Another Must Read

To find out more go to: 

http://paultripp.com/dangerous-calling-book

I Am Comfortable Baptizing a 12 Year Old When...

My Brothers! The Lord's grace to you from Lubbock, TX. We have some crickets chirping on our blog so I thought I would get the ball rolling again.

I am comfortable baptizing a 13 year old when...(Fill in the Blank)

Currently I am studying and thinking through the issue of when to baptize a young man or woman in youth ministry. It is obviously important for Youth Pastors to come to conviction in this area. I would like to get your wisdom and counsel. So...I am comfortable baptizing a 13 year old when...(YOU fill in the blank)

Biblical Theology In the Life of the Church (Book Review)

Biblical Theology (In The Life of The Church)

Author: Michael Lawrence

Book Review: William Costello

6/19/2012

Biblical Theology (BT) informs the pastor of the “whole story of the whole Bible”

Lawrence wrote Biblical Theology (BT) to show pastors and Christians alike that when it comes to the Bible, understanding the whole is essential to understanding any given passage.  Because God wrote the Bible as a story with a beginning and end, it is vital for  the pastor to understand the basic unfolding of the story before he attempts to make its meaning plain to his people.  “We should ask where in the storyline any given passage falls. We should ask how it displays God’s glory.  We should also ask where the person to whom we are ministering falls in the storyline.  Finally, we’ll ask what relevance it has for him or her” (BT, p. 34).

BT challenges pastors in their theological acumen particularly

BT challenges pastors on the vital importance of being a sound biblical theologian.  “Sound” as defined by Dever, means trustworthy and reliable.  Here are some examples, “Our ministry could end up doing more harm than good if we fail to understand the Scriptures.  Our fundamental calling as pastors is to shepherd those under our care, but how can we fulfill our calling if we lack a map of the whole Bible, if we don’t know how to put the Bible together?  How can we give wise spiritual advice if we are ignorant of the whole counsel of God (Acts 20:27) (BT, Forward).”  In the preface, Lawrence makes a bold assertion.  He says, “But here at the start, I want to make the point that the most practical thing we can do, the most important tool we need in ministry, is biblical theology … Learning how to do biblical theology is no mere academic exercise.  Not, it’s vital to your work as a pastor or church leader.  It shapes your preaching, your counseling, your evangelizing, your ability to engage wisely with culture, and more.  You will not be a very good theologian, which means you will not be a very good pastor, if you do not learn how to do biblical theology” (BT, p. 15).

In his endorsement of the book, Todd L. Miles writes, “One must understand the grand story of Scripture to rightly interpret its constituent parts.  When the story is misunderstood or ignored, then Christian preaching and ministry will inevitably suffer.”  This book lives up to Horton’s endorsement that “good shepherds are theologians and good theologians are shepherds” (Michael Horton’s endorsement).

BT presents the Bible as a divine meta-narrative not a divine answer-book

BT challenges my understanding of what the Bible is.  Prior to reading this book, I venerated the Bible as a divinely authoritative book, sufficient for life and godliness, and the highest standard of faith and practice.  Though I had a high view of the bible, I did see it more as an “answer book” for life’s problems, than I did a story book revealing the infinite wisdom of God (p. 24).  I viewed it as a map for the journey, a light in the dark, a guide for the blind.  This approach was really human-centered. My view was not inaccurate, just incomplete.  BT provides the framework of the whole Bible for all of life.  “The telling of the whole story of the whole Bible” (p. 26) can be summed up as “a story about a king, a kingdom, and the king’s relationship with his subjects” (p. 30).  The idea of story is a bit unnerving.  By story Lawrence does not mean a fictional story, nor is he referring to something that is past history and future prophecy only, leaving the present day up for grabs. The Bible was written 2 millennia ago but it supernaturally includes you and I today in the story as well!  This is remarkable when you think about it!  “It’s a story that starts at the beginning of history and ends at the end of history.  This means its an ancient story from the past, but a once and future story that encompasses us today … a story that explains everything and so provides us with a worldview” (p. 31).  The great story or (meta-narrative) is written in history, structured by covenants, centered on God’s glory, as most eminently in God’s salvation of man though judgment, “to the praise of His  glorious grace (Eph 1:6).”

