Phillip Brooks—one of the great American preachers of the 19th century—offered this counsel in his Bohlen Lectures on Preaching delivered before the Divinity School of Yale College in January/February 1877:
First, count and rejoice to count yourself the servant of the people to whom you minister. Not in any worn-out figure but in very truth, call yourself and be their servant.
Second, never allow yourself to feel equal to your work. If you ever find that spirit growing on you, be afraid, and instantly attack your hardest piece of work, try to convert your toughest infidel, try to preach on your most exacting theme, to show your self how unequal to it all you are.
Third, be profoundly honest. Never dare to say in the pulpit or in private, through ardent excitement or conformity to what you know you are expected to say, one word which at the moment when you say it, you do not believe. It would cut down the range of what you say, perhaps, but it would endow every word that was left with the force of ten.
And last of all, be vital, be alive, not dead. Do everything that can keep your vitality at its fullest. Even the physical vitality do not dare to disregard. One of the most striking preachers of our country seems to me to have a large part of his power simply in his physique, in the impression of vitality, in the magnetism almost like a material thing, that passes between him and the people who sit before him.
Pray for and work for fulness of life above everything; full red blood in the body; full honesty and truth in the mind; and the fulness of a grateful love for the Saviour in your heart. Then, however men set their mark of failure or success upon your ministry, you cannot fail, you must succeed.
Monday, August 6, 2012
Wednesday, July 11, 2012
Annual Gathering of Reformata Ministers
The Majesty and Mystery of the Trinity
Keynote Speaker - Theologian-Pastor Jack Carter
Rehrersburg, Pennsylvania
August 9th-12th
Thursday
3:00pm Afternoon arrivals
6:30pm Dinner and Fellowship
Friday
9:00-9:50am.......................... ...Pastor Jim Crabb
10:00-10:50............................ .....Richard Hanner
11:00-12:00............................*Pastor Jack Carter
2:00-3:00pm...............................Ladies Gathering
7:00-8:30pm...........................*Pastor Jack Carter
Saturday
9:00-9:50am...........................................Joe Sacco
10:00-10:50...................................Richard Hanner
11:00-12:00..............................*Pastor Jack Carter
6:30-8:30pm............................*Pastor Jack Carter
[By confirmed Invitation Only]
Monday, April 16, 2012
How We Became A Nation Of Heretics
I recommend that we all consider reading Ross Douthat’s new book, "Bad Religion: How We Became a Nation of Heretics."
Douthat isn't a "Doctrine Cop", a "Heresy Hunter" or one of todays so called "Discernment Ministries".
As the youngest-ever op-ed columnist for the New York Times, Ross Douthat has emerged as one of the most provocative and influential voices of his generation. In Bad Religion he offers a masterful and hard-hitting account of how American Christianity has gone off the rails—and why it threatens to take American society with it.
Justin Taylor has provided great reviews by Collin Hansen and Tim Keller, as well as a video of Douthat speaking on the actual content of his new book.
rgh
...at TGC Collin Hansen has provided a review of the book....the conclusion of Collin’s review:
"Whether Americans realize it or not, the country needs an orthodox, prophetic church. But the church today, bloated by a smorgasbord of heresy, is not fit to fulfill this calling...
– Timothy Keller, Redeemer Presbyterian Church, New York City
“Bad Religion is superb: sharply critical of the amazing variety of American religious pathologies, but fair; blunt in diagnosis, but just; telling a dark tale, but telling it hopefully. For those trying to understand the last half-century or more of American religion, and to strive for a better future, it is an indispensable book.”
http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/justintaylor/2012/04/13/keller-and-hansen-on-douthats-bad-religion-how-we-became-a-nation-of-heretics/?
Ross Douthat Bio http://www.leighbureau.com/speaker.asp?id=475
Douthat isn't a "Doctrine Cop", a "Heresy Hunter" or one of todays so called "Discernment Ministries".
