Tag Archives: leadership

February 24, 2011

Open Letter To My Girls

By Pooka

(And anyone else who needs to hear it). Of course this letter is long. Long for my 14 and definitely not reading for my 7. But it’ll be around for a while. And I need to say it. I tell my girls portions of the message below on a daily basis, so this is more of a developed line of thought that I hope will serve some benefit.

The blogosphere is awash with open letters of late. I’m a good copycat, so here comes mine.

Beloved, you are getting too old for me. I am ever more in awe of our Lord, every day, it seems, when you show just that little bit more understanding of His ways. You demonstrate a knowledge of the Scriptures that I’m sure I did not have when I was your age. You know the Gospel, the theology that has only been in my mind for less than seven years and you can discuss it with impressive capacity. I love it and I know your Mama loves it. And we know God is most pleased with your growth in knowledge of His things.

But I want to encourage you. That’s what this letter is all about. There are hard parts to knowing God’s Word and being His disciples. I think it’s especially hard when you are home, as children, with parents who are so anxious to see you grow in the fear and admonition of the Lord. We desire so much for you to lay claim to the promises of God and to live out the life that He has set before you. I think that you hear about obedience more than anything else at times, and I know focusing on that can become an obsession in all of us. Enough that it may appear to blot out the most important part of God’s message to you.

God’s message is that you have been forgiven. Because Jesus lived in perfect obedience and also took the your sins with Him to the cross and took the punishment for them there, you are forgiven. You girls believe that. I’ve heard it from your lips a maybe a thousand times in your short little lives and just hearing your confession is a blessing to my weak heart. You see, I’m not any sort of super guy as far as being faithful and trusting in our Lord. I’m sure you feel the same way too sometimes. Maybe a lot of times. When you, Mama and I are all weak and sinful in our family, we usually lose sight of the promises of God, at least for a while. And so you should hear this. I hope it makes good sense and that you keep it for those long days ahead when you need the message most.

Beloved, you’re forgiven. You’ve believed the Gospel and God has made you promises that you can trust. When you hear me and Mama calling for you to obey, we’re not telling you anything you can’t do. We’re believing a promise too. God has promised that, because you believe, the Holy Spirit is making it so you can do good works. So you see, we’re just working with you to make you stronger in Him, to do just what He has made possible for you. I think if you look at us as helpers, especially when you’re grown up and remember all these days of homework and chores and lessons on loving each other, you’ll see the Gospel message, God’s promises, and not just a bunch of laws and rules and discipline.

You see, some people don’t seem to realize that there’s a need for the Law after the Gospel. Or sometimes they don’t seem to see what the Gospel does to us. It really does make a difference when we believe. It’s not just a thing that happens one day and then we have to start keeping the Law in order to get good grades in God’s test. The rules, those things we’ve learned from the Bible as Law, change their purpose when we belong to Jesus. They’re now the instructions that help us to know what is the right way to live, to live like He originally designed us.

You remember the verse that Jesus says in Matthew 22.

“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”

All the rules that we hold you to are based on this message from our Lord. Oh, we hope that you see this. Sometimes I’m sure it’s very hard to keep in mind, when it seems there are days when you know you can’t get anything right. Believe me, Mama and I have the same feelings ourselves, when we also sin day in and day out, without being able to see any improvement. And we forget the promise of God, that He has given us a heart, a new heart made of flesh, not of stone like the old one we had before we believed Him. We want you (and us too) to live our lives in love of God! That’s what we’re aiming for! And we believe you’ll get there, not because we make it happen but because God will make it happen!

I think God works in us quietly and without any sign to keep us mindful that it is not us growing ourselves. You guys get that lesson enough from us that I’m pretty sure you know it. Our improvement in God’s ways, trying to be like Jesus, is not something we do ourselves. Our improvement is because of the Holy Spirit the Jesus promised us. The Spirit that is working in us, so secretly most of the time, that we don’t realize what’s happening.

We go to church, learn, celebrate with our fellow Christians over the resurrection of our Lord. We confess our sins and are forgiven. We cling to the hope that this week will be better than last week. But it usually seems like nothing’s changed. You guys get busted. Mama and I, we lose our cool. We all sin. Just like last time and the time before that.

