Why We're Not Emergent (By Two Guys Who Should Be)

Dear friends, I was given this book as a gift at Together For The Gospel 2008 - and what a wonderful gift it is! If you have been wondering, "What is the Emergent Church?" I cannot more highly recommend this book to you. These two gentleman have given a detailed explanation of and concern for the emergent church movement. This is THE BOOK on the topic. I was planning on doing a series of blog entries on this book - however - there is NO way I could improve on a 5 part book review that Dr. Sam Storms has done. So I would say two things: 1) Read the book, 2) Read Dr. Storm's analysis of the book. Thank you Dr. Storms!

• Why We're Not Emergent - part 1
• Why We're Not Emergent - part 2
• Why We're Not Emergent - part 3
• Why We're Not Emergent - part 4
• Why We're Not Emergent - part 5

Worldliness & The Issue Of Modesty

Hey folks, below is an insightful and very helpful discussion starter by Dennis Rainey from Family Life Today. Dennis does a great job in a couple of sentences graciously pointing us to the reality that we need to be on guard concerning the issue of modesty - while at the same time the issue is really a matter of the heart. Very encouraging.

****

Outer Wear or Inner Spirit?

Your adornment must not be merely external . . . but let it be the hidden
person of the heart.1 Peter 3:3-4, NIV

I'll never forget that spring Sunday when our church was honoring our graduating high-school seniors during the service. A couple of the students had been asked to speak to the congregation. The first was a young man, sharply dressed, who made an articulate statement about his faith and confidence in Christ. He was followed by a young lady who presented an equally strong message--but her dress was so skintight and seductive that I imagine it was hard for any of the male gender to pay attention.

I want to be quick to say that we men are fully responsible for where we allow our gaze and our thoughts to go. One hundred percent responsible. But I must ask today's Christian woman and teenage girl, what thought process goes into your clothing choices?

And dads, if your daughter dresses immodestly for church (or school, for that matter), are you willing to ask her to please go put on something more appropriate?

It's important to help our daughters understand how God hardwired a man. Barbara and I have four daughters, so you can be sure we had many conversations around this subject as they grew up. We know what it means to raise young women in a culture that's increasingly promoting immodest dress. We know what it's like to wander the stores, losing hope of ever finding anything suitable to wear.

We need to help our daughters (and sons) be more concerned with cultivating their inner spirit rather/more than their outer wear. Their appearance says a lot about who they really are. And it says a lot about the kind of man they are trying to attract. Do they really want their neckline or hemline to be what lures a guy?

Discuss: What are the dress codes in your family? What have you determined about how to address and enforce these?

Pray: Pray that you will have the courage to confront difficult issues like this. And pray that you will model what you preach to your children.

Burna Disaster Relief Fund

As disaster-relief efforts continue in Burma, Sovereign Grace Ministries has the opportunity to provide assistance through ministry relationships we have in that country. SGM has established a Burma Disaster Relief fund and are contributing financially toward aid efforts in Burma.

Any who would like to join us in this effort can donate to the Burma Disaster Relief fund via Sovereign Grace Ministries Website.Most importantly, please join us in praying that amid the destruction caused by Cyclone Nargis, victims of the storm would receive swift and effective help, and that many in Burma would hear and respond to the gospel.


http://www.sovereigngraceministries.org/About/FinancialSupport/Donations.aspx

Peacemaker & Young Peacemaker Seminar Is COMING!

During the Sunday evenings of June & July we will be hosting Ken Sande's video seminar, "The Peacemaker: A Biblical Guide To Resolving Conflict." Likewise, during that time we will also be hosting, "THE YOUNG PEACEMAKER" for the children to learn how we are to resolve conflict from a biblical persepective. This will be an outstanding time of both instruction and fellowship! Consider yourself invited - 6-730pm!

Below is an outstanding excerpt from Peacemaker Ministries - Read & grow! www.peacemaker.net

*****

"Eye Can See Clearly Now"
Jesus had much to say about resolving conflict. One of his most familiar commands is recorded in Matthew 7:3-5:
Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, "Let me take the speck out of your eye," when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.
This passage is sometimes interpreted as a warning against talking with others about their faults. If you read it carefully, however, you will see that it does not forbid loving correction. Rather, it forbids premature and improper correction. Before you talk to others about their faults, Jesus wants you to face up to yours. Once you have dealt with your contribution to a conflict, you may approach others about theirs.