As the youngest-ever op-ed columnist for the New York Times, Ross Douthat has emerged as one of the most provocative and influential voices of his generation. In Bad Religion he offers a masterful and hard-hitting account of how American Christianity has gone off the rails—and why it threatens to take American society with it.
Justin Taylor has provided great reviews by Collin Hansen and Tim Keller, as well as a video of Douthat speaking on the actual content of his new book.
rgh
...at TGC Collin Hansen has provided a review of the book....the conclusion of Collin’s review:
"Whether Americans realize it or not, the country needs an orthodox, prophetic church. But the church today, bloated by a smorgasbord of heresy, is not fit to fulfill this calling...
– Timothy Keller, Redeemer Presbyterian Church, New York City
“Bad Religion is superb: sharply critical of the amazing variety of American religious pathologies, but fair; blunt in diagnosis, but just; telling a dark tale, but telling it hopefully. For those trying to understand the last half-century or more of American religion, and to strive for a better future, it is an indispensable book.”
http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/justintaylor/2012/04/13/keller-and-hansen-on-douthats-bad-religion-how-we-became-a-nation-of-heretics/?
Ross Douthat Bio http://www.leighbureau.com/speaker.asp?id=475
Monday, April 2, 2012
John Piper Excommunicates His 19 Year Old Son
In First Timothy 5:21, The Apostle Paul charged the young minister with implementing biblical imperatives without showing partiality or favoritism. In other words, walk it out with integrity.
The Apostles principle of "scriptura suprema" reveals that every relationship must be subordinate to the Supremacy of Christ and his law-word. This necessarily involves the practice of redemptive rescue through corrective discipline with family members.
John Piper modeled just such character based submission to Christ Lordship by initiating the redemptive process with his 19 year old son.
What integrity! What honor! What nobility! What virtue! What courage! Not only that, but notice the honor and respect his son demonstrates to his dad for having biblical integrity.
”I went to the elders and I said to them, ‘Here’s the situation. I think my son needs to be pursued by the elders as far as you can, and then he needs to be excommunicated if he doesn’t respond.’ He was 19 years old….we did follow through with the discipline. And God was merciful.”
Christianity Today Magazine recently interviewed Piper and asked him about the excommunication of his 19 year old son and what the reconciliation process looked like:
".....The night after that excommunication, I called him at 10:00 and said, "Abraham, you knew what was coming."
He said, "That's what I expected you to do. That has integrity. I respect you for doing it." From then on, for the next four years, he was walking away from the Lord, trying to make a name for himself in disco bars as a guitarist and singer, and just doing anything but destroying himself. We were praying like crazy that he wouldn't get somebody pregnant, or marry the wrong person, or whatever. He came back to the Lord four years later and the church had a beautiful, beautiful restoration service. He wept his eyes out in front of the church and was restored. This is church discipline at its best. He wrote an article about it for Decision magazine....."
May the Exalted Christ grant that each of us have the same compassionate courage to walk out the wisdom of God and resist the vain philosophy of fallen man.
rgh
http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2012/marchweb-only/john-piper-racism-reconciliation.html?start=3
http://www.desiringgod.org/ResourceLibrary/RecentlyAdded/3903
The Apostles principle of "scriptura suprema" reveals that every relationship must be subordinate to the Supremacy of Christ and his law-word. This necessarily involves the practice of redemptive rescue through corrective discipline with family members.
John Piper modeled just such character based submission to Christ Lordship by initiating the redemptive process with his 19 year old son.
What integrity! What honor! What nobility! What virtue! What courage! Not only that, but notice the honor and respect his son demonstrates to his dad for having biblical integrity.
”I went to the elders and I said to them, ‘Here’s the situation. I think my son needs to be pursued by the elders as far as you can, and then he needs to be excommunicated if he doesn’t respond.’ He was 19 years old….we did follow through with the discipline. And God was merciful.”
