Bible Study: Matthew 21:33-46

I kind of wished this was videotaped so that I could save it because I think it went very well but here are some notes taken by Nick Kersten from the Bible Study I presented at the 2009 SDB Pastor's Conference.

"Renting...it sucks." - Dave Taylor
There is a tenuous relationship between renters and landlords.

• renters and landlords view the property differently
• renters don't take care of the property the same as the landlord would
• renters are not always what they appear to be in their interview or on their application

Qualities of Good Tenants (as shared by group): income, stability, good credit, clean, background check, well behaved, responsible, someone like the landlord, conscientious, dependable, good references, communicates and listens well

The Characters in the Parable (as shared by group):
Owner: God
Vineyard: the Kingdom, Israel, people of God, the world, religious leaders
Tenants: religious leaders, Pharisees, temple beaurocracy
Servants: prophets
Son: Jesus

According to any law, would tenants who kill the heir to the property be able to inherit that property? Probably not-they would be evicted and jailed.

Jesus seems to indicate that the vineyard will be taken away from wicked tenants and given to someone who will produce fruit.

What kind of tenants are we? We will be held accountable to what we have been entrusted with. This is certain.

The owner has provided everything necessary for the tenants to render good service-There is no excuse for poor or insufficient work.

We have have an opportunity to have a relationship with the owner.

Jesus Christ is the "senior pastor" of every church. We are the "under shepherds". We cannot do anything by ourselves in our churches. We must work under the authority of the "senior pastor".

How did the tenants arrive at the place where they were killing the heir? Likely, they forgot. They started working and likely forgot. Eventually they assumed that they owned the land and the fruit. Two mistakes were made: they disrespected the Son and they didn't yield any fruit.

The redemptive aspect: God WILL take care of His vineyard-though He has demonstrated amazing restraint. There is hope that we also will be shown the patience that He has shown the tenants and redeem us from our situations.

Jesus was a threat to the agenda of the religious leaders. Is He a threat to us in our ministries?

How has your church received the Son? What can be done to give Jesus a better reception in our churches?

Bigger than You

This is from Matt Adair's blog concerning the book, A Quest for More: Living for Something Bigger than You by Paul Tripp.

Below are both the 17 big ideas and the 17 final questions of the 18 chapter book (above is the table of contents). It's worth your time to work through this list. It's worth your time to work through the whole book.

1. You were created to be part of something big. What is the big thing that you are living for right now?

2. Sin causes us to talk about more, but to settle for less. What is the "less" that tends to capture your attention?

3. Since sin has damaged everything, God calls us to be concerned about everything. Have you treated the size of God's grace as if it were no longer than the size of your personal concerns?

4. Each of our lives is shaped by the war between the kingdom of God and the kingdom of self. What earth-bound treasures and anxiety-bound needs tend to control you and your responses to life?

5. You and I are always being civilized and civilizing others into the culture of some kind of kingdom. In what ways do you try to get the people around you to follow the rules of your kingdom of self?

6. The most dangerous thing about the kingdom of self is how easily it masquerades as the kingdom of God. In your everyday life right now, where are you telling yourself that you are living for God when you are really living for yourself?

7. Sin causes all of us to shrink the size of our lives to the size of our lives. Has the energy of your life been expended in the narrow world of personal wants, needs, and concerns?

8. Big kingdom living mean living with Christ at the center of everything I think, desire, say, and do. What tend to compete with Christ for the center of your world?

9. In calling us to die, Christ is actually rescuing us from death and giving us real life. In your everyday situations and relationships, where are you finding it hard to deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow Christ?

10. At street level, big kingdom living is Jesus-focused living. What is the focus of your life's energies and intentions?

11. This side of eternity, there should be a dissatisfaction in all of us with the way things are. What are the things that make you groan?

12. God calls us to the vertically interactive lifestyle of living in moment-by-moment harmony with him. Where in your life are you tempted to write your own music rather than making harmonious music with the king?

13. Big kingdom living is all about the humility of seeking forgiveness and the grace of granting it. Do you find joy in the liberating lifestyle of seeking forgiveness?

14. Life in the kingdom of God is like waiting for the love of your life to return. Where in your life are the "other lovers" that compete with your love for Christ?

15. Jesus calls us to offer him everything so that we can be free from the things that have a hold on us. Whose kingdom are you making sacrifices for right now?

16. Life in the big kingdom is all about being good and angry. Right now, where do you live every day, whose kingdom does your anger serve?

17. True hope, the kind that will never disappoint, is never hope in a thing, but hope in a person. Where do you tend to look for daily hope?

Getting Medieval

This is from Chris Armstrong, Professor of History at Bethel University in Minnesota.

