The Master's Community Church: Recent Episodes
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by Alexander Volkman
Today we celebrate the birth of our King
And dwell on such an uncommon thing.
God… who came down to earth
A world full of darkness, needing new birth.
To take on humility as a man
Part of His eternal plan.
To restore creation to it’s origin
As He does all things according to His vision.
He gave us a child who would save us all
From Adam’s sin and creation’s fall.
A precious and mysterious story
That is all true and for His glory.
This child grew and became a man
Turned the world upside down by His Father’s hand.
To a broken people true peace He did bring
The humble servant who became our High King.
I remember my thirteenth birthday, July 8, 2005, like it was yesterday. A couple of years prior my dad sat me down and we had “the talk.” Then, on that memorable birthday, my parents were thrilled to give me my birthday present. I unwrapped the present and inside was a book and a ring. The book was Joshua Harris’ I Kissed Dating Goodbye, and the ring was a “True love waits” purity ring. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, Harris’ book was a bestseller. Having read the book as an eighteen-year-old Christian, I was encouraged. When I read it as a thirteen-year-old unbeliever I found it dopy. I was surprised like many others when Joshua Harris came out in 2018 as an apostate. You see, Harris had deconstructed his faith.
Harris would be the first of many Christians to deconstruct their faith. In the summer of 2012, I served as a youth minister at a church in East Texas. Where I often used music videos by Hawk Nelson, a Christian pop-punk band. In that same year, the lead singer of Hawk Nelson changed his name to John Steingard, and the band became explicitly Christian. That is the lyrics were more theological. However, shortly after John Harris deconstructed, John Steingard did as well. His hang-up was over the inerrancy of Scripture.
Deconstruction begins with the question that Satan posed in the garden, “Did God really say…” This movement has spread like wildfire among evangelicals, and the youth are the primary target. How do we respond to this movement? That is the question that Alisa Childers and Tim Barnett seek to answer.
The Structure In the first pages of the book, Childers and Barnett define terms. When one thinks of construction they think of building, and rightfully so. The authors define deconstruction as a tearing down or destruction. She ties it to postmodernism. When one rejects the basic understanding of objective truth, they will naturally tear down the foundations of that truth, concluding that truth can be whatever I want it to be. It is the postmodern world view that has led to deconstructing Christians.
Why we should care about this movement. If it’s not taking place in my church, then why does it matter at all? Childers and Barnett explain: We should care about this movement because it’s an attack on Christ’s bride, the Church.
It’s the latter part of the book that stood out to this reader as most important. Some would consider the postmodern era as a post-Christian era. Even so, we need to know what we believe, why we believe it, and how to witness to those who don’t. Barnett and Childers take turns relating stories about how God used them to help friends and family that were in a stage of deconstruction. Thankfully the individuals to whom they witnessed grew stronger in their faith, but it took time, patience, and most importantly, love.
Personal Impact About a year ago, I began seeing signs of deconstruction in a friend in my home state of Texas. I was concerned, so I called him. The conversation was long, and I thought it was productive. As time progressed, I realized it wasn’t as fruitful a conversation as I had hoped. This friend would leave the pulpit he filled for eleven years, walk away from the faith, become an alcoholic and ruin his marriage all because the adversity that he faced was greater than he could overcome. Instead of “casting himself upon the rock of Christ and kissing the waves that cast him on the rock” as Spurgeon would say, he walked away from the only one that could sustain him.
I was challenged to consider, what might have been if I were more intentional in allowing him to ask me questions, instead of assuming that as a faith minister, he knew the answers. What I gained from this book, is an understanding of the time, love and grace needed to minister to one who is deconstructing His faith. I pray that The Deconstructing of Christianity, move you to love those you know who are walking away from the faith.
Praying For Deconstructing Friends Many Christians will at some point know someone who is deconstructing from the faith and will eventually walk away. The only two weapons of warfare we have as believers are prayer and the word of God. Deconstruction is a battle, and it will only be won with Scripture and prayer.
Childers and Barnett offer guidelines for prayer in the final chapter. I have separated them into four distinct prayers.