Christianity Today Magazine recently interviewed Piper and asked him about the excommunication of his 19 year old son and what the reconciliation process looked like:
".....The night after that excommunication, I called him at 10:00 and said, "Abraham, you knew what was coming."
He said, "That's what I expected you to do. That has integrity. I respect you for doing it." From then on, for the next four years, he was walking away from the Lord, trying to make a name for himself in disco bars as a guitarist and singer, and just doing anything but destroying himself. We were praying like crazy that he wouldn't get somebody pregnant, or marry the wrong person, or whatever. He came back to the Lord four years later and the church had a beautiful, beautiful restoration service. He wept his eyes out in front of the church and was restored. This is church discipline at its best. He wrote an article about it for Decision magazine....."
May the Exalted Christ grant that each of us have the same compassionate courage to walk out the wisdom of God and resist the vain philosophy of fallen man.
rgh
http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2012/marchweb-only/john-piper-racism-reconciliation.html?start=3
http://www.desiringgod.org/ResourceLibrary/RecentlyAdded/3903
Saturday, March 24, 2012
The Value Of Masuline Ministry
This is an extract from John Piper sharing on "The Frank and Masculine J.C.Ryle"
In dealing with the life and ministry of John Charles Ryle, my hope is to clarify and commend what I mean by the value of a masculine ministry. But before we turn to “the frank and manly Mr. Ryle,”1 let me make some clarifying comments from the Bible.
God has revealed himself to us in the Bible pervasively as King, not Queen, and as Father, not Mother. The second person of the Trinity is revealed as the eternal Son. The Father and the Son created man and woman in his image, and gave them together the name of the man, Adam (Genesis 5:2). God appoints all the priests in Israel to be men. The Son of God comes into the world as a man, not a woman. He chooses twelve men to be his apostles. The apostles tell the churches that all the overseers—the pastor/elders who teach and have authority (1 Timothy 2:12)—should be men; and that in the home, the head who bears special responsibility to lead, protect, and provide should be the husband (Ephesians 5:22–33).
Masculine Christianity
From all of this, I conclude that God has given Christianity a masculine feel. And, being a God of love, he has done it for the maximum flourishing of men and women. He did not create women to languish, or be frustrated, or in any way to suffer or fall short of full and lasting joy, in a masculine Christianity. She is a fellow heir of the grace of life (1 Peter 3:7). From which I infer that the fullest flourishing of women and men takes place in churches and families where Christianity has this God-ordained, masculine feel. For the sake of the glory of women, and for the sake of the security and joy of children, God has made Christianity to have a masculine feel. He has ordained for the church a masculine ministry.
And, of course, this is liable to serious misunderstanding and serious abuse, because there are views of masculinity that would make such a vision repulsive. So here is more precisely what I mean. And words are always inadequate when describing beauty. Beauty always thrives best when she is perceived by God-given instincts rather than by rational definitions. But we must try. What I mean by “masculine Christianity,” or “masculine ministry,” or “Christianity with a masculine feel,” is this:
Theology and church and mission are marked by overarching godly male leadership in the spirit of Christ, with an ethos of tender-hearted strength, and contrite courage, and risk-taking decisiveness, and readiness to sacrifice for the sake of leading, protecting, and providing for the community—all of which is possible only through the death and resurrection of Jesus. It’s the feel of a great, majestic God, who by his redeeming work in Jesus Christ, inclines men to take humble, Christ-exalting initiative, and inclines women to come alongside the men with joyful support, intelligent helpfulness, and fruitful partnership in the work.
There are, I believe, dozens of sweet and precious benefits that come to a church and family that has this kind of masculine feel. Some of those will emerge as we consider “‘The Frank and Manly Mr. Ryle’: The Value of a Masculine Ministry.”
Click in order to watch the video of Piper sharing his Masculine profile of Ryle: John Piper Profile J.C.Ryle
In dealing with the life and ministry of John Charles Ryle, my hope is to clarify and commend what I mean by the value of a masculine ministry. But before we turn to “the frank and manly Mr. Ryle,”1 let me make some clarifying comments from the Bible.
