PCA 38th General Assembly 2010: Day 3 (Strategic Plan or Plot?)

Oh, great title right?  Before I get to that let me just say today was the day where all the Permanent Committees are to give their informational report.  And what they share is already written in our commissioner handbook.  So I used this time to go and visit the various exhibitors.  The only real quality work we did today is voting on BCO, RAO, and SJC Manual amendments, and really nothing major to speak of there.  These were more small matters to bring clarity and help out the Assembly and its committees.  

But the big news flowing out of the Strategic Plan dealings is quite a find.  I have been contemplating for well over a month now what was meant by a comment I heard.  I heard that one of the denominational leaders said that it doesn't really matter if we pass the Strategic Plan this year because we are in Phase 3.  I have wondered for awhile now what 'Phase 3' means.  It seems very much like a plot. This evening some friends and I were talking about the Strategic Plan over dinner and how we got to where we are today.  Their description to me was in three stages.  Amazing, right?  So I did some research.  A friend showed me a document that showed proof that there were three stages and we are in the third stage right now!  Yes, right now! The document, which is actually a PowerPoint presentation on paper that I have, is entitled, "Background and Summary of the 2010 PCA Strategic Plan".  

The first slide states,

Stage One

24 Leaders Elected by General Assembly (2000) 

-Identify Biblical and Theological Values and Priorities

-Identify Tools Needed for Further Planning

Approved by 2003 GA

The second slide,

Stage Two

Being Revived and Bring Reformation

-Original Leaders and ad interim committee
-Professional Survey: 900 PCA leaders, 66 presbyteries, interviews with other denominations
-90-page report
~Reiterated biblical priorities
~Proposals to make GA issue-focused and fruitful
~Cooperative Ministries Committee directed to do "long-range planting" (RAO 7-3.c)
Approved by 2006 GA

The third slide,

Stage Three

2007-10 Strategic "Plan"

(a "map" not a mandate; except BCO amendments)

-Cooperative Ministries Committee (cooridinators, chairmen, moderators)
-Additional Research and Discussion
~2-hour seminars at GAs (hundreds of commissioners and recordings)
~Text and video on AC Web site; byFaith articles pro and con
~Questions answered on AC Web site (not unaffiliated blogs)

The fourth slide,

Stage Three

2007-10 Strategic "Plan"

Approved Unamiously by Cooperative Ministries Committee (January 2010)
Approved Unanimously by Administrative Committee (April 2010)
Approved Unanimously by Committee on Constitutional Business (May 2010)
Attorneys King and Spalding Approval (Spring 2010)

So can you see three phases/stages?  The same man who made this Strategic "Plan" was the one who said that they were in "Phase Three" above AND was the same one who produced this PowerPoint presentation (the author...a prominent leader and President of a PCA academic institution).  Now I leave this up to you.  I am asking if, since the year 2000, is this a "plan" or a "plot"?"

PCA 38th General Assembly 2010: Day 2 (Boring day...for me)

Today, the two big items came before committees (deaconesses and strategic plan).  For deaconesses, the Overtures Committee went with Overture 7 from Evangel Presbytery.  After they amended it, it seemed like a good compromise for all.  There was going to be a minority report, but low numbers brought that to a halt.  So no minority report there.  The language that was changed seems to go in favor of defining what is already in BCO 9-7 and nothing major is being recommended to the Assembly.  As for the Strategic Plan (SP), the Administration Committee of Commissioners  (CoC) met again to discuss the SP at 1pm today.  They received amendments to the SP from the Administration Committee who met this morning.  However, by 5:30pm the only recommendation that had been voted on was the NW Georgia Presbytery Overture, which was passed 28-2.  However, it was passed amended not as an 'alternative' to the SP but as good information/wisdom.  The Administration CoC will meet tomorrow (Wednesday) at 8am to, hopefully, conclude its work before the main Assembly meetings begin at 10:30am.

So this was pretty boring for me today.  I had nothing really to do, no work.  Again, the conversation seems to be great and worthwhile.  I am happy about what the Overtures Committee did, I think we could go further but I'm happy.  We need to keep praying for the Admin. CoC in their work.  They plan on going through each recommendation of the SP line by line, which could take awhile to work out.  Usually, this CoC doesn't get this much work so may God give them wisdom to handle what is before them with diligence according to the Word.  

Harry Reeder was elected Moderator tonight by acclamation, being the only one nominated.  I believe he will serve as a great Moderator, especially with the amount of business we have this year.  Of what I have seen of him, he is to the point, not fooling around, which in my eyes serves as a good Moderator.  Hopefully, he will be fair to the rules and if so, I believe he will do a great job, moving things along smoothly and at a good pace.  