BT helps pastors to preach the Old Testament along with the New

Secondly, BT gives the preacher more confidence in approaching the Old Testament, not just for personal reading but also for public preaching.  I am one of those guys who lives comfortably in the New Testament Scriptures.  I rarely crack the Old Testament for public preaching.  “I am a New Covenant minister,” I tell myself.  This thinking is only partially true.  I am a new covenant minister (2 Cor 4), but I am also responsible to teach the “whole counsel” (Acts 20:27) because “all Scripture is inspired by God and profitable” (2 Tim 3:16).  Right?  This book helped me blow the dust off the Old Testament books and welcome for them more earnestly into my regular preaching calendar.  As I learned from BT, there are many harbingers (foreshadows) of the gospel in the Old Testament. Lawrence explains, “In the Old Testament we have the gospel promised, the gospel foretold, the gospel in seed form” (p. 70).  Thus, the Old Testament is essential to properly understanding the New Testament.  For, “In the New Testament that seed comes into full flower, as the promises are kept and the prophecies are fulfilled” (p. 70).

BT demonstrates both/and relationship between biblical and systematic theology

BT draws a helpful comparison between systematic theology and biblical theology.  While biblical theology focuses on the major themes of the Bible and the coherence of those themes (Schreiner), systematic theology is more of a summary of all the Bible teaches on any given topic.  BT explains how the story-line of the Bible goes, systematic theology gives the bottom-line application through collecting, collating, summarizing and then relating the topic to our lives today.  Systematic theology is “the application of the Word by persons to the world and to all areas of human life” according to John Frame (p. 90-91).  Systematics has a strong concern for contemporary relevance.  “Its goal is to teach us not just timeless truth, but what it means to believe and obey that timeless truth today” (p. 91).  Both of these are essential.  “To say you want one but not the other simply shows that you understand neither.  Everyone has both a systematic theology and a biblical theology, whether they realize it or not” (p. 92).  Both again are essential, Lawrence explains this both/and relationship of the two disciplines. “We won’t understand worldview if we don’t understand the story out of which it rises.  But if all we have is a story, how will that story ever engage the contemporary concerns of our own lives?” (p. 92).  Carson chimes in with agreement.  “Since both find their source of authority in Scripture itself, both are normative theology for the Christian church” (p. 91).

Personal Application (what I need to do after reading this book)

1)    I need to become a better biblical theologian by imbibing a steady diet of biblical theology (1 book a year)

2)    I need to become a better systematic theologian by ingesting a steady diet of systematic theology (1 book a year)

3)    I need to teach the Old Testament, not just the New Testament

4)    I need to ask and answer several questions in delivering each point of my sermon (“the sermon application grid” p. 183)

a.     Where is this passage located in redemption history and how does it relate to us?

b.     What does it mean as citizens/employees etc?

c.     What does this point mean for the non-Christian?

d.     What does it teach us about Christ?

e.     What does it mean for us as individual Christian?

f.      What does it mean for our church as a whole?

5)    I need to remember the various categories of people I am preaching to (p. 187)

a.     Men and women

b.     Single, married and widowed

c.     The elderly, middle-aged, and children

d.     Employed, unemployed, and retired

e.     Wealthy and poor

f.      Educated and un(der) educated

g.     Employers and employees

6)    I need to remember the different kinds of errant sheep that need the Word (1 Thes 5:12-14) (p. 186)

a.     The idle (headstrong)

b.     The timid (fearful)

c.     The weak (lack faith as a result of poor teaching)

The Gospel & Personal Evangelism

The Gospel & Personal Evangelism

Author: Mark Dever 

Read to Completion 6/11/12

William Costello

             By far the finest entry-level book on Evangelism I have read.  This book was enjoyable and edifying; the words sparked interest, inquiry and yet even joyful (and sometimes) painful personal inventory.  I laughed, I related, I had “exhale moments” of hilarity and a few “inhale moments” when I repented and nearly cried.  Mark Dever is a master communicator, he is warmly transparent, thoughtful and to the point without being unnecessarily sharp.  This is the best entry-level book on Evangelism.