Here is some "Food for Thought":
Every couple prays for a full-term delivery; however, premature births are not an uncommon reality. In these situations, everything will be accelerated and great care will have to be exercised on the part of the parents, nurses, and doctors. Premature babies usually spend time in the intensive care unit, where constant monitoring and attention can be given, many times with a one to one ratio of nurse to child. It's a fragile and often dangerous time. Most premature babies are fine, but some do not survive; everything took place before they were ready.
Ken's use of the word premature in connection with Jesus' words about conflict resolution is remarkable. Our efforts to "de-speck" our brothers or sisters before we "de-plank" ourselves create premature situations; something is happening before it should. It would be nice if there were roving spiritual-ICU teams who could help us in those moments to help carry the resolution to a healthy point, but that's rare. It's usually just two people, neither one seeing clearly, and both often too wounded to respond properly.
Conflict resolution always begins with the eye of the "I." So upon reflection, how many of your attempts at conflict resolution could be described as premature? Did you ever get around to examining yourself? Did you get help from others during these delicate situations? And did these conflicts end in reconciliation, or sadly, did your relationship die due to the unfortunate complications of premature confrontation?

When the church desires the world...

In our present study of worldliness, I came across these three outstanding quotes...read and may we be affected...

Whatever commands our time, energy, and resources commands us. And if
we are honest, we will admit that our lives really aren’t that different from those of
our secular counterparts. I suspect that one of the reasons we are so ineffective in evangelism is that we are so much like the people around us that we have very little to which we can call them. We hang around church buildings a little more. We abstain from a few things. But we simply aren’t that different. We don’t even do hedonism as well as the folks around us … but we keep on trying. As a result of
this unfortunate accommodation, Christianity is reduced to little more than a spiritual crutch to help us through the minefields of the upwardly mobile life. God is there to help us get our promotions, our house in the suburbs, and our bills paid. Somehow God has become a coconspirator in our agendas instead of our becoming a coconspirator in His. Something is seriously amiss. -Tom Sine (Christianity
Today [3/17/89], p. 52)

John MacArthur, in his book “The Truth War,” states:

“We live in an age where church leaders are obsessed with style and methodology,
losing interest in the glory of God and becoming grossly apathetic about truth
and sound doctrine. Nothing in all the world is more important or more valuable
than the Truth. And the church is supposed to be ‘the pillar and ground of the
Truth’

Prayer by C. H. Spurgeon December 30, 1877:

"Lord, there are so many today who are running away from the truth. Oh,
that You would be pleased to speak by Your Spirit that Your word may be
known. Lord, hold us fast to the truth of Your word, bind us to it. May we
not be ashamed of the truth of Your word but proclaim it boldly without
compromise. May we not wish to be thought cultured, nor aim to keep in step
with the times. May we be side by side with You, O bleeding Savior; and be
content to be rejected, be willing to take up unpopular truth, and to hold
fast despised teachings of sacred Scripture to the end. Oh make us faithful
unto death."

The Godly Man's Picture by Thomas Watson

I love Thomas Watson and here is a book of his that I have recently been going through devotionally - The Godly Man's Picture. The subtitle to this book is "with a Scripture pencil." Meaning, Watson takes us in very short readable sections through what he would see as the "Godly man's picture" as it is drawn for us with a "scripture pencil." He lists out some 30 plus characteristics of what a man who has been affected by the grace of God looks like. I have used these short sections off and on for the last month as a tool for family devotions. I have found this particularly insightful in helping us see through gospel centered glasses of what a man of God looks like - however don't be deceived by the title - this very well could be entitled, "Every Christian's" picture. Watson is one of the more readable puritan writers and he is one who makes the gospel and its affect on one's life so very, very appealing! Enjoy...here is a link to Westminster Books, that has books at discount prices and has some great deals on shipping as well. http://www.wtsbooks.com/product-exec/product_id/645/nm/Godly_Man_s_Picture

Below are the comments from the publisher:

Few preachers in the Puritan era (or any other period of church history)
match Thomas Watson for his ability to combine rich spirituality, nourishing
doctrine and sane wisdom with fascinating illustrations and a pleasant style.
Watson is remembered chiefly for his posthumously published Body of Practical
Divinity (reprinted by the Trust in three volumes). But his extant sermons also
include this marvelous series on the character of the Christian. It is, as C. H.
Spurgeon said of his other work, 'a happy union of sound doctrine,
heart-searching experience and practical wisdom.'Watson is always the essence of
sanity and reliability. But in addition, this work shows how attractive the
grace of God is. Christians of all stages, reading it for the first time, will
feel as if they have entered the gallery of a great portrait painter. As his
sub-title suggests, Watson works with 'a Scripture pencil' in this priceless
sketch of the true believer.