So just as the title, this post was boring.  If you want to read a little more on the GA so far, you can read Ken's post about it so far here (He served on Overtures Committee).  Wes White served on the Administration Committee of Commissioners and you can read what he says here.  Here is a little feast for your souls from James Smith:

"Christ, who loved us!" Romans 8:37

No condition can possibly be more dreary--than to feel that no one loves or cares for us!

There is something peculiarly sweet and pleasant--in being the object of another's love. Even the love of a poor child is sweet. But to be loved by one who is most wealthy, most exalted in station, and most honorable in character--must be peculiarly delightful!

How, then, should we rejoice; how happy should we be--who are loved by the Lord Jesus! Especially when we consider:
on the one hand:
  how despicable,
  how poor,
  how worthless, and
  how unlovely WE are!
And, on the other hand:
  how glorious,
  how wealthy,
  how worthy,
  how lovely JESUS is!

To be loved by Jesus--is to be preferred before the possession of a world!

Think of . . .
  the glory of His person,
  the vastness of His possessions,
  the number of His angelic attendants,
  the unlimited sovereignty which He exercises,
  and the excellent character He bears!

Also bear in mind--that He knew what loving us would cost Him--how He would be treated by us and by others--for our sakes!

Yet He fixed His love upon US!

He loved US--just because He would!

He passed by others more dignified in nature, more exalted in station--but He chose US!

He did not, could not, NEED us--for He was infinitely happy and glorious without us!

Yet He loved us!

He still loves us!

Amen!

PCA 38th General Assembly 2010: Day 1 (Patience and Old Friends)

Day one of General Assembly is really not the first day, I guess tomorrow is (Tuesday).  When the actual Assembly gathers in its opening session, which opens with a worship service and election of a Moderator.  I have heard at least one man who will be nominated and I assume based on who it is that he will be elected.  However, since it has not happened yet I won't divulge who that might be (*Cough he is a Pastor of a large church in Birmingham *Cough).  

So anyway, the Committee of Commissioners met today.  Basically what they do is check the Permanent Committees and Agencies to make sure they are doing things right and are recommending good things for General Assembly.  The two major items that were supposed to be reviewed today, both were put on hold until tomorrow; those of 'women deacons' for the Overtures Committee and the 'Strategic Plan' for the Administration Committee.  Yes, both of those Committee of Commissioners postponed their work on the two major parts of their work until tomorrow.  So today, no real news to speak of.  What does this teach us?  Patience.  

But what is so great about General Assembly?  Seeing old friends and meeting new ones.  In my case, typically the new ones are those who I have talked to online and then finally meet in person.  I met a great deal of people today, always good to see fellow elders and work with them.  This evening at dinner I was told some of the most amazing true stories that I have ever heard about the life of two churches in our denomination.  By amazing, I do not mean anything good, which is sad to say.  I just could not believe what was going on these two churches.  It was so sad and practically unbelievable.  I turned to another elder as we listened and asked, "Is this April 1st?"  Seriously, what the Pastor was saying was so crazy you would think that never could this happen in churches, and yet we all knew he was being serious and what he was saying was true.  Now I cannot give details for obvious reasons of the churches or the elders I ate with, but if you have time please pray for this man and these churches.  Pray for the mercy of God and His grace to fill the lives of the leaders of these churches and that they would be given true wisdom.  That they would all fear God and not men. 

If you would like to watch the Assembly live, a live feed will be available here.

The following are some Overtures Committee recommendations to the General Assembly:

• Overture 5
• Overture 11
• Overture 18

Introducing The 38th General Assembly Of The PCA

This is supposed to be a 'Pastoral Blog' and therefore it would be in our best interest to write pastorally about the PCA's General Assembly (GA) of which each author is a member of here at A Profitable Word.  How as Pastor's should we respond to actions taken at GA, what should be a heart's desire going in and coming out of GA, what is best for the Church, and how do we get there?  All these questions and more are what will be looked at in this post and in those posts to come next week during the time the Presbyterian Church in America holds its 38th General Assembly.  

This year, there are two 'big' issues that the denomination will be voting on or considering.  The first is the deaconess issue that we have been dealing with for a few years now.  It comes mostly through overtures this year submitted by presbyteries to change or amend the BCO.  Some for deaconesses some against.  You can read those overtures here.  These will go before the Overtures Committee on Monday and will probably be heard on the floor Thursday morning, although scheduled for Thursday afternoon.  