            The thesis of the book is simple – evangelism is the mission of the church individually.  The responsibility emphasis is squarely on the shoulders of the individual, no Christian gets a “get out of Evangelism” free card. The message is instructive for individual Christians, reminding them rather graciously of who they are in this world.  This is a book about the role of light-bearers in a world darkened by sin, the responsibility of the children of light to the children of the world.  This is about the message of God to be proclaimed by the children of God to children of wrath (Eph 2:3), that they too might become children of God (Jn 1:12).  Finally, this is about the normal lifestyle of those enrolled in heaven but who are not quite there yet. This is a personal primer, a reminder of the mission to a very forgetful people.

Why We Don’t Evangelize

            We all have clever reasons and conscience-numbing rationales as to why our failure to share the gospel is well, not even an issue.  Mark Dever concedes, “But if you’re anything like me, you’re probably not quite so blunt about your failures in evangelism.  You’ve altered your mental records.  In fact, even at the time you’re not witnessing, you’re busy spinning, justifying, rationalizing, and explaining to your conscience why it was really wise and faithful and kind and obedient not to share the gospel with a particular person at that time and in that situation” (Dever, 19).  We are all experts at excusing ourselves from the mission, or am I the only one? 

            Excuses are a sham and a shame.  We must repent of them now while purposing in our hearts to accept God’s global mission for the nations personally. 

            Dever draws out our own self-love when he addresses our common resistance to evangelism because of how it will affect our own image.  He shows us how I love myself more than I love the lost!  How easy it is to love my image in the world more than God’s image in the world!  Dever recounts, “Maybe we are too polite to be faithful to God in this area.  Maybe we are more concerned about people’s response than God’s glory.  Maybe we are more concerned about their feelings than God’s … Good manners are no excuse for unfaithfulness to God, but we have, too often, used them so” (Dever, 25). 

            Evangelism means death to self.  We must repent of self-love and pray “more love to thee our great and merciful Savior!”

He cuts deeper with a word on our own love for self over and above love for others.  “We share the gospel because we love people.  And we don’t share the gospel because we don’t love people.  Instead, we wrongly fear them.  We don’t want to cause awkwardness.  We want their respect, and after all, we figure, if we try to share the gospel with them, we’ll look foolish!  And so we are quiet.  We protect our pride at the cost of their souls.  In the name of not wanting to look weird, we are content to be complicit in their being lost.  As one friend said, “I don’t want to be the stereotypical Christian on a plane” (Dever, 27).

Evangelism is a test of our love.  If only 2% of the visible church have ever shared their faith with someone else, we need to examine if we really do love God.  Spurgeon recounts how in his early days as a Christian, he showed His love for God by sharing the gospel.  He recounts his early days as a soul winner,

I used to write texts on little scraps of paper, and drop them anywhere, that some poor creatures might pick them up, and receive them as messages of mercy to their souls. I could scarcely content myself even for five minutes without trying to do something for Christ. If I walked along the street, I must have a few tracts with me; if I went into a railway carriage, I must drop a tract out of the window[!]; if I had a moment's leisure, I must be upon my knees or at my Bible; if I were in company, I must turn the subject of conversation to Christ, that I might serve my Master. It may be that, in the young dawn of my Christian life, I did imprudent things in order to serve the cause of Christ, but I Still say, give me back that time again, with all its imprudence and with all its hastiness, if I may but have the same love to my Master, the same overwhelming influence in my spirit, making me obey my Lord's commands because it was a pleasure to me to do anything to serve my God.” Love for the Savior springs our otherwise selfish persons to action.

He is famous for these probing words, “Have you no wish for others to be saved? Then you are not saved yourself, you can be sure of that.”

The Message: What is the Gospel?

