Practice what You Preach…or so they say

“The theology that matters is not the theology we profess but the theology we practice.”  So says Tim Chester and Steve Timmis in their book, Total Church.  While professing right doctrine is important, I understand and affirm the sentiment in this quote.  The principle behind this quote is quite simple.  Our stated beliefs held against our actual practice will show others what we truly believe.  For example, I could say I believe it is right to love and serve my wife, but if I continually criticize and demean her, do I really believe what I say I believe?  You may be asking why I am addressing this issue in the first place.  Simply stated, I am concerned about the heart of many Christians that make up our local churches today.  In my denomination (SBC), we fought the so-called “battle for the Bible” from the late 1970’s until the late 1990’s.  We rightly affirmed the Word to be inerrant, infallible, and God’s revelation of Himself to man.  In response to the return to biblical orthodoxy, our (SBC’s) seminaries are training men and women to be ministers of the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ and teaching students to cling to the truth that was once for all delivered to the saints.  For this I am tremendously grateful.  My concern lies with the disconnect between the theology we profess and the theology we practice.  Many pastors/church leaders will give lip service to the “inerrant, infallible Word of God” but when we take a closer look at our practice, we are still guilty of existential, individualistic, self-help practices.  Many of these pastors/leaders will criticize preachers who hold their Bibles up high and say it’s the Word of God, while not to refer to the Word again throughout the sermon.  However, I cannot see a difference from keeping your Bible open, pounding the pulpit, saying the Bible is inerrant, valuing expository preaching, while at the same time not practicing what the Word says.  If we truly belief this book (the Bible), our lives will be radically different.  The bottom line question for me is do we really believe Scripture to be sufficient for all of life?  If so, our preaching must coincide with our practice.  We cannot afford to continue this existential, pragmatic, program-driven, mindset that is prevalent in so many local churches today.  We cannot on the one had say we believe God cares for the outcast and marginalized in society, while on the other hand turn a blind eye to them on the street.  We cannot on the one had say we believe the gospel is central to all aspects of life, while on the other hand continue to preach moralistic sermons that lead to either pride or despair.  We cannot on the one hand say we believe it is God who builds the church, while on the other hand put all our efforts and energies into human planning and manipulative strategies that neglect the Spirit of God.  We cannot on the one hand say the church of God is the means to reaching the nations by multiplication and church planting, while on the other hand focusing all our energies on addition and building bigger buildings.  We cannot on the one hand say we believe the church is people not buildings, while on the other hand spend millions if not billions of dollars per year on physical structures to house our programs.  Maybe I am completely off on my assessment of the local church in America.  I pray that I am.  However, I fear that I am at least partially accurate.  As for me, I don’t want to be a man who gave lip service to the Word and never actually put my belief into practice.  God help us to not only profess truth, but live truth in love.  “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.  For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror.  For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like.  But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing” (James 1:22-25).

Quote Overload

I have a bad habit of starting a book, reading it for a few days, starting another book at the same time, reading both for a few days, starting another book, reading all three, etc.  Typically I’m juggling 3-4 at a time.  I don’t know why I do this.  Sometimes I wish I could stop, but this has been the pattern for many years now.  All that is to say that over the past few weeks I’ve read some great quotes and wanted to share them here. 

I have heard it said, “God didn’t die for frogs.  So he was responding to our value as humans.”  This turns grace on its head.  We are worse off than frogs.  They have not sinned.  They have not rebelled and treated God with the contempt of being inconsequential in their lives.  God did not have to die for frogs.  They aren’t bad enough.  We are.  Our debt is so great, only a divine sacrifice could pay it.  There is only one explanation for God’s sacrifice for us.  It is not us.  It is “the riches of his grace” (Ephesians 1:7).  It is all free.  It is not a response to our worth.  It is the overflow of his infinite worth.  In fact, that is what divine love is in the end: a passion to enthrall undeserving sinners, at great cost, with what will make us supremely happy forever, namely, his infinite beauty. – John Piper, Fifty Reasons Why Jesus Came to Die, pg. 29