The second major issue is that of the proposed Strategic Plan.  You can find all the reading you could want on the Strategic Plan: Pros and Cons here and here.  I find this issue to be much more of importance as it will undoubtedly affect the future of the PCA greatly.  The implications are high and for both of these issues we need to be in prayer.  

So stayed tuned next week for updates from the PCA General Assembly and a Biblical response.  

Don't Get Caught Up In Earthly Law!

There are few places in Scripture that mention the need in law for two or three witnesses.  Deuteronomy 19:15 states, "A single witness shall not rise up against a man on account of any iniquity or any sin which he has committed; on the evidence of two or three witnesses a matter shall be confirmed."  This is part of that descriptive law for the courts required in Israel before Christ's death and resurrection.  We have a similar principle for the Church in Matthew 18:15-20.  Now I bring this up because very often we see on the news criminals who get away with things.  They go to court and the jury doesn't convict them.  They murder someone and they get 20 years in jail.  Doesn't seem like a very good punishment, does it?  In today's society, you don't even need two or three witnesses to convict a man.  But think of that need in the time of Israel.  If a man raped a woman or someone murdered someone, there had to be witnesses. Think of how many times a murderer is going to allow for witnesses to be around or in the other case, if someone is raped, there has to be a witness besides the victim.  Tell me how many times that happens.  Not very often.  It was hard in Israel to determine if someone is guilty of a crime.

I know you see people go free all the time when they shouldn't or at least when it seems like they shouldn't.  You become frustrated at our court system.  Think about Israel's.  You'd be frustrated, probably much more than that as well, if your daughter was raped and there was only one witness, your daughter.  The man would go free.  Don't get caught up  in earthly law!  Think of the second to last verse in all of Scripture, Revelation 22:20, "Come, Lord Jesus!" This is our prayer.  O that Christ would come and rescue us from this present evil age.  But think about the application of this prayer.  "Come, Lord Jesus!" is not only for our good to save us, but it also implies that judgment has come when He returns.  

Revelation 20:12, "And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done."  They will be judged according to what they do.  Brethren, don't get caught up in this world and earthly law, the Lord will judge all mankind.  And those who are not in Christ will be condemned to eternal death.  Find comfort that even though our civil courts are imperfect, our church courts are imperfect, the court of the eternal God, Maker of heaven and earth, the eternal Judge is perfect.  

Come, Lord Jesus, Come!

Tomorrow Comes--And They Are In Hell

I'm often thinking, as I look at my own life, how attractive things of this earth are.  Money, things (e.g. toys, gas grills, computer games, books, etc.), quiteness, peace, and I could go on.  You too have those earthly things that you believe would make everything better in life.  Yet, really as we think of eternity, such created things are vain and worthless.  In reality, it should remind us of ourselves apart from Christ and those who are 'wicked'. 

Samuel Davies says:

"The wicked is driven away in his wickedness; but the righteous has hope in his death." Proverbs 14:32

"The wicked is driven away in his wickedness."

That is, the wicked man dies--just as he lived.

He lived in wickedness--and in wickedness he dies.

His wickedness sticks fast upon him--when his earthly enjoyments, his friends, and all created comforts leave him forever.

The guilt of his wickedness lies heavy upon him--like a mountain of lead, ready to sink him into the depths of eternal misery!

And the principles of wickedness, which he indulged all his life, still live within him, even after the agonies of death; nay, they now arrive at a dreadful immortality, and produce an eternal hell in his heart!

He leaves behind him not only all his earthly comforts--but all the little remains of goodness which he seemed to have, while under the restraints of divine grace: and he carries nothing but his wickedness along with him into eternity! With this dreadful attendant--his wickedness--he must stand before the tribunal of his holy Judge! To leave his earthly all behind him, and die in the agonies of dissolving nature--this is terrible. But to die in his wickedness--this is infinitely the most terrible of all!

He once flattered himself that though he lived in wickedness--that he would not die in it. He adopted many resolutions to amend, and forsake his wickedness toward the close of life, or upon a death-bed. But Oh! how sorely is he disappointed! After all his promising purposes and hopes--he died as he lived--in wickedness!

This is generally the fate of veterans in sin. They are resolving and re-resolving to reform all their lives; but after all--they die the same as they lived. They intend to prepare for death and eternity--but just not today. They have always something else to do today; and therefore they put off this work until tomorrow. Tomorrow comes, and instead of reforming, they die in their wickedness. Tomorrow comes--and they are in hell!

"The wicked is driven away in his wickedness." He is driven away--in spite of all his reluctance. Let him cling to life ever so strongly--yet he must go! All his struggles are vain, and cannot add one moment to his life.

