Tip of the hat to Joe Thorn for pointing out this video of Mark Driscoll ruminating on the use of harsh language:

Some of you may know of Greg Laurie, pastor of Harvest Christian Fellowship, a Calvary Chapel church, in Riverside, CA. On July 24, 2008 Greg’s son Christopher was killed in a car accident, leaving behind a wife, daughter, and unborn child. Greg is an evangelistic brother, and in this video filmed last Sunday at his church, he talks about his son’s death. I think this will encourage you in your faith.

Don’t get me wrong, I don’t think my children are yet believers. As much as my heart aches for that to be true, I just don’t think it is yet. But every once in a while, every so often, God provides me with glimpses of the Kingdom through my children.

Our oldest son was given a special gift. We don’t often give gifts to just one, but Miles has been having a difficult time with the move and all of the transition. He likes to look at books as he goes to bed (something I personally will not discourage!), so we bought him his own special book light, you know, the kind that clips on to the book and shines directly on to the page. Anyways, this special book light disappeared as do many things in our household. It has been missing for a couple of weeks now.

This evening, as we were putting the boys to bed, Miles came into the room that Owen and Carson share and said that he had great news: he had found his special book light! Not only that, he wanted Owen (our second boy) to be able to use/sleep with it.

Earlier in the day, the two older boys were riding their scooters and Carson was following on his trike. Carson fell over and the other two stopped and came back to make sure he OK. In case you’re wondering, this is not typical. But it is profound.

Life with four boys often breaks my heart, providing reminder after reminder of the power and depth of our slavery to sin (Genesis 6:5, Romans 3:23, 6, etc.). We are constantly fighting selfishness, pride, anger, disrespect, quarrelsome spirits and as any parent knows, the list could go on. Yet, God, in His sovereign grace, every once in a while, provides glimpses of the Kingdom, even through my children. Some of the verses we continually try to teach our boys are Philippians 2:3-4:

Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.

It doesn’t take long to realize that this is not natural to any of us. And yet, one day, it will be the norm. I am thankful to our gracious God that He provides glimpses into the age to come.

• Read Shepherding a Child’s Heart by Tedd Tripp
• Read Everyday Talk: Talking Freely and Naturally about God With Your Children by John Younts
• Read Teach Them Diligently: How To Use The Scriptures in Child Training by Lou Priolo

I don’t often post the texts from sermons, especially my own. They’re quite often too long and just don’t work at blog posts. However, I wanted to share with you the basic structure of a sermon I’ve preached twice now, creatively titled: “It’s All About Jesus.” Please forgive the length. Trust me, it works better as a sermon (at least I hope it does!):

Apparently, there’s a huge market of books for idiots and dummies. I’m not being mean, that’s what they’re called! I’m sure you’ve seen them: you take something technical and you put it in normal people terms. There’s a couple of ways to evaluate this: 1) lament the continued dumbing down of America, arguing American culture appeals to the lowest common denominator. Some point here to so-called study aids like Cliffs Notes that enable students to get by without actually reading a book!

But another way to evaluate this is a bit more positive: some things are honestly difficult to understand, especially if you’re not trained in certain jargon and technical terms and the people reading the for “idiots” and “dummies” seem to really be trying to understand an otherwise a difficult concept.

Either way, these books seek to take difficult and complex topics and boil them down, much like Cliff’s Notes do for works of literature. They center in on the main themes and characters in a way the “average” reader might otherwise miss. These books tend to draw from scholarly consensus and then distill that into palatable forms. But what if there is no scholarly consensus for a work?

The Bible is the most widely translated and best-selling book of all time. It is part of the cultural literacy of our world. Allusions to it appear in many of our favoriate movies, songs and works of literature. Polls continue to show that Americans generally say they believe the Bible, but it is rare if not impossible to find consensus about what the Bible actually says, much less what it means. It is rarer still to find people whose lives are demonstrably different because of the Bible. And the truth is that the Bible is probably more purchased than actually read. Mark Dever, citing pollster George Gallup:

Americans revere the Bible, but they don’t read it. And because they don’t read it, they have become a nation of biblical illiterates. Four Americans in five believe the Bible is the literal or inspired Word of God, and yet only 4 in 10 could tell you that it was Jesus who gave the Sermon on the Mount and fewer than that can name the Four Gospels . . . The cycle of biblical illiteracy seems likely to continue – today’s teenagers know even less about the Bible than do adults. The celebration of Easter . . . is central to the faith, yet 3 teenagers in 10 – 30% of regular churchgoing teens – do not even know why Easter is celebrated.