It is not pleasant to realize how much of a burden is placed on ministers of music and worship because of the dependence on style change as the core of the solution.  Ironically enough, while a music minister is expected to make distinct style jumps from one worship service to the next, the preaching pastor may do nothing more from one service to another than to take off his or her robe or more from the pulpit to the chancel floor.  How out of proportion!  How perplexing to think of the burden we have placed on music, this fleeting human construct.  The problem is not with any one style but with the reluctance of people to rub up against a multiplicity of styles, for it is the rubbing – the creative friction – that could bring about the stylistic syntheses that the body of Christ so desperately needs…The church desperately needs an artistic reformation that accomplishes two things at once: first, it takes music out of the limelight and puts Christ and his Word back into prominence; and second, it strives creatively for a synthesis of new, old and crosscultural styles.  A deep understanding of the arts, coupled to the understanding that at best the music of corporate worship is simple, humble, and variegated, would bring something about that would make all churches into worshiping and witnessing churches that happen to sing. – Harold Best, Unceasing Worship, pg. 75

But has Paul got a self-sufficiency? you will say.  How are we sufficient of ourselves?  Our Apostle affirms in another case, ‘That we are not sufficient of ourselves to think anything as of ourselves’ (2 Corinthians 3.5).  Therefore his meaning must be, I find a sufficiency of satisfaction in my own heart, through the grace of Christ that is in me.  Though I have not outward comforts and worldly conveniences to supply my necessities, yet I have a sufficient portion between Christ and my soul abundantly to satisfy me in every condition. – Jeremiah Burroughs, The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment, pg. 18

Pick up a book, or three, and enjoy the summer!

Gospel Centered Parenting

Who do you think has the most God-given authority and responsibility to teach and train children to love and treasure Jesus above all things?  Many of you will think this is a simple question.  Most Christians would agree that parents are, or at least should be, the primary disciplers of their children; however, in practice this is typically not the case.  Somewhere along the way we have created a church culture that plays itself out in professionalism.  We hire people who have more degrees than a thermometer to train and teach our children the ways of God.  This is certainly not a criticism of children or youth ministries.  This also does not mean that such things as church activities or Christian school education are forbidden.  It does however mean that these ministries should be supplements to the loving, biblical instruction of Christian parents.  Mark Driscoll, Christian pastor and author writes, “Because parents love their children the deepest, know them the best, and are with them the most, they are best suited to be a child’s primary pastor who evangelizes them, teaches them, loves them, prays for and with them, and reads Scripture to them.”[i] 

Today there are unparalleled statistics showing the extent to which children crave attention and instruction from their parents:[ii]

• An extensive study of 272,400 teenagers conducted by USA today Weekend Magazine found that 70 percent of teens identified their parents as the most important influence in their lives.  Twenty-one percent said that about their friends (peers), and only 8 percent named the media.
• In a national survey, 1,129 middle school students were asked what the greatest influence in their life was, and parents topped the list.  The results were: parents – 37 percent, friends – 22 percent, church – 11 percent, youth pastor – 7 percent, and music – 5 percent.  Adult volunteers, schoolteachers, culture, and the Internet each scored 2 percent or less.  A national survey of 923 high school students yielded very similar results.
• MTV and the Associated Press released a study on influence of parents that said, “So you’re between the ages of 13 and 24.  What makes you happy?  A worried, weary parent might imagine the answer to sound something like this: Sex, drugs, and a little rock ‘n’ roll.  Maybe some cash, or at least the car keys.  Turns out the real answer is quite different.  Spending time with family was the top answer to that open-ended question…Parents are seen as an overwhelmingly positive influence in the lives of most young people.  Remarkably, nearly half of teens mention at least one of their parents as a hero.”
• An Anheuser-Busch Web site supports this logic, saying, “Studies have shown that parents are the primary influence on their children’s choices and decisions…and that is why we’re proud to offer help to parents.”