Indeed, the wicked have so little taste for heaven, and are so much in love with this world--that if they leave it at all--they must be driven out of it--driven out of it, whether they want or not!

When they hope for heaven, they do in reality consider it but a shift, or a refuge, when they can no longer live in this, their favorite world. They do not at all desire heaven--in comparison with this world. They would live forever in this present world--if they could have their choice. But let them grasp ever so hard--they must let go their hold. They must be driven away, like chaff before a whirlwind--driven away into the regions of misery--into the regions of misery, I say; for certainly the happiness of heaven was never intended for such as are so averse to it; and who prefer this wretched world, with all its cares and sorrows--before heaven itself!

"But the wicked will lose hope. They have no escape. Their hope becomes despair." Job 11:20

"When the wicked die--their hopes all perish!" Proverbs 11:7

"The desire of the righteous ends only in good, but the hope of the wicked only in wrath!" Proverbs 11:23

 Let us turn from our sin and turn to the Lord in Christ!

The Only Effectual Reformer Of The World

If you are a Pastor, in all your comforting, exhorting, preaching, rebuking, in all that you do, all will be in vain without this One.  If you are a parent, all your love, discipline, provision, protection, in all that you do, all will be in vain without this One.  If you are a worker of any kind, all your labor and all your conversations, all will be in vain without this One.  If you are a servant of the Lord Jesus Christ, all your service, all your giving, all your good works, in all that you do, all will be vain without this One.  Listen to what Samuel Davies tells us:

"When He comes--He will convict the world about sin, righteousness, and judgment!" John 16:8

The Holy Spirit is the only effectual reformer of the world! If He is absent--
  legislators may make laws against crime;
  philosophers may reason against vice;
  ministers may preach against sin;
  conscience may remonstrate against evil;
  the divine law may prescribe, and threaten hell;
  the gospel may invite and allure to heaven;
but all will be in vain!

The strongest arguments, the most melting entreaties, the most alarming denunciations from God and man, enforced with the highest authority, or the most compassionate tears--all will have no effect--all will not effectually reclaim one sinner, nor gain one sincere convert to righteousness!

Paul, Apollos, and Peter, with all their apostolic abilities, can do nothing, without the Holy Spirit. Paul may plant the seed--and Apollos may water it; but God alone can make it grow! "So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything--but only God, who makes things grow!" 1 Corinthians 3:6, 7.

Never will peace and harmony be established in this jangling world--until this Divine Agent takes the work in hand.

It is He alone--who can melt down the obstinate hearts of men into love and peace!

It is He alone--who can soften their rugged and savage tempers, and transform them into mutual benevolence!

It is He alone--who can quench those lusts that set the world on fire, and implant the opposite virtues and graces. Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control, are mentioned by Paul, as the fruit of the Spirit, because the Spirit alone is the author of them. And if these dispositions were predominant in the world--what a serene, calm, peaceful region would it be, undisturbed with the hurricanes of human passions!

Oh, how much do we need the influence of the blessed Spirit . . .
  to break the heart of stone,
  to enlighten the dark mind, and
  to comfort the desponding soul!

How to Get Along With "TR's"

Let me say first that I don’t really like the term. The connotations of the term imply someone who doesn’t care about unity and love in the church. It also implies an arrogance that they are the only ones with any truth, and/or that they are the only people who can legitimately claim the term “Reformed” at all. All of those are untrue of confessional Presbyterians I know. I cannot judge whether they are true of me or not, though I can say that I really do not enjoy conflict, contrary to what many people might think.

However, what is often shouted at TR’s is that they are unloving, uncaring about church unity, and fanatical about doctrine, and denigrate love. What is rather amazing to me, however, is that many people do not care to find out about what makes a TR click. They do not feel that they need to take any steps to get along with TR’s. If any unity is going to happen, it can only happen if the TR abandons his convictions, they think. But what is really irritating is that the people who are yelling and screaming at the top of their lungs for love and unity aren’t showing very much love and unity in screaming and yelling for love and unity. I’ve lost count of the times this has happened to me. Raise a question of BCO procedure, and get shouted at for being unloving. It gets old. Fast.

What I would like to do is to help people understand what makes a TR click so that people can understand us. In this way, we might be able to get along better, even when we disagree.

Principle 1. Never, ever, ever ask a TR either explicitly or implicitly to abandon his principles. This is probably the single most unloving thing that anyone can do to a TR. The principles he holds are what he believes the Bible to be saying. Furthermore, asking a TR to do that will only make him that much more royally upset. Any attempt to force a TR to abandon his principles will make the TR think that the other person has abandoned truth.

