Lecrae's testimony

Here is a link to Lecrae sharing his testimony on the 700 club.  I thank God for stories of God's grace in peoples lives.

Pack the house

Yesterday was a good day. It was one of the reasons that I love our church. Relational. Laid back. Family like. We all gathered at our house for a game, children's story, singing, and a word about the importance of God's gift. The house was packed. Now I remember why we have two house groups.

Then everyone headed to another families home. We packed gift boxes for everyone to take and give to their neighbors, friends, co-workers, etc. It was great to see everyone working together. Then we ate and played games.

The day was full. The house was full. Really full. The shoes by the door told it all. Shoes, shoes, and more shoes.
As we all left with boxes to share the good news of God's gift, I thought of Romans 10:15.

"How beautiful are the feet of them who bring good news".

Gospel Intentionality - Part 2

A few days ago, I posted a quote from the book Total Church. Today I found one of the authors (Tim Chester) fleshing this concept out on his blog. I thought it was very helpful.

CHECK IT OUT

Let me know what you think?

George Bush - All religions have the same God

George Bush was asked on Nightline if he believed that he prayed to the same God that Muslims and those of other beliefs do. His answer: "I do, I do believe that there is an Almighty that is broad enough and big enough and loving enough that can encompass a lot of people". (As reported by Christianity Today)

For all of the good that we saw in former President Bush's personal faith, it seems that he believes in the same universalism as President Obama and many other leaders of our time. Bush also stated that the Bible is probably not literal, but that you can learn a lot from it.

What are your thoughts on the many today who claim that all religions pray to the same God?

A memorable gift

In this gift giving season,it is a great time to remember the greatest gift ever given.

"For God so loved the world that he GAVE his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."

Questions for Brian McLaren

Brian McLaren continues to write books and speak on his ideas about post modern theology and ideology. A recent Christianity Today article by Scot McKnight shares positively about McLaren, but then asks some questions in three areas.

CLARITY, THE CROSS, THE KINGDOM AND THE CHURCH.

McKnight ask what is the problem with having some answers. What is the problem with clarity?

McKnight takes issue with McLaren's reducing the act and message of the cross to a protest against violence.

McKnight questions why McLaren emphasizes the kingdom of God without ever talking about the church as the agent God uses to initiate the kingdom.

I found the article quite fair and reasonable. These are questions that demand answers. McLaren cannot simply rewrite the message of the cross and expect that everyone is just supposed to fall in line or have no questions. I pray that McLaren would answer these "questions from a friend" and return to a sound doctrine and the whole message of the gospel.

Have you read McKnight's article?

Do you think that the questions that he is asking need to be answered or are they unimportant?

How should the church of today respond to McLaren and his writings and teaching?

Reaching the unreached

Yesterday in our church, we had the privilege of hearing from this young man Samuel Weber. He has a sincere heart from the unreached people of the world and is seeking prayer support along with financial support. I have enjoyed meeting and getting to know Sammy a bit over the past month.

It was also a reminder of the many people in the world who have never heard the name of Jesus.

Contact me if you would like to pray for Sammy regularly and I will put you in touch with him.

Do you think that the church is focused enough on taking the Gospel to the ends of the earth?

Jesus Christ crucified

I Corinthians 2:1-5
When I came to you, brothers, I did not come with eloquence or superior wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. I came to you in weakness and fear, and with much trembling. My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit's power, so that your faith might not rest on men's wisdom, but on God's power.

How often do we focus on the wrong things and the wrong methods?

Young and unashamed

I am encouraged. Over the last month or so, I have been noticing a common theme. The theme is in a group of young people who are not ashamed of the Gospel. When I say the Gospel, I am speaking of the message of the Gospel that Paul talked about in Romans.
The message that says that all are sinful.
The message that says that all deserve punishment.
The message that says that Jesus died to save sinners.
The message that says that God is sovereign and in complete control of past, present, and future.
This is the Gospel that I am speaking of.

The people that I have been noticing are people who I have been around the most lately. I have listened to them. I have conversed with them. I have observed their passion.

This group that I am talking about is for the most part under thirty years of age. Some of them are just teenagers. They are almost all from the city. Most grew up “poor”. All lived or live in the “hood”. Many of them don’t have a relationship with their earthly father. Most of them are black. Some of them are Hispanic.

They are actually all individuals. All of them have names and individual stories. Each have their own personality. Some are very soft spoken and others are bold. A lot of them know each other, but some of them have no earthly connection.

But they have a so many things in common.

They share a common commitment to the Gospel as I began with. But they are not postmodern in their gospel like many of their white suburban counter parts.
They may dress more casual then their “modern” parents.
They may not be bound by a sense of strict rules like no dancing or no rap music.

But they are committed to the traditional Biblical Gospel.
They are committed to the authority of scripture and sound doctrine.
They believe in pursuing holiness as a lifestyle.
They care deeply about the lost.

They are not looking to follow the trends of “enlightened” new theology. They care about the poor because the poor are in many cases their family, their neighbors, and their friends from childhood. But they have not put concern for the poor ahead of the centrality of the gospel like many of their white urban counterparts.
They still talk about Hell.
They still say that there is only one way to God.
They call abortion and homosexuality sin.

