What a Wonderful...

“The reason men worship God in a slight way is because they do not see God in His glory.”
- Jeremiah Burroughs, 17th Century Puritan pastor

This past week one of the worship leaders at our church recommended a message by C.J. Mahaney given at the 1999 conference on worship for what is now Sovereign Grace Ministries. It was a wonderful message on Cross-centered worship and the need for church leadership and worship ministries to reject cultural models and methods that obscure the Cross and for that leadership to resolve to build exclusively on the Cross.

Mahaney closed with a wonderful story about the well-known English pastor Charles Haddon Spurgeon to highlight the truth that in a world given to churches which prop up methodology over theology (and the Cross at its center), we should devote ourselves to having services preoccupied with preaching Christ and him crucified (cf., 1 Cor. 2):

During the 1880s a group of American ministers visited England, prompted especially by a desire to hear some of the celebrated preachers of that land. On a Sunday morning they attended the City Temple where Dr. Joseph Parker was the pastor. Some 2000 people filled the building, and Parker's forceful personality dominated the service. His voice was commanding, his language descriptive, his imagination lively, and his manner animated. The sermon was Scriptural, the congregation hung upon his words, and the Americans came away saying, "What a wonderful preacher is Joseph Parker.

In the evening they went to hear Spurgeon at the Metropolitan Tabernacle. The building was much larger than the City Temple, and the congregation was more that twice it's size. Spurgeon's voice was much more expressive and moving and his oratory noticably superior. But they soon forgot all about the great building, the immense congregation, and the magnificent voice. They even overlooked their intention to compare the various features of the two preachers, and when the service was over they found themselves saying, "What a wonderful Savior is Jesus Christ." (Arnold Dallimore, Spurgeon: A New Biography)

May our churches and those who lead them through preaching, singing and others elements of the service work hard to clearly reveal Christ and his glory without reservation so that people find themselves saying as they exit, "What a wonderful Savior is Jesus Christ."

Form and Function

Ever get to be a part of a group that has the ability to see beyond the form as they seek to grasp the function? I do and am very, very grateful for it.

Let me explain.

The past couple of months for me has been full of weighty thoughts and deep conversations about the way we do what we do as a church. It's been completely refreshing because they've happened at the highest levels of leadership. Now, before we get too far ahead of ourselves you must know that we are simply dialogging about what is and what should be. The future could range from radically different to no difference at all. The point is: we are talking about how we best maximize our redemptive potential. I think that's a critical question to repeatedly ask over time as people lead a local church.

Unfortunately, many churches get all too enamored with some model (of church) they saw operate with great effectiveness and adopted it, never to look back. At first, maybe even for decades it worked well for them and the context they lived in...but then something changed. Maybe it was the leadership, maybe it was the context, maybe it was everything in between but something changed that made their current model less effective for reaching and discipling people in their neck of the woods. But they don't change. They like the form (the model). It gives them comfort because of its familiarity, its easier because all your systems revolve around it and most of all it takes less courage to change (I mean, think of all the people you might lose if you shifted gears now).

The only problem is the function of the church has left them with little more than a crowd who comes to be either entertained or feel better about checking the "I went to church" box for the month. Disciples...real ones...are hard to find. That scenario necessitates the need to discover a better way to function - and that takes courage to ask the tough questions about form because it just very well may be the major player in the inability to "produce" better disciples for Jesus. It might not, but it might be.

In some churches the form/model is sacrosanct. Not in mine. I didn't say it was easily exchangeable, just that it wasn't created out of granite. One of the most invigorating aspects of my ministry at the church I serve is the fact that we're asking the questions about form and function. Will things change? Maybe, maybe not. But the fact that we're asking the question brings me much hope for today...and the days to come.

Church leader, look in the mirror and ask yourself,
"Is the way we do church maximizing our redemptive potential in the area God has placed us?"

What's the answer?
What do you need to do about it?
Who do you need to dialogue with?

A Very Brief Review: Tim Keller's "The Reason for God"

I like books on apologetics because not only do they serve me in evangelism but also build up my faith on a personal level. It's nice to read the fruit of someone's labor when that labor is given to sharing compelling reasons why a person should give their life to Jesus Christ. Toward that endeavor, there are fewer books I've read that are as good as Tim Keller's The Reason for God. In fact, I would say only C.S. Lewis' Mere Christianity would prevail in a apologetics arm-wrestling contest...and TK would most assuredly give Clive Staples a run for his money with 21st Century audiences. Thankfully they're both on the same team (incidentally, Keller rightfully quotes Lewis often).

In The Reason for God Keller is characteristically disarming, intellectually engaging and easily accessible. It deals with the "big" issues like suffering, eternal torment and science like other apologetical works but it's done in such a fresh contemporary fashion that the Christian reader may feel he's never heard this stuff before. Yes (all you who've read people like Ravi Zacharias, Hank Hanegraaff, etc.), it's that good!

While reading the book leaves one with the impression that Keller is incredibly well-read if not brilliant it more so highlights the truth that, outside of Jesus the Christ, there is no name under heaven by which men may be saved.

[Okay, I just finished the book and wanted to post something quickly before I teach tonight. Sorry this isn't very in depth or thorough. I'll leave that to the big boys.]

Today is World Autism Day

10 years ago: 1 in 10,000

5 years ago: 1 in 1,000
Today: 1 in 150
Got your attention?

Many people have a "cause" which is close to their hearts for obvious reasons. I'm no exception. I have a son with an Autism Spectrum Disorder called Asperger's Syndrome. I've blogged about it before and simply wanted to throw my hat in the national ring on World Autism Day reminding people this is a real issue for many families (1.5 million Americans have some form of autism). In fact, the entire month of April is given to Autism awareness. For example, among other businesses and corporations joining the emphasis, CNN will be highlight stories about autism on both television and internet the entire week.

For more info on this condition and the issues surrounding it click here or watch this brief video.

Can't vouch for HBO's part in this with their showing of "Autism: The Musical" (because I haven't seen it) but it looks like it might be worth watching...