Surely evangelicals who are sampling these medieval wares would benefit by moving beyond a piecemeal, “consumer” approach to medieval Christianity into a more systematic, in-depth study. Beneath the surface of now-trendy medieval practices, and amidst that era's wrong turnings and corruptions, lies a rich vein of spiritual, intellectual, and practical resources. I can think of at least nine facets of medieval faith and life that we can stand to learn from today:

1. their willingness to engage in spiritual disciplines,
2. their theologically grounded devotional and even "mystical" practices,
3. their high valuation of tradition handed down in texts,
4. their passionate search for theological knowledge (fides quaerens intellectum—"faith seeking understanding"),
5. their moral seriousness, expressed for example in the lists of "deadly sins" and "cardinal virtues,"
6. their adaptation of classical learning to Christian theology (which paved the way for the birth of modern science and continues to provide a model for Christ-culture engagement today),
7. their deep affection for the doctrines of creation and incarnation, issuing (for example) in many profoundly spiritual treasures of Western art and literature,
8. their high valuation on eternity over temporal life, and the "art of dying well" (ars moriendi) that developed from this commitment, and
9. their insistence on works of charity (fides caritate formata—"faith formed by love").

Humble Pastors

I encourage all of my brothers in the ministry to view this video as a reminder of the calling God has placed in your lives. Share with others you know.

Uncommon Prayer Requests To Make Common

Matt Lamprecht shares these (via SBC Voices):

• Advancement of God’s Kingdom (Matt. 6:9)
• Explicitly that God’s will be done (Matt. 6:9)
• Thank God for each other being together for the Gospel (Phil. 1:3-5; 1, Thess. 1:2)
• God would open the door for us to share the Gospel (Col. 4:2-4)
• We would share the Gospel boldly (Acts 4:29, Eph. 6:19)
• We would not be tempted (Matt. 26:41)
• Our faith would not fail as we live in the world (Luke 22:32)
• Forgive each other if there are grudges or offenses (Mark 11:25, Col. 3:13)
• For enemies and those persecuting you in any way (Matt. 5:44; Luke 6:28)
• We would grow in wisdom and knowledge of Jesus for God’s glory (Philemon 6, Eph. 1:17)

Humble Pastor

Here are some sermon notes from Driscoll for pastors (I love this message):

Notes: Humble Pastors

from The Mars Hill Blog by Mars Hill Church

TEXT: 1 Peter 5:1–5
PREACHER: Pastor Mark Driscoll
DATE: May 3, 2009

Introduction

Key roles related to church leadership, as described in 1 Peter 5:1–5 and elsewhere in Scripture:

• Chief Shepherd: Jesus is the Senior Pastor of every Bible-believing church.
• First among equals: Elders/pastors should work within teams of peers, but a first among equals must take leadership responsibility for each team. Peter was a primary leader in the early church, but also a “fellow elder.”
• Shepherds: Overseers (pastors/elders) of the flock that is the church.
• Sheep: The congregation (including the pastors).
• Wolves: False teachers and divisive members of the congregation.

More on church leadership roles and structure: Acts 20:28–35; 1 Timothy 3:1–7; Titus 1:5–9. Pastor Mark’s books Church Leadership and Vintage Church are a helpful resource.

What Does a Pastor Do?

Pastors are called to lead like Jesus, the Senior Pastor, as prophets, priests, and kings. Different pastors are better suited for each of these roles:

• Prophets are gifted communicators (preaching and writing) and “shepherd the flock” as a large group.
• Priests are gifted counselors and “shepherd the flock” on a more personal basis, working with individuals and small groups.
• Kings are gifted administrators who “exercise oversight” over the flock by ensuring good stewardship and sound leadership overall.

Threats to Pastoral Leadership

Peter identifies the most significant threats to pastoral leadership and, consequentially, the church.

Pastoral Duty (1 Peter 5:2)

• The office of pastor should be a calling of the Holy Spirit, not a duty imposed by man (1 Tim. 3:1).
• Ministry is a lifestyle, not an occupation.

Pastoral Greed (1 Peter 5:2)

• Ministry should not serve as a side business or an excuse to get a tax break.
• A church should compensate their pastor (1 Tim. 5:17–18), but the pastor must work for Jesus–not money.

Pastoral Power (1 Pet. 5:3)

• Pastors are to be under not just in authority.
• Pastors are to exercise influence (out of love) not control (out of fear).
• Pastors are to acknowledge that they are not in charge; Jesus is in charge.
• Pastors are to lead like Jesus: by selfless serving.

Pastoral Applause (1 Pet. 5:4)
If a Pastor desires to be popular with all people and have peace at all costs then he is fearing man and ultimately will not be fearing God. Glory, reward, and satisfaction come from Jesus–not from men.

Pastoral Pride (1 Pet. 5:5)

• All sin originates from pride.
• Pride is satanic (Isaiah 14; Ezekiel 28).
• Pride is repackaged as self-esteem, self-improvement, self-actualization, etc.
• God hates the proud, opposes the proud, and punishes the proud (Proverbs 8:13; 16:5, 18).

Humble Pastors

No one is humble except for God (Mark 10:45; Phil. 2:5–11). All we can say is, “I am a proud person pursuing humility by the grace of God.” Pastors pursuing humility…

• Turn their critics into coaches.
• Preach and practice repentance.
• Submit to godly authority.
• Learn as well as teach.
• Accept their place in the church, especially when it changes.
• Earnestly desire the growth and good of all churches.
• Rejoice in (rather than covet) evidences of God’s grace in other churches and pastors.
• Care more about Jesus’ name than their own name or their church’s name.