            I will start by explaining what the gospel is not. I remember asking this question to a room full of teenagers while I was serving as their youth pastor.  I was amazed by the answers I heard, “The Word of God,” “the Bible,” “Jesus loves you” and many more.  I think one student was able to articulate the contents of the gospel while many of her friends in the room had been in church for years!  Sadly, this is not uncommon.  I think many seem to know the way to get to their favorite restaurant more accurately than they do the way to get to heaven.  How sad.

            The gospel is “the Word of God” so is Genesis 1:1. The gospel is more than “the word of God.”  The gospel is found in the Bible but the 66 canonical books are not the gospel either.  “Jesus loves you” is certainly a sweet component of the gospel (John 15:13) but not the whole by any stretch.  So what is the gospel?

            If I could reduce the gospel to 10 words it would be this, “The Lord Jesus Christ died for sinners and rose again.”  This is the message of 1 Cor 15:3, 4.  Here Paul lays out clearly the contents of the gospel, God’s saving work on behalf of the sinner through His Son Jesus.

            The gospel is good news, great news!  Dever’s paragraph explaining the gospel is pure gold.  He writes, “The good news is that the one and only God, who is holy, made us in his image to know him.  But we sinned and cut ourselves off from him.  In his great love, God became a man in Jesus, lived a perfect life, and died on the cross, thus fulfilling the law himself and taking on himself the punishment for the sins of all those who would ever turn and trust in him.  He rose again from the dead, showing that God accepted Christ’s sacrifice and that God’s wrath against us had been exhausted.  He now calls us to repent of our sins and to trust in Christ alone for our forgiveness.  If we repent of our sins and trust in Christ, we are born again into new life, an eternal life with God” (Dever, 43).

Conclusion:

            This book helps the church-planter to see the reality for gospel proclamation in every Christian’s life.  The hard “work of an evangelist” belongs to the sheep as well as the shepherd.  I will use this book to remind myself that:

·      Evangelism is the mission of the church

·      Evangelism is everyone’s mission, it is not to be farmed out to the “paid professional pastor”

·      Excuses not to evangelize are many but none hold water

·      Evangelizing is the communication of the gospel in verbal or written form, anything less is not evangelism

·      Salvation is the work of God (we simply sow the seed, while God alone makes it grow, and as we go we sow

·      The purest motivation for evangelism is love for God and love for neighbor.

            

Worship: The Ultimate Priority

This is the first book I have read cover to cover in one sitting.  I am so blessed.  I have learned that worship is not about music, worship is about loving and adoring and obeying God in all of our ways, over all of our days! 

            Worship is not about getting anything from God, like a better job or a nice, warm “touchy-feely” that makes me “feel” like God is “the air I breathe!”  Worship is so much more!  Worship is about what I give to God – namely myself, my adoration, my affection, my obedience – in a word, my life!  Worship is about suppressing the desire to glorify self, and indulging the desire to glorify God!  “Worship is honor and adoration directed unto God,” writes MacArthur (p. 43).  Worship then is something I can do 24-7.  It can and should be as ongoing as breathing!

            When the Bible talks about worship it doesn’t mention music, it mentions truth (Jn 4:24).  I believe the modern use of “worship leader” instead of “minister of music” creates a misleading message about worship – namely, that worship is something we do on Sundays from 10:30 – 11:00 and don’t pick up again until next Sunday at the same time.  This is a travesty!  I hear people say things like, “I was talking with someone I hadn’t seen in a while before church so I missed half the worship.”  Half the worship?   I didn’t realize worship be cut in half?  Such is the sad end of shrinking the meaning of worship to a 30-minute block on Sundays. 

            Worship is so much more than music (though music is a legitimate means for expressing verbal adoration, a gift of common grace for which I am sincerely thankful).  As MacArthur describes, “worship is not a narrowly defined activity relegated to the Sunday morning church service – or restricted to any single time and place for that matter.  Worship is any essential expression of service rendered unto God by a soul who loves and extols Him for who He is” (p. 10).