But have you noticed? Have you noticed that we all hate that thing about sinning? Pay attention to that hope you had on Sunday. Remember, I just said that we hope this week will be better than last week. That’s the thing you need to think about. We don’t love our sin. We don’t love to disobey our Lord. None of us do. It’s clear enough, isn’t it? That’s the sign you need to think about. God changed you in a heartbeat when you believed Him. You are now free to love and follow Him. No more being trapped in sin, loving to sin, looking forward to your next bad deed. He’s made it so, even when you sin, you don’t want to and really know and want to do the good works you were designed for!

Pretty soon you’ll have another sign to think about, one most powerful and significant that will follow you for the rest of your life. Your baptism is coming up and though I regret we waited so long to get you there, I am more excited about that than anything. And your Mama is too. And your church! Think about that! There are a couple hundred people all excitedly awaiting the day when you’re baptized. That day is when you get marked out for good, on the outside, for all the things God has already done on the inside! You’ll belong in a whole new way, to your Christian family, including even your aunts, uncles, grandparents, nieces and nephew!

That right there, I hope, sticks with you along your whole life. It’ll be a great reminder of God’s faithfulness, even when you’re stuck in some rotten sin that even though you hate it, you just can’t seem to get over it fast enough. One great benefit that you have in your baptism coming so late is that you’re really well educated on what it means. Remember the Ring! You know the promises and benefits of being baptised. That makes it worthwhile for certain.

So, bottom line, my beloved, don’t look at growing up in our house as rules rules rules. Look at it as me and your Mama working for God to bring you together into doing the things He’s already prepared you for. Look at it like this: when you sin, when you mess up the stuff and we’re bugging you about it, your forgiveness is guaranteed, you’re still beloved Christian sisters who are our neighbors in Heaven and you belong to Jesus!

That’s where you come from when you do good works. No points in Heaven, just rewards. All the work is done in you by our mighty Lord. He is mighty to save us. And He saves us every time we turn around, from our little sins and our big sins and our sadness and our worries. Best girls, trust your Lord and Savior. He won’t depart from you. Ever.

Soli Deo Gloria
For God’s glory alone
In Him,

Your loving Daddy.

Yes, comments are open. Don’t worry about it being a personal letter. It’s personal enough that I certainly welcome criticism, applause or just plain perspective comments.

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February 18, 2011

Kingdom Parables and the Keys To That Kingdom

By Pooka

If we were to take seriously the high view of the Church, what would result of a review of the Kingdom parables? Though baptism plays into this, and I’ll mention it, much more important is how we view the church in general. How does church discipline play in our lives? If we are at a church that does not believe in or does not hold a high view of discipline, what is to be done? Have we hung the keys to the kingdom at the door or, worse, left them hanging in the mailbox down the street?

And here’s the rub, for me at least: is a church that sticks to Matthew 18:15-20, sitting right there and simply acting in an authoritarian way, applying the stick (this hurts me more than it hurts you)? Or is this church, confessing that it holds the keys to the kingdom and the responsibility to discipline members, seeking out the message in 2 Thessalonians 3:14-15 Hebrews 12:10-13, Galatians 6:1-2, James 5:20, Titus 1:13, 1 Timothy 1:19-20 and more. And not simply to produce a conformed member, to teach a regenerate soul the way that they should go, but out of a genuine passion for their souls, that they might endure the race and meet that glorious day when their God says “Well done, good and faithful servant.” Is our church, as a whole, especially her elders, driven to see her people truly repentant, poor in spirit, dependent on God and faithful to Him?

These parables and the warnings following should mean a lot to any member of a church. They mean the soul of any member of a church. It’s not just about the greater massive kingdom of God, but about the little towers spread throughout the land, each with her captains and sergeants and their men. Each one needs to care about this for himself and those with him in his local fold.

In particular, look at the parable of the weeds, or tares. And the net. And the wedding feast.