So is there any way to know what the Bible is all about, especially when so few people actually read it and the ones who do don’t agree on a central theme? The Bible is made up of 66 different books written by around 40 different authors over 1,500 years. And yet, there is indeed an overarching theme, message and character to this collection; a theme that make is more than a collection but a coherent whole. At least this seems to be what Jesus Himself taught on at least two separate occasions:

John 5:39-40: You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me, 40yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life.

Luke 24:25-27: And he said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” 27And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.

Do you see the power of what Jesus is saying: the Bible, the whole Bible, Jesus says, is about Him. He tells the Pharisees, the religious leaders of His day that they don’t even understand how to read their Bibles (this would have just about the entire OT as we now it) because they refuse to see that they are all about Jesus. Then, after His resurrection, Jesus interprets for the two disciples on the Road to Emmaus just how it is that the OT is about Him. Jesus says the Bible is about Him. But how can this be? How can Jesus say that the whole Bible is about Him? Is He exaggerating? No, he’s not. The Bible opens telling us that In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. John 1 not only tells us that Jesus was there:

John 1:3: All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.

Colossians 1:16 says that all things were created through him and for him. The Bible begins with Jesus and ends with Jesus:

Revelation 22:20-21: He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus! 21The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen.

From the beginning to end, the Bible is about Jesus. This is perhaps a bit easier for us to accept when we’re considering the NT. We can see how the NT is about Jesus. After all, it begins with four different accounts of Jesus’ life and ministry that we call the Gospels. That sets the stage for everything else. But how can I say that the entire Bible, including the OT is about Jesus?

1) The Bible is About Jesus
Jesus in the OT

1) Prophetic Promises
i. Though bruised on the heel, Jesus crushed the head of the serpent (Genesis 3:15)
ii. Jesus established the eternal throne of David (2 Samuel 7)
iii. Jesus fulfilled the Promised New Covenant in His blood (Jeremiah 31)
2) Christophonies
a. Jesus walks with Abraham
b. Jesus wrestles with Jacob
c. Jesus appeared to Moses
d. Jesus joined Daniel, Rack, Shack and Benny
e. Jesus called Isaiah into ministry (John 12:41)
f. THE Angel of the Lord in the OT
3) Types
a. Events, people, institutions that foreshadow Jesus
i. Jesus is the last Adam (1 Corinthians 15:45)
ii. Jesus is the prophet, priest, king
iii. Jesus is the perfect sacrifice (1 Cor 5:9, etc.)
iv. The temple, the presence of God on earth (John 1) – 1 Peter 5
There are “Like Ministries” that point to Jesus
b. Unlike the first Adam, Jesus is the last Adam who passed His test in the Garden
c. Jesus is the true and better Abel who, although He was innocent, was slain and whose blood cries out for acquittal
d. Jesus is the true and better Abraham, leaving His father’s home
e. Jesus is the true and better Isaac, carrying His own wood and laying down His own life to be sacrificed at the hand of His father
f. Jesus is the true and better Jacob who wrestled with God in Gethsemane, and, though wounded and limping, walked away from his grave blessed
g. Jesus is the true and better Joseph who serves at the right hand of the king, extending forgiveness and provision to those who have betrayed Him, using His power to save us and bring reconciliation
h. Jesus is the true and better Moses, standing as a mediator between God and us bringing us the New Covenant
i. Jesus is the true and better Job, though innocent, suffered and was tormented by the devil so that God might be glorified while His dumb friends are of no encouragement or help
j. Jesus is the true and better David, slaying our giants of sin, satan and death, although in the eyes of this world, He was sure to face a crushing defeat at their hands
k. Jesus is the true and better Jonah, spending three days in the grave to save a multitude greater than Nineveh
l. Jesus is the true and better Boaz, redeeming his kinsmen, bringing them into community with God
m. Jesus is the true and better Nehemiah, who is building for us the New Jerusalem as our eternal home
n. Jesus is the true and better Hosea, marrying an unfaithful and whoring wife that He continues to pursue and love
4) Jesus is seen in OT events
a. In the Exodus, God liberates His people crushing His enemies
b. The Passover – unless you were covered by blood
c. The Day of Atonement – propitiation AND expiation (scapegoat)
i. Jesus cleanses from all unrighteousness
5) Titles for God
a. Daniel 7 – Son of Man – favorite title of self 80x
b. He is the suffering servant of Isaiah 53
c. The first and the last, the light, the rock, bridegroom, shepherd, redeemer, savior, Lord of glory