            I truly appreciated MacArthur’s exposition on the attributes of God.  God’s name is the summation of His attributes.  God must be defined for people.  He is not like us, He is above and beyond us – a being utterly unknown and mysterious apart from His own self-revelation in Scripture.  God is love, so we worship Him for His unconditional commitment to His covenant people, and that at the infinite cost of the beloved’s Son’s own blood.  God is merciful, so we worship Him for not consuming us this very morning (Lam 3:22).  God is full of grace, so we worship Him for granting us “all spiritual blessings in heavenly places,” and for “calling us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus” (1 Peter 5:10).  God is just, so we worship Him for “executing righteous deeds and justice for all who are oppressed” (Ps 103:7), and that from a throne whose very foundations are “righteousness and justice” (Ps 97).  Quite simply, the more we know about Him, the more in awe we stand, the lowly we fall, and the more deeply the tremble! 

            He is a God who has killed people for not giving Him glory (Herod for example).  He is a God who has killed thousands for not giving Him glory as in the bloodbath at the foot of the holy mountain when the worshipers of God killed with the sword all who worshipped the golden calf and refused to turn back to God (see Eodus 32ff).  This awesome, consuming fire (Heb 12:29) is no one to be trifled with!  And like Mark Dever says, “God is terrible, without Christ!”

            The last section on church music tied the whole thing together for me.  Is it only a coincidence that the era of light preaching and shorter messages (the 20^th century that is) should just happens to be the century of light singing and shorter (more syrupy and less substantive) singing?  It seems that “light and fluffy” is the cake the preacher bakes and the – dare I say it – all right I will, “worship leader” too!  Ahh, junk food everywhere! No wonder we are so unhealthy!  Sermons void of sound Bible doctrine are as beneficial as lollipops for breakfast and gumdrops for lunch and a bag of Fritos for dinner! Music void of doctrine are about as worshipful as an offering to the “unknown God” on Mars Hill!  If I can sing the same song to my wife as I could to the holy, unchanging, all-powerful God … is it just me, or is something not right here?

            My desire is to actually write new hymns for the church.  I am a poet with a lot of training in music.  I pray that the LORD will use me to bring more God-honoring, Christ-magnifying, and gospel-centered music to the church.

            I am resolved to teach God’s people about music, and provide hands-on shepherding to our music leaders and musicians.  I am aware of the biblical instruction to “teach and admonish one another” through music, a variety of God-ordained and God-approved music (both Psalms and hymns and a spiritual song or two too).  I am eager to sing music straight from the Psalter (like Psalm 51) and maybe with only a harpist to accompany.  I delight to hear the echo of doctrinally entrenched hymns like “Holy, Holy, Holy” (the hymn) sung in a male to female cacophony of joy.  I see the place for personal passion for God to be expressed in the first person, deep from the heart of one who has the experience of God in his/her heart and that made possible by the exceeding and wonderful riches of His grace in Christ! 

Redeeming Controversial Material

I have recently come across several situations where I use controversial material to help shepherd the flock. Can you please give us your wisdom on the subject of "How can we redeem controversial material."

I have three examples of material that I use on a regular basis:

1. Baby Wise 
   Many people in our fellowship group have expressed frustration in helping their babies sleep through the night. Many of them struggling for 12-18 months. In one particular case I asked the father if he had read Baby Wise,  he said, "No I heard that book was controversial." (So how do I redeem this material to help this tired family?)  I explained that there are some goofy concepts in the latter part of the book, but the first couple chapters do a good job defining philosophies such as, "Who knows what's best for the baby: the baby or the parent?" There is also practical wisdom on how to get your baby on a schedule and help them fall asleep without the need of any sleeping aids. I told him it really just comes down to doing some math about how long your baby has slept and ate, and where they are in the day. The father being a computer programer said, "You can't argue with math." Haha, well said.


2. The 5 Love Languages
   I recently gave out a sheet with these 5 descriptions from Chapman on how to express love to your spouse. A very godly and discerning husband later gave me the link to an article from the Journal of Biblical Counseling dealing with the biblical problems with this book. It seems as though Powlison, the author of the article, does not see much redeeming value in these 5 descriptions of love. I am thankful for what this article brought to my attention, I'm not borrowing the 5LL from Chapman, I stole them and reconfigured them biblically. Is this a good approach? Can we redeem these 5LL without confusing people or having them think we are taking them down the enlightened road of psychology?