He put another parable before them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field, but while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat and went away. So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared also. And the servants of the master of the house came and said to him, ‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have weeds?’ He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ So the servants said to him, ‘Then do you want us to go and gather them?’ But he said, ‘No, lest in gathering the weeds you root up the wheat along with them. Let both grow together until the harvest, and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, Gather the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.’” — Matthew 13:24-30

“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was thrown into the sea and gathered fish of every kind. When it was full, men drew it ashore and sat down and sorted the good into containers but threw away the bad. So it will be at the close of the age. The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. — Matthew 13:47-50

And again Jesus spoke to them in parables, saying, “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son, and sent his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding feast, but they would not come. Again he sent other servants, saying, ‘Tell those who are invited, See, I have prepared my dinner, my oxen and my fat calves have been slaughtered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding feast.’ But they paid no attention and went off, one to his farm, another to his business, while the rest seized his servants, treated them shamefully, and killed them. The king was angry, and he sent his troops and destroyed those murderers and burned their city. Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding feast is ready, but those invited were not worthy. Go therefore to the main roads and invite to the wedding feast as many as you find.’ And those servants went out into the roads and gathered all whom they found, both bad and good. So the wedding hall was filled with guests.
“But when the king came in to look at the guests, he saw there a man who had no wedding garment. And he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless. Then the king said to the attendants, ‘Bind him hand and foot and cast him into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ For many are called, but few are chosen.” — Matthew 22:1-10; Matthew 22:11-14

Instead of looking at these through the lens of some nebulous greater church that spans the whole world, take a minute to see it right in your neighborhood. At your church.

And say they’re all baptized.

Members.

What do we do with apostasy if baptism is a personal profession of faith that indicates regeneration? How much better does the whole system work if baptism is a sign (visual announcement) and seal (wedding ring promise) of God’s covenant promises.

And for all the people in our church, shouldn’t this feed right into Hebrews and James, maybe even 1st John? Why are there such grave warnings if we’re all regenerate? There should be no fear of falling away if we’re all regenerate. We should be wary of our own condition lest we become deluded about the nature of church discipline. It’s not just pats on the back and nods.

Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it. — Hebrews 2:1

For it is impossible, in the case of those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come, and then have fallen away, to restore them again to repentance, since they are crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm and holding him up to contempt. — Hebrews 6:4-6

What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. — James 2:14-17

Little children, let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous. Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil. — 1 John 3:7-8

Or should there be a great great attention given to each other and ourselves, that we work out our salvation in fear and trembling. And that we devote ourselves to this. Devote ourselves to submission to those placed over us so we may be disciplined, discipled by them. Look at how Paul dealt with the Corinthians and the Thessalonians. Look at how far he was willing to go for the souls of his fellow Jews. That wasn’t just a drive as a college teacher or philosopher trying to get his students to understand and act on a critical piece of information. This was the act of a coast-guard team, risking life in the sea to reel in one soul after another from the peril of the deep.

Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, — Philippians 2:12

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February 16, 2011

Moratorium on Harshness

By Pooka

I see a bitter thread in me. A shadow that puts a dimness on my need to be gracious. I am to be a bringer of peace and brother-love to those with whom I am in Christ. My lifelong tendency toward sarcasm and snide remarks keeps trying to rear up again and again.

And I have seen this in others too, which serves strangely enough not to encourage my own rough handling of those with whom I have differences, rather to frighten me and humble me into remorse for my own instances.

The viciousness between Dispensational and Covenantal folks makes me hurt. I pray that this is the Lord softening my heart and that I’m experiencing a true sense of Christian charity and love for brothers in Him.

No joke, I was praying this morning — more like the Spirit was groaning with mine, since I couldn’t come up with much more than “Give me grace to be wise and faithful to Your Word.” My prayer is out of a sense of need as I deal with my convictions about Covenant Theology and the arguments that Dispensationalists present. I’m studying both from as fair a middle-ground as I can manage, not focusing too much (as I can manage) on any one aspect, be it church, eschatology. And today, more than usual, the general fisticuffs appear to be magnified.

Now, I’m all for being direct and calling a spade a spade. I’m willing to, God willing, stand up for correct theology and doctrine. I hope that I’m a willing teacher and able to reprove someone who sins in my presence should it be called for. But when the great heads in this day, top theologians from both CT and DT camps can conference in peace and brotherly love, but the meta below shows a beast in the back room… That’s what’s been brewing on the Intertubes for a few weeks now.