Recommended Reading: Humility, by C.J. Mahaney

2009 Gospel Coalition Conference

There is nothing but goodness that came from this conference. Go and check out all the good gospel cooperation promoted in the gospel.

http://www.thegospelcoalition.org/conferences/2009#t=schedule

Sabbath View

Here is a Sabbath view from R.C. Sproul, who gets it until ... Anyway I will continue to follow Jesus' example until he tells me to do otherwise.

Some Christians believe that the Sabbath was an Old Testament ordinance and has no application to the New Testament church. No less a giant than Saint Augustine took the position that the Sabbath was not carried over into the New Testament community and therefore has been fulfilled and was done away with through the work of Christ. There are Christians who feel that there is no particular significance to Sabbath keeping today, although they make up a very small minority.

For the most part, Christian people, while they may disagree as to what day is the Sabbath--the sixth or the seventh day and all that--and how we observe it, still maintain that the Sabbath is to be observed somehow in the Christian community. God ordained the Sabbath, not at Mt. Sinai with Moses and the people of Israel, but at Creation. The later books of the Law certainly filled out the concept of the Sabbath in terms of its specifics and how it was to be observed in Israel, but the Sabbath existed long before the Ten Commandments and other laws were given. This would indicate that as long as Creation is in effect, Sabbath is in effect. In the covenant God made with Israel he says, "This is my Sabbath unto all generations." The fact that it's a Creation ordinance is strong evidence that there is still a Sabbath observation requirement for Christians--in fact, not only for Christians, because the Sabbath was part of God's design for humanity from the beginning. That's one of the reasons states have had blue laws. Sabbath keeping was not even seen as a violation of the separation of church and state; everybody was required to have a Sabbath whether they were Christian, Jew, Muslim, or whatever.

In the New Testament the church comes together on the Lord's Day, which is the first day of the week, for corporate worship. We have a clear mandate in the New Testament not to forsake the assembling of the saints (Heb. 10:25). In other words, the New Testament's simple language says that Christians are supposed to be in corporate worship on the Lord's Day. That means we're supposed to go to church. That is usually seen as one of the ways in which the Sabbath is to be observed. All Christians I know of who believe that the Sabbath is still in effect agree that on the Sabbath we should be worshiping, and also that on one day in seven there should be rest from unnecessary commerce and labor. There are still provisions for commerce that must go on--hospital work, pharmacies, and such. But commerce just for the sake of merchandising ought to cease on the Sabbath.

This group of Christians who believe the Sabbath should be observed actually splits into two groups. One holds what we call the Continental view: Recreation is permitted on the Sabbath. The other holds the Puritan view: Recreation is forbidden on the Sabbath. I take the position that recreation is a legitimate form of rest on the Sabbath.

*****

Taken from Now, That's a Good Question!
©1996 by R.C. Sproul. Used by permission of Tyndale.

Don't Be a Cretan!

A little Bible Survey on the book of Titus by Dr. Craig Blomberg, with some assistance from his daughter.

Don't Be a Cretan!
from Craig Blomberg's Blog: New Testament Musings

"One of Crete's own prophets has said it: 'Cretans are always liars, evil brutes, lazy gluttons.' He has surely told the truth!" (Titus 1:12)

Four years ago, my then 14-year-old daughter Rachel was watching me put together some power-point slides for class and asked if she could make one. I told her to make me something for Titus, since I didn't have much of anything creative for that often neglected of Pauline epistles. The result was a slide with several bullet-point entries like, "I like Titus." "Titus is short," "You should read it, too." She insisted I include it in my class presentation which I did every year since. Students always laughed.

Last summer she asked to revise the slide. She took out the bullet points and substituted one large all-capitals, stylized, red-letter slogan: "Don't be a Cretan!" The more I thought about it, the more it struck me that such a summary could well hold its own in competition for the "big idea" of the letter. Titus is pastoring one or more churches on the island of Crete in the Mediterranean sea, beset by problems related to a Judaizing heresy, perhaps with other local syncretistic elements mixed in. The Christians are quite young, many probably from rough and rustic backgrounds, so godly and mature leaders are hard to come by. In this context it is not surprising that the first two main topics Paul addresses after a rich, theologically detailed greeting (1:1-4) are the criteria for choosing elders/overseers (vv. 5-9) and rebuking the false teachers (vv. 10-16). Into this last section, he inserts the verse quoted above on the evils of being a Cretan.

Already in pre-Christian Greek philosophy the "liar's paradox" was well-known. If I truthfully declare that Andreas always lies, and then Andreas pipes up by saying, "I am lying," is he telling the truth or lying? If he is telling the truth, then his statement that he is lying is true, which means he has to be lying rather than telling the truth. If Andreas' statement is false, which it should be if he always lies, then it is false that he is lying which means he is telling the truth, which is what he can't be doing. So there is no way to answer the question as to whether Andreas is lying or telling the truth! Everybody still with me? :) (This is why I don't teach philosophy for a living!)