I could list their names, but the list would be long. Most of them will never receive worldly recognition. But their faith and their stories are an encouragement to this quickly aging urban Christian.

I am inspired by these urban prophets, reformers, evangelists, and servants.

“Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity.”

Has anyone else seen this younger generation of reformers?

Any thoughts? Sound off.

CT article on Brian McClaren

I received my Christianity Today magazine in the mail today. I am always interested to find out what will be inside. This magazines, if nothing else, tells what is being talked about in American Christianity. This issue contains an article written by popular writer and blogger Scot McKnight about often controversial Brian McClaren.

McKnight begins with some context of how he views McClaren and all things emergent and then asks a few of the critical questions that many are asking.

Questions like: What about clarity? Why does McClaren enjoy stirring up controversial thoughts without explaining what he means? What about the cross? McKnight asks some other questions that I would have about McClaren's understanding of the purpose and significance of the cross. McKnight quotes McClaren's descriptions of the purpose of the cross as a movement of peace and liberation. Nothing about total depravity. Nothing about man's desperate need of a savior. Lastly, McKnight poses some questions about the failure to mention the role of the church in the "kingdom" agenda. He points out that the message is always about the kingdom, but never mentions the church.

McKnight states "according to the New Testament, the kingdom vision of Jesus is, is seems, only implemented through the church". So he questions why the church is rarely if ever mentioned in McClaren's writings.

Overall, I felt that Scot McKnight asked some of the critical questions that need to be addressed. I would have asked more, but it was only a magazine article and not a book so I understand.

McClaren has made a habit of making outlandish statements in the name of Christianity. He also seems to enjoy interpreting God's will from his own personal perceptions of the world how he feels about what the Bible says. He really has a problem with people who simply read the Bible and believe that it means what it says.

I have long been concerned for the many Christians who believe that McClaren's opinions are from the Bible so I am thankful for some healthy critique of his teaching in a very respectful way. I would encourage you to read the article for yourself if you have interests in the emergent movement or any forms of post modern Christianity.

If you read the article, what did you think of it?

What are your thoughts on McClaren and his many writings and teachings?

What is the gospel?

The gospel means “good news”. I believe that it is a message to be told. I believe that the message is that Jesus Christ died on the cross to save sinners from the consequence of their sinful state. I believe that mankind can receive that “good news” by repenting and believing.

I believe it is a message that is powerful. I believe it is a message that changes lives. I believe that it is a relevant message for today.

It seems to me that some would want to change the gospel. It appears to me that the gospel is being redefined in many places and by many people. This is not a new trend. But it is very disturbing.

It seems to me that some are trying to distort the gospel altogether. They would say that there are many paths or belief systems that lead to God. That would say that the message has not been inclusive enough in the past.

It seems to me that others are trying to make the “fruit” of the gospel into the gospel. What I mean by this is that people are saying that the actions that result from believing the gospel are actually the message that people need to hear. An example of this would be to take the fact that God has a heart for the poor and make that mean that what makes us right with God is to care for the poor too. Now I believe that the fruit of someone who believes the gospel message should result in a greater concern for those around us, but I do not believe that having a concern for the poor will do anything to help someone be made right with God.

There are many people in the world who care a lot about people, the poor, and fighting poverty who don’t care about God and have done nothing to deal with the sin that separates them from God. This does not cut it.

This is only one example of how this idea is expressed.

When we replace the message of the gospel with the fruit of the gospel, we now have a system of being made right with God that believes that mankind is not sinful by nature, mankind is capable of working its way to God, and we deny much of the truth of the Bible. We are made right with God by grace through faith and not by works. This is the message that is being lost today.

Have you seen this to be true as well? Am I way off base on this? Let me know what you think.

Knowing Jesus

In Philippians 3:7-11 Paul states:
But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith. I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.

We are going through Philippians as a church and are getting into chapter 3 this week. As I read Paul's feelings, I am convicted.

Paul longed to know Christ. Paul considered everything else as loss in comparison. He called them rubbish or a more literal translation: dung, manure, or excrement

Paul also stated that righteousness only comes through faith in Christ. No other way. This is not a popular opinion today. People want you to believe that one can be accepted by God through many different means.

How have you been lately? Do you long to know Christ? Is everything else rubbish in comparison?

The power of the resurrection

I Corinthians 15:12-17, 21-22

But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins.

...since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.

The Wondrous Cross

Romans 5:8
But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Urban Prophets

I have been encouraged by the music of Lecrae, Tedashi, the 116 Clique as well as their predecessors in their genre, Cross Movement. What is most exciting to me about these men of God is that their lives are about ministry. Music is just one of the outlets of expression of that lifestyle.

Reach Life Ministries recently produced a gospel tract that is relevant in style to the urban culture, but with the same timeless truth of the gospel. You can find an on-line interactive version here: http://www.readthisbeforeyoudie.com/

What new resources have you found useful for the gospel?