Keep in mind that this is secular research pointing to the importance and influence of parents.  Although you need to look no farther than Scripture to see the responsibility that parents have.  God has spoken this truth to parents for thousands of years in His Word.  Steve Wright argues, “If God knew that we (parents) had no influence on our kids, the Bible would have no reason to tell us parents to spend time teaching our children.”[iii]  Here is a sample of what the Bible says[iv]:

• “And that you may tell in the hearing of your son and of your grandson how I have dealt harshly with the Egyptians and what signs I have done among them, that you may know that I am the LORD.” (Exodus 10:2)
• “You shall teach them to your children, talking of them when you are sitting in your house, and when you are walking by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.” (Deuteronomy 11:19)
• “And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the LORD, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell.  But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.” (Joshua 24:15)
• “Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.” (Proverbs 22:6)
• “Fathers do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.” (Ephesians 6:4)

Parents cannot buy the lie any longer that their children do not listen to them.  God has given parents an incredible blessing and responsibility to train up their children to love and treasure Jesus above all things. 

While every Christian parent would likely agree with this research and most assuredly would resonate with the principles in Scripture, most parents would also admit they struggle to know how to make this happen practically.  Some parents feel inadequate for this task for several reasons.  Perhaps you are fearful that your child will ask something about God or the Bible that you will not know how to answer.  Maybe you are afraid that your child will see inconsistencies in your life when juxtaposed to Scripture.  Whatever your fears may be, there is overwhelming hope.  Your hope is the gospel.  While you will never be a perfect parent and you will make mistakes, Jesus, specifically his perfect life, sin-bearing death, and sin-conquering resurrection, offers you access to the Father, our perfect parent.  As you raise your children remember that it is Christ in you that enables you to teach, love, and raise your children to treasure Christ above all things.  So as a pastor, and as a soon-to-be-parent, I want to offer you some suggestions on how to practically teach the Bible to your children at home.  I have learned most of these suggestions from wiser and more experienced pastors and fathers.  I claim no originality.  In fact, I have really never had an original thought in my life, but I digress.  Onto some practical tips:

• Pray to God that the Holy Spirit would give you an ongoing commitment to pastor your own children in love.[v]
• Continually read good books that help shape a biblical view of parenting.  Some suggestions are: Shepherding a Child’s Heart by Tedd Tripp, ApParent Privilege by Steve Wright, Raising Children God’s Way by D. Martin Lloyd-Jones, and Hints For Parents by Gardiner Spring.[vi]
• Develop relationships with other Christian families so that there is mutual learning about God, marriage, parenting, and the like in community.[vii]
• Develop biblical habits with your children, such as praying, reading Scripture, and attending church together.[viii]
• Eat dinner together as a family and include Bible teaching around the dinner table.
• Develop a consistent time of family worship that includes Bible reading, Bible application, prayer, and singing.

I want to close with a great quote from Steve Wright:

I am concerned that we forget the privilege we have.  We overlook the unparalleled influence of parenting.  God has given us a place to affect our children for eternity.  A personal hero of mine, John Angell James, a pastor from the mid-1800s, said, “Recollect what a solemn thing it is to be a parent, and what a weighty responsibility attaches to those who have the immortal souls of their children committed to their care!”  We cannot neglect the lasting things for the temporary.  We cannot focus our efforts on passing things that the world says will offer soul satisfaction, or our children will find what Solomon found in Ecclesiastes as he discovered pursuing the things of the world is simply “striving after wind” (Ecclesiastes 1:17).  We cannot help our children gain the whole world and yet forfeit their souls (Matthew 16:26).  Your children are listening to you.  You know the words of life they need to hear.  Don’t miss out on this apparent privilege of being a parent.[ix]

I pray that God will give us a passion to train up a mighty army of children that know, love, serve, and treasure Jesus above all things. 

 

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[i] Mark Driscoll, “Pastoral Parenting”, Trial: 8 Witnesses from 1&2 Peter Study Guide: http://www.marshillchurch.org/media/misc/trial-8-witnesses_document01.pdf  (accessed June 2009): 65.

[ii] The following statistics are taken from: Steve Wright, Apparent Privilege, (Wake Forest: Inquest Ministries), 18-20.              

[iii]  Ibid., 21.  

[iv]  All Scripture taken from: The Holy Bible: English Standard Version

[v] Driscoll, 67.

[vi] Ibid.

[vii] Ibid.

[viii] Ibid.