So now substitute Paul for me and the Cretans for Andreas. (Since Andreas is a Greek name and one I picked at random for the purposes of illustration, it's easy to make him be a Cretan). The reason Cretans got the reputation that they did was because they boasted that they housed the tomb of Zeus. But as head of the Olympic pantheon of Greek gods, Zeus could not die. So the Cretans' claim must be a lie. The Cretan philosopher Epimenides then coined the slogan that Paul quotes and endorses here.

Most commentators have simply assumed that Paul, like Epimenides, was employing hyperbole. He knows it is logically impossible for all of them to lie all the time. But as a broad generalization, he was able to use this well-known quotation to reinforce for Titus the seriousness of sorting out the problems in the Cretan churches. And the Cretans can't get too mad at Paul because all he is doing is citing their own writer back to them. Besides Epimenides' slogan had become somewhat humorous in the Hellenistic world; it wasn't necessarily even meant to cause offense, so much as poke fun at the silly claim about Zeus. Perhaps it wasn't too much worse, culturally speaking, than someone who might remind lifelong Cubs fans like me at the start of a new baseball season, "Cubs are always losers, always letting their fans down, lovable and laughable though they might be." Especially if a Cubs fan was being quoted, and since there is a core truth behind the quotation, it's hard to get too upset.

But English scholar Anthony Thiselton suggests that Paul is actually trying to point out how self-defeating it is to live in ways that do not match one's ideology or, in this case, religious commitments. This would certainly make the passage much more widely relevant and applicable, not only to situations that resemble Crete's but to all of us.

We've just finished celebrating Good Friday and Easter Sunday, powerful annual reminders of the need for cruciform, selfless, servant lifestyles buttressed by the spiritual power already ours now to live above our circumstances and one day to triumph over death with resurrection bodies for life everlasting, wonderful beyond imagination. Are we demonstrating to the world around us that these spiritual truths are indeed realities in our lives, or are we creating our own liars' paradoxes, leading some to think, "Christians are always liars, evil brutes, lazy gluttons"? Telling the truth, doing good, avoiding boorishness and violence, working hard and not overindulging our appetites for anything we are tempted to covet are crucial priorities for one who would bear Jesus' name before today's mockers and skeptics.

Don't Waste Your Life

Update: DWYL Song Lyrics

Hook (Cam)

Don't wanna waste my life

Verse 1 (LeCrae)

I know a lot of people out there scared they gone die/
couple of em thinking they'll be livin' in the sky/
but while I'm here livin' man I gotta ask why,
what am here fo I gotta figure out/
waste my life?/ no I gotta make it count/
if Christ is real then what am I gone do about/
everything in Luke 12:15 down to 21/
you really oughta go and check it out/

Paul said if Christ ain't resurrect then we wasted our lives/
well that implies that our life's built around Jesus being alive/
everyday I'm living tryin' show the world why/
Christ is more than everything you'll ever try/
better than pretty women and sinning and living
to get a minute of any women and men that you admire/

ain't no lie/ We created for Him/
outta the dust he made us for Him/
Elects us and he saves us for Him/
Jesus comes and raises for Him/
Magnify the Father why bother with something lesser/
he made us so we could bless Him
and to the world we confess him/
resurrects him/

so I know I got life/
matter fact better man I know I got Christ/
if you don't' see His ways in my days and nights/
you can hit my brakes you can stop my lights/
man I lost my rights/
I lost my life/
forget the money cars and toss that ice/
the cost is Christ/
and they could never offer me anything on the planet that'll cost that price.

Verse 2 (Dwayne Tryumph)
(Note: verse 2 is not part of the music video)

Armed and dangerous
So the devil jus can't handle us
Christian youth them a stand wid us
Livin' n driven/ given a vision/ fullfillin the commission he handed us

London to Los Angeles
Da rap evangelist
Ma daddy wouldn't abandon us
"I gotta back pack fulla tracts plus I keep a Johnny Mac"
So are you ready to jam with us

So lets go, gimme the word an lets go
Persecution lets go
Tribulation lets go
Across the nation lets go
Procrastination bes go

Hung on the cross in the cold
Died for da young and the old
Can't say you never know
Heaven knows
How many souls are going to hell or to heaven so we gotta go in and get em

Verse 3 (LeCrae)

Suffer/ Yeah do it for Christ
if you trying to figure what to do with your life/
if you making a lot money hope you doing it right
because the money is Gods you better steward it right/

stay focused
if you ain't got no ride/
your life ain't wrapped up in what you drive/
the clothes you wear
the job you work/
the color your skin naw you Christian first/

people living life for a job/
make a lil money start living for a car/
get em a house a wife kids and a dog/
when they retire they living high on the hog/
but guess what they didn't ever really live at all/
to live is Christ yeah that's Paul I recall/ to die is gain
so for Christ we give it all/
he's the treasure you'll never find in a mall/

Your money your singleness, marriage, talents, your time/
they were loaned to you to show the world that Christ is Divine/
that's why it's Christ in my rhymes/
That's why it's Christ all the time/
see my whole world is built around him He's the life in my lines/

I refuse to waste my life/
he's too true ta chase that ice/
here's my gifts and time cause I'm constantly trying to be used to praise the Christ/
If he's truly raised to life/
then this news should change your life/
and by his grace you can put your faith in place that rules your days and nights.

