Dear friends, what a wonderful time the Lord gave us this past week at Together for the Gospel.  As I prepare for our assembly here this Lord's Day morning  (thank God, Ray Ortlund, Jr. is here to preach for us!) I am humbled by how many of you came, how kind and responsive and excited and enjoyable you were.  Lig, Al, CJ & I were so thankful that John M, John P & RC agreed to join us.  We were served very well by all of these men.  Highlights were, of course, the messages.  For me a highlight was hearing Al thank Matt Schmucker publicly.  He (and others with him) put an unbelievable amount of time into every detail.  Another highlight was seeing one brother put his arm around a pastor from another church who was struggling with special challenges.  I'm sure this was repeated many times during the few days the Lord gave us together.

The response about the panels, too, has been overwhelming.  We knew that since we had so many of them, this aspect of the conference would be crucial.  I don't know if the discussions themselves were always so good, but I think that seeing the preacher more 3-dimensionally relate to others is a great way to highlight the message, and gives weight to it, as you realize that you've listened not to a cardboard cut-out, but to a real man like yourself, someone who prays, breathes, sins, eats, confesses and preaches. 

Hearing your singing was wonderful.  I'm sorry that in the rush of events I couldn't meet more of you.  Pray for us as we consider a 2008 conference.  And know that we have, did, and will pray for your ministries.  We were all honored by the Lord once again so faithfully feeding us, the undershepherds of His flock.  We now return with renewed energy, vision, encouragement and direction to the task He's set before us--to care for His flock, until He comes.

People keep asking me what will come of all this.  Brothers and sisters, we don't know.  Only the Lord does.  I remember when John Bunyan was arrested for having an illegal meeting to preach the Gospel, the judge said to this uneducated tinker before him, that he [the judge] "would break the neck of all such meetings."  Bunyan replied quietly  "It may be so."  Man proposes; God disposes.

Pray that we would have wisdom about many discussions that are being encouraged, cooperations that are being proposed.  I don't desire to see a new organization.  I do desire to see the Lord's work cross-fertilized--let's drink together from the riches of Calvary.  Let's observe each other doing that as well, and so undermine our prejudices.  Let's learn from each other and pray for each other.  And let's see if God will not once again own the ordinary means--the preaching of His gospel, the life of our churches, prayer--in extraordinary measure.  Will God give us revival?  Will He give us great ingatherings?  We cannot say.  But, we can pray and labor and preach.  And we can know that it may be so.

To all of you whom came to Together for the Gospel, from as far away as India and Australia, from a dazzling variety of churches and backgrounds, almost 3000 of you, young and old (though half or more were in your 20s and 30s) - thank you. What a privilege it was to serve you, to sing with you, to weep with you, to talk with you, to laugh with you, to praise God with you, to recommit ourselves to the blazing center of Christian ministry, with you.

I'll have more to say soon, but my heart is too full and the rest of me is too tired! On behalf of Mark, Al and CJ - thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

Greetings all, and welcome to Louisville.  For those of you who are here, welcome in person.  For those unable to attend "Together for the Gospel," we hope you will be with us in prayer.  We are so encouraged to see so many pastors arriving here. 

Here's a personal request from the Louisvillian among the T4TG Band of Brothers:  Please leave a good impression for the Gospel by your presence here.  Be kind to all, including the waiters and waitresses, hotel staff, and others.  We should be ashamed, brothers, to know that service personnel often cringe to see pastors arrive.  Thank you in advance for your good witness through kindness.

Our hope is that you will all be fed, strengthened, challenged, and encouraged by your time at T4TG.  We are expecting great days together.

A couple of short notes:

[1]  Mark, what did you get, the world's dinkiest iPod?  You have listed a paltry selection of (very fine) classical music.  Get with it.  Where is Bach's "St. Matthew Passion," Mozart's 'Requiem" and "Jupiter," Gorecki's Third Symphony ("Sorrowful Songs") or anything by Biber or Gabrielli?  Where is Haydn's "Creation," Handel's "Judas Maccabaeus" or Bach's magnificent organ music?  Beethoven's Sixth Symphony?  Handel's "Saul?"  That poor iPod cries out for these and so much more.  Feed it, lest it die of embarrassment.

[2]  CJ, at my Weblog today I posted a series of links to maps detailing the concentration of Christian denominations (and other groups) across the United States.  Here is the link to my posting.  Here, for example, is the map of Baptists in the U.S., who have congregated together in a clump, and here are the Presbyterians, who were predestined to be more evenly dispersed.  Where are the Sovereign Grace churches?  I want a map.  Get your people right on this.

I'm in Louisville now and people are arriving from all over.  How kind is God to give any of His servants encouragement from meeting those we're co-laboring with in the gospel!

2 short notes:

In preparing an IPOD to bring with me on this trip (IPOD gift of CJ) I loaded my favorite classical music:

Bach's Cello Suites

Beethoven's "Emperor" Piano Concerto

Beethoven's Late String Quartets

Mendelssohn's 5th Symphony

Brahm's 1st Symphony

Ives' "Holiday" Symphony

Short note #2

CJ, is it true that you preached a sermon series on all the Biblical accounts of God killing people?  Can you tell us a little about this?

My pastor friend, how much of what we've done will continue to impact our town 50 years after our ministry is completed?

How much of what we've done will continue to impact our CHURCH 50 years after our ministry is completed?

How much of what we've done continues to impact individuals in our church 50 days after our ministry is completed?

Of course, these questions can only be answered by God.  He gives the growth.  However, we can be careful not to build with wood, hay and stubble, but with those things that remain--the Word of God, prayer, evangelism.  Here's what George Whitefield wrote in his diary one day:  "I went to Kidderminster where I was kindly received.  I was greatly refreshed to find what a sweet savour of good Mr. Baxter's doctrine, works, and discipline remained to this day."  That was written on Dec. 31 of 1743, over 80 years after Baxter's ministry in Kidderminster was completed. 