Principle 2. Stop accusing the TR of being unloving. People do not know what is in someone else’s heart. It might be fair to say that a particular action seems unloving to you. That can be debated, certainly. But blanket statements about someone else’s motivations are never very helpful, and they are almost always inaccurate.

Principle 3. Focus attention on the issue when you disagree with a TR. Nothing irritates a TR more than having personalities dragged into it. The TR doesn’t want to dwell on these things. He is thinking about whether something is logical or not, whether something is biblical or not (and this is not to say that non-TR folk are not concerned about this). If I have any more thoughts about this, I’ll add to this and edit it.

PCA Proposed Strategic Plan And "Gospel Eco-Systems": Meaning?

Over on The Aquila Report, Williams Schweitzer, a church planting minister in Gateshead, England, has asked and answered the question, "What are Gospel Eco-systems?"  What are the "Gospel Eco-systems" mentioned in the PCA's proposed strategic plan (Page 24)?  This is the article from The Aquila Report, what it shows Gospel Eco-systems to be is distressing.

The PCA Strategic Plan includes a number of controversial proposals. However, the item that probably represents the greatest risk has gone almost unnoticed. What are “gospel eco-systems,” and do they constitute better obedience to the Great Commission?

The Plan proposes that we “Identify & support national & international efforts that develop Gospel eco-systems” (SP 24). One might wish for a thorough explanation of this concept, lest we end up voting for something we don’t understand. All we have, however, is a cryptic parenthetical description. To find out about gospel eco-systems we must go elsewhere: http://renewsouthflorida.com/wp-content/uploads/NAN%20Miami%20%28Keller%20-%20_Ecosystems_%29.mp3 (GES). In this talk, the question is posed, “What does it take to have a gospel movement in the city?” The answer is, “an eco-system has to be put into place. An eco-system is a set of forces, a set of energies that interact with each other, and therefore create this growth that is beyond, its beyond any one program, its beyond any one leader, its beyond any one church” (GES).

There are three components to a gospel eco-system. At the core is “an effective, contextualized way of communicating and embodying the gospel for center city residents.” Indeed, we are told that “If you have an… effective, contextualized way of communicating the gospel and embodying the gospel for center city residents, you’re actually going to win large numbers of them, its just going to happen” (GES). For one thing, we must point out that the gospel cannot be “embodied.” Our proclamation of the gospel can certainly be adorned by our good works, but the gospel itself is a message having defined content that must be conveyed by words, not deeds (1 Cor 15:1-4; John 17:8). More importantly, no matter what the church does, it is not “just going to happen.” The Holy Spirit is sovereign, and to say that, if you have the right evangelistic method “you’re actually going to win large numbers of them, its just going to happen” sounds like Finneyism. 

Emanating from the core is “…a whole series of church planting movements. At least 5 or 6… different denominations and traditions, that are using the core… whether its Anglican, Episcopal, whether its Methodist, Presbyterian, Baptist, Pentecostal, so on.” It is crucial to see at this point that ecumenical cooperation is not an optional aspect of this paradigm, it is a requirement: “…it can’t just be Presbyterians or Baptists or whatever. There’s got to be, that core has to be embodied in a number of different traditions….” (GES). In other words, ecumenism is an essential part of gospel eco-systems.

The third component or “layer” consists of various categories of initiatives rooted in, but extending beyond the local church. At least three of these involve social action: Justice & Mercy initiatives, Faith & Work initiatives (“…Christian artists have to have parties”), and Overlapping Leaders from business, the arts, technology, and the church working together to improve the city (GES). Social action is another essential part of gospel eco-systems.

The Strategic Plan duly notes the existence of a possible “negative” at this point: “Potential drift into social gospel” (SP 24). Good thing the CMC has considered that possibility, because drifting into the social gospel is no minor hiccup. The social gospel destroyed the old denomination. Drifting into it would constitute total mission failure for the PCA.  One might think that there would be a concerted effort to demonstrate how gospel eco-systems have no conceivable connection with, or tendency towards, the social gospel.  But the Plan contains nothing of the sort.  

In the absence of such a discussion, it might be helpful to refresh ourselves on what the social gospel actually is.  100 years ago, the United Presbyterian Church adopted what has become a classic statement of this error, still found in BCO of the PC(USA). The “Six Great Ends of the Church” are “…the proclamation of the gospel for the salvation of humankind; the shelter, nurture, and spiritual fellowship of the children of God; the maintenance of divine worship; the preservation of truth; the promotion of social righteousness; and the exhibition of the Kingdom of Heaven to the world.”  Sounds fairly innocuous, doesn’t it? Notice that the verbal proclamation of the gospel is right at the top of the list. What makes this a statement of the social gospel? Simply that it includes social action as part of the mission of the church. Nothing else is required, and everything else flows naturally from that fatal inclusion.