God has revealed himself to us in the Bible pervasively as King, not Queen, and as Father, not Mother. The second person of the Trinity is revealed as the eternal Son. The Father and the Son created man and woman in his image, and gave them together the name of the man, Adam (Genesis 5:2). God appoints all the priests in Israel to be men. The Son of God comes into the world as a man, not a woman. He chooses twelve men to be his apostles. The apostles tell the churches that all the overseers—the pastor/elders who teach and have authority (1 Timothy 2:12)—should be men; and that in the home, the head who bears special responsibility to lead, protect, and provide should be the husband (Ephesians 5:22–33).
Masculine Christianity
From all of this, I conclude that God has given Christianity a masculine feel. And, being a God of love, he has done it for the maximum flourishing of men and women. He did not create women to languish, or be frustrated, or in any way to suffer or fall short of full and lasting joy, in a masculine Christianity. She is a fellow heir of the grace of life (1 Peter 3:7). From which I infer that the fullest flourishing of women and men takes place in churches and families where Christianity has this God-ordained, masculine feel. For the sake of the glory of women, and for the sake of the security and joy of children, God has made Christianity to have a masculine feel. He has ordained for the church a masculine ministry.
And, of course, this is liable to serious misunderstanding and serious abuse, because there are views of masculinity that would make such a vision repulsive. So here is more precisely what I mean. And words are always inadequate when describing beauty. Beauty always thrives best when she is perceived by God-given instincts rather than by rational definitions. But we must try. What I mean by “masculine Christianity,” or “masculine ministry,” or “Christianity with a masculine feel,” is this:
Theology and church and mission are marked by overarching godly male leadership in the spirit of Christ, with an ethos of tender-hearted strength, and contrite courage, and risk-taking decisiveness, and readiness to sacrifice for the sake of leading, protecting, and providing for the community—all of which is possible only through the death and resurrection of Jesus. It’s the feel of a great, majestic God, who by his redeeming work in Jesus Christ, inclines men to take humble, Christ-exalting initiative, and inclines women to come alongside the men with joyful support, intelligent helpfulness, and fruitful partnership in the work.
There are, I believe, dozens of sweet and precious benefits that come to a church and family that has this kind of masculine feel. Some of those will emerge as we consider “‘The Frank and Manly Mr. Ryle’: The Value of a Masculine Ministry.”
Click in order to watch the video of Piper sharing his Masculine profile of Ryle: John Piper Profile J.C.Ryle
Friday, March 23, 2012
"35 Values I Wish I Had When I Started Pastoring"
[By J.D. Grear]
People ask me what I wish I’d known when I started pastoring. Here are 35 different things. At our church we call them plumblines. Our plumblines serve as guides for decision-making.
People ask me what I wish I’d known when I started pastoring. Here are 35 different things. At our church we call them plumblines. Our plumblines serve as guides for decision-making.
- The gospel is not just the diving board, it’s the pool. Christians gro not by going beyond the gospel, but deeper into the gospel.
- People are the mission.
- Jesus commanded us to make disciples, not converts.
- Discipleship happens in community.
- God’s strategy for completing the Great Commission is planting churches in strategic cities.
- The church is God’s demonstration community.
- The church is God’s plan A.
- Belief unlocks the power for the mission of God.
- The church is not an audience; it is an army.
- The week is more important than the weekend.
- The best ministry ideas are in the congregation.
- The Great Commission is completed through multiplication, not addition.
- Churches should be evaluated by sending capacity, not just seating capacity.
- Stay where you are; serve where you live; let’s be the church in that community (a value we promote in our multi-site strategy).
- We multiply congregations, not preaching points (another value for multi-site).
- Each small group should function like a small congregation.
- People come because of quality and options; they stay because of personalization.
