Shall We Pray for Church Growth or Church Health?

Unfortunately, yet unsurprisingly, the natural man’s ideology of “the bigger the better,” whether it is with regards to one’s bank account, car, house, etc., is ordinary even within the church. It reminds me of a young woman’s emphasis on her externality and consequent pursuit to alter her body via surgical procedures all in order to get noticed more; a young man’s likewise emphasis on his externality and consequent pursuit to consume hormone elevating drugs all in order to attain the biggest muscles that his body can possibly hold. The church, and I am using that word loosely (as loosely as the term “evangelical” has become), deems such lifestyle as arising out misdirected goals that only proves to be futile. Ironically, the church is not guiltless of similar misdirection and futility. Just as a young woman or man’s new look does not equate to true health, or true beauty for that matter, many in the church fail to recognize that their bigness (numerically) does not necessarily equate to Christ-honoring healthiness. Yet, that seems to be the focus of many (I don’t know how many times people have asked me about how many people we have in our church, but I don’t ever recall being asked if we preach Christ and Him crucified). Perhaps, if we focus more on the healthiness of the church, God will see fit to bless it with health and beyond, even numerically. After all, does not God always bless abundantly? Does not God always give more than what we can ask, think, or receive? Did Jesus Christ not promise to build His church (Matthew 16:18)? Here is what Pastor Mark Dever has to say, to which I agree wholeheartedly:

"It is tempting to think that we should just pray that God would make our churches bigger. But what we’re really after is health, not just size. Churches can be incredibly unhealthy even when they’re big. A small, healthy church is better than a big, unhealthy church. That’s right. A bigger church isn’t always a better church. It may make us look better as leaders, but size doesn’t always indicate health (as so many of our bodies attest!). So it makes sense to stop and ask yourself: What are your motives for praying as you do for your church? When we gather as a group of elders, we need to be praying not just that God would make our church bodies bigger, but that He would make them healthier."

-Mark Dever, The Deliberate Church, p.177

We have enough numerically gigantic churches, but as always are lacking in healthy churches. This is not to imply that churches shouldn’t grow in size, but simply that we ought to constantly keep our emphasis in check and pray accordingly!

This Does NOT Suck!

My previous post was properly entitled, “This Sucks!” Well, today’s post is properly entitled, “This Does NOT Suck!” Why? Because Christ’s death makes the following a reality:

"Although the words of personal invitation spoken by Christ do have promises or rest, and power to become children of God, and partaking of the water of life, it is helpful to make explicit just what Christ promises to those who come to him in repentance and faith. The primary thing that is promised in the gospel message is the promise of forgiveness of sins and eternal life with God. ‘For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life’ (John 3:16). And in Peter’s preaching of the gospel he says, ‘Repent therefore, and turn again, that your sins may be blotted out’ (Acts 3:19; cf. 2:38).
Coupled with the promise of forgiveness and eternal life should be an assurance that Christ will accept all who come to him in sincere repentance and faith seeking salvation: ‘Him who comes to me I will not cast out’ (John 6:37)."

This Sucks!

As an avid fan of the San Antonio Spurs, I must say that "it sucks!" Tim Duncan has been playing with bad knees and now Manu is out for the rest of the season, including the playoffs (Read It Here!). I hate to say it but things are looking worse and worse for the Spurs. Perhaps, the Spurs should have made the trade for Vince Carter, which would have been very interesting. But be that as it may, I will still root for them and not jump ship like some who have done, are doing, and will do. They can still win it, at least I am hoping!

The Preciousness of Time (Part 9)

I didn't post on this series for some time now, but here is the second to the final one. Enjoy!

"2. Be especially careful to improve those parts of time which are most precious. Though all time is very precious, yet some parts are more previous than others; as, particularly, holy time is more precious than common time. Such time is of great advantage for our everlasting welfare; therefore, above all, improve your Sabbaths, and especially the time of public worship, which is the most precious part. Lose it not neither in sleep, or in carelessness, inattention, and wandering imaginations. How sottish are they who waste away, not only their common, but holy time, yea the very season of attendance on the holy ordinances of God!—The time of youth is precious, on many accounts. Therefore, if you be in the enjoyment of this time, take heed that you improve it. Let not the precious days and years of youth slip away without improvement. A time of the strivings of God’s Spirit is more precious than other time. Then God is near; and we are directed, in Isa . lv. 6. ‘To seek the Lord while he may be found, and to call upon him while he is near.’ Such especially is an accepted time, and a day of salvation; 2 Cor. vi. 2. ‘I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in a day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.’"

Your Most Worthwhile Life Now!

I don't think that one can have his or her best life now. But I do agree that when properly understood in light of the Word of God, and of course, by the regenerate, one should realize that he or she can actually have the most worthwhile life now for one reason (or should I say one being): GOD! God gives life to all (in the material sense), but in giving a new life to the elect (in the spiritual sense) He also grants them a worthwhile life to live. J.I. Packer notes:

"What makes life worthwhile is having a big enough objective, something which catches our imagination and lays hold of our allegiance; and this the Christian has in a way that no other person has. For what higher, more exalted, and more compelling goal can there be than to know God?"

Have You Heard This Song?

Go to Pastor Kim Riddlebarger's blog (The Riddleblog) and check out the song, "Jesus Is My Friend." Click Here! Pastor Riddlebarger describes it most accurately: "A perfect marriage of pop rock and Pelagianism!" The main singer actually sings, "He (Jesus) taught me how to pray and how to save my soul." HOW TO "SAVE MY SOUL?" That is the very epitome of Pelagianism (Read a summary of Pelagianism here).

P.S. It's both funny a a bit embarrassing.