3. Way of the Master
   Jessie Johnson has already opened this can of worms and John MacArthur closed it. But it is another good example about how to make sure that we are redeeming good concepts and not burning them down just because they become controversial. You don't have to destroy something to help people's decrement. Sometimes I feel like people are yelling at me, GET RID OF THE OVEN IN YOUR HOUSE OTHERWISE YOUR KIDS MAY GET BURNED!! Ok, but how am I going to cook my food? I DON'T KNOW, BUT DON'T USE AN OVEN - FOR YOUR KIDS SAKES! Why can't I just train my children to not touch the oven?

For those who wish to stay on the log.

Wedding Bells

I may have the opportunity to officiate my first wedding ceremony. This is a scary thing for me.

Some of you have already done a wedding or two. What have you men learned from your experience? What counsel do you all have for doing weddings? Should I do pre-marital? How long? What resources are good?

Also, what principles should direct us if we are marrying a non-Christian couple? What standards do we hold them to?

Summer Reading: Pilgrim's Progress

I am considering having my JH/HS students read Pilgrim's Progress this summer. Any thoughts on this?
Does anybody know of a good version for students to read? Are there good study questions I should use? Thanks.

Why Study Biblical Languages

Horses fascinate my wife. She is mesmerized by their beauty, by their strength, and their graceful gallup. However, I like a different type of horses.....Hobby-Horse :).

We all know that we have some and frequently despise them when we hear others "ranting and raving" about something. One of mine is the "importance of biblical languages" for the pastoral office, expositor's of God's word, scholarship, etc.

Over the years, I have spent numerous hours attempting to gain further insight in grammar and translation. It was something I made a priority in my studies, so much so, that it sometimes impeded my theological development.

I have a few questions for you guys if you wouldn't mind humoring me for a bit.

1. What are reasons seminaries should/shouldn't make "Biblical Languages" a priority.

2. In the heat of ministry, what are problems that you have found within the realm of "biblical languages."

3. How are the biblical languages apart of your current life?

4. What resources would currently help you in your local church ministry to maintain language studies? Or is that not a focus?

5. If you had a disciplee desiring ministry and you began to train him in Biblical languages, not necessarily methodology, but how would you cultivate the necessity of Biblical Languages?

6. What are some good articles, quotes, statements, etc. you have found on the "why's" of knowing the biblical languages.

Some resources:

John Piper, "Brothers, Bitzer was a Banker," in Brothers, We are not Professionals.

Martin Luther stated the following: "Let us be sure of this: we will not long preserve the gospel without the languages. The languages are the sheath in which this sword of the Spirit [Eph. 6:17] is contained; they are the casket in which this jewel is enshrined; they are the vessel in which this wine is held; they are the larder in which this food is stored. . . . If through our neglect we let the languages go (which God forbid!), we shall . . . lose the gospel." (From http://thegospelcoalition.org/themelios/article/the_profit_of_employing_the_biblical_languages_scriptural_and_historic)

John Piper, Legacy of Sovereign Joy.

Random Resources

I tend to come upon a lot of different free resources or articles/ideas on the internet. I want to pass those on to you men in case you don't follow the same people I do or read the same blogs I do. Here are some resources for you to check into:

Man Up Message- Byron Yawn preaches at a men's breakfast regarding his book, "What Every Man Wishes His Father had Told Him." Good message.
http://www.lakesidebiblechurch.org/media.php?pageID=30

Youth Group Game- The Moooo Game. Kind of like a prank game. Sounds fun.
http://www.jubed.com/youth_ministry/view/The-Moooo-game/?k=moo

Free ebooks/Kindle deals- 

Porn Free Church- http://timchester.wordpress.com/2012/03/26/porn-free-church/

Commentary on Revelation, Robert H. Gundry- http://www.amazon.com/dp/B006LRC7M0/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_iLyEpb0Y0XN2B (note: I know nothing about him. Does anybody?)