Jesus said to His disciples, "You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit-- fruit that will last" (John 15:16).  By God's grace, true gospel fruit will last eternally in Heaven.  Wouldn't it be wonderful, if we gave ourselves to the means of ministry that God has ordained, and that in His overflowing grace to us, He would allow continuing fruit even in the field of our earthly ministry?  Let's labor and pray that it would be so, to the good of His people, and to the glory of God Himself.

“I have come down many times from the sick chamber of those members of this church who are now in the upper house, and I have done so with faith confirmed and joy increased.  Those beloved ones have given me more strength and assurance than I ever derived from the study of the ablest works in my library.  They were sometimes very poor, but I remember well the glories of the little room wherein they were disrobing for the beatific vision.  Their heavenly serenity, varied with bursts of triumphant joy, has driven all my fears away.  Some have been wasted with disease and racked with pain till it seemed impossible that an original thought could have come from them, and yet their speech has been fresh and new, an inspired utterance far excelling poetry.  They only spoke what they were seeing, what they were enjoying, for the jewelled gates were set open to them, and they peered within and then turned round and told us a little of what they saw.  It has been a glorious thing to find none of them trembling, none confounded, none wavering.  No dying man has looked me in the face and said, ‘Sir, you did not preach a religion which a man can die with; you taught me doctrines which are not substantial enough for the dying hour.’  No, I feel even now their death grips, as they have clasped my hand and told me of their overflowing joy.  They have said to me, ‘Bless the Lord that ever I stepped into the Tabernacle to hear of justification by faith, of the divine substitution, of atonement, made by blood, and of a faithful God who casts not away his people!’  Such expressions I have heard from those upon the borders of Immanuel’s land.  These are our seals and the tokens that Christ has spoken by us.”  CH Spurgeon, “The Proof of our Ministry” (Met Tab, vol. 30 [1884], pp. 369-370).

When Brahms was asked why it took him so long to publish his first symphony (he had been working on it for years), I believe he said something about hearing the footsteps of Beethoven behind him.  Beethoven was such a titanic figure, founder of the "modern" symphony, revered by Brahms, that he could hardly be persuaded to publish his own first symphony.  When he was 43, he finally did.

I'm almost 46 and have still not published my first symphony, and don't plan to anytime soon.  But for those of us who are pastors, Richard Baxter is the Beethoven-like figure of pastoral visitation.  His great reputation, rumors of his practices, pieces of his plans haunt our memories.  So, can we learn anything from his practices?  What did he do?

Richard Baxter had a specific area (the parish of St.Mary's in the town of Kidderminster) which he was responsible for.  He mapped out the whole parish with the plan to interview and catechize every member of every household.  He hired an assistant pastor to help him with this work.  2 of his 5 weekdays, Baxter would try to see 7 families, and his assistant would try to see 7.  The assistant would go to their homes, those to see Baxter would come to him.  He carefully examined their knowledge of the catechism.  Then he would talk to each individual personally.  The results, by God's grace, were stunning.

Now, a question for YOU LIG:  Would you call such pastoral visitation part of the "ordinary means" that are set out for us as pastors to use with the members of our congregations?  Maybe Paul's practice mentioned in Acts 20:20?  Al, CJ, any thoughts? 

Is Baxter's practice here the incarnation of the pastor's conscience?  It is, I think, for this pastor.  And my practice for 12 years here so far has shown that I'm neither a Beethoven nor a Brahms.  Still, God has been so faithful.

Looking forward to seeing you all in Louisville! 

I still haven't answered CJ's questions, but I'm working my way towards a post. Menawhile, I thought these seminal summarizing thoughts from F.F. Bruce, on the Gospel, were worthwhile as a starting point of reflection (though certainly not beyond improvement) regarding the shape of the NT teaching on the Gospel. Bruce says:

The NT use of Gk. euangelion, “joyful tidings,” “good news,” has an OT background in Is. 40-66, where the LXX verb euangelizomai, “bring good news,” is used of the declaration of Jerusalem’s deliverance from bondage (Is. 4:9; 52:7) and also of a wider announcement of liberation for the oppressed (Is. 61:1, 2). This last passage provided the text of Jesus’ inaugural preaching at Nazareth: he gave notice that it had been fulfilled as he spoke (Lk. 4:17-21). Jesus’ message was otherwise described as the gospel of the kingdom of God. Its contents are set out in his parables, where the Father’s loving bestowal of mercy and free forgiveness on the undeserving and the outcasts is presented with vividness and warmth.

With Jesus’ death and resurrection a new phase of the gospel begins. The preacher becomes the preached one: his followers, whom he commissioned to preach the gospel after his departure, proclaimed him as the one in whom the Father’s pardoning grace had drawn near. “The gospel of God. . . concerning his Son” (Rom. 1:1-3) tells how, in the coming and redemptive work of Christ, God has fulfilled his ancient promise of blessing for all nations.

For the first generation after Christ’s ascension the gospel was exclusively a spoken message; the earliest written record of the gospel appeared in the 60s.

Only one saving message is attested by the NT. The “gospel to the circumcision” preached by Peter and his colleagues did not differ in content from the “gospel to the uncircumcised” entrusted to Paul (Gal. 2:7), though the form of presentation might vary according to the audience. Paul’s testimony is, “Whether therefore it was I or they [Peter and his colleagues], so we preach, and so you believed” (1 Cor. 15:11).