- Those who serve are just as important as those you serve.
- Live sufficiently, give extravagantly.
- Generosity is contagious, and so is stinginess.
- The sermon starts in the parking lot.
- In light of global lostness, excellence must be balanced by “good enough”.
- Word of mouth is the best advertisement.
- Just because “we can” doesn’t mean “we should”.
- Humility is shown by openness to the ideas of others.
- Believe the best about others.
- Move with the movers.
- Nod to fashion; don’t embrace (especially as you age).
- Preach the announcements (announcements are – or ought to be – how our people apply the mission).
- Love is the most essential element of leadership.
- Pushing out leaders creates more leaders.
- You replicate what you celebrate.
- It is easier to get 1 volunteer out of 3 than 3000: Make people feel like you are talking to them personally.
- One size rarely fits all.
- When I’m sick of saying it, the staff has just heard it. When they’re sick of hearing it, the church has just become aware of it.
Thursday, March 15, 2012
11 Questions To Help Discern If We Are Judgemental
These 11 questions cut like a knife as they probed my soul for answers.
Righteous judgment is a wholesome command that we are all called to
relationally walk out with one another, and yet, it can be easy to fall prey
to becoming overly critical in our attitude.
However, the questions also point to the seriousness of compromised integrity
when we resort to minimizing, rationalizing, jutifying or moralizing the sin in
our own lives.
May the Exalted Christ grant each of us the strength of grace to walk with
integrity with ourselves and others by avoiding these two dangers.
rgh
1. Am I more likely to see the sin in others than my sin?
2. When I pray, am I more likely to pray for God’s judgment
on others rather than marvel at God’s amazing grace toward me?
3. Am I overly critical toward others while I give myself a pass or
an excuse and justify my own sin?
4. Does my own sin ever lead me to deep remorse and repentance?
5. Do I have people whom I allow to hold me accountable for my sin
and unforgiving heart?
6. Do I have a tendency to be unforgiving while expecting others to
forgive me quickly?
7. Do I find joy in exposing sin in others?
8. Do I find more joy in the “gotcha” moments of exposing sin
or in sharing the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ?
9. When others see how I deal with people, will they think God
is mighty to save or that God would never forgive them and there
is no hope for forgiveness?
10. Do I receive correction humbly?
11. Before I correct others, do I spend time in God’s Word and prayer
asking the Holy Spirit to expose my sin so that I might repent.
http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/trevinwax/2012/03/15/11-questions-to-discern-a-judgmental-heart/?
Righteous judgment is a wholesome command that we are all called to
relationally walk out with one another, and yet, it can be easy to fall prey
to becoming overly critical in our attitude.
However, the questions also point to the seriousness of compromised integrity
when we resort to minimizing, rationalizing, jutifying or moralizing the sin in
our own lives.
May the Exalted Christ grant each of us the strength of grace to walk with
integrity with ourselves and others by avoiding these two dangers.
rgh
1. Am I more likely to see the sin in others than my sin?
2. When I pray, am I more likely to pray for God’s judgment
on others rather than marvel at God’s amazing grace toward me?
3. Am I overly critical toward others while I give myself a pass or
an excuse and justify my own sin?
4. Does my own sin ever lead me to deep remorse and repentance?
5. Do I have people whom I allow to hold me accountable for my sin
and unforgiving heart?
6. Do I have a tendency to be unforgiving while expecting others to
forgive me quickly?
7. Do I find joy in exposing sin in others?
8. Do I find more joy in the “gotcha” moments of exposing sin
or in sharing the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ?
9. When others see how I deal with people, will they think God
is mighty to save or that God would never forgive them and there
is no hope for forgiveness?
10. Do I receive correction humbly?
11. Before I correct others, do I spend time in God’s Word and prayer
asking the Holy Spirit to expose my sin so that I might repent.
http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/trevinwax/2012/03/15/11-questions-to-discern-a-judgmental-heart/?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)