Jesus Wants the Rose

Quite simply Matt Chandler explains exactly who the gospel of Jesus Christ is for:

Is it time to separate Ecclesiastical and Civil Marriage?

I understand that it is a traditional Baptist principle to have the separation of church and state but I don't know how strongly I believe in it. Mr. Lindsey makes his case for separation (Roger Williams style) in the arena of marriage. Opinion: On marriage, time to separate civil from ecclesiastical

By Jonathan Lindsey

Monday, April 06, 2009

(ABP) -- In this 400th-anniversary year of Baptist history it’s time for Baptists to take the lead -- and invite other ecclesiastical bodies to join them -- in removing one of the final vestiges of theocracy in the United States. From the earliest days of the settlement of this country by Europeans, the theocratic practice of clergy functioning as civil officials has been practiced notably in the performance of marriage ceremonies. Baptists who truly believe in separating the functions of church and state should have long ago protested this unholy alliance. But, becoming acculturated and benefiting from certain forms of cultural dominance regionally, we along with our Protestant colleagues have continued to practice this joining of a religious act with a civil act. When a clergyperson performs a wedding ceremony, he or she often announces -- as is sometimes required -- that he or she is acting by the authority granted by the state or other jurisdiction in which the wedding is being performed. Even if the minister does not explicitly cite the civil authority they’ve been given, the act of signing the marriage license (a civil document) makes the pastor, priest or rabbi an agent of the civil authority. Thus, you have a mixture of civil and religious authority in the act. In this country, marriage is a civil relationship, governed by the laws of the state or federal territory in which the marriage occurs, and recognized by the mutual consent by other states. Domestic affairs have been the purview of the states, normally regulated at the state and local levels. But, as a civil relationship, there are federal rights, responsibilities and benefits that accrue to persons who are married. And there are clear legal and civil procedures to engage in order to dissolve the civil relationships and responsibilities of marriage. If we treat marriage as a civil relationship in all instances, the civil nature of the relationship would function under the authority of civil servants duly elected and/or appointed to exercise the function of declaring two persons married. Removing the civil authority from clergy would clarify the ecclesiastical authority under which clergy perform marriage. Thus, persons seeking a civil relationship only would choose a civil ceremony. Couples who desire both a civil union and the recognition or blessing of a religious relationship by an ecclesiastical authority or community would have that option. However, to choose only an ecclesiastically recognized relationship would mean to forego the protections and benefits accorded in a civil relationship. It may be necessary that one of these relationships be declared as primary on an official basis. This is already the case to some extent, since only the civil nature of the relationship can be dissolved by civil authorities and the religious nature of the relationship can be dissolved by ecclesiastical authorities where annulment is an option. So, it’s time to change. Where states specifically require clergy to register, that should no longer be required. In states where clergy have been accorded de facto authority, that practice should be discontinued. Marriage would then be clearly understood as a relationship defined and governed by civil laws. Where ecclesiastical blessing is sought, whether for social or religious reasons, that too would be clear. I think Roger Williams would approve this change based on his articulation of the limits of political and ecclesiastical powers in The Bloudy Tenent of Persecution. Now, more than 350 years later, it’s time for Baptists who truly believe in the separation of church and state to help put an end to this holdover from 17th century theocratic behavior. Jonathan Lindsey is a retired administrator and faculty member at Baylor University.

Is Easter Pagan?

Jim Skaggs once again makes a statement (with some help) at One Eternal Day in this eternal argument over the cultural parts of religious celebrations. The jury is still out for me on this stuff but my prevailing opinion is that anything that can be used to share the gospel short of sin is probably acceptable.

In an article at Christian History, Anthony McRoy systematically refutes the idea that "Easter" has any connection to possible pagan antecedents, and concludes:

...The Christian title "Easter" ... reflects its general date in the calendar, rather than the Paschal festival having been re-named in honor of a supposed pagan deity.

Of course, the Christian commemoration of the Paschal festival rests not on the title of the celebration but on its content—namely, the remembrance of Christ's death and resurrection. It is Christ's conquest of sin, death, and Satan that gives us the right to wish everyone "Happy Easter!"

He notes that:

The argument largely rests on the supposed pagan associations of the English and German names for the celebration (Easter in English and Ostern in German). It is important to note, however, that in most other European languages, the name for the Christian celebration is derived from the Greek word Pascha, which comes from pesach, the Hebrew word for Passover. Easter is the Christian Passover festival.

Even if there were some preceding pagan holiday or practice, that wouldn't prove anything — any more than it does for Christmas, or Halloween for that matter. As McRoy points out:

Of course, even if Christians did engage in contextualization—expressing their message and worship in the language or forms of the local people—that in no way implies doctrinal compromise. Christians around the world have sought to redeem the local culture for Christ while purging it of practices antithetical to biblical norms. After all, Christians speak of "Good Friday," but they are in no way honoring the worship of the Norse/Germanic queen of the gods Freya by doing so.