The basic elements in the message were these: 1. the prophecies have been fulfilled and the new age inaugurated by the coming of Christ; 2. he was born into the family of David; 3. he died according to the Scriptures, to deliver his people from this evil age; 4. he was buried, and raised again the third day, according to the Scriptures; 5. he is exalted at God’s right hand as Son of God, Lord of living and dead; 6. he will come again, to judge the world and consummate his saving work.

-----

Two things strike me immediately: (1) first, the observation that "with Jesus’ death and resurrection a new phase of the gospel begins" is important, and perhaps overlooked in some current discussions; (2) the influence of C.H. Dodd on Bruce's summary has perhaps contributed to an underplaying of the Gospel's relation to the forgiveness of sin (unless you read the euphemistic "to deliver his people from this evil age" as sufficiently expressive of this emphatic NT point). Leon Morris supplies the corrective to this in "The Apostolic Preaching of the Cross."

"I think that the priority for every pastoral leader must be his own personal time with God over the Scriptures, and anything he does by way of preparation must flow out of that. The first requirement for authoritative, perceptive communication of the word of God is that you yourself should be experiencing the power of it. The Puritan John Owen said, 'A man only preaches that sermon well which first preaches itself in his own soul.' He was profoundly right." J.I. Packer

A while back I promised a post on how to develop a plan for reading and study. We’ve been covering a variety of topics on this blog, but I didn’t forget my promise. I hope this brief post proves helpful.

If you haven’t already read all the great posts on this topic--provided by Lig (his series might still be going), Mark and Al--please make time to peruse this material. And if you’ve already read it, let me encourage you to review it again. You will be freshly inspired by the content and discouraged by all you’ve forgotten.

It’s important to read these posts again, because if you don’t have a conviction about the importance of study, talking about a plan would be premature. Let the following words by Charles Bridges create a renewed conviction about the importance of studying Scripture--not simply because we are pastors, but because we are Christians:

“For if we should study the Bible more as ministers than as Christians, more to find matter for the instruction of our people than food for the nourishment of our own souls, we neglect to place ourselves at the feet of our divine teacher, our communion with him is cut off and we become mere formalists in our sacred profession.”

May God protect us from becoming “mere formalists in our sacred profession.”

So, do you have a plan for reading and study? Do you have a plan for each week, each month and each year? If not, your good intentions will be hijacked by the urgent and issues of secondary importance. You will look busy and maybe even feel productive, but eventually there will be a withering effect on your soul and in your preaching. But this doesn’t have to happen. It’s not inevitable, unless, of course, you don’t have a plan.

Here is what I recommend. Before your week attacks you (and each week will do this), attack your week. Spend time at the beginning of each week determining when and how long you need to read and study in order to cultivate passion for the Savior and prepare the sermon for Sunday. This simple practice can make all the difference. It has for me.

This practice protects my time of study from the many requests that come up each week. Because I have already determined what is most important, it is easier to decline or reschedule a request if it interferes with reading and study. Obviously, however, there will be emergencies and exceptions.

I would also recommend informing the church of your divinely prescribed mandate to study. This will help your people to understand this is a biblical priority for you as their pastor, and not simply a personal preference. Explain why you devote yourself to this task and how they will ultimately benefit. And ask them to pray for you as you devote yourself to the study of Scripture in service of the church.

So how much time should you devote to reading and studying each week, month or year? Lots! Actually, I can’t answer that question for you. You must work hard and seek counsel to come up with your own custom-designed plan. If you don’t know how or where to start, check out John Stott’s time allotments for study (apart from sermon preparation), which he has followed for many years:

One hour a day
One 3 hour period a week
One day every month
One week every year

This plan sure seems to have worked well for Mr. Stott.

Now, let me conclude with one personal recommendation. I encourage pastors to take two 3-day retreats each year for the purpose of reading, study, praying and planning. Put these dates on the calendar before the year begins. I have found that this unhurried time away from the daily routine of ministry refreshes my soul and makes all the difference in my leadership. I believe it will have the same affect on you. I would however, not recommend taking a retreat in March. The temptation to watch college basketball is too distracting. So take your retreat in a month where there is no Madness!

I've got some good news!

Absolute moral truth is revealed in the Bible!  Really!

Jesus was without sin!  Absolutely without!

Satan literally exists!  (That explains some of what goes on this world!)

But it is GOD who is both omnipotent and omniscient!

Christians must evangelize!

Who else has this good news?  Protestants?  Surely pastors!  According to one poll in Dave Shiflett's book Exodus last year, only 28% of mainline Protestant pastors believe all of this.  Among female pastors, only 15% believed all of this.  7% of all Americans believe all of this.  And, according to this poll, only 9% of "born again Christians".  Hmmm.  I think we need to work on educating fellow Christians on some basics.  And maybe some polling organizations on what was entailed in Jesus' teaching Nicodemus that he must be born again.  I don't know how born again I am if I can't trust the Bible to be true, or Christ to be right.  By and to whom am I born again if the god I worship may be ignorant, or even defeated in a contest.  How good is the news if we distort the nature of our challenge (the existence of Satan) and don't think Jesus' command to tell everyone applies to us?

Who's got Good News?  By God' s grace, I do.  Satan doesn't.  God does.  Those who are truly born again do.  And the polls?  I know we shouldn't shoot the messenger just because we don't like the message.  But what if we're not sure the messenger even has the message?  Good suspicion of some polls and some pastors.  Bad suspicion of Jesus or the Bible!  The Jesus we read about in the Bible has the always true News that is Good for all of those who will repent and believe.

Al, how's the pastors' meeting going?

So what are the REAL conversations like between these friends?  Here's some of the highly erudite conversation today!

