of a Savior.

3. Because they are professional idol-demolishers.
The statement I am about to make may be a stretch but I doubt it. You probably have a lot of things around your house that are idols you didn’t even know you had. Am I wrong? Junior will vindicate my proposition the minute he slams into your 52 inch flatscreen and smashes it up. What do you have around your house that is so precious to you that you just can’t do with out it? Your child will help you find out. Now, you can either lash out in anger or stop and appreciate an unsolicited reality-check. I am not advocating allowing your children to be destructors but you miss a redemptive moment when you yell at them for jacking up one of your things instead of repenting for clinging more to junk than Jesus.

4. Because they drive us to prayer.
Nothing can bring a man or woman to their knees in prayer like a child in need. I have seen people who ordinarily want nothing to do with God all of the sudden become self-professed prayer warriors. Unfortunately, many of these “prayers” are pleas for some sort of physical deliverance. But what our children help to show us is that their real need is not Cipro but Christ. Do we pray for their eternity or simply focus on today’s emergency room visit? Our children drive us to prayer and we ought not squander such an opportunity. May God help us to passionately pray for their souls not just their bodies.

5. Because they comfort us in our old age.
Before I comment on this last reason I want to state an important preliminary fact -- no matter what their age the only person anyone ever needs is Jesus. Having said that, it never hurts to have adult children who comfort, encourage, visit, and speak truth in one’s twilight years. Though I have yet to experience these benefits first hand, I have witnessed the joy of old dads and the loneliness of childless old men. Contrary to much selfish rhetoric abounding today, children truly are a blessing. Not only as five year olds, but also as fifty year olds.

Jesus Is Not Ashamed I'm His Brother

Does your family ever embarrass you? If you are like me, your "Yes!!" answer was more an involuntary reaction than a well thought out response. I mean, who needs time to contemplate the obvious. Nearly all of us have cousins or uncles that we are sure were adopted into the family. Perhaps, some of us have even wondered about relatives a little closer to our own branch on the family tree.

The truth, however, is that all of us have been an embarrassment to somebody at some time. When sinners sin it is always embarrassing to somebody. Being a sinner is a shameful thing BUT for all those sinners who have been made saints we have reason to hold our heads high.

Hebrews 2:11 says that Jesus is "not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters". "Them" the context tells us are "the ones who have been sanctified". This means Jesus calls every believer his brother or sister. He does not roll His eyes at the thought of me. He has not proposed any conspiracy theory about the "adoption agency" that made me a part of His family. He has not (and never will!!) deny that I am His brother. Nor is He at all ashamed about this fact. Despite the everpresent truth that I do much that is shameful, He is not ashamed that I am His brother.

Now, I could end the post at this most encouraging of realities but there are two things I don't want you to miss. First, if Jesus is not ashamed of me or any other believer, what right do I have to be ashamed of the siblings His death made possible. Now, I am not talking about unconverted church-goers. They are no more my relation than an anthiest. I am talking about genuine brothers and sisters in Christ. If Jesus says they are His siblings than who am I to treat them any different! Do we really treat other believers as brothers and sisters? Do we really view the church as one big family? If we don't, we must. Secondly, this word "ashamed" is the exact same word used by the Apostle Paul in Romans 1:16. If you don't quite remember what this verse says, take the time look it up. Are you "ashamed of the Gospel", the very message of the One who is "not ashamed" to call you His brother? I wish it were true that we could honestly say that we are not ashamed of the message of our Brother who is not ashamed of us. But the sad truth is that our lives often reflect the embarrassing reality that we are ashamed. If this is true of you don't be discouraged. Simply repent. Turn to your Brother Jesus and know that he will forgive you not disown you. After all, that's what true brothers do.

The Hypocrite in the Pulpit and Pew

Some time ago I wrote the following post for my ministry blog and since then it has gotten a fair amount of hits. So I thought it would be helpful on some level for our family, friends, and visitors who frequent this blog. I hope you find it encouraging ~ WD

“I have no desire to go to church and be with all those hypocrites!” Have you ever heard this statement or something very similar to it? My guess is you have. Probably so many times, just thinking about these words makes you want to vomit. What is your response when people say this? Maybe you just shake your head in disgust and walk away. Maybe you just completely shut down without another word. For those of you that desire to do more than shake your head or shut your mouth I encourage you to read on because we can say and do much more than that when people play the hypocrisy card.