But, in fact, in the case of Easter the evidence suggests otherwise: that neither the commemoration of Christ's death and resurrection nor its name are derived from paganism.

Good history and good sense.

Even the bunny and the egg — like Santa Claus and the Christmas tree — are , at worst, relatively harmless distractions.

Replanting

This article is from Scott Thomas, director of the Acts 29 church planting network. I am sharing because I wonder if some SDB churches would even consider replanting and redeeming a dying church for the sake of the gospel. It also gathers my interest because of my work with an Acts 29 replant.

Replanting
Dictionary.com defines replanting: "To plant (something) again or in a new place..." In a church replant, a church avoids permanent death by recognizing it will no longer flourish unless conditions are drastically changed to facilitate growth. A "transition church" on the other hand, starts with a healthy organism and applies biblical principles to foster new growth.

We can actually glorify Jesus by intentionally bringing death to a comatose body so that it could become the seed planted in nutrient-rich soil that gives life to a new body-not a stuffed carcass. Jesus said that unless a seed dies, it cannot give life (John 12:23-25). Jesus Himself was the first fruits sacrificially planted in the ground (tomb) as an offering to His Father and by doing so, made life possible for others.

"Remember that Jesus Christ, of the seed of David, was raised from the dead according to my gospel" (2 Timothy 2:8).

Instead of holding on with inordinate pride to the past, a replanted church dies to its former glory, its methods, its structure, and its practices and strategically plants its resources (body, budget, board and buildings) into the spiritual ground. The result is a virile replanted church with a God-renewed mission to give life to the spiritually dead community in which it ministers.

I believe Jesus is glorified significantly when this happens. It can be a corporate example of the spiritual renewal many individuals need. Is your church ready to live by dying?

A Biblical Solution
Jesus said that we live by dying (John 12:23-26). This is true in the natural, agronomic world, in the spiritual world, for our own spiritual lives and is true for churches.

If we are to glorify Jesus (John 12:23), we have to die daily to see a bountiful harvest (John 12:24). Jesus said that a grain of wheat can fall on the ground and still be alone or the Greek word monos-single. It infers that it is non-reproductive. Many people who come to church and look like Christians can actually just be monos-non-reproductive. Many people who claim they are spiritual may only be a non-reproductive seed on the ground.

It is only when we die that we release life. A kernel of corn has a hard shell that is protecting the life-giving germ inside of it. When it is put into the ground, the outer shell decomposes in the earth and releases the germ to draw its nutrients from the ground where it is buried. As the embryo grows, it eventually produces a plant that will reproduce that one seed thousands of times. Jesus said we would produce much grain; Gr., polus; abundant fruit.

Jesus had to die to give life. He couldn't just be beaten (fall to the ground). He had to die so that He could live and produce much fruit. We are the fruit of that firstfruit in Jesus if we have accepted the call of God.

If we try to hold on to what we have, we will lose everything. If we hand it over to Jesus to use, we reap an eternal multiplicity of rewards for God's glory (John 12:25). If we have affection for our lives here-our temporal life-we bring destruction to our life. We don't just lose it as we do something valuable. We destroy it. John Calvin said if we love our own life we actually devote it to destruction. This passage has a strange play on words, meanings and nuances. It is essentially saying that if we try to live our life here, we will destroy our lives. However, if we destroy our lives, we will live.

We either serve ourselves by following our own dreams, dollars and desires or we serve God by following His plan to save the lost world-no matter what it costs, including our own lives (John 12:26). We serve Jesus by His words and by His works. We learn diligently about Him and we fulfill His work to seek and to save that which is lost (Luke 19:10).

Here's the plan from Jesus: die to self, hate your lives here, follow me to Calvary where you will experience death and become My servant. However, in exchange for all of this, He offers to bear much fruit through our lives, to give us an eternal life, to join Jesus in glory and to be honored by God.

A Redemptive Decision
Every church and every believer needs to decide what they are going to do with the seed of life God has given them: keep it for their own purposes or allow it to die in the hands of God, trusting that He will produce much fruit. Redeeming people, property and plans for a brand new church gives glory to God.

Ten Deadly Sins of a Dying Church

This article hits close to home because I can see Seventh Day Baptist churches (some not all) fitting into most of these "sins", in particular 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10. This list was compiled by Thom and Sam Rainier from their book, Essential Church, and edited by Stephen Gray.

1. Doctrinal Drift
In a desire to reach more people, churches have often watered-down doctrinal truths believing that they are creating a more inviting environment for seekers. I dislike the term “Seeker Sensitive” the scripture isn’t very sensitive in many ways. Rather, we should think in terms of “seeker intelligibility”. The Word of God may not be very sensitive to an unbeliever, but it should be intelligible. Make o mistake, the younger generation likes straight-talk. They are tired of the mush.