Mark to CJ:  Wasn’t that a great Spurgeon quotation on election?! [referring to the quotation in the earlier blog entry entitled "A Becoming Weakness"]

CJ to Mark:  Yep, it’s a classic and affects folks every time I use it.

Note the careful use of the capital "S" and the subtle use of compound punctuation ("?!") and the great use of adjectives ("great").  And then in CJ's response, note that he first identifies evidences of grace ("Yep") and then educates ("it's a classic") and then illustrates ("and affects folks every time I use it").

Thanks Al for a great post on the Gospel (and don't you love C.J.'s answer to his own questions?!), and for pointing us to Mark's important article on the atonement. Thanks Mark for the Spurgeon quote.

I quoted John Piper yesterday, during the morning services (from his Easter sermon in 2000). It's a great example of a Gospel response to the power of Christ's resurrection. John tells the story of Ruby Eliason and Laura Edwards - two elderly missionaries who had just then died in Cameroon in a car accident. John says: "Ruby [was] in her eighties and Laura in her seventies. Ruby gave all her life in medical missions among the poor. Laura, a doctor who practiced in India for many years and then here in the Cities, was giving her retirement for the bodies and the souls of the poor in Cameroon. Both died suddenly when their car went over a cliff."

John then asks: "Was that a tragedy? Well, in one sense all death is tragic."

The following is John's answer:

Ruby Eliason and Laura Edwards, at their age, could have been taking it easy here in retirement. Think of tens of thousands of retired people spending their lives in one aimless leisure after another - that is a tragedy. The fact that Jesus Christ took authority to make Ruby Eliason and Laura Edwards valiant for love and truth among the poor and lost and diseased of Cameroon when most Americans are playing their way into eternity - that is not tragedy. And that he took them suddenly to heaven in their old age in the very moment of their love and service and sacrifice, and without long, drawn-out illnesses and without protracted and oppressive feelings of uselessness - that is not a tragedy. Rather, I say, "Give me that death, O Jesus Christ, Lord of the universe, give me that life and that ministry and that death!"

This is why Jesus came. This is why he was crucified. This is why he rose from the dead with all authority and promised to be with us to the end of the age - to create a people whose sins are forgiven, and whose hearts are full of the love of God, and who are so emboldened by the triumphant Christ, that they spend their lives with risk and sacrifice and love to help others know and enjoy the greatness of Christ forever and ever.

Is this not what you were made for? Is there not something in your own soul that witnesses to you that this is true and worthy of full acceptance?

Al, thanks for recommending Mark's article on the atonement in Christianity Today and commending Mark for this article. I couldn't agree more. And thanks for your fine post on the meaning of the gospel.

In case you guys didn't know, Mark's latest book, The Message of the Old Testament: Promises Made, was just published by Crossway. It is a must-have for every pastor's library, and it is outstanding. Not to mention, it is only 959 pages in length.

This book comes with some serious endorsements. Check out the following:

"This book is a landmark in the history of Bible expostion--a homiletical tour de force." Phil Ryken

"Mark Dever's one-sermon whole-Bible-book overviews are a treasure trove for preachers, Bible teachers and growing Christians." Ligon Duncan

"Mark Dever has done the Christian community a great service in publishing these sermons." David Peterson

"This is a bold project, some might say foolhardy, but Mark Dever has brilliantly succeeded." Vaughn Roberts

"In a day of worrisome biblical illiteracy, even among Christians, there is a pressing need for books that give the big picture and provide surefooted guides for negotiating the Bible's vast and subtle territory. To produce such a book is no easy task, yet that is what Dr. Dever has done." Carl Trueman

"Once again, this Duke graduate makes the university and the basketball team proud." Coach K

And the endorsements just go on and on, as they should for this book. Although the endorsement by Coach K cannot be verified.

Mark, thanks for all your hard work over the years preparing this material. Thanks for your compelling example in the pulpit by preaching this material. And thanks for providing pastors and Christians with this material.

Don't miss Mark's article, "Nothing But the Blood," in the current edition of Christianity Today.  Mark has done a great job of laying out the objections to the substitutionary character of Christ's atonement, and then of answering these objections with solid argument.  At the same time, he acknowledges that no single metaphor or model is sufficient to describe Christ's atonement for sin.  The issue is the indispensability and centrality of substitution as a biblical theme.

Thanks for your faithfulness, Mark. 

I will be in Sandestin, Florida this week for a meeting of large-church pastors in the Southern Baptist Convention.  More later.

Al, thanks for reminding us that salvation is all of grace. 

We've had a great Lord's Day at CHBC thinking about this.  This morning we were in II Cor. 11:1-12:13.  This, of course, is that famous passage where Paul "boasts" of his weaknesses that Christ's power may be made perfect, displayed through Paul's reliance and Christ's faithfulness. 

It makes me think of one of my all-time favorite Spurgeon quotations.  It's in book 2 of Lectures to My Students, and Spurgeon is talking about the doctine of election.  [Spurgeon had such a gift of making pride-destroyng Bible truth winsome.  John Piper I think has that gift today in special measure.]  Anyway, Spurgeon says, with humor, self-deprecation and sharp theological accuracy
"I believe the doctrine of election, because
I am quite sure that if God had not chosen me I should never have chosen him;
and I am sure he chose me before I was born, or else he never would have chosen me afterwards; and he must have elected me for reasons unknown to me,
for I never could find any reason in myself why he should have looked upon me with special love. 
So I am forced to accept that doctrine," (Lectures, book 2, page 47).

I understand that some worry that if we accept the Bible's teaching on election we will never evangelize.  Should we not also be worried that if we reject the Bible's teaching on election we will never be humbled enough to make Christianity look like anything worth having?  I love Spurgeon's humility.  I love his boasting in God.  I think it is attractive.  I think it is motivating to evangelism.  I think it displays God's love.  A biblical doctrine of election highlights our poverty and Christ's riches, our weakness and Christ's strength, our need and God's supply.