Now, what is in the Plan’s proposal that is meaningfully different from what we have already been doing, besides ecumenism? It seems to be the inclusion of social action as part of the mission of the church. Let’s be clear. Making the world around us a better place is a good thing, and is ordinarily to be expected when people are coming to Christ and serving in their vocations as salt and light (Matt 5:13-16). But that is not the mission of the church. The mission given to us in Matthew 28:18-20 is very specific: to make disciples of all nations through baptizing and teaching. If it is not baptizing and teaching, it might be lawful, it might even be commanded, but it is not obedience to the Great Commission.  

The Strategic Plan presents itself as a gift promising better obedience to the Great Commission. Upon closer inspection, it looks like it might be a Trojan Horse bearing ecumenism and the social gospel. Think twice before you open the gate.

Notice the last paragraph, "The Strategic Plan presents itself as a gift promising better obedience to the Great Commission.  Upon closer inspection, it looks like it might be a Trojan Horse bearing ecumenism and the social gospel.  Think twice before you open the gate."

Watch What Pastors Say

Reading this morning from Deuteronomy 13, "If a prophet or a dreamer of dreams arises among you and gives you a sign or a wonder, and the sign or the wonder comes true, concerning which he spoke to you, saying, 'Let us go after other gods (whom you have not known) and let us serve them,' you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams; for the LORD your God is testing you to find out if you love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul. You shall follow the LORD your God and fear Him; and you shall keep His commandments, listen to His voice, serve Him, and cling to Him. But that prophet or that dreamer of dreams shall be put to death, because he has counseled rebellion against the LORD your God who brought you from the land of Egypt and redeemed you from the house of slavery, to seduce you from the way in which the LORD your God commanded you to walk So you shall purge the evil from among you." 

Now we are all smart enough to know that Pastors are not dreamers of dreams and/or prophets in the specific sense, but they are used as a mouthpiece for God communicating His message to a people.  When a Pastor preaches He preaches the very Word of God, it is Jesus Christ speaking, when it is in accordance with the Scriptures.  This is easy to understand since the Bible is God's Word.  2 Timothy 3:16 says, "All Scripture is breathed out by God..." and 2 Peter 1:20-21 says, "knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone's own interpretation. For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit."  But what if the Pastor preaches something contrary to the Word?  This is where Deuteronomy 13 applies, "You shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams; for the LORD your God is testing you to find out if you love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul."

We see a great example in the book of Acts, chapter 17, "The brothers immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, and when they arrived they went into the Jewish synagogue. Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so."  As the men of Berea heard the Word, they were comparing the things they heard with the Scriptures.  They were asking, "Is what Paul saying true?"  They were asking if what the Apostle was saying was true.  Now if they were doing so with an Apostle, shouldn't you do that with your Pastor?  Yes, absolutely.  We must be daily searching the Scriptures discerning what is good and what is bad, what is true and what is false in all of life.  This is God testing you, "Do you really love Me or are you just playing games?  Do you really love me, do you love My Word or on a whim will you depart from me to seek something that you believe to more pleasing?"  Now most of the time, the typical Pastor isn't going to lead you into idolatry, but he will make mistakes.  And a godly minister will seek the Lord's forgiveness for speaking wrongly.  You will hear in preaching the wrong name spoken, wrong town, wrong chapter and verse quoted.  Just be discerning, such things are slight mistakes.  But be very cautious when a Pastor begins making bold statements that are no where found in Scripture, at least to your knowledge.  Talk to your elders about it, search the Scriptures to see if what was said was true.  If it is true, then follow Jesus and be healed of your sins.

Pastors, here we have the warning, that warning of which magnifies more how we will all be held responsible for the things we say, "But that prophet or that dreamer of dreams shall be put to death, because he has counseled rebellion against the LORD your God who brought you from the land of Egypt and redeemed you from the house of slavery, to seduce you from the way in which the LORD your God commanded you to walk So you shall purge the evil from among you."  It is a frightful thing to enter a pulpit and preach, it should rightly instill the fear of the Lord in your heart.  If it does not, there is a problem.  Preaching should cause us to humble ourselves and cling to Him all the more for we can't speak one iota of truth apart from Him.  Praise God for Jesus Christ who shows us the mercy and gives us the grace through Him.  "Watch you life and doctrine closely, persevere in them because if you do you will save both your life and your hearers."