- A prayer of thanksgiving. Thank the Lord that this person is a fellow image-bearer and that there is still breath in their lungs, which means there is still time.
- A prayer for wisdom. It’s easy when speaking with one who is deconstructing to say too much at one time. Stick to their question and answer it. To do this, we need to seek wisdom (James 1:5-6).
- A prayer for ourselves. That the Lord would keep us from being persuaded by those we are trying to help.
- A prayer of repentance. If we aren’t deconstructing, why repent of a sin we aren’t committing? The answer is idolatry. Do you dwell on one who has walked away from the faith longer than you should have? Were you personally offended more than you were by the stain on Christ’s church? Even as I write this I need to repent of my idolatry.
Consider these prayers being moved to intercede those who are deconstructing.
In a world of self-identification and watered down, compromising theology how do we maintain a confidence in Scripture? One way is to return to our creedal and confessional heritage. In recent years a new creed has crept into local churches, that creed is no creed but Christ or no creed but the Bible. That statement has a “hint” of truth in it, but what it produces is a weak, compromising church. It opens one up for false teaching, shallow fellowship, and an identity crisis. This is the purpose of Carl Truman’s book Crisis of Confidence.
The Argument Carl Trueman is one of the great thinkers of our time. In this work he surveys two millennia of church history. From the early church to the recent church age, Trueman discusses the importance of confessions and creeds and how they have shaped the church. While there is much ink spilled on the issue of self-identification, the main argument of the book is that Christians should return to their creedal and confessional heritage. Those that find it hard to read historical literature, understand this is history you want to know. Trueman surveys the Nicene Creed, Apostle’s Creed, The Second New London Baptist Confession of Faith of 1689, and the Westminster Confessions and helps the reader understand that an adherence to these confessions will boost our confidence in Scripture.
Personal ImpactI had a conversation a few years ago with someone that rejects the idea of creeds and confessions. They rejected them because they believed that Christians elevate them over the position of Scripture. I attempted to explain from a historical precedent that this was a false statement. Ultimately, this person would affirm no creed but Christ. A few months later, this individual would walk away from the faith altogether. As I read through the pages of this work I could see his face, and I could see the faces of every liberal Christian I know. I was depressed as I thought about this. However, after depression came great joy. The joy came at the thought of the people of The Master’s Community Church. Though, we may have disagreements on minor theological issues (the end times and the supernatural gifts) we all agree on the main issues of scripture. Why is this? We have a membership process and part of that process is reading through the church covenant and the doctrinal statement. That individual then signs the covenant at the end of a service after they give their testimony before the body. What are they covenanting to? The local church and all of her beliefs and practices. How do we know what their beliefs are? By reading through the doctrinal statement, also known as a confession.
Confessionalism and Fellowship We are in the middle of fellowship season at MCC, and I would like to offer three ways that confessionalism enhances our church fellowship.
Confessionalism is rooted in the doctrine of Sola Scriptura. Nearly every confession past and present begin with the doctrine of Scripture. Even though we don’t typically argue over the inclusion of apocryphal books anymore, we do debate whether certain books should really be in there. This is nothing new. Martin Luther didn’t believe the book of James should be in the canon. Liberal Christians today would like to have certain parts of Paul’s epistles removed. So how do confessions help root us in the doctrine of Scripture? They all read in similar fashion, we affirm that the Bible is contained in the sixty-six books of the Old and New Testaments. Further down in many confessions, you might read these words “the Scriptures are our only rule for faith and practice.” The confessions can be used in our churches and should be used in our churches because they affirm and teach what we believe about the Bible.
Confessions act as a safeguard. Not everyone can be a member of MCC, and since not everyone can be a member not everyone can teach. Outside of there being a clear showing that someone can teach, they must also believe the confession that we adhere to. We hold the Abstract of Principles, and we are unapologetically Calvinistic. This means that someone who does not hold to Calvinistic doctrines wouldn’t be allowed to teach at MCC. This is because they would be violating our confession and thus violating the church covenant. Since we believe that many confessions are rooted in Christian orthodoxy it weeds out heretical teachings.