It maybe that God will use our weakness and inability to highlight His own strength and grace.  He's done it before.

I write this early in the morning of Resurrection Sunday, a Lord's Day like every other, lived and celebrated in the light of the glorious resurrection of Christ from the dead.  What a time to consider the meaning of the Gospel.

C. J. raised this question, and it is so vast that it defies summarization.  And yet, if we cannot summarize the Gospel, we surely do not understand it, and cannot effectively share it.

Here is one complication:  We talk about the Gospel while, in one sense, meaning a summation of all that the Bible teaches.  We know of Gospel churches and Gospel messages and Gospel tracts -- meaning that these are self-consciously intended as centered in evangelism, the heralding of the good news of salvation through Christ Jesus.

Yet, in this other sense, the Gospel refers broadly to the comprehensiveness of the Christian truth claim, for the truths that comprise the Gospel depend upon the totality of revealed truth.  One cannot truly affirm the Gospel, for example, without recognizing the background of God's work of creation and the eschatological promise of a new heaven and a new earth.  Similarly, the entire enterprise of the Gospel is dependent upon the grace of God in revelation, especially the Bible.

But, more to the point, C. J., I would define the Gospel as the good news that God saves sinners through the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ [1 Cor. 15:3-4].  This good news tells us that we are sinners, who deserve only death and cannot save ourselves.  The Gospel points to the cross of Christ as the propitiation for our sins, the substitutionary sacrifice for our transgressions [Romans 3:21-26] and to the empty tomb as the promise of our resurrection unto eternal life [1 Cor. 15].  This Gospel is God's gift, as is the faith that justifies sinners.  Salvation is all of grace, so that no sinner can boast of his salvation.  Saving faith is made visible in those who confess with their lips that Jesus Christ is Lord and believe in their hearts that God raised Him from the dead [Romans 10:9].

So much more could and surely should be said, but I cannot believe that anything can be taken away from this without doing great injury to the Gospel.

C. J., thanks for asking the question.  I'll post more in coming days.  In the meantime, let me point to my commentary on the resurrection posted Friday.

Another helpful and convicting post Mark. Thank you. Among other things it reminds me again how much continuity there is in our situation from the late nineteenth century to now. With all the pomo hubbub about how everything today is totally different, what always strikes me to the contrary when I'm reading the 19th century leading lights is the similarity of our challenges and situation.

And now for something completely different! (As Monty and the boys used to say). No, actually, it's related -

I'm looking at a newspaper article about a church in a major metropolitan area in the Southern United States that is building what they term "the finest presentation facility" in their county. A number of things about the story caught my attention, but especially what they are calling their worship facility: the experience center.

It's interesting, eh? - the Protestant move from sanctuary or meeting house, to worship center, and now - experience center.

There are a number of positive things about the congregation's emphasis noted in the article: high view of the importance of the local church, desire for evangelism, desire to serve others. But the very name of the event facility, coupled with their advertising mailer, which emphasizes that those who attend Easter Services "won't be bored" are parabolic of the continuity of our situation with the nineteenth century, aren't they?

After all, Spurgeon was having to talk about the difference between "feeding sheep and amusing goats" then. And today, despite the emerging/emergent protest against this supposedly locked-in-the-70's style of ministry, it is still a driving force in church-life today.

I do not think that any discussion of our approach to Christian theology, ministry and worship in the United States in our time can afford to overlook the overwhelming power and influence of the consumer mindset (on both those who plan and lead ministry in the churches, and those they are trying to reach). It must be the starting point of our contextual discussion, and its overwhelmingly negative effects must be considered. While it is all the rage to say that all things are new now and that "postmodernism" must inform everything we do in theology, ministry and worship, there is a far more powerful and concrete force crouching at our doors. We ignore it to our peril.

Al, I know you're in the middle of a board meeting, but CJ & I are still waiting to hear from you and Lig on a brief statement on the gospel, and particular threats to it today.

I'm sorry to be missing the time with you in Louisville, but I'm here at Southwestern for a couple of days.  Last night I had a good time with 30 or 40 students in Jason Duesing's class, talking about regenerate church membership, and the kind of understanding of conversion and practice of evangelism that entails.  Today I have the privilege of meals with a few friends (Malcolm Yarnell, Paige Patterson, Jason Lee), speaking in Malcolm's class, preaching in chapel and giving an informational meeting at 3pm about 9Marks.  Pray for me in this.  All the folks here have been extremely hospitable.

On to pleasant post-modernism for a moment--how's this for a practical description of the contemporary mood?

We must be largely charitable,
and leave this brother to his own opinion;
he sees truth from a different standpoint,
and has a rather different way of putting it,
but his opinions are as good as our own,
and we must not say that he is in error.

I think it's a pretty good on-the-ground look at the apparent humility being cultivated today in the name of our lack of omniscience.  This is a quotation from C H Spurgeon as he typified opponents he was facing in 1873! He called this "the fashionable way of trifling with divine truth, and making things pleasant all round.  Thus the gospel is debased and another gospel propagated."  (Met Tab Oct. 19, 1873).  The more things change, the more they stay the same.  Semper eadem.

Let's pray that we would most want to please not those "all round", but God, and that we would do so by clear presentations of His gospel.

What are you going to preach about tomorrow?  Resolve right now, that whether you're working through II Corinthians, or the life of Christ, or the role of children in the home, you will talk about God.  Apparently RC Sproul said at the Twin Lakes Conference this week what he's said for some time now:  "To say that theology is boring is really to say that God is boring."  With excitement in your heart, preacher, talk about God and the Gospel.  Trace out clearly the applications of our holy God's redeeming work in Christ.  Read CJ's blog entry from a couple of days ago on "The Gospel."  Soak in the astounding holy love of God--soak in it in your own heart, and soak in it in your message.  There is a reason that what we're called to has traditionally been called the "Gospel ministry."