[ix] Wright, 26.

Building a Theological Library

Someone has said, “books are to the believer what tools are to the carpenter: the essentials of the trade.”  Growing up I was often told that learning is a life-long job.  At the time, I was more than skeptical of that statement.  In fact, my goal was to finish school as quick as possible so I could get a job, make some money, and live the “good life.”  Looking back on that attitude I realize how foolish I was.  Learning indeed is a life-long job.  You should be growing in the grace and knowledge of the Lord until you meet Him face to face.  As the apostle Paul faced his impending death in a Roman prison cell, he still remained a student, requesting of Timothy that he bring the books when he came to visit Paul in prison (2 Timothy 4:13).  Paul’s example is more than enough to encourage me to continue reading and learning.  Lest we need to be reminded that this is Paul we’re talking about, the great missionary who under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, penned two-thirds of the New Testament.  I hope you caught that.  He wrote under the guidance of God and yet he still wanted Timothy to bring the books so he could read and write from prison.  We should follow this example and    dedicate ourselves to being lifetime students of the Word.  I know many people will argue that there is only one book we need to read.  While I do agree that the Bible should be preeminent in our reading and study, I also believe that we should welcome the grace offered to us in other biblically and theologically rich books.  While these books are neither inspired nor inerrant, they are helpful tools for the trade.  All of this is to encourage you to read.  Perhaps our greatest motivation is found in Matthew 22:37 as Jesus teaches us to “love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.”  God has graciously given us a mind and we are instructed to love Him with all of it.  Do not let your intellect go to waste.  Immerse yourself in the study of the Word first and foremost and then begin to build a good theological library of your own.  At this point, others will say, “Why not simply borrow books from another source?”  My answer to this question is more practical than anything else.  Bottom line: having your own personal library is  more convenient than borrowing.  You are free to mark your books as you please.  Your books are constantly at your own disposal.  Perhaps even more significantly, you are now free to lend good books to others when they ask you for recommendations.  So what are you waiting for?  Start investing in good books that will enable you to grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord.  “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15).

Recommended titles to add to your theological library.  Categories will be in parenthesis:

• English Standard Version Study Bible (Study Bible with excellent notes and articles)
• How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth: Gordon Fee and Douglas Stuart (Bible Interpretation)
• The Message of the Old Testament: Mark Dever (Old Testament Survey)
• The Message of the New Testament: Mark Dever (New Testament Survey)
• A Theology for the Church: ed. Daniel Akin (Systematic Theology)
• Christian Beliefs: Twenty Basics Every Christian Should Know: Wayne Grudem (Systematic Theology)
• Systematic Theology: Wayne Grudem (Systematic Theology)
• Knowing God: J.I. Packer (Theology Proper)
• The Knowledge of the Holy: A.W. Tozer (Theology Proper)
• Desiring God: John Piper (Theology Proper)
• Don’t Waste Your Life: John Piper (Christian Living)
• When I Don’t Desire God: John Piper (Christian Living)
• The Gospel for Real Life: Jerry Bridges (Christian Living)
• The Discipline of Grace: Jerry Bridges (Christian Living)
• The Pursuit of Holiness: Jerry Bridges (Christian Living)
• The Cross of Christ: John Stott (Christology)
• Living the Cross Centered Life: C.J. Mahaney (Christian Living)
• Humility:C.J. Mahaney (Christian Living)
• Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God: J.I. Packer (Evangelism & Missions)
• The Reason for God: Tim Keller (Apologetics)
• Prodigal God: Tim Keller (Christian Living)
• Mere Christianity: C.S. Lewis (Apologetics)
• What is a Healthy Church: Mark Dever (Ecclesiology)
• Stop Dating the Church: Joshua Harris (Ecclesiology)

Why I Use the ESV

I’ve used the ESV (English Standard Version) for about five years.  If ever asked which translation I recommend, I always refer people to the ESV.  It is a reliable, essentially literal translation, and extraordinarily readable translation stemming from the King James translation line.  You can watch this video to find out more.  Also, you should definitely buy a copy of the new ESV Study Bible.  The notes and articles are invaluable resources.