Confessions help us combat the current issues in our culture. In 1644, 1646, and 1689 did they have to fight against gender identity or homosexual marriage? No. However, they were clear in the writing that marriage is between one man and one woman for life. Do we need to add specific articles to our doctrinal statement? One can argue. However, if we truly believe that Scripture is our only rule for faith and practice, we don’t have to add those statements. Our statement on marriage makes that clear.
How Can We Use the Confessions At MCC1. 1. Read through our church’s confession or a historic confession as a MCG. Each week take a particular article and discuss it as a group. Go through Scripture that teaches these articles. Sing a hymn/modern chorus that goes along with the confession. 2. Have a multi-generational read party. During the COVID lockdowns some of my favorite memories were reading through Scripture with the men of our church. Take youth, those with gray hair, and those that are in the process of raising children and read through confessions together. 3. Support the Walk Worthy ministry of MCC. This is a ministry that is rooted in confessionalism. We take a certain catechism question and have 45-minute-long lessons on these questions. Consider coming one Sunday evening and watch. You will be blessed hearing children from seven years old to high school aged answering questions and reciting scripture from memory.
I was first introduced to family worship while reading Voddie Baucham’s book, Family Shepherds. Coming from a home where family worship was not practiced this was a unique concept to me. After meeting with the President of the Bible College and Seminary I attended, I decided that family worship was a practice that we should exercise at home. Many men hesitate to lead their families in family worship because they aren’t teachers. Thankfully, God has given us men like Dr. Bruce Ware. In his book, Big Truths for Young Hearts, Ware has given fathers a resource that they can use in family discipleship. Not every man in the church is called to teach, but every man is called to shepherd his family. If you find yourself struggling to explain certain theological topics to your family, this is the perfect book for you.
The Structure Dr. Bruce Ware is a New Testament theologian, and he writes this book much like a catechism or a confession of faith. The historical confessions are divided into topics that are known as articles. There are normally articles concerning Scripture, the nature of God, the church, God’s purpose of grace (election), and other various theological emphases. It’s helpful for readers since there is a specific order, and I believe that is why Ware writes this book in a similar fashion. Like many of the historical confessions, Ware begins with the Scriptures. Our children need to know what the Bible is and how it came about. Ware then shifts his focus to creation and how God sovereignly created all that we see. He then shifts his focus to the nature of God. His chapter on the Trinity is an incredible resource for explaining one of the harder tenets of Christian doctrine. There are many other concepts that Ware touches on, but from start to finish your children will be taught basic Christian doctrine without ever stepping foot in a Seminary classroom.
Personal Impact For five years, we were blessed to be a part of the Metro MCG. We watched the group grow, get smaller, and grow again. The heart of the parents in that group, as is the heart of every parent at MCC, is that their children would come to know and love God. For a while, we would just dismiss the kids after singing, and then we would proceed with our study. However, we had a desire to involve the kids in a lesson. For a few months, we used this book as our lesson for the kids. Listening to KJ, Keith, Meridith, Dustin, Chloe, and other children answer questions about God’s work in creation and his supreme rule over the Universe was a huge blessing to me. As a volunteer in our Walk Worthy ministry, I have seen these kids grow in their knowledge of Scripture and theology. Pray alongside of me, the other parents of MCC, and our elders that the Lord would use books like this and ministries like Walk Worthy to bring our children to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.
Using the Book as a Guide for Family Worship In our Church Covenant, we pledge to practice personal and family worship. I do not doubt that this is practiced faithfully in all our homes. While we are not in discipleship season anymore it is important to note that discipleship never ends. In a day and age where our children are introduced to perverse material on human sexuality from a young age, taking a work like Ware’s will be helpful. I want to offer a few ways you can utilize this material in family discipleship in a way that will be interesting for your children.
- Pick a topic that corresponds with the passage you’re reading together. For instance, if you are studying Genesis 1-3, use the chapters that Ware writes on Creation and sin.