But let’s be clear, by saying that all of these things are ultimately about Jesus, we are not saying that they weren’t real, that they didn’t really happen, that these people didn’t really exist and these events take place. What we are saying is that God infused them with a deeper significance and used them to teach His people about Christ; Who is He is and what He came to do. Jesus is the interpretive key to understanding all of Scripture.

2) Everything is About Jesus

Colossians 1:15-20 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 16For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. 17And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. 19For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, 20and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.

He is before all things. He is chronologically before, He is preeminent, He is above, He is more important, He is more valuable; He is the pearl of great price. The is the source and the goal of all life, such that Paul can say:

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

Philippians 1:21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.

In the NT, about 12 times, Paul says: “I want to remind you of something . . . “ Every time, he reminds them about Jesus – sometimes we forget.

Artist, He is the Altogether Lovely One
Builder, He is the Chief Cornerstone
Chef, He is the Bread of Life
Doctor, He is the Great Physician
Educator, He is the Master Teacher
Florist, He is the Rose of Sharon and the Lily of the Valley
Geologist, He is the Rock of Ages
Horticulturist, He is the True Vine
Intellectual, He is the Wisdom of God
Jeweler, he is the Head of the Church, the Pearl of Great Price
King, He is the Prince of Peace
Lawyer, He is the Judge of all the Earth
Manufacturer, He is the Creator of All things
Newsman, He is the Glad Tidings of Great Joy
Oculist, He is the Light of the World
Philanthropist, He is the Gift of God
Queen, He is the King of Kings
Rabbi, He is the Messiah
Scholar, He is the Truth
Theologian, He is the Author and Finisher of our Faith
Undertaker, He is the Resurrection and the Life
Visionary, He is the Revelation of God
Waiter, He is the One Who Came to Serve, Not to Be Served
X-Ray Technician, he is the Word of God Before Whom All Things Are Open and Naked
Youth, He is the Life
Zealot, He is the One Worthy of Presenting Your Body to as a Living Sacrifice

———————————————–
NOTE: the list of “like ministries” was adapted from Tim Keller and the “alphabet of praise” comes from Randy Patten.

Though you might think he’s overstating his case a bit, Albert Hsu says in his book The Suburban Christian that: “The suburban life is a spiritual quest.” He goes on to clarify:

We’re all here looking for something. People live in suburbia for any number of reasons. We may have come here because of a job change for for a relationship. We come in search of affordable housing, good schools or safe communities.

Hsu argues that suburbia embodies the quest for an “ideal life” and that:

Whenever people describe suburbia, invariably they use phrases like ‘a good place to raise kids’ or ‘where people settle down and start a family.’ Inherent in these comments is an aspiration of hope for their future and a dream of a good life for their children. In other words, suburbia is the context and the settign for the fulfillment of people’s hopes and dreams.

The suburbs are the embodiment of much of the “American dream.” Single family homes surrounded by parks, schools and endless choices for consumerism (even if these choices are actually quite sterile because they are nothing more than chain stores and restaurants therefore nearly every suburb, no matter where you are, feels a bit the same).

The ideal accompaniment to suburban living seems to be the shopping mall. A collection of consumerism under one giant air-conditioned roof surrounded by fast food. So you can exercise walking around the mall, pick up the newest Tommy Hilfiger duds and wash it down with an Orange Julius, all within a comfortable driving distance from your McMansion. And yet, what, on the surface seems to be a myriad of choices is really not all that wide. After all, nearly every suburb and nearly every mall is populated by the same products. So the “dream” of the fulfilled life in the suburbs often amounts to little more than being made a clone in the consumer army.