If It Works Then It Is A Good And Godly Thing To Do

In Section 3 of Chapter 5 of the Westminster Confession of Faith it states the following, "God, in His ordinary providence, makes use of means, yet is free to work without, above, and against them, at His pleasure."

In our day it is a common practice to be a pragmatist.  If it works keep on doing it.  Within Christianity, it is often thought that if something is used by God that means He approves of it and it is a good thing to keep on doing.  Some of those things that I come in contact with most are music styles in worship and the general tone of worship.

It is common in American Christianity to set a mood for worship by having the lights off, maybe having some candles, and using music that sounds similar to the culture and world around us with lyrics which are Christianized.  It seems to work, more people come because they like the music and therefore more people are exposed to a message being communicated, hopefully the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  If the lights are off it gives more of an intimate feel for those participating and therefore the feeling that one is closer to God; lighted candles even enhance this and really add to the whole experience.  Many Christians tend to really love this type of atmosphere, music, etc.  But is a person's experience and feelings based on reality?  The pragmatist would believe so, after all this stuff actually works.  In general, more people come and more people are interested.  The thought, therefore, is that more people are saved and grow in faith through these experiences. But what is the message being communicated?  The message is that emotion and experience are greater than God's very Word commanded.  Typically what is found in these circles are rock music sounding like the world mixed with 'Christian' lyrics with an added watered-down message, many times the Gospel isn't even preached.  And you might be a person who will say, "If a person wants to worship that way and it works for them, then I have no problem with it."  

The question should always be, first and foremost, what does God think?  God says, 

"Be careful to listen to all these words which I command you, so that it may be well with you and your sons after you forever, for you will be doing what is good and right in the sight of the LORD your God. When the LORD your God cuts off before you the nations which you are going in to dispossess, and you dispossess them and dwell in their land, beware that you are not ensnared to follow them, after they are destroyed before you, and that you do not inquire after their gods, saying, 'How do these nations serve their gods, that I also may do likewise?' You shall not behave thus toward the LORD your God, for every abominable act which the LORD hates they have done for their gods; for they even burn their sons and daughters in the fire to their gods. Whatever I command you, you shall be careful to do; you shall not add to nor take away from it."

The words we find here in Deuteronomy 12 speak directly to this situation.  Don't act like the world. Don't worship like the world.  Even though you will be tempted to do so, don't follow them, follow Me!  Only do what I command you to do in worship.  Do not add to what I command nor take away from what I command.  If we were to keep reading through Deuteronomy, we would learn that those who do not follow these commands are cursed, those who do are blessed.  So shall we worship like the world, should we sing and make music like the world or as God commands?  Are we to touch and heighten the emotions to a mystical state where we seem to be somewhat closer to God to the downplay of reality?  You do know for the Christian that the Holy Spirit dwells within the heart of each believer right (1 Corinthians 3:16)?  You can't get very much closer than that.  As we come to worship Him, coming before the throne of mercy and grace, we come because of the blood of Jesus Christ shed for us and by the strength and power of the Holy Spirit (Hebrews 4:16).  But now you might come back and say, "But this method works, it gets people to hear the message."  Yes, that is correct some of the time.

First, I would ask, "What message?"  What message is communicated and maybe the message is the Gospel and is straight to the point, like this.  And yet, it also communicates that heightened emotions are good and there are certain times we are closer to God than others. When in reality we can never be far from God as Christians because even though we walk through the valley of the shadow of death there He is, with us (Psalm 23).

Second, I would ask, "So what?  Are you limiting God to work only through those means by which He has expressly laid down in Scripture as good?"  Remember, what the Confession says above, "God, in His ordinary providence, makes use of means, yet is free to work without, above, and against them, at His pleasure."  God makes use of means, ordinarily.  Certain means when talking about worship, that is through the Word preached and read, the sacraments of Baptism and the Lord's Supper which show forth visibly His Word, and prayer in which the Spirit intercedes for us with WORDS, God's Word (Acts 2:41-42).  Those are the ordinary means He uses in worship, yet that does not limit Him to work through sinful acts.  "...yet is free to work without, above, and against them, at His pleasure."  Did not God work through Satan to bring good things to Job?  Job had everything taken away and yet ended up with more than he had at first.

God works at His pleasure without, above and against ordinary providence, even through yokels like Benny Hinn, who is a heretic, to save some.  What Benny Hinn preaches is sin (heresy), yet God uses such things for the good of His people and for His glory.  Does that make what Benny Hinn preaches to be good and pleasing and right?  Absolutely not!