- Sing a song that matches the theme you will study. Music is something that everyone loves, especially kids.
- Use this in conjunction with the Walk Worthy material during the school year.
- Meditate on these writings before you teach through them. Though this is a work intended for children, adults will be edified as they read through it.
- In light of Titus 2, let’s train one another in this idea of family worship.
Ask any parent and they will likely remember when their child told them they were afraid of something. Many children fear the dark. Others are afraid of snakes, spiders, and anything that creeps on the ground. Humans by nature fear certain aspects of life. Fears may be good and healthy, but some fears are sinful. The sin that is often ignored in our own lives is the fear of man. This fear can be far more dangerous than a fear of snakes, spiders, or creeping animals. It can be scarier than being left alone in a dark room. It will destroy your whole life because out of that fear comes compromise. A natural question arises in our minds: How can we overcome this fear? This question is answered in this wonderful book by John Flavel.
The Big Picture John Flavel was a Puritan pastor who preached with great conviction; he also penned poetry and theological essays. Like many of the Puritans, Flavel wrote with great clarity and precision. To help his readers understand the purpose of this book he starts by introducing three types of fear that humans have: Fear of God, sinful fear, and natural fear. A healthy fear of God is understanding that God is outside of us, is greater than us, and is not like us. When we have an appropriate fear of God, we will worship him all the more. Natural fear is defined as fear over natural elements such as being afraid of the dark or being afraid of being alone. The example that Flavel uses is a fear of consequences when we are in the wrong. However, Flavel has a bigger picture in view than just a healthy fear of God and the natural life around us. His primary focus is on sinful fear. Being afraid in and of itself is not a sin, but there is a fear that is a sin —the fear of man in an unhealthy sense. Flavel spends the remainder of the book helping Christians overcome this sinful fear to which many fall prey.
The Effects of Sin While Flavel gives multiple effects that sin has on one’s life, this review will focus on two that I believe we should pay close attention to in the Western world: cowardice and compromise. One might say that they are two sides of the same coin, and that may be true, but they are both dangers to which people fall prey.
The first effect of fearful sin is cowardice. Fear of man can lead someone to stay silent on important issues. There is great wisdom in knowing when to stay silent, but there is also a danger in remaining quiet. As Christians, we are called to be both prudent and bold at the same time. John Calvin’s said, “A dog barks when he sees his master attacked, how can I sit silent while the word of God is under attack?” Cowardice is running from the mob in fear and saying nothing, while the word of God is attacked.
Second, fear of man can lead to compromising biblical integrity and fidelity. All one must do today is a quick Google search to find many churches that have compromised their biblical fidelity. Perhaps they have affirmed female pastors. Others have placated the LGBTQ crowd by affirming homosexual marriage. These beliefs are rooted in the fear of man. They would rather be culturally relevant than biblical. Compromise has a snowball effect. It starts small, gradually gets larger and ends in destruction.
Overcoming Sinful Fear Finally, Flavel explains how believers can overcome fear of man. He lists six ways, but the following I believe would serve us well at MCC. We can overcome sinful fear first by reminding ourselves and one another of God’s sovereignty, and second, by giving ourselves to the ministry of the local church.
For example, consider the current political cycle. As free citizens, we should exercise our right to vote and be concerned with who wins the presidency, house seats, and our judicial system. However, it should not consume all our thoughts. God in his sovereignty raises nations and brings them to nothing. God is over all, and we are citizens of his kingdom! He cares for us! We can be bold in the face of great opposition because we trust the One who can destroy both body and soul in hell (Matt. 10:28). This God who elects, secures, and keeps is also a God who will vindicate his people. There is no need to fear man. God ordains everything that comes to pass including the opposition of man. Do not lose heart. Rather, persevere, repent of sinful fear and trust your brothers in sisters in the local church.