So I pray again for wisdom and charity. Especially for patience to see the end of a fight and be of few words save those that will build up my comrades in the faith and encourage others to do the same. I hope this blog succeeds in the same.

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December 19, 2010

Moving Churches And … Return to Christmas Shock and Awe

By Pooka

We’ve moved out to a new church. The decision was rather abrupt, but I think it was brewing to a head over the last few months. I don’t want to spend a profuse amount of words explaining; primarily because it was somewhat difficult but on good terms. Mostly, the more I try to elaborate on the explanation, the more it begins to sound like “God told me to,” which is simply ridiculous. Rather, it became clear that we “belong” someplace else. I’d rather just enjoy trying to capture what’s so good about where we are now.

So we’re at New Life Presbyterian (PCA) church. We are blessed by our new family and are experiencing a depth of fellowship and communion with the Body of Christ that is quite refreshing and comforting. Our pastor preaches the Gospel and the Law in good proportion, and the body reflects this immersion in the preaching and teaching. Worship on Sunday is structured, following a solid routine of preparation, Law, repentance, restoration, Gospel and the Lord’s Supper. It’s faithful and Scriptural.

This is not to disparage our previous church. I’d prefer to say that we’ve upgraded, gone to a better thing from something that was already good. We spent a solid year at PH, learning the Word, Biblical Christianity and the Reformed way of looking at things. It was enriching and essential to clearing a lot of mud from my eyes especially. There’s nothing like sitting before a pulpit that proclaims the Word of God in faith and truth.

Practically, though I don’t call myself qualified to go into depth, the sacraments are administered here such that we’re really a part of them. The Lord’s supper is more than just a remembrance and memorial of Christ’s death. It’s hard to explain, being a novice in this area, but we’re really a part of the event. And it’s not a once-per-month ceremony here. I guess I’ve sold out to Reformed, Calvinistic, Covenant theology. And it’s sweet. It’s comforting to come to the Church of Christ the Lord and His people and really belong. The last year of study and preaching at PH wasn’t a failure, rather it lent speed to a launch into this home. Almost frightening, knowing it’s most likely that our time here will probably be short – a year or two at most (though the Lord can always keep us here until my time with the Navy is up in 2016).

I love the idea of confessing the Westminster and the use of the Catechisms. There is so much more life to confessing more that “no creed but the Bible” as seems to be so popular today. I am enjoying the study of these documents and the depth of their immersion in the Scripture. The fact that the Church includes them in our worship brings a tangible credibility to them and we have a relationship with that deep teaching, immediate amongst the congregation every Sunday (not to mention through all the following lessons and discussions throughout the week). One of the girls is going through the Catechisms in Sunday school as well, which is awesome.

There’s a lot more to ingest here regarding the Presbyterian way (I guess that works for a descriptive term?). There’s the Book of Church Order in addition to the Creeds and Confessions. Though I’ve been studying for the last several months on Covenant Theology, I don’t have a concrete stand on the practice of paedo-baptism. I have reached a tentative decision that it makes sense and is valid in the practice that is espoused at our church. I am fairly convinced that further understanding of this Covenant Theology mess will result in a thorough understanding of baptism and tie up that package eventually.

In the end, there’s so much here that points to glorifying God and points us to Christ, His life, suffering, death and resurrection for our salvation. Christ died to save us. I’m saved. Saved from God’s wrath. YEAH! And that is what we get here, despite the complicated last 5 paragraphs.

Continue reading

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December 6, 2010

Don't Opt Out or Lose Your Job

By Pooka

Another article (x2) on the Tee Ess Yay (TSA) from Amy’s Humble Musings (thx to Challies).

My fav quote is from part 2: What the government does with these new invasive procedures is give us a Sophie’s Choice, that is, an impossible one. Comply with nude screening or lose your job (in my husband’s case).

Seriously, the more of these articles that float out of the inter-tubes, the more I’m convinced we’re getting the shaft.