The ideal accompaniment to the suburban shopping mall seems to be the (typical) megachurch. A collection of “family friendly” programs under one giant air-conditioned roof surrounded by fast-food preaching. Granted, I am painted with very b r o a d strokes here, but stereotypes often have at least a kernel of truth and many, if not most large churches are large because they tickle people’s ears while appealing to the inborn (or is that inbred) “American” consumer in each of us.

It is not far too common to find churches with their own bowling alleys, roller-skating rinks (it’s retro now, you know), soccer teams and program after program to attract people, all the while, giving them the illusion of choice and even fulfillment. But we all know from experience that consumerism is quite shallow. We thrive on the desire for the next big purchase (or program) and when we have it, we want the next one, and on it goes.

How then, does one effectively glorify God and create disciples of Jesus Christ in the suburbs? By their very nature, these areas which often pride themselves on being “family friendly,” create an overwhelming amount of isolation. There are no longer city centers, homes no longer have front porches, closed garages are now the most prominent feature of most homes, nestled nicely next to (closed) designer blinds. All the while, we have a myriad of choices, as long as it fits with the prescribed HOA guidelines and color schemes and we become slaves to our commute because our mortgage just went up. In other words, the dream of “fulfillment” is quite shallow. The dream of the suburban dream is a mirage.

I wonder how many suburban churches actually preach and live the liberating power of the Gospel?! Suburbs are indeed a mission-field. More Americans now live in suburbs than in urban and rural areas combined, but I wonder if it might also be said that American suburbs contain some of the largest and yet weakest churches anywhere in the world? How can this be? Because we have come to import and practice consumerism into every area of life and churches have been all too willing to capitulate.

What if a church bucked this trend? Not just to be contrarian but Gospel-saturated, Christ-glorifying? What if a church did not offer tennis courts but the Word preached and opportunities for discipleship and growth? What if people marinated in such an environment until they understood that the water cooler is the new version of the town well and God prepares divine appointments, even there? What if people saw their “work” as ministry and their possessions as tools?

Please join me in praying that Church of the Cross might have just such an impact. Please pray that we would have the wisdom and discernment, humility and boldness to preach the Gospel in the midst of a consumer-centered suburban environment.

• Read The Suburban Christian: Finding Spiritual Vitality In The Land of Plenty by Albert Hsu
• Read Death By Suburb: How To Keep The Suburbs From Killing Your Soul by Dave L. Goetz
• Read Simple Church: Returning to God’s Process for Making Disciples by Thom S. Rainer and Eric Geiger

You might not think so, and my wife might beg to differ, but I’m still a fairly young man. Though I’ve been a Believer for nearly 15 years, attained a seminary degree and served in paid ministry positions for almost six years, it is still tempting for some to look down upon my youth, in spite of Paul’s admonition to Timothy (1 Timothy 4:12).

This has often created an internal tension of sorts. Once I came to grips with the “call to ministry,” my wife and I spent three years in Louisville, KY at “the” Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Though I had a terrific seminary experience, it often came with “Southern Baptist” trappings I didn’t necessarily sign up for. I was often presented with ideals of what a minister should look like that I didn’t necessarily feel I felt.

This experience created in me a running inner dialogue of trying to understand exactly what Paul meant when he said that he had become “all things to all people” (1 Corinthians 9:22). Is it possible to truly be yourself, understanding that nearly everyone has a different expectation and presupposition of what a pastor should be?

The pastors I’ve often found to be most effective have also been the most authentic. What I mean by that is that there is no aura about them of trying to fit an image or be someone they are not. Yet, it seems that churches are often not interested in “authenticity,” but a fixed image of what a “pastor should be.” Or, on the other end of the extreme, “authenticity” trumps accountability and we have “pastors” flaunting their liberty and “individuality” to the detriment of others. Surely there must be a balance!

The reality is that established churches often have a pre-formed mold into which they expect new pastoral candidates to fit. If they don’t, it’s sometimes viewed as a question of maturity when it should be viewed as an issue of personal (even if its corporate) preference. In opposition to this, some young men have opted to plant churches, so that they could “be themselves” without any preconceptions. But churches should rarely if ever be planted out of opposition to something (so please hold me accountable if you sense this spirit in me).