Rid of My Disgrace: Hope and Healing for Victims of Sexual Assault- http://www.amazon.com/Rid-My-Disgrace-RE-ebook/dp/B004IEAJM8/

 Jeremy Lin: Faith, Joy, and Basketball [Kindle Edition]- http://www.amazon.com/dp/B007P3QV5I/ref=as_li_ss_til?tag=sixste-20&camp=0&creative=0&linkCode=as4&creativeASIN=B007P3QV5I&adid=1G94AXB5TDQJXDM0R26A 

Enjoy!

Back to the Future

Men I am teaching a 6-message series on End Times prophecy next week during our spring break. Topics include: Rapture, Glorification, Tribulation, Great White Throne Judgment, Millennial Kingdom, and Heaven (Eternal State). One of the keys to teaching is great illustrations so I am throwing this out there to any of you who have taught this before or who have some killer illustrations you can send my way. Thanks ahead of time for your input. You can post to the P to P blog or email me at wcostello23@gmail.com. Thanks guys.

The Writing Shepherd

The items in life that bring me joy, besides my wife and dog :), are reading and writing. My wife picked up a book for me. Once I creased the first page, I could not put it down. Rather than being a book on the nuances of grammar, style, composition, etc., this book is very similar to a spiritual disciplines book. Gearing the mind for a life-style of writing, Douglas Wilson, in Wordsmithy: Hot Tips for the Writing Life, was playing the role of Jiminy Cricket to my already attuned soul.

One thing Seminary provided for me was the constant demand to write. Now that I’m in a different program, the demands of writing have subsided for a short while. However, I was still finding the urge to pick up the pen (or keyboard) and start writing.

Writing aids my thinking in a number of ways and has been a means of grace in my life. This was not always the case, but writing has provided much solace to a vexed soul or great joys over a finished product. I’m never viewed myself as the “go-getter” (except for dating my wife, I wanted to marry her and quickly :). However, Wilson stated a few things in his book that have ignited a flame within me.

1. Do what you would love to be able to do someday.

2. Concert pianists can do what they do because they practiced scales for years. Be at peace with being lousy for a while. Nothing worthwhile ever comes without practice.

Why wait until tomorrow for aspirations, desires, dreams, etc. that you feel, yes subjectively feel, God has given you. You can rationalize all you want about the inability or un-“fitness” of your strengths; what you would like to accomplish tomorrow, start today.

Publishing is not the goal. Writing to aid my thinking is the goal. Clarity in writing demands clarity in thinking, which will aid clear communication. Similar to Pastor-to-Pastor, another group of my friends decided to begin a public-forum designed for theological thinking and writing as the pastor-theologian to help each other think through our current development of theological/biblical thinking. It is an attempt to do Theology in Community. The first post will be up tomorrow morning at 8am if you would like to enjoy the musings of another blog! shepherdthesheep.com

The Doctrine of Imputation

I am attempting to teach my students on the imputation of Christ’s righteousness. I have been preaching through Phil. 3:4-11 and I am beginning to see that they don’t understand the concept of imputation. Forgiveness is an easy concept; imputation is easy as well but just not understood. Here is a graph I believe may help teach them on what happens in justification and the difference between forgiveness of sin and imputation of righteousness.

What do you think of it? Is it biblically sound? If forgiveness is the removal or cancelling of sin, we are back to zero, not in the positive. We need to get into the positive for entrance into heaven. Only Christ’s righteousness, his obedience to God’s laws and death on the cross, give us the merit we need for entrance.

How Long Should a Pastor Preach - Graph

Goldilocks Would Approve

As pastors, we love teaching and preaching. We have studied all week, learned a ton, and have a lot of great info to teach our students. Each time we get in front of our students however, we are faced with the question- how long should we teach for?

I must confess that I tend to go on the long side. I am a TMS grad that many times gives TMI. My conscience is afflicted because I kick myself or going too long (sometimes 45 minutes). Am I wrong? I want to find a balance, get convictions, and stick to that.

How long is too long? How long do you men teach your students for?

What do you men think is a duration that would be "just right"?

20min.?

30min.?

More?