One of the greatest problems in Christianity today is this problem of pragmatism.  I'm afraid it has been a problem for some time.  If it works, then it is good and we should keep on doing it for it must be godly.  In a sense you could say, "If committing this sin causes grace to abound, then let's keep on doing it." Yet the Lord Jesus speaks through Paul and tells us the exact opposite, "Where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it?" (Romans 5:20-6:2).

Preaching With Spiritual Vigour (Book Review)

This is the best book I have ever read on the subject of preaching, hands down!  There now you know how I feel about Preaching with Spiritual Vigour: Including Lessons from the Life and Practice of Richard Baxter by Murray A. Capill.  Why is this the best read on preaching?  It is because he approaches the subject from a Biblical perspective.  The life of a preacher is more a part of his preaching than the actual preparation and delivery for even Paul tells Timothy to watch his life and doctrine closely to save his hearers.  For Capill, preaching is not only about getting into the original languages, doing exegesis, and coming up with a good outline, but it is about the life, spirituality, and the heart of the Pastor.

One main point that Capill makes is that preaching today is commonly cold and mechanical.  Yes, even in the seeker-sensitive churches.  What is needed is spiritual fervor and depth. The common solution is to run to another conference, seminar, read another book, or watch a new video series. "The one thing most necessary - a revitalized communion with the Lord - is the thing most easily neglected. Anything else, however, is but a short-term remedy."

Throughout most of the book, Capill looks at the life and ministry of Richard Baxter, the Puritan who was the author of the famous book The Reformed Pastor, for insight into one's preaching ministry.  To every Pastor, seasoned or young like me, I would highly recommend this book.  This is a book that goes beyond all others for it does not just investigate different varieties of sermons and the methods of constructing a sermon.  "Capill is really writing about the pastoral ministry of Richard Baxter, but it doesn't come across as a biography; nor does he imply that Baxter did everything perfectly. He has taken some of the best from the life of a great pastor and tried to make it useful to preachers of this age."  If you are a Pastor or think you might be called to be one, this book is for you!

Table of Contents

1. A Model for Preachers
2. Preaching to Yourself
3. Shepherding Souls
4. Preaching Purposefully
5. Speaking to the Heart
6. Driving the Message Home
7. Passion and Power
8. The Reformed Preacher
9. Appendix: Baxter's Farewell Sermon

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Withhold Not Correction (Book Review)

You see the title Withhold Not Correction by Bruce Ray, and you stop and say, "Really, there is a book out there with that title?"  In a culture that believes we aren't supposed to spank our children because that will cause them to be hateful, crude, abusive, and violent, Ray offers his readers the Biblical way to discipline your children.  Everyone disciplines in some manner: spankings, grounding, strong words, or doing nothing at all.  Oh yes, doing nothing at all is a disciplining.  Disciplining comes from the root 'disciple' or 'one who is taught'.  As parents we must teach our children, and everyone does this.  Whether that is, if thinking of a spectrum, very active to very passive.  God's Word calls us to be very active in raising our children.  We must raise our children in the fear and admonition of the Lord.  This verse along with many in Proverbs are quoted throughout this book.  But what is so different from discipline you typically hear about in homes throughout the World and Biblical discipline?  I'll name a few that you will learn in the book: 1) Correcting in love instead of anger, 2) Correcting with God's Word and the Rod, rather than your own words, and 3) Correcting based on God's authority rather than your own.

Here are the chapter heads:

  

1. Knowing Your Children

2. The Biblical Necessity for Correction

3. The Biblical Motives for Correction

4. God's Authority in Discipline

5. The Place of Prayer

6. Love and the Rod

7. The Rod and Reproof

8. Discipline by Measure

9. Correction Within Reason

10. Persevering Consistency

11. Partners in Management

12. Children in the Congregation

13. An Honest Confession

Appendices:

1. Evangelizing Children

2. The Rod and Correction

3. Parents Topical Reference

Published by P&R Publishing, of all books on parenting, this is by far the best, most Biblical, most applicable I have ever read.  I am very thankful for my good friend who recommended  and also supplied me with a copy some months ago.  I believe having read this book, my wife and I will most certainly be better equipped and more confident in serving our God in the area of parenting.

Highlights:

• Strong Biblical Theological foundation for parenting and correction.
• The authority by which you communicate to your child why they are being disciplined is not based on your authority, but on the authority that the Lord gives to the parents and moreso the Lord's authority.  Scripture must be the verbal rebuke from the parent to the child not "Because I said so..."
• Taking time to rebuke with God's Word and show a better alternative which would be pleasing to the Lord is good.
• Consistent discipline by both parents who agree is best.
• PLUS much more.  

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