The first thing we must tell someone who makes this statement is that they are very insightful for noticing the presence of hypocrites. In fact, every single one of us are hypocrites. Every pastor, every church member, and every person who says they don’t want to be with the hypocrites at church is a hypocrite. Every one of us has said we do such and such but there are times when we simply don’t. You may say that you are faithful in reading your bible every day, but on that one day you fall asleep just as you were preparing to do it you have officially become a hypocrite. Personally, I am okay with acknowledging my hypocrisy and you should be to. I don’t like my hypocrisy but if I refused to acknowledge it than I would be missing an opportunity (more on this in a second). We need to tell people they are right in their assessment of the presence of hypocrites in church, but we need to tell them that they, too, are just as hypocritical. The conversation might go something like this:
Joe: Go to church with you. No thanks, I know some of the people there and they are a bunch of hypocrites.
You: You must know everyone at church then?
Joe: What? No, I only know a few people there but the ones I do know say that they do this and that but I know for a fact they don’t always do that.
You: Well, Joe, based on how you describe a hypocrite, I don’t know anyone at church who isn’t a hypocrite. In fact, I, too, am a hypocrite.
Joe: I didn’t mean you, I meant some other people I know.
You: Well, now, you can count me in that number of hypocrites you know at my church.
Joe: I didn’t mean you, I really did mean some other people.
You: No matter what your opinion may be of me, Joe, I am a hypocrite and if you were honest you would have to acknowledge that you, too, are a hypocrite. We all say we are going to do certain things but then find ourselves doing the opposite. Wouldn’t you agree, Joe?
Joe: I never thought of it like that before but I think you have a point.

But our conversation should not and must not end there. The second thing we must do is explain that there is a difference between our hypocrisy and the other person’s hypocrisy. Here is the opportunity you have that I mentioned earlier. For a church-goer (and by this term I mean a church-goer that truly loves and lives for Christ), their occasional hypocrisy has no power to condemn them. As the apostle Paul says (quoting David from Psalm 32) in Romans 4:7-8 “Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered; blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not count his sin.” You see, the difference between a Christian and the one who pulls the hypocrisy card on that Christian is not that his or her hypocrisy is worse than the Christian’s. Rather, the Christian knows that their hypocrisy cannot condemn them because Christ’s death and resurrection was more than sufficient to secure their right standing before a Holy God. In Christ every believer’s hypocrisy has been forgiven. Does Joe have that same hope? Hopefully, the conversation can continue along these lines:
You: We all are hypocrites, Joe. The Bible calls this sin and we are all guilty sinners in the eyes of a Holy God. The only difference between you and me is that I am trusting that Jesus Christ’s death secured forgiveness for all my sin and that my hypocrisy will not condemn me. Do you have that hope for your hypocrisy, Joe?
Joe: I mean I think I am a pretty good person so I am just trusting in that.
You: Part of the reason there are so many hypocrites at church is because these hypocrites have realized that their good is only a mirage. The Bible says “no one does good.” Just read Romans 3:10-12. People are not good people, they are rebels, specifically rebelling against the One who made them. Your “good” is not what you think it is Joe and it definitely isn’t good enough to eradicate your hypocrisy. Only Christ can do that. That is why I am at church. I want to worship my Savior whose death has provided me forgiveness, not just for my hypocrisy but for all my sin.

This dialogue would never be possible if we choose to allow the comments of others to disgust us or discourage us. The best thing for us is to seize such an opportunity and be honest about ourselves, all the while being forthright about our Savior. I don’t want to be a hypocrite. I don’t rejoice in acknowledging my hypocrisy. I don’t set out to play the hypocrite. But, nevertheless, some days I am a hypocrite and I do rejoice in knowing that I won’t stand condemned by that hypocrisy. Instead, I will bow and worship as a forgiven hypocrite made a saint by the blood of Christ Jesus!

Jesus: A Purifier of the Putrid

"...having made purification for sins..." Hebrews 1:3

What has Jesus done for you? Has He become a granter of covetous wishes for you? Lord, my car is 5 years old so can You please give a new one. Has He become the chariot that will whisk you away from the fires of hell? Some 20 years ago, Lord, I walked that isle at church and prayed with the pastor so even though my actions reveal I never really loved You, I know Your goodness will take me to heaven in the end. Sound familiar? If not, take a seat this Sunday in a chair at a mainline evangelical church. Listen to the pastor and scan the prayer requests. To many pastors and churchgoers Jesus is a genie who came to make possible whatever we want to indulge in or escape from. Is this really what Jesus has done for you?

This Sunday morning I hope to answer this question as I preach through Hebrews 1:3-4. Though there is much more to this passage than answering this question, I could not resist writing a short post on the perfect, once for all, cleansing act of Christ.

Let's begin with the word rendered "having made." This is my translation. If you have a translation that makes this word seem like Jesus is still "making" purification or cleansing for sins then the impact of this word is lost. Jesus is not continuing to make purification for sins because He has already done so. The text does not say how He did it, it simply says He did. According to the writer of Hebrews, it is a finished act that occurred in the past. What the Old Testament priests had to do over and over, year after year, Jesus, as the best and greatest Priest, did in one fell swoop.