Is God in your sermon notes for tomorrow?  Or do you have a more relevant message?

One of the most marked aspects of God's grace to me is the staff I get to work with.  Here is Paul Curtis' email to me this afternoon, reflecting on the wonderful time he had at Twin Lakes, and communicating his prayers for me as I work on Sunday's sermon.  (Paul is editor for 9Marks.)

"Brother [David] Wells on sermon application from the Twin Lakes conference: in your application you want to make the truth 'inescapable'.  I thought that was solid. Of course only the Holy Spirit applies the truth, but we want to make the claim of the truth on our lives so clear that our people see that it is a matter of obedience or disobedience, not preference.  May God grant you this kind of application in this next sermon and may He cause the people of God to really 'use' the truth proclaimed.  Oh that we would be different because of the sermon this Sunday!

Love you brother. 

Paul."

"Inescapable" truth.  Thanks Paul for sharing this with me.  Thanks Matt for sending Paul.  Thanks David for saying this.  Thanks Lig for organizing the conference.

May we all live different lives because of the sermons we preach or hear this coming Lord's Day!

O God, prevent us from escaping from the clear meaning of Your Word for us.

C.J., what a great post! Dripping with helpfulness and insight. Thanks.

Al, no, it's not clerical garb, which I don't wear(!) [though I do don a plain, black, Geneva gown on Sunday morning - but that is utterly bereft of liturgical symbolism, and is merely the dress of a teacher of the Word, from Reformation times], it's just an orange, short-sleeve shirt,buttoned to the top, and my accompanying conference name-tag. Had to wear orange - I was lecturing on "Is the Reformation Over?" Didn't want to be unclear in my sympathies.

Mark, Twin Lakes was wonderful. Paul Curtis did a fine job representing 9Marks - and I loved the new 9Marks video. Excellent. Professor David F. Wells (of Gordon-Conwell) did a brilliant overview of "Above All Earthly Pow'rs." Professor Douglas F. Kelly (of RTS Charlotte) preached our opening sermon on "Christian Worship Overthrows Satan" - a glorious exposition of ordinary means of grace ministry and the confidence we have in God's use of his appointed means. C.J., you will love this sermon! Pastor Mike Campbell of Redeemer Church here in Jackson preached on "Christ-centered Leadership" from John 13 (some of you may know that he preached with much blessing at Bethlehem Baptist Church at the DGM Pastor's Conference this year) - it was simply glorious. Pastor Terry Johnson (of the Independent Presbyterian Church in Savannah - which, btw, has one of the most beautiful meeting houses in all of Christendom) gave a brilliant paper on the importance of reading the Scripture in public worship (a practice now almost lost in evangelicalism, except for a a few perfunctory verses that serve as the pastor's jumping off point). R.C. Sproul preached a powerful message on the Eclipse of God. And Derek Thomas (of RTS, ref21, etc) singed our hairs with a bold word from Mark 10:17-31 and the Rich Young Ruler, asking if we are really faithfully following Jesus' example in evangelism - or would we do anything to get the Rich Young Ruler into our churches. CDs and DVDs are available.

More on the Gospel soon. Counting the days until T4G.

Recently, someone on this blog asked two excellent questions:

What is the gospel?

What is the most serious threat to the gospel?

The following is my attempt to answer these important questions with the help of those much smarter than myself:

1) What is the gospel?

No question is more important, and biblical clarity in response to this question is critical. Sadly, confusion about the gospel is quite common among professing evangelicals today. I find Graeme Goldsworthy’s comment all too relevant: “The main message of the Bible about Jesus Christ can easily become mixed with all sorts of things that are related to it. We see this in the way people define or preach the gospel. But it is important to keep the gospel itself clearly distinct from our response to it or from the results of it in our lives and in the world.”

So here is my attempt to heed the counsel of Dr. Goldsworthy and keep the gospel “clearly distinct.”

The following definition of the gospel, provided by Jeff Purswell , the Dean of our Pastors College, seeks to capture the substance of the gospel:

“The gospel is the good news of God’s saving activity in the person and work of Christ. This includes his incarnation in which he took to himself full (yet sinless) human nature; his sinless life which fulfilled the perfect law of God; his substitutionary death which paid the penalty for man’s sin and satisfied the righteous wrath of God; his resurrection demonstrating God’s satisfaction with his sacrifice; and his glorification and ascension to the right hand of the Father where he now reigns and intercedes for the church.

“Such news is specific: there is a defined ‘thatness’ to the gospel which sets forth the content of both our saving faith and our proclamation. It is objective, and not to be confused with our response. It is sufficient: we can add nothing to what Christ has accomplished for us--it falls to us simply to believe this news, turning from our sins and receiving by faith all that God has done for us in Christ.”

I find this definition of the gospel faithful to the presentation of the four Gospels—they present the person and work of Christ as the good news. In the Apostle Paul’s concise summation of the gospel, he focuses more particularly on Christ’s death and resurrection as the core of his proclamation:

“For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins, in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures….” 1 Cor 15:3-4

Focusing more specifically still, the apostle encapsulates the work of Christ by focusing on the cross:

“For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.” 1 Cor. 2:2

So that is the gospel: God’s saving work in and through Christ. And the cross is the pinnacle of that work. Knox Chamblin helpfully notes this emphasis in Paul’s writing and ministry:

“His gospel is ‘the word of the cross’ (1 Cor. 1:17-18); nowhere is there a comparable reference to ‘the word of the resurrection.’ In I Corinthians 1:23-24 it is ‘Christ crucified’ who is identified as ‘the power of God and the wisdom of God,’ not as we might have expected (especially in the case of ‘power’), Christ resurrected…. Both the cross and the resurrection are ‘of first importance’ in Paul’s gospel (I Cor. 15:3-4). Unless Christ has risen from the dead, the preaching of the cross (and of the resurrection) is a waste of time (15:14); but once the resurrection has occurred, the cross remains central.”