I once heard a pastor urging young(er) pastors to seek to be a sanctified version of themselves rather than a watered-down version of someone or something (including just an image) else. Indeed, this is a balance not easy to achieve. The issue seems to be one of understanding the culture into which you have been called to minister, honoring the Gospel, and when acceptable, that culture’s expectations and understanding when (and asking forgiveness) for when you might infringe upon another’s conscience. Pastors of all people should strive to consider others as more significant than themselves (Philippians 2:1-3).

It would be both naive and foolish of me to believe that I could find this balance between authenticity and accessibility by myself. Left to myself, I will always defer to my own personal preferences. That is why it is utterly important to stop and listen and to be willing to understand and bridge gaps that might otherwise be present. For example, left to myself, I have no interest in sports. But if I am going to strive to be “all things to all people,” it seems to me that I should at least seek to be conversational in a topic that otherwise wouldn’t interest me. After all, this does not negate or diminish my own interests or personality, but it it is a practical way that I can be all things to people whose interests might not otherwise interest me.

It doesn’t seem to me that this means that I need to import the conscience-levels of others, but that I do need to learn to be discerning and respect these issues when possible, all the while using them as teaching opportunities, pointing to the truly radically freeing nature of the Gospel (though not to licentiousness). Complicated issues indeed. I’d love to hear your thoughts.

• Read Lectures to My Students by Charles Spurgeon
• Read Confessions of a Reformission Rev. by Mark Driscoll
• Read Brothers, We Are Not Professionals by John Piper
• Read Al Mohler’s piece “Has God Called You? Discerning The Call To Preach”

As you know if you drop by here even only on occasion, I love music of all kinds. I used to love going to see/hear live music as well but having a family does a curious thing to your priorities (or at least it should); it changes them. I don’t get out to many concerts anymore and I’m actually quite OK with that. But Kristi and I like to try to expose the boys to new things, including live music so once in a while we take them to concerts This past Friday night, we took them to see the band Ever Stays Red.

It was not a large venue, nor was it terribly crowded. But there were enough people there that my “parent senses” kicked in and I kept a close watch on the boys, while letting them wander a bit, especially Miles, our oldest. Though we gave him some freedom to make his way all the way up to the stage and go sit down by himself, I had a close watch on him the entire time. I tracked his every move, making sure he was safe, didn’t have go to the bathroom, all those types of things. In short, I was watching out for him.

It was interesting to watch because, though he did wander a bit, once in a while, I would catch him peeking back to where Kristi and I were standing, just to get his bearings and make sure he was still being watched. As long as he could see us, he had a sense of security to expand his horizons a bit. Once, I even caught him walking backwards a bit, around some people to catch a glimpse of us.

All the while, we had the three youngest right by us. Owen, our second son actually sat down at my feet next to Eli, our youngest. But Owen sat quite close, somethings actually sitting on my foot, just at the tip, so that he could feel it and know that it was there, sometimes putting his hand on the top of my foot as he leaned back. Carson, our third boy, would sometimes stand and look around a bit, but after a bit of this, he would look up and simply raise his arms. He didn’t have to ask, and I probably could not have heard him above the music. It was simply understood; he had no questions: I would pick him up and hold him close.

Having children is one of the most sanctifying things that has ever happened to me. I am continually amazed at how simple things like that concert expand my view and deepen my understanding of God’s love. Sometimes I wander a bit, but I can only do so because I know that He is watching over me. He is my refuge and strength, a very present help (Psalm 46:1). Other times, I just need to be still knowing that He is near (Psalm 46:10). There is nowhere for me to go, I need to feel His presence. And still other times, I simply need to be held near, I need the safety of the strong tower (Proverbs 18:10) knowing that no one can snatch me from the hand (John 10:28) of my Abba Father (Romans 8:15).

• Visit the official Ever Stays Red website
• Read Knowing God by J.I. Packer
• Read The Difficult Doctrine of the Love of God by D.A. Carson

Well, it’s official: our house has been packed, the moving truck has made it to Arizona and we’re on our way as well, four boys and a 90lb Golden Retriever across the country in a minivan. It’s safe to say that the move is official. I’m writing this in an El Paso hotel room.