Here they are:

My experience with the TSA naked body scanners

My experience with the TSA naked body scanners, part 2

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November 30, 2010

Our liberties are in a box in a TSA warehouse, along with 10,000 nail clippers.

By Pooka

Doug Wilson rocks on this one.

People should speak up even more.

So I’m linking to it in hopes someone else catches the breeze.

Touching Sensitive Areas, or TSA For Short

I think the whole TSA imbecillity is an offense on our privacy and our dignity. It elevates a group of people out of the requirement to act with common decency and respect. It violates any consideration for the sensitivities of people who have been molested, exploited or traumatized by human hands on their bodies. And children? C’mon, man! Kids do NOT need to suffer this insanity.

It’s all over YouTube and the rest of the net. DJP has put up a little bit too:

TSA Grope’n'Porn

FOOEY on this stuff. I’ll drive if I have to. I don’t want MY 5 girls under the camera OR the hand.

So the BIG question: How to render unto Caesar when this really isn’t Caesar’s? I’m not willing to concede that the Gov has employed an acceptable method for waging the war on terrorism.

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October 14, 2010

Preaching, Church and Stuff

By Pooka

I’ve been slowly working my way through the recordings from the Expositors Conference which was held at the end of September this year at Christ Fellowship Baptist Church. The list of take-aways from this conference is long and I’m still chewing on much of it.

Some of the stuff that really struck me can be found sort of summarized or touched on Dr. Sproul Q&A #1 and in Dr. Sproul Q&A #2. The way the Dr. talks about theology and Christianity is really, how can I say… Stabilizing, maybe. He presents material for edification in a way that really leaves no room for questioning. Not that he is imperious or authoritarian, but instead he is essentially authoritative, in the real meaning of the word. If Dr. Sproul says something, it’s not just “out there” for consideration. It comes across as reliable, even required equippage. Dr. Lawson, senior pastor at the church, sorta referred to him as the Babe Ruth of theologians (if I can capture it like that from the recording).

So, thoughts garnered from listening:

Church is holy ground. You walk in on Sunday, your demeanor and common presentation of self stays outside in the parking lot. This place is not an just an extension of your routine daily life. Church, the worship service from opening prayer to corporate song through to preaching and closing benediction is sacred, separate from the mundane and secular. It should impact the whole rest of the week. I would go so far as to stress that Sunday really should be the FIRST day of the week for Christians, rather than the Monday blues which seems to commonly be accepted.

Now, we can be systematic about the process as much as we like, to the point of legalism. So included with this conclusion is a Very Important Stress that we must develop, personally and in our families and congregations, the real understanding of what our church services are all about. One way to go about it, which I’ve become fond of in most instances of identifying right and wrong thought, is to say what Church is not.

Church (Corporate Worship Through Prayer, Sacrament, Preaching and Song) is not “all about you” nor is it a common gathering for people to share their experiences during the week. It is not catch up on old times hour nor is it “get some Jesus recharge time” as most of us tend to think.

On some Sundays my impression of the atmosphere in church is that things are too religious and formal. Those are the days which are usually a result of me not preparing my mind ahead of time or having spent an inordinate amount of time in worldliness (viz. Sin) during the preceding week. I find myself resistant toward the reverence and submissive atmosphere. That’s my sinful reaction to the holiness of God that is inherent in a godly church.

On other Sundays, God has given a measure of grace that prepares me for the gathering. I react with gratefulness, joy and excitement to the services that reflects faithful pursuit during the week. This isn’t to say I’m a gooder person on these times, but more a sort of positive feedback on my spiritual condition at the time.

What’s all this mean? Read some on God’s holiness, especially in regards to worship and His presence in artifacts or spaces in history. Dr. Sproul’s book “The Holiness of God” is a start that I’ve read and think works. Challies is doing a Reading Classics Together on this book right now, which may end with some real insight. Read the O.T. for sure! There is such a huge thread of God’s holiness there. No wonder we don’t like the O.T. — Sinners are diametrically opposed to holiness and the sanctity of God’s things.

The reference is in Leviticus 10 in light of the Ark of the Covenant, the oxcart, mud and Asaph. Books recommended on the subject: Jeremiah Burroughs Gospel Worship (an exposition of Leviticus 10) and Gospel Fear.