And the centrality of the cross isn’t temporary. The cross remains on center stage even when we receive a glimpse of eternity in the New Testament’s final book:

“One is taken aback by the emphasis upon the Cross in Revelation. Heaven does not ‘get over’ the cross, as if there are better things to think about; heaven is not only Christ-centered, but cross-centered, and quite blaring about it.” Jim Elliff

There is nothing more important than getting the gospel right. Years ago, John Stott made the following frightening observation of the evangelical church when he wrote, “All around us we see Christians relaxing their grasp on the gospel, fumbling it, and in danger of letting it drop from their hands altogether.” It is my prayer that God would use the Together for the Gospel conference to strengthen our grip upon the glorious gospel.

2) What is the most serious threat to the gospel?

For this question I think J.C. Ryle provides us with enduring discernment:

“You may spoil the gospel by substitution. You have only to withdraw from the eyes of the sinner the grand object which the Bible proposes to faith--Jesus Christ--and to substitute another object in His place… and the mischief is done.

“You may spoil the gospel by addition. You have only to add to Christ, the grand object of faith, some other objects as equally worthy of honor, and the mischief is done.

“You may spoil the gospel by disproportion. You have only to attach an exaggerated importance to the secondary things of Christianity, and a diminished importance to the first things, and the mischief is done.

“Lastly, but not least, you may completely spoil the gospel by confused and contradictory directions… Confused and disorderly statements about Christianity are almost as bad as no statement at all. Religion of this sort is not evangelical.”

3) Personal Application

It’s not difficult to identify distortions of the gospel. But as a pastor, one of my main concerns for genuine Christians is a more subtle one: either assuming the gospel or neglecting the gospel. I have found this to be the greatest threat to the gospel in my own life. Jerry Bridges echoes this concern when he writes, “The gospel is not only the most important message in all of history; it is the only essential message in all of history. Yet we allow thousands of professing Christians to live their entire lives without clearly understanding it and experiencing the joy of living by it.”

So let us not only apply discernment to the church at large, but to our own hearts as well. Let us, in the words of Jerry Bridges, “Preach the gospel to ourselves daily.” Let us heed Charles Spurgeon’s exhortation: “Abide hard by the cross and search the mystery of his wounds.” Let us respond to John Stott’s invitation: “The Cross is a blazing fire at which the flame of our love is kindled, but we have to get near enough for its sparks to fall on us.”

So how can we get near enough? The following are books that will position you to experience the transforming sparks of the gospel:

The Cross of Christ by John Stott. A personal favorite. Stott says of the Savior, “It was by his death that he wished above all else to be remembered.” This book won’t let you forget.

The Gospel for Real Life by Jerry Bridges. The man who taught me how to preach the gospel to myself will teach you to do the same.

The Message of Salvation by Philip Ryken. This excellent book deserves a broad readership. My oldest daughter recently thanked me for recommending this book to her and told me how much she was benefiting from this book. You will benefit as well.

The Message of the New Testament by Mark Dever. My good friend reveals the storyline of the Bible in each and every book of the New Testament. A must read for pastors but highly recommended for all. My wife has really enjoyed reading Mark’s book.

The Cross and Christian Ministry by D.A. Carson. For pastors this is another must-read. I’m indebted to Dr. Carson for this book. It has defined effective pastoral ministry for me, and I pray it will do the same for you.

That ought to get you started. Each of these books will draw you near enough to the “blazing fire of the cross so that its sparks” will fall on you and kindle fresh love for the Savior in your soul.

You know the old line about "Dog Bites Man" is not news, but "Man Bites Dog" is news.  I fear that "Pastor Teaches Bible" may be news today, at least more than it should be.  How many of us as pastors really give time to teaching our congregation the Bible?

H. A. Tupper (1828-1902) was the brother-in-law of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary founder J. P. Boyce.  (He married James' sister Nancy.)   Tupper was for almost 20 years the pastor of the Baptist church in Washington, Georgia (a beautiful town!).  And then for the next 20 years was the second person to lead the Southern Baptist Convention's Foreign Mission Board.  Before his long pastorate in Washington, GA, Tupper pastored for a few years the Baptist church in Graniteville, South Carolina.  While pastoring in Graniteville, Mr. Tupper not only preached each Sunday morning to his congregation, but in their evening service (which was really in the afternoon, as was common in the 19th century) preached consecutive expositional serieses through the epistles of the New Testament.  And then, on Saturday night he would gather with all those who were interested to examine them about the text he had preached on the previous Sunday!  There's an idea for a pastor teaching the Bible!

In our congregation, we print the passages to be preached on ahead of time, in order to encourage the members to study them in their personal devotional times through the week, so as to prepare themselves for Sunday morning.  We also encourage small groups to take as their study the previous Sunday's passage, and then give themselves to applying it to the lives of those present.  Just a couple more ideas on teaching the Bible.

Al, good to have you back.  Lig, any update on Twin Lakes Fellowship?