The Absurdities that Flow from the Doctrine of Universal Atonement

Few reasons why universal atonement, though perhaps desirable, is not scripturally tenable according to Francis Turretin:

"The last argument on this subject is, the absurdities that flow from the doctrine of universal atonement. If Christ died for all men universally, it would follow:—1. That he died, on condition they would believe, for multitudes innumerable, to who his death has never been made known; and hence it was impossible that they could believe. 2. That he died for those whom he knew to be children of perdition, who God had passed by, and who would never, to all eternity, enjoy any of the fruits of his death; and so exercised ineffable love towards those whom both he and the Father will cause to suffer eternally under the effects of their wrath. 3. That he died for those, who previously to his death were actually condemned without all hope of reprieve, and were in hell suffering his avenging wrath, and that as their surety he suffered punishment in the place of those who were suffering punishment for themselves, and must suffer it without end. 4. That Christ is the Saviour and Redeemer of those who not only never will be, but never can be saved or redeemed. Or otherwise he must be an imperfect Saviour, having obtained a salvation which he never applies; for he indeed cannot be properly called a Saviour of any but those whom he makes to be partakers of salvation, and who are actually saved” (Atonement of Christ, pp.160-161)."

How Is Your Conscience?

How is your conscience? Personally, and unfortunately, due to my fallen sinfulness, I tend to be the second type that Pastor John Piper mentions below, which is by no means biblical (at least not fully) or spiritually comforting. I sincerely hate it with all my heart and it is something that God really needs to change in my life. It is a good read. Check it out (you can also read the entire sermon: Click Here!):

"Satan Can Turn Our Conscience to a Distorted View of God

Yes, Satan can sear a conscience, but there's another way that Satan can destroy our conscience. Scripture calls him in Revelation 12:10 the accuser of the brethren who accuses us day and night before our God. If he can't sear our conscience, he will seek to fine tune our conscience to a perverted view of God. He will paint for us a caricature of God—a God who is impatient and who really is not for us but against us. A God who is just looking for a slip-up so that he can pounce on us. A God who is not slow to anger, not abounding in loving kindness, but rather a perfectionistic taskmaster who will hound us, and ridicule us, and torment us until we do every thing just perfect.

Three Experiences with Conscience Among People

My guess is that there are three types of people represented in this room right now. Some whose conscience have long since been seared or are in the process of being repressed into silence. Then there are some whose consciences are very lively but are attuned to a taskmaster God who is impatient. You labor under a blanket of guilt, that never goes away. You are depressed and broken and defeated. You confess your sins, but never feel like you did it well enough to actually be forgiven; you look at how you love your brothers and sisters and you feel that its never perfect enough to please God. And the third type of people are some of you whose conscience is lively, but attuned to a God who is holy and also compassionate and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in loving kindness. When you fail to love as you should, your conscience condemns you, informing you that God is against your sin. But you thank God for your conscience. It is like those nerve endings that mercifully scream out in pain when something is wrong in your body and needs attention. When your conscience condemns you, you turn to God in confession and you trust the promise that God will forgive you and cleanse you from all unrighteousness. If the harm you did is something that can be restored through a word or a deed, you will rely on God's help to be reconciled to the person you hurt. And then your conscience will be quieted, and you will be free to love and to pray once again.

Those of you who know that your conscience has been inappropriately quiet for too long, or inappropriately condemning for quite awhile, and you feel stuck, no matter how much you pray or read Scripture; my admonition to you is to seek out help from a trusted friend, or a pastor or a professional Christian counselor. Because God is in the business of reclaiming and rehabilitating our conscience. There is nothing more valuable than a conscience that condemns us when we are wrong, and there is nothing sweeter than a conscience that is at rest once we've repented. God wants us to have free and responsive hearts, "Beloved, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God."

Kareem, I Don't Disagree!

I am no Lakers' fan, but I know that even a laker can be objective and right. Here is an excerpt from "Q&A: Kareem on teaching, the Lakers and Tim Duncan," by John Hareas (NBA.com).

"NBA.com: Who is the most overlooked big man in the game today?Kareem: The big man that I think has been the best of this generation is Tim Duncan. He gets the job done, night in and night out. He's versatile, totally able to do the things his team needs him to do to win. Tim is the leader for the Spurs. He's consistent. He does a number of different things, offensively and defensively. He's a good rebounder. He's also consistent offensively to be a go-to guy -- nothing is lacking in his game. He's very well rounded and very, very consistent."

Interesting that he does not mention Shaq (perhaps too one dimensional though darn dominant).

A Quote on Trinity

"The threeness and the oneness of God are not in the same respect. Although the orthodox interpretation of the Trinity seems contradictory (God is one and yet three), the contradiction is not real, but only apparent. A contradiction exists if something is A and not A at the same time and in the same respect. Unlike modalism, orthodoxy insists that God is three persons at every moment of time. Maintaining his unity as well, orthodoxy deals with the problem by suggesting that the way in which God is three is in some respect different from the way in which he is one. The fourth-century thinkers spoke of one ousia and three hypostases. The problem is determining what these two terms mean, or more broadly, what the difference is between the nature or locus of God’s oneness and that of his threeness… It appears that Tertullian was right in affirming that the doctrine of the Trinity must be divinely revealed, not humanly constructed. It is so absurd from a human standpoint that no one would have invented it. We do not hold the doctrine of the Trinity because it is self-evident or logically cogent. We hold it because God has revealed that this is what he is like. As someone has said of this doctrine:

Try to explain it, and you’ll lose your mind;

But try to deny it, and you’ll lose your soul."

Millard J. Erickson, Christian Theology, 363-367

Actually this is what God is (i.e., Triune) not “what he is like.” Otherwise, I hope the quote proves helpful.