Together For The Gospel - Days 3 & 4

Hey folks, here are some reflections on the messages heard on those days, as well as some of the great interactions I had with other brothers during that time...I would encourage you just to set in your schedule some time to just listen to each one of these messages and then discuss them together. As it was last year, so it was even more so this year, a calling for pastors to trust and believe in the power of the gospel through clear gospel-centered preaching to bring about God's will in our churches. Several of these men, shared during the Q & A sessions (of which, I hope they post those) many of their own temptations towards discouragement in ministry, and so forth, which you don't oftentimes hear of the "down times," but instead only of the large numbers in attendance and how many books they have written and so forth.

As they shared their stories, I must say that there was an increased personal humility and vulnerability among the main speakers - that though was there last year - it was definitely much more noticeable this year. You could see how, these men have grown in godliness as they shared their struggles in light of the glory of Christ and His sufferings. I spoke to several men who said the exact same things and noticed that as well.

For many of us who happen to pastor much smaller congregations (as "tens" of people come from all over to hear my preaching) we all found our hearts encouraged in just being faithful to the message of the gospel, knowing that it is the gospel that changes people...and it is not by having all the programs, etc. And all who left there were encouraged by these "fathers in the faith" to just be faithful and to leave all the "results" up to God, knowing that others in church history as well as those from the biblical story (such as Isaiah - and of course, Christ Himself) did not have, quote, "successful" ministries according to the world's standards, but where successful, as they were faithful to the message.

Here is a recap, but once again, listen to the messages, maybe this will help you discern which one you want to listen to first....

Day 3:

• John MacArthur's message on the sinner's complete inability to respond to the gospel apart from God's grace. This was outstanding! MacArthur went through several passages, especially in the book of John and just showed our complete inability to respond, and as he did so, he just opened up for us the absolute glory of the grace of Christ, and there wasn't a man left thinking anything other than "What a Savior!"


• Mark Dever's message on trends to "improve the Gospel" - in this message he went through several trends found in the Emergent church movement that undermines the gospel as its message is expanded, and thus, through expanding the message of the Gospel, the message of substitutionary sacrifice is lost.


• RC Sproul's message on the reality of "curse" in the atonement opening up for us more so the doctrines of propitiation and expiation. The more I hear of RC, the more I love this man. After he finished preaching everyone on the Q & A discussion panel was absolutely silent. He spoke of the necessity of understanding the doctrine of the "curse of God" to then understand the gospel more clearly and rightly. It was outstanding! Likewise what was most affective was RC's humility in the Q & A time as he shared about weaknesses that he saw in his own preaching, and what God is teaching him - as he is now a pastor - about the Cross of Christ, concerning the value of application.

Day 4

• John Piper's message on radical Christian sacrifice was incredible as he opened up for us the message of the book of Hebrews and taught on "following Christ outside the camp" to a place of sacrifice. This was a message that was both convicting and yet, also grace filled. In the Q & A session, he really helped - pastorally fill in some gaps for us - to recognize that some men after hearing this message might be full of zeal to "go to Africa" while not full of zeal to be faithful in the seemingly "little" things that are anything but small things, like spending time with your wife and kids and discipling their hearts, etc. That being Christian sacrifice. (((OH, I hope they put the Q & A sessions out there to listen to...as that helped all the messages, and especially this one.)))


• CJ Mahaney's message was the ending of the conference and as I left that auditorium I heard several, several men say, "That message alone, was worth the price of the conference." CJ spoke on the pastor's heart challenging pastors to evaluate and have others evaluate their hearts concerning the areas of gladness, joy and gratefulness in pastoral ministry. It was really all about applying many of the great teachings we had heard throughout the conference to our own hearts - and to keep a survey of our hearts that we might make sure that our hearts are kept "happy in the gospel" - not because of good things happening in our ministries...but because of the gospel's affect on our own hearts.

In light of all of that, I will cut this post short to say in between those times, there were also many other times of rich, rich fellowship with brothers from both SGM churches, and mostly with non-SGM churches. Coffee with a pastor and his wife from Switzerland, and another with an elder from a church in Germany. Lunch with a Godly man by the name of Jon Blomker, who is moving here to KC. Late night coffee with a man who has just come back from the mission field serving in Europe, who is looking to go to the Pastor's College next year. And many other wonderful conversations with brothers....as well as stacks and stacks of free books that I have been supplied with that will last me a long time to get through.

Thanks again, for jumping into this series of blogs and thanks as well for your comments, as they are always welcome. In the week's to come, I am going to be doing a series of blog entries on the Emergent church from a couple of books that were given to us at the conference itself. Take care.