Ok, so I have been out of town for a few days, but no one told me that Ligon was going "home to Rome" or following the new "Canterbury trail."  Alas, who among us remains stalwart as a defender of Reformation truth?  I am distressed in extremis to see Lig dressed in up-to-date trendy clerical garb in the photo from the Twin Lakes Fellowship [see here].  Isn't that a fashionable clerical shirt Lig is wearing, with a dangling crucifix?  Wait ... no that's a lanyard for a conference name tag -- our new evagelical fashion accessory.  OK, crisis over.  Never mind.

I am finally back in Louisville for a few days after a flurry of travel.  This has been the most difficult season of travel I have ever endured, but I am thankful for every opportunity.

Just a couple of weeks ago I delivered the Day-Higgenbotham lectures at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Ft. Worth, Texas and plenary addresses to the Evangelical Theological Society's Southwest Region Annual Meeting.  The theme was, "Reading the Bible in Postmodern Times -- Lectures on The Sufficiency of Scripture."  Preparing and delivering these lectures brought up a host of related issues and developments in today's church.  I hope we can talk about several of these in coming days.

Last week, I participated in an event at Columbia University on "Religion in the Public Square."  I was the designated evangelical participant and it was a most interesting context.  The discussion was moderated by Columbia's president Lee Bollinger and held in the beautiful rotunda of the university's Low Library.  I look forward to processing all that took place there. 

I flew directly from New York to Florida for seminary events and a couple of days of family time.  Christopher and I went fishing.  I caught one bass and one very angry turtle.  The weather was incredible. 

I will answer C.J.'s question right away.  In the meantime, congrats C.J. on the victory of the University of Maryland's women's basketball team.  Mark, thanks for the word about Henry VIII (several worthy new books on Henry, the Tudors, and the church out recently, by the way).  Interesting that you should be watching A Man for All Seasons as you framed these thoughts.  The movie (based on the play of the same title by Robert Bolt) is a truly magnificent film.  It deals with one man's crisis of conscience against the background of political corruption in all its venality.  it is a rgeta movie to watch with friends in order to discuss these issues.  Missing from the story, of course, is More's persecution of William Tyndale, whose right of conscience More was quick to deny.   Still, this is a reminder that even a film or book like this can raise really big questions in a helpful way.  Back soon.

As an historian, I think about people who are no longer living here on this earth.  I particularly enjoy, avoid and interact with historical movies.  One of my favorite and most irritating (that's too slight a word, but it's not quite enraging) is A Man for All Seasons.  I love the picture of Sir Thomas More's conscience.  I love his line to his son-in-law-to-be about England being planted thick with laws.  His words to his daughter about having to mean what he says.  I could go on and on.  I disagreed with his understanding of the papacy, but admire his integrity.  I am irritated/grieved (I need a better word) about the lack of representation about how he hounded William Tyndale.  So all people know about him popularly now is through this movie.  But I am digressing from my point.

Once when watching the movie, I was struck by how pitiful the position of Henry VIII was.  It's the scene when he visits More at Chelsea, and all the people accompanying him wait to see how he responds to something before they know how to respond.  And I realized how absolutely absent honesty can be from a person with such great power.

CONTEMPORARY APPLICATION TO US:  Avoid the Henry VIII syndrome.  Do not simply surround yourself with people who will never challenge or correct you.  People want to please pastors (I know not everyone does, but a lot do).  Therefore, unless we would be like Henry VIII, we must cultivate a humility, a correctability (corrigibility) that will encourage others to speak truly to us.  Creating an atmosphere of encouragement (where people feel loved), criticism and feedback (by yourself and others), and serious engagement with each other will help this.  Too many leaders end up in the pitiful position of having no one around them to give them honest feedback, advice, correction, instruction, because we in our self-protective pride don't seek it out, and even punish it when it is given.  So much more I could say on this, but this is just a blog.  I'm sure you understand what I'm saying.

This came home to me yesterday in a lunch with Matt Schmucker, when he mentioned to me something that I had said I wasn't going to do, and I said I wasn't going to do it simply because it was boring.  There were at least a couple of problems with this.  1.  I should have done it.  2.  Others were listening.  I was modeling badness for them!  Thank God, I'm not quite Henry VIII-ized yet!  At least not as long as my good friend Matt is around!

Pity Henry VIII.  Don't imitate him in your church.

Well, C.J., I'm still delinquent on answering your questions, but I've not given up hope yet. However, the Twin Lakes Fellowship gathers here tomorrow through Thursday, so who knows when I'll get the answers posted. Meanwhile, what about Florida? I'm stunned. I would have guessed UCLA after what they did to LSU. The game was so in control Noah was winking at the cheerleaders the last eight minutes. Wow.

Mark, David Wells says hello, and was asking about Connie and the family. I gave him a quick update (and, per your instructions, on your behalf, invited him to preach soon at CHBC!). He seemed amused at the ecumenicity of a Presbyterian, asking a Congregationalist to preach at a Baptist Church at the behest of a Southern Baptist pastor!

By the way, Mark. Your post on the Apparent Piety of Numerical Goals was simply brilliant. Thanks.

On an entirely different note, a heartbreaking pastoral situation here has had me thinking about God's kind, though sometimes inscrutable, providence (especially as I have watched a hurting family demonstrate Gospel trust in a sovereign God in the most difficult of circumstances). Calvin reminds us:

"It is essentially necessary, if we would fortify our minds against temptation, to have suitably exalted views of the power and mercy of God, since nothing will more effectually preserve us in a straight and undeviating course, than a firm persuasion that all events are in the hand of God, and that he is as merciful as he is mighty. The man who disciplines himself to the contemplation of these two attributes, which ought never to be dissociated in our minds from the idea of God, is certain to stand erect and immovable under the fiercest assaults of temptation; while, on the other hand, by losing sight of the all-sufficiency of God, (which we are too apt to do,) we lay ourselves open to be overwhelmed in the first encounter."