And here is what He accomplished -- "purification for sins." In the 3rd Edition of A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature (BDAG for short) this word translated "purification" is said to mean "cleansing from inward pollution." I love this definition. Do you see what Jesus has really done for you? He purified your putrid soul. If our souls could be laid bare before our very eyes, we would forget about that new suit we obsess over or that get out of hell free card we want because neither could do anything about our sinful hearts that are black as coal and more foul than the nastiest septic tank. We need inward cleansing for our sinful hearts and we need it now. But you need not look any further. It has already been done.

Thank You Jesus for doing what we really needed done the most. Outside of your cleansing we stand condemned before God. Give us the eyes to perceive this time-bound but timeless truth. We know if we really do believe you made us pure then we will live for you and not abandon the relationship You made possible for us to have with You. Help us Jesus to cut through our self-deception and see ourselves as You see us. Helpless sinners who must turn to You, the only One who provided a perfect purification for our sins. Amen.

Get In The Middle Of This "Mess."

After completing a sermon series on Philippians earlier this summer I decided to spend the rest of June, July, and August preaching on some of God's attributes. This week's sermon is entitled "God is Relational". Despite many biblical texts that beautifully solidify the reality of this precious attribute, I have been somewhat surprised by the relative lack of literature on this character trait. However, there is a book on God's relationality and its implications for our existence as relational beings that is nothing short of phenonmenal. There are no doubt other good books on this topic but this one in particular is a must-read! I wanted to mention it on the blog simply because it is a book you should purchase, read, and then share with your friends. In fact, I was going to write a lengthy review on the book but then decided you would be better served to read it instead of my review. So here is a link to the book (just click on the link, immediately purchase the book, read it, and then drop me a comment when you finish.) Enjoy!!

Blogging, Twittering, or Conversing Over Coffee: Some Thoughts on the Sovereignty of God and Our Friendships

Whew! That title could probably be a blog post in and of itself. Despite its length, however, this title reflects some musings on relational intimacy that have occupied my mind of late. So much of the Internet connectedness we have come to know and love over the past few years has enabled us to renew contact with long lost pals from yesterday and maintain relationships with distant friends all across the globe. Though the unanimous consensus is that all of our renewing and maintaining of relationships is a good thing, there are some detrimental consequences that must be heralded.

Whether we mind or not, all the Internet based social networking sites take time. Time to figure out, time to maintain, time to use, ad nauseam. Now this time it is argued is well spent since it is meant to be an investment in our friendships. Such is certainly true, but the reality is that our most immediate relational opportunities (fellow church members, neighbors, co-workers, essentially anyone within a few miles drive of our home) get short shrifted when we spend TOO much time on social networking sites. More often than not the end result of all our blogging, twittering, and skyping is that our porch rockers and kitchen tables are all too often empty. This is NOT the way it is supposed to be!

The answer is not to go off the grid and completely separate ourselves from our old friends, but rather to trust a little more in the sovereignty of God. Wherever you currently live right now is exactly where the bulk of your relational investments ought to be. It is an unwise endeavor indeed to relationally invest most of your time in the past while neglecting the friendships of the present. God has providentially placed you exactly where you are right now. He also providentially had you where you were but by His good design you are no longer there. You may miss and even long for some of those close relationships you had while you were in college or living in your hometown, but those relationships never became what they were via a wireless connection. They came from living, working, worshipping, crying, and laughing face to face and shoulder to shoulder. These kind of relationships are still possible but they will take time, the kind of time you will never have as long as tweeting and facebooking our more important than having your neighbor over for dinner.

Consider going low-tech and telling someone in your Sunday School class to join you for coffee at your house or inviting your neighbor to come over for football one day (preferably a Saturday so they have the opportunity to watch some real football). Having said that, don't neglect those long-distance friends you can only chat with through Facebook or Gmail. First and foremost, let the bulk of your time be spent pouring out your life for those in your church and community but never forget to jump online from time to time in order to love on those who will always be your cherished friends.