A number of questions in both Q&A sessions were: Should the pastor preach topically or expositionally? Should the preacher be Lay or Ordained or fully Employed As Pastor? Should I be learning application, doctrine or other in a sermon? Should changing the culture be on the agenda for a pastor? What’s the answer to all these questions? Sounds to me like first and foremost, in church, the Word of God is to be preached and taught, faithfully. All the rest is either rendered moot somewhere along the way or God will make it work out eventually (I think I just repeated myself there).

I just wanted to record some of what I’ve gleaned so far. I have only listened to about half of the product so I’m sure there will be more.

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October 2, 2010

Un – Parenting

By Pooka

The GTY blog, which I cruise around from time to time, had a post that tweaked my participatory interest.

“The Pressures of Parenting, Part 2″

There were 3 questions after a short audio clip on the subject:

(1) How have you seen churches cater to the self-esteem parenting movement (e.g., parenting classes, youth programs)? Be specific.

(2) God has provided every social institution with a means to promote order and discipline—to the government, the sword; to the church, excommunication; and to parents, the rod of correction. What happens in society, in the church, and in the home, when God-ordained authority refuses to implement discipline? What are the parallels?

(3) Parents, what advice would you give to a mom or dad headed down the road of self-esteem parenting? Is it too late for them to turn around? If it’s not too late, what practical changes can they make?

Here are my (expanded) responses:

#1. Youth programs when I was a teen focused on how to “get along” in school and peer groups while maintaining a Christian image. We talked about tricks to avoid getting into drinking or drugs or situations that put us at risk for premarital sex. It was mostly practical maneuvers and how to talk and act among peers so that we did not offend while maintaining our “witness.” Nowadays, my own kids have been in churches that fill huge rooms with couches, promote slovenly behavior and casual, even irreverent places that directly oppose the solemnity of proper worship services. They talk about good uses for the internet and cellphones. It’s legalistic at best in most of the churches I’ve seen. At worst, it’s group fun with ice-breakers and soda-pops. Teaching avoided the clear presentation of sin and grace. Instead, youth pastors have taught my kids how to use verses from the Bible to keep themselves out of trouble. Pastors, when they rarely approached the subject of parenting, talked about family time (dinner table tradition) and how to “talk to kids” in order to build rapport with them and get them to trust us and build friendship friends.

So there was plenty of candy and other treats, treatises on how to dress or how to date, slouching and texting, the latest pop-xtian praise session (Passionately Breathless in the Garden Cuz I’m Lost Without You to Rock Me Funky). It was almost the same when I was a kid, except we had the fold-up steel chairs and had to read our Bibles along with the rest of it. One time, I remember going to my grandparents’ church and we showed up at Sunday School in time to hop in the Church Van for some shopping (!). I remember the grape Hubba Bubba most from that day.

-Related: I was listening to Focus on the Family recently: about elementary aged kids who dressed and acted like adults. The guidance to parents about “keeping them children during their child years” was prefaced with “DON’T tell your kids NO outright: that will cause their hearts to harden and they’ll rebel.” Sounds like some of the teaching in my past.

You know what happens when you affirm your kids’ “right” to be liberated, themselves, feminist or whatever and simply give them advice about what God would prefer or what would best serve them in their lives? Without telling them “NO, That’s WRONG!” they don’t ever learn what sin really is. You have just affirmed their own impression of their status as free men, free to do and think as they please for there is no governing standard. Meaning they’re slaves to sin, in the end.

#2. Kids with no discipline get a clear message that there are no boundaries. Result: a mushy quality to the Law and towing the mark. There’s no positive statement about what is wrong and right. That means there’s no clear grasp of what sin means. That makes it hard for them to understand a need for the Gospel. The problem perpetuates itself as kids grow up without clear standards. They have no tools for applying discipline in their own families or society (or church). Therefore the truths of sin and redemption get more and more confused.

#3. Advice? Repent. Realize the sin of this form of parenting and take it to the Lord in prayer. Ask for forgiveness and for direction to correct the problem. Take action!