Leaving everything and everyone you thought was “comfortable” (even if not always easy), for unknown people and places is, admittedly a bit disconcerting. I suppose knowing that we’re going back to family and some familiar surroundings ought to make it easier, but I still can’t help but think of God’s initial call to Abram, soon to be Abraham in Genesis 12:1:

Now the LORD said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you

Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m certainly not comparing my situation to Abram’s, it simply gives me moment to pause. We often speak of “stepping out in faith,” without often really considering what that phrase means. Far too often, I’ve seen this sentiment used to defend what we might otherwise simply label as bad decisions: quitting a job at an inopportune time, purchasing something there’s no money for, etc. As you can imagine, our situation has been one of intense and immense prayer and seeking counsel.

How do we know when we’re “stepping out in faith” or being foolish? It doesn’t take long to realize that, from the average viewpoint, our decision to leave a great church family to begin a brand new church in Arizona, to leave regular provision for none, is a rather foolish decision. So why did we do it? One of the problems in discerning situations like these is that, at some point, on some level, the decision reached is somewhat subjective.

Of course, we must search the Scriptures. There will be some instances that speak directly to our situation: avoid drunkenness, unnecessary debt, lust and the like. But in many instances, our choice in a matter, no matter the choice, might not be sin. The next step is seeking counsel from godly people (Proverbs 11:14, etc.). It is quite often the case that many eyes will see details we initially miss. Many minds will understand implications we overlook.

But, sometimes, even after searching the Scriptures and seeking counsel (it should not go unsaid that prayer is a prerequisite throughout this entire process), we are left with a decision to make. As one pastor counseled as Kristi and I were searching for our full-time pastorate: “You just choose.” This isn’t to make light of the decision or its ramifications, but quite often, we find ourselves static because we’re waiting for a lightning bolt spelling “DO THIS” that’s never going to come.

Either way, if we’re not in sin (and besides God, only we know our own hearts and motives), if we believe that God works “all things” together for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28), we will be blessed. Sometimes it will be a “comfortable” blessing (i.e., things will go well), or it will be an “uncomfortable” blessing (i.e. we will be refined). But either way, God is working the situation for His glory and our good. The two always go together.

I worry that the way many well-intentioned Christians seek “God’s Will” for their lives amounts to little more than a sanctified version of the Ouija Board. We sort of close our eyes and wait for “a peace about it.” Yet, a stroll down the halls of Hebrews 11 reveals men and women of action; men and women who received both comfortable and uncomfortable blessings from God. Our problem is that we want to know ahead of time which blessing it will be when the real question is whether or not we trust God enough to take the next step.

• Read Culture Shift: Engaging Current Issues With Timeless Truth by Al Mohler
• Read The Discipline of Spiritual Discernment by Tim Challies

As we look towards implementing the foundations of a new church, one of the obvious discussions has centered around the question: “What is essential?” One of the answers that continually returns is: church discipline. This is not a popular topic by any means, but I have come to believe that it is an inescapable and essential one, especially in “Reformed” circles.

As I read various church planting resources and look at different church’s teachings and practice, I worry that there is a disconnect, even in many of the church’s that teach about discipline. It seems that very few actually practice discipline. And perhaps we should be clear here: rather than refer to it as “church discipline,” perhaps a better term might be “restorative discipline?” After all, the point is never to exclude someone but to restore an erring brother or sister.

Even among many churches that teach this topic, there seems to be an overemphasis on the “discipline” aspect. Though that is the word we use to define the process, it is perhaps not the right connotation. Very few people would say that we should not correct our children when they go astray (especially intentionally), and yet this is exactly what people say when it comes to life in the church: who are you to get involved in someone else’s affairs (sometimes literally)? Shouldn’t we just mind our own business? And yet Paul says in Galatians 6:1-2:

Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.

So, what is the “law of Christ?” When asked the “greatest commandment,” Jesus’ response was two-fold: love God and love others (Matthew 22:34-40). In John 13:35, Jesus says that it is by our love that the world will know that we are His disciples. It is not by our “family-friendly” radio, not by our sanitized t-shirts, not by our Precious Moments©™® potpurri or even by the political candidates we endorse or rail against: it is by our love. Sometimes love demands that we correct one another.