2. Evangelism Atrophy
Most churches in America aspire to have evangelism as a driving force but they have lost their passion. Ask every one of them, however, and they will proclaim it as a core value. Yet, a quick look at their checkbook, annual budget and programs will tell the truth. For most churches in America evangelism is a great thought and desire, but in all actuality very little in the way of evangelism is done.

3. Failure To Be Relevant
I know, many in the church hate this word. But don’t forget, the Gospel was not written in a cultural vacuum. The words we read today were written thousands of years ago. They still apply today, but we must learn to understand them in their cultural context and then find ways to help 21st century people understand.
Church is no different. We have to do church in a way that connects with this culture otherwise the church simply becomes a huddled mass of cloistered believers hiding from a sin-sick world.

4. Inwardly Focused
The new2, unspoken mantra of the modern American church is; “It’s all about me.” While no one will readily admit it, all one has to do is look at the ministries and programs. What can be quickly discovered is that most churches build ministries to satisfy the already fed. These programs are good to keep the flock happy. Not necessarily a bad thing, but too much of a good thing ends up being a bad thing.

5. Personal Conflict
Not sure I need to explain this too much. Church people have found a way to make an argument out of almost anything. Political power struggles rule the day.

6. A Priority Of Comfort
Dying churches refuse to reach out beyond their own comfort-zones. When any real ministry does happen and dirty, sinful people walk in among the righteous, it upsets the apple cart. It simply isn’t comfortable.

7. Biblical Illiteracy
The latest research by Gallup and other pollsters reveal that most long time members of churches don’t really know what they Bible says. Phrases like; “God helps those who help themselves” are regularly quoted as scripture.

8. Hording
It amazes me the amount of money many dying churches have in their saving accounts. The thought is that they are saving it for a rainy day, but I wonder what God thinks about this? Will he be happy if we, like the man with one talent, have not invested his Kingdom resources in the Great co-mission work when returns. Which would be best; Die rich, having saved our resources and done as little as we can get by with, or Die broke with the knowledge that we have done all we can.

9. Failure to Follow
Too many cooks in the kitchen. Too often pastors are treated like hirelings and not called, anointed people of God. The pastor is forced to walk on eggshells to avoid losing their job.

10. Idolatry
You may think this is absent from today’s Church, but it is very alive. Beloved programs, versions of the Bible, furniture, paintings on the wall and the placement of objects have caused more quarrels than I care to mention. We have taken these items to god-like levels in the church and forgotten the main thing.

De-Baptism?

Jim Skaggs writes this from the One Eternal Day Blog and I too am surprised and have to ask the question 1.) what does de-baptism signify other than rebellion and 2.) what is the real meaning of Christian baptism.

Baptized atheists in England are seeking to be "de-baptized" and someone has figured out a way to make money out of it:

More than 100,000 Britons have recently downloaded "certificates of de-baptism" from the Internet to renounce their Christian faith.

The initiative launched by a group called the National Secular Society (NSS) follows atheist campaigns here and elsewhere, including a London bus poster which triggered protests by proclaiming "There's probably no God."

"We now produce a certificate on parchment and we have sold 1,500 units at three pounds (4.35 dollars, 3.20 euros) a pop," said NSS president Terry Sanderson, 58.

John Hunt, a 58-year-old from London and one of the first to try to be "de-baptised," held that he was too young to make any decision when he was christened at five months old.

The male nurse said he approached the Church of England to ask it to remove his name. "They said they had sought legal advice and that I should place an announcement in the London Gazette," said Hunt, referring to one of the official journals of record of the British government.

So that's what he did — his notice of renouncement was published in the Gazette in May 2008 and other Britons have followed suit.

Michael Evans, 66, branded baptising children as "a form of child abuse" — and said that when he complained to the church where he was christened he was told to contact the European Court of Human Rights.

The Church of England said its official position was not to amend its records. "Renouncing baptism is a matter between the individual and God," a Church spokesman told AFP. [more]

Those of us who believe in "believer's baptism" have a certain advantage since an atheist who decided personally to be baptized would have some difficulty blaming anyone but himself for the act.

"De-baptism" appears to be another instance of atheists believing that a religious sacrament has actual power. Why go to this trouble if they think the act was meaningless?

Nightline Debate on the Existence of Satan

Jamie Munson, Lead Pastor of Mars Hill Church in Seattle, posted these observations from the Nightline Debate on the existence of Satan. You can view the whole debate here.

8 Things to Know About Nightline’s Satan Debate

from The Mars Hill Blog by Pastor Jamie Munson

If you’ve been paying any attention to Mars Hill Church online, you know that the big Satan Debate will air tomorrow night on ABC Nightline (the unedited version should be online tomorrow too).

Last Friday, I was able to enjoy the live taping of the debate as a normal observer with no additional responsibilities to help run the event. With the kids away for the weekend, Crystal (my wife) and I had plenty of time to hang out and discuss the “Faceoff.” Our top eight observations:

1. The debate was more about Jesus than Satan.

Both are important, but Jesus is the main character. He got the first word, thanks to Pastor Mark’s courageous, compassionate, and clear presentation of the gospel.