–1. If your church is not actively combatting the irresponsibile and syncretistic philosophy of this age with clear Biblical teaching, bring the subject up to the pastor or leave for a church that does keep up the fight.

No joke, if your church is failing in this area, they’re failing in all areas. You can toot all day long about how loving they are or how close-knit they are. You can parade around town with all the service badges you’ve earned through working with your church. But you’re not a part of a church that is faithful to the Word of God. Your church should be preaching THE WORD as the First Thing. This means teaching absolutes.

–2. Read the Word! Focus on cause and effect. Rebuild understanding of the Law and what Christ does to deal with failure to keep the law.

–3. Be honest with the kids. Explain what’s wrong and what you’re going to do about it. Parents are sinning against their kids in this situation. This means we have to address the problem with the kids.

–4. Seek guidance from church.  (see advice 1)

–5. Finally, find hope in the Lord, for He really is faithful and knows all that is going on in you and your kids.

If you’re a parent trying to parent faithfully, you’re going to see, if you don’t already, how painful and depressing it is to raise kids. They’re sinners, just like you. They’re going to disappoint, defy, rebel and sometimes make all your hard work look like it’s wasted. If you aren’t putting your faith in Christ and His faithfulness, you’ll give up or worse. Stay in the Word, keep yourself immersed in the Gospel that you need to hear Every Single Day!

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September 24, 2010

Bible Study on Church Government — Martyn Lloyd-Jones

By Pooka

This is part three of three. There are three questions for this week’s Bible Study at church and this is the last one.

Great Doctrines of the Bible by: D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones

Assignment: Volume 3 Chapter 1: The Marks and Government of the Church

ALWAYS USE SCRIPTURE AS YOUR FOUNDATION WHEN ANSWERING QUESTIONS.

Question #3. Of the types of church polity listed, what type most resembles the government your church uses and how are decisions arrived at in your church? How does this government vary from a leadership format that you experienced in another church you attended? Explain how a decision was arrived at in the Jerusalem council in Acts 15. How did the ramifications of that decision effect the foundational beliefs of the young Christian church?

My church is “congregational” or “local-independent” in that there is no higher council or other system of government that oversees practice or teaching for the church. It has a dependence on Scripture and fellowship that isn’t quite so apparent in other churches. I have been to a Presbyterian for a short time and the impression I got was a sort of more codified, dogmatic (in a sense of rote teaching) presented itself. The atmosphere at the church was one of “we believe in accordance with the council and the Bible” whenever teaching took place. This wasn’t bad, per-say as there was agreement between the presbytery and the Scriptures. I grew up in Baptist type churches which, as Lloyd-Jones explained, really do not all conform to the congregational independence they usually claim. In contrast, I have also been to a non-denominational Pentecostal church (of the extreme type) which was entirely independent and had a powerful focus on fellowship but no leadership. Of the churches I’ve seen with outside governance, the Free Evangelical (E-Free) types, those who adhere to the Scriptures, seem to experience the best of a council sort of organization where there is a loose affiliation and a use of councils primarily for church discipline and guidance where the pastor has something to call upon for guidance. I won’t claim a comprehensive or deep knowledge of these types of churches: this is just my impression from experience.

The decision in Acts 15 was reached by consultation among apostles and elders of the church, relying upon the Scriptures (Amos 9:11-12). Matthew Henry’s Commentary deals with the reason for the decision being made and its result. I’m particularly drawn to the note that the churches were already apparently clear on the teaching but there was conflict from the outsiders who were obviously pressing authority from Judea or Jerusalem (Acts 15:1 and 5). The issue was a false teaching, for certain, but there was a second, equally bad issue of holding authority over churches.

The response from the churches when they received the letter undoubtedly came in part from the gracious message that did not assert ecclesiastical authority, rather voiced the beliefs of the apostles and elders from Jerusalem. There was no challenge issued or statement made regarding submission to any church or organization.