When Christian Influence Becomes A Horrid Thing

All believers need other believers. They pray for us and cheer us on in our most troublesome spiritual battles. In the good and bad, they love us and are there for us. They are not just like family, they indeed are our family. But like every family, problems exist.
My hope in this post is simply to sound an alarm on the dangers of one such problem, though you may be caught off guard by the fact that I have labeled a good thing problematic. This good thing I speak of is known as "Christian influence." It may seem at first scandalous that a pastor has used the word "danger" to describe "Christian influence." Yet, I cannot think of a more accurate word to describe a persistant problem currently ravaging believers within evangelical circles. Let me explain.
First and foremost, I am in no way saying that ALL Christian influence is dangerous. This conclusion is the farthest thing from my mind. However, I do believe that there is a certain type of Christian influence that is divisive and spiritually hazardous. Unfortunately, this type of influence has become more and more widespread in recent years. How can anything that is influencial in a Christian manner be dangerous? Doesn't the New Testament echo the fact that Christians need to and indeed should influence other Christians? Ephesians 4:25 says "Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another" (ESV). Certainly this is Christian influence at its richest and most healthy. When brothers and sisters in Christ confront one another in love and speak the truth, such bold realness is always good. Yet, somehow we evangelical believers have managed to change this good thing into a horrid thing.
How does this happen? Well, it begins with a scriptural slight-of-hand. We may not know we have done it, but nevertheless we do it. Here is what happens. We take a precious nugget of biblical treasure like "speak the truth in love" and we switch it for "speak our conviction in love." Did you catch the trickery? Now our convictions may well be good and helpful but in many cases they are not biblical mandates. But we still pass off these convictions as biblical mandates. Whether it be the regulative principle of worship, alchohol consumption, homeschooling, or any other wildly held conviction, we take them and make them biblical mandates. Then we "influence" other believers to embrace these convictions as biblical mandates. The resulting consequences are often tragic and extremely detrimental to the body of Christ. Here are just a few of the injurious results.
We Point Believers To Slavery, Not Freedom
It is entirely okay and wonderful for you to be a supporter of the regulative principle of worship or to be a homeschooler. But have you passed off these convictions as law and/or chided other believers for holding to different views? This has placed unnecessary yokes around many a neck. Neither of these two things are uniequivocally mandated in scripture. Therefore other believers are free in Christ to not be supporters of the regulative principle of worship or homeschooling or anything else that may be our conviction but not biblical mandate.
Our Convictions Become Precarious Wedges
When our convictions become law, it is only a matter of time until we seek out fellow likeminded "law-abiders" and completely ostracize anyone (even another believer) who does not believe as we do. How many churches that are predominately made up of homeschooling families really welcome families that send their children to public school? Or how many churches that are made up predominately of families where the children go to public school are welcoming to families that homeschool? No matter how this ugliness is sliced, we must call it what it is. Conviction has trumped unity. Friends this should never be! Our convictions must never drive a wedge between us and another believer. A believer who consumes wine without getting drunk ought to be able to worship next to a teetotaling brother. Any other alternative is tragic and should be avoided at all costs.
Convictions are okay and acceptable but we should never encourage the brethren to view these convictions as biblical mandate. To do so is to influence our brothers and sisters in Christ in such a way that sucks the Gospel life out of our freedom in Christ and our unity. Let us live as the free people Christ has made us and guard against anything that would seek to seperate us from one another.

The Anniversary of Your Wretchedness

With Valentine's day fast approaching I  thought it pertinent for our readers here , I hope you are encouraged more to mercy this Valentine's day!



Happy Anniversary!! This is a common statement said millions of times during the year to dating and married couples all over the globe. It is a wonderful thing to remember and celebrate years and sometimes decades of faithful (though difficult) unity. Yet, I am convinced there are other types of anniversaries being remembered. These other types of anniversaries are not worth remembering and must not be celebrated. They come in all forms. For some, it is the anniversary of their spouse’s infidelity. For others it is the day their spouse gambled away their nest egg at the local casino. All kinds of sins are faithfully remembered year after year by untold numbers of people convinced they are completely justified in their recollection of someone else’s wretchedness. But such anniversaries are dangerous endeavors indeed. In every way, they are like slow poison for relationships and must be seen as hard-hearted attempts to remember that which must be forgiven and laid to rest.



Of course, forgiving sin and laying that sin to rest are easier said than done. Good thing then that this is not a work we do in our strength. In fact, we couldn't even do so if we wanted to. This is true for two reasons. First, we are not in a position to do so. You see, we are just as wretched as the individuals whose wretchedness we quickly call to account. Think about it for a moment. Who have you greatly sinned against? Maybe you are having trouble thinking of someone who you have hurt as much as your spouse has hurt you. So let me ask you a bit harder question. What about the sin you have committed against your Creator? Remember it was YOUR SIN and not just your spouse’s sin that brought suffering, pain, and death to God’s only Son. Unlike us, Jesus neither sinned nor warranted being sinned against. NO ONE has been more wronged by people than Jesus Christ. For this reason and many more only Jesus is in a position to continually bring up anybody’s sin. Second, we lack the ability to forgive and lay to rest someone’s sin against us or our sin against someone else. But the same One in position to continually bring up someone’s sin is also the same One with the ability to forgive and lay to rest all sin.



Is it time for you to let go of some anniversary? If so, just remember how much sweeter mercy is than condemnation. Aren’t you thankful that because of the cross of Christ your sin is forgiven and will be remembered no more. May God grant us the strength to be mercifully forgiving like His Son.