The basic steps for what this should look like in the life of believers is laid out by Jesus in Matthew 18:15-18:

If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

Notice that, right at the beginning, Jesus makes the point “gaining your brother.” The point is bringing someone back from repentance. Exclusion may be the end result but it is never the point. In 1 Corinthians 5, Paul urges the Corinthians to deal with the immorality that they have tolerated, because, as he tells them, “a little leaven leavens the whole lump.” In other words, once sin is tolerated, it spreads. And it spreads and it spreads. Churches that do not practice discipline are opening themselves up to unnecessary and untold dangers.

Yes, it is difficult to confront one another when in sin, but if we truly love, there is no option. It breaks my heart that “love” is being redefined as tolerating sin because we don’t want to hurt someone’s feelings or be perceived as judgmental. It would be entirely unloving and ultimately destructive for me to let my boys do whatever they wanted because I didn’t want to hurt their feelings. It is no different in the life of the church.

• Read J.L. Dagg’s Manual of Church Order online
• Read Nine Marks of a Healthy Church by Mark Dever

I’ve recently begun reading Thom Rainer & Eric Geiger’s book Simple Church. As you might imagine, it is a book of great interest as we begin to move closer to actually beginning Church of the Cross, the new church we will be starting in Peoria, AZ. It’s almost overwhelming to consider all of the things (processes, procedures, programs, property, etc [can you think of any more “p” things?) established churches simply take for granted. Things that often seem so small can seem rather rather large when viewed from the other side.

One of the questions we continually ask is: “What is essential?” As we consider the primary things that we should allow to consume our attention, we continually find ourselves asking how to make things simple but effective. This, of course, is the premise of Rainer & Geiger’s book. In their own words:

We compared growing and vibrant churches to nongrowing and struggling churches. The vibrant churches were much more simple than the comparison churches. Churches with a simple process for reaching and maturing people are expanding the kingdom. Church leaders who have designed a simple biblical process to make disciples are effectively advancing the movement of the gospel. Simple churches are making a big impact.

It’s rather shocking how quick we are to complicate things. Rainer & Geiger note that the religious leaders of Jesus’ day had “developed a religious system with 613 laws.” When asked the most “important” of all these commandments, Jesus’ response is shocking (Matthew 22:35-40):

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

As Rainer & Geiger note, Jesus “was not lowering the standard of the Law. He was not abolishing it. He was capturing all its spirit, all of its essence, in one statement.” How telling that part of Jesus’ ministry was confronting the complexity of human endeavor with the simplicity of God’s freedom. It’s also telling that so many of our churches are filled with people who are burdened and burned out. Every day, it seems, has a program here, an outreach there. These things may be good things, but I’ll never forget the seminary professor who warned against ministry becoming its own worst enemy. Jesus’ yoke is supposed to be easy; the burden light (Matthew 11:28-30). Why is it so few of us experience church life in this way?

Not only is our church life cluttered and burdensome, many of our approaches to holiness match the Pharisees, who had a law for every part of the body and day of the week. Legalism will kill your soul while making you feel holy. Too many of us have lists of shows we can watch, lists of magazines we can’t read, rules and regulations and, Tim Keller warns in The Reason For God, it is not long before we are building our sense of worth on our moral and spiritual performance rather than on Christ and Him Crucified. Of these people, Keller says:

They are not praying as often as they should. They are not loving and serving their neighbor as much as they should. They are not keeping their inner thoughts as pure as they should. The resulting internal anxiety, insecurity, and irritability will often be much greater than anything experienced by the irreligious.

Why is it that some of the people who feel themselves superior in holiness to others are also oftentimes the most discouraged and cluttered? I wonder how many of us can truly say that our experience of the Christian life, much less of church, is “easy,” “light” and even truly joyful? Not “lite” in the sense of little depth or substance, but uncluttered, even encouraging? How can we as churches regain this sense of Jesus’ uncluttered-ness (I suppose I need to read the rest of the book, don’t I?)?

What are your thoughts? Has your experience of church life been cumbersome or liberating?

• Read Simple Church by Thom S. Rainer & Eric Geiger