2. The hospitality of the Mars Hill volunteers.

They were everywhere, creating a warm and welcoming environment for all the guests and ready to help out in anyway necessary. The crew from ABC was floored by the warmth and competence of our volunteers. Thanks to those who served.

3. There were lots of laughs.

Moderator Dan Harris did a good job and made the potentially awkward “tape breaks” not so awkward. The whole experience offered a fun and educational peak into the world of TV production.

4. Mars Hill folks engaging non-Christians in conversation.

I saw and heard many conversations about Jesus between those on both sides of the issue. It was really cool to see Christians sharing Jesus in word and deed, and to hear so much open discussion. In fact, the whole experience was a lot like what used to occur at the original Mars Hill.

5. Annie Lobert demonstrated a heartfelt love for Jesus.

Her story was effective and moving; she has clearly been changed by Jesus and is using her life to help others experience the same grace and redemption.

6. Deepak Chopra admitted he cannot trust his own mind.

Unfortunately, he does trust his own spirit and not The Holy Spirit. I was grieved by the amount of faith that he puts in himself and the ambiguous way in which he spoke.

7. Bishop Carlton Pearson quoted a lot of verses, but…

Though he knows a lot about the Bible, Pearson picks and chooses which parts he likes and wants to believe. In doing so, he ultimately places himself in authority over Scripture as the one who gets to decide which parts are true and which are not.

8. God’s Word was the closing argument.

As his final statement, Pastor Mark read from 1 John 5:19–20, giving Jesus the last word. Jesus Christ is the true God and eternal life. I hope and pray that some who were in attendance and others who will tune in on TV or watch online will come to know Jesus in this way.

Notes for the Marriage and Men sermon from Driscoll

Notes: Marriage and Men

from The Mars Hill Blog by Mars Hill Church

TEXT: 1 Peter 3:7
PREACHER: Pastor Mark Driscoll
DATE: March 22, 2009

After addressing women last week, this week Pastor Mark preached specifically to men.

1. Your father: Adam (Genesis 1–3)

• Marriage is a covenant (Prov. 2:16; Mal. 2:14).
• Men are the covenant head, responsible for their wife and family (Gen. 2:18; 5:2; 1 Cor. 11:2–16, 14:33–34; Eph. 5:21–33; Col. 3:18; Titus 2:3–5; 1 Pet. 3:1).
• Adam and Eve both sinned, both are at fault, and both are cursed, but God held Adam responsible (Gen. 3:9).
• Marriage is cursed (Gen. 3:16). Work is cursed (Gen. 3:17–19). Jesus is the only hope (Gen. 3:15).

2. Your Manhood

Like Adam, the sins of men fall into two general categories: sins of comission (doing what you’re not supposed to do) and sins of omission (not doing what you’re supposed to do). This leads chauvinistic or cowardly tendencies:

Chauvinism

1. No Sissy Stuff Sam:
whatever women do, do the opposite

2. Success and Status Stewart:
masculinity = material success

3. Give’em Hell Hank:
angry and abusive

4. I’m the Boss Bob:
domineering and controlling; in authority, not under authority

Cowardice

1. Little Boy Larry:
never grew up, disorganized, lives with his mother, etc.

2. Sturdy Oak Owen:
absolutely dependable but emotionally absent

3. Hyper-Spiritual Henry:
Hides behind religious behavior and “God talk.” Talks at you but not to you.

4. Good Time Gary:
irresponsible life of the party

3. Your Savior: Jesus Christ (the Last Adam, 1 Cor. 15:45)

Ephesians 5:25 calls men to love their wives as Christ loves the Church. Men are not ready to be good husbands until they are a part of the Church and understand how Christ loves the Church by taking responsibility for her and sacrificing himself for her.

The essence of true masculinity is taking responsibility.

4. Your Wife

Understand that a wife’s fears (1 Pet. 3:6) are legitimate; men dominate the lives of women and children, for good or for evil. Honor your wife:

1. Honor her maritally.
Take a wife honorably. Establish right priorities, and be a one woman man–absolutely faithful to your wife.

2. Honor her physically.
Be strong for your wife, not against her. Be protective of her and present with her.

3. Honor her emotionally.
Be emotionally present and intimate. Take her on dates.

4. Honor her verbally.
Speak honorably to her. Speak honorably of her, when she is present and absent.

5. Honor her financially.
Provide for the financial needs of your family, organize your budget, and be generous towards your wife.

6. Honor her practically.
Consider her needs and how you can serve her.

7. Honor her parentally.
Be “Pastor Dad” by shepherding your children (praying with them, teaching them about Jesus, reading the Bible with them, etc.).

8. Honor her spiritually.
You initiate and lead prayer, Bible, chats, church attendance, etc. Take responsibility for your church.

What happens when you fail to honor your wife? God ignores you (1 Pet. 3:7). Repent.

Further Study:

• Recovering Biblical Manhood and Womanhood, by Wayne Grudem and John Piper
• God, Marriage, and the Family, by Andreas Kostenberger
• New Men, Soft Patriarchs: How Christianity Shapes Fathers and Husbands, by W. Bradford Wilcox