My note: I don’t see in Scripture any clear direction for ecclesiastical authority beyond independent local church governance. There is no communication in Revelation from Christ to the Council-Of-Elders-Over-The-United-Church, nor does Paul refer in his epistles to any body of leaders who are over multiple churches. Christ does not set up a council or presbytery or papal system in the Gospels (commonly Matt 16:18). Contrariwise, the example is always individual bodies of believers (the nation Israel, various churches in the N.T.) or the Church catholic (all believers combined). There doesn’t seem to be instance of a good case, in any case: The Pharisees don’t have a divine installation (or even a properly recorded historical origin) and the NT examples of teachers exerting global authority (with exception of the apostles) are all indications of false doctrine.

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September 22, 2010

Bible Study on The Marks and Government of the Church — Martyn Lloyd-Jones

By Pooka

This is going to be part one of three. There are three questions for this week’s Bible Study at church and I’m going to try to tackle all of them.

Great Doctrines of the Bible by: D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones

Assignment: Volume 3 Chapter 1: The Marks and Government of the Church

ALWAYS USE SCRIPTURE AS YOUR FOUNDATION WHEN ANSWERING QUESTIONS.

Question #1. Name the 3 main marks of the church and describe the main reasons for their existence. Do these marks exist in the church that you attend? Do you see the fruit of both the existence and non-existence of these marks in churches?

3 Main Marks:
(I’m giving a sample of Scripture references to accompany each Mark) Preaching the Word (1 Timothy 4:6-16, 2 Tim 3:1-4), Administering the Lord’s Supper and Baptism (Acts 2:41-42, Matt 28:19, Luke 22:19-20, 1 Cor 11:23-26), Church Discipline (Matt 18:15-20, Titus 1:10-16)

These marks are in place at my church. They are reinforced both in practice and teaching on a regular basis. The pastor and elders are adhering to the marching orders for pastors found in 1 and 2 Tim.

The fruit of the presence of the 3 marks is a church that knows doctrine, has a desire for greater knowledge of doctrine and manifests the natural result, which is the love for Christ and His people and a desire to reach the lost (1 Thess 1:2-10, Phill 1:12-18). Conversation is about the Gospel, not on “what we did for the community last week” and there is evidence of growth not in numbers but in faith and discernment (Rom 12:2).

The running trend in many (if not most) publicly prominent churches is a blend of philosophy/therapy and works. One might combine Thyatira, Pergamum and Sardis to find a works-oriented, world-praised church on every street corner here. With a little deeper look it should be easy to discover compromising doctrines and practices that betray a desire to please the masses and make the members grow in numbers (1 Tim 6:20-21, 2 Tim 3:15-17, Col 2:8, Rev 2:12,18, 3:1).

“O Timothy, guard the deposit entrusted to you. Avoid the irreverent babble and contradictions of what is falsely called “knowledge,” for by professing it some have swerved from the faith.”

I think the point is frequently missed in Matt 5:1-16. The part about salt and light and good works is taken without consideration of verses 11 and 12. If our works earn us worldly praise and we face no suffering or persecution, I think that makes our works suspect. Christ was the first suffered for His message, as did all the apostles and great fathers of the church after them. Those who don’t (Sardis) suffer don’t match up with the Bible’s description of the life of a Christian (Acts 5:41-42, Rom 5:3, Phill 1:29, Matt 10:16-23). I’m not claiming that it’s all gonna be pain and agony here, for God is kind and loving toward His people, but we should expect to face hardship on account of our commitment to Christ (2 Cor 1:3-7).

Regarding administering the Lord’s Supper and Baptism: I’m not going to hit this part right now. I’m not entirely clear on the meaning MLJ has put forth about grace. I come from the Baptist background of ordinances that are public displays and signs of faith, conversion, promise, and unity and I don’t think there is much teaching of particular application of a special grace in that doctrine. I sense that this is not entirely correct but need to study more in order to grasp it. 1 Cor 11:17-34 is key here and I will be working on it.

It is apparent that churches I have attended who do not teach clear doctrine (or are heretical in general) do not seem to have the same reverence for the Lord’s Supper or during it. They repeat the mantra “this is my body…” and do the bread and juice without much call to self-inspection, gospel or, in some cases, even any sense of seriousness. It’s as if it’s just a practice that sort of unifies the group under one banner without any real depth. The same goes for baptism in that one is dipped into the club rather than into Christ.

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