We oftentimes are afraid to confess our sins to one another. We may be ashamed to approach our brothers and sisters for fear they are going to think less of us. A healthy church is one where there is correction out of love. Correction without love is brutality and love without correction is not love. Love with correction brings about restoration and grace. We can all fall prey to the fear of man, but like-minded brothers and sisters, can give us a renewed zeal to overcome fear. The final line of The Church’s One Foundation has always brought comfort when I wrestle with sinful fear. Be encouraged with these words.
Through trial and tribulations,
And tumult of her war.
She waits the consummation
Of peace forevermore.
Till with the vision glorious,
Her longing eyes are blessed,
And the great church victorious
Shall be the church at rest.
On June 26, 2015, the United States Supreme Court reached a landmark decision on the issue of homosexual marriage. The decision would make homosexual marriage legal in all fifty states. The same year we watched an Olympic gold medalist transition from a biological male to a transgender female. In November of 2015, Bruce Jenner, now known as Caitlin Jenner, won “Woman of the Year.”
Many strange events have taken place since the Obergefell decision was reached. From the rise of the transgender movement to the sexualization of children, it truly does feel like we are living in a “Strange New World.”
Dr. Carl Trueman is a church historian and theologian. In 2020, he released a book “The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self.” In this work, Trueman details that much of what we are seeing is far from new. It didn’t just happen overnight, it’s the fruit of how thinkers and activists changed the world and brought about a sexual revolution.
For those who do not feel like embarking on the over 400-page book, Trueman released a condensed version of the book which he titled “Strange New World: How Thinkers and Activists Redefined Identity and Sparked the Sexual Revolution.”
The average reader will be introduced to names that they have likely never heard of. Names such as Jean Jacques Rosseau, Sigmund Freud, Friedrich Nietzsche, and others. The purpose of mentioning those names is to help the reader understand that through philosophy, poetry, and psychology the modern self was defined.
This is how Trueman opens up the book. He details the thinkers that helped shape what we see being played out today. The flow of the book is simple, the first half of the book looks at the men (thinkers) and how they identified the “modern self” The second half focuses on the consequences of those ideas.
Perhaps you’re familiar with the phrase, “God is dead.” Society lives as if this is true. For the first part of the book, Trueman provides historical evidence that what we are seeing in the culture at large is the fruit of “thinkers’ labors. If God is dead, if man is just a set of protoplasm, and what one believes they are that is what they are, then why would one reject their “authentic self?”
I want to focus primarily on Trueman’s final chapter. Trueman writes about the need for the church to be a community. The LGBTQIA+ movement truly believes that they are a community, so much in fact that they label themselves a community. The reality is that the greatest community in human history is the very community we are praying they come into. I want to offer four ways that the church can be a community that stays strong in the heat of an intense battle. These four ways will be coupled with Trueman’s thoughts in the final chapter.
First, we teach our children and one another that our feelings are not always reality. In many churches in the United States, you will hear a common phrase when discussing the Bible “I feel like this text is saying x,” or “What this text means to me is.” The problem with this mindset is something we might not think of, it’s rooted in individualism. While this example isn’t one that Trueman uses, it does nevertheless convey the same message. Trueman calls us to corporate repentance in our complicity. While I do not believe MCC is complicit in affirming gay marriage, transgender phenomena, or even no-fault divorce, we might be complicit in “smaller sins.” Maybe it’s something like the doctrine of the church is incredible, but I feel like they don’t do enough in the area of “x.” This is rooted in expressive individualism. They aren’t doing things that match my feelings about how this issue should be handled. Feelings do not equal reality.
Second, look at church history. The church since its founding in Acts 2 has always given itself to the idea of community. The ancient church truly believed that its primary identity was found in its strongest institutions. For example, I am a husband, a father, an insurance agent by trade, a thinker, a Texan, a Christian, and a member of the Masters Community Church. What this teaches us is that the strongest institution to which you and I belong is the church. This is what has made the rise of the LGBTQIA+ community so strong in numbers. They believe that their sexual inclinations are the very heart of their identity. Our identity as a church is rooted in our identity in Christ as new creatures. We protest the LGBTQIA+ movement primarily because we believe with Christians throughout all of history that man is made in God’s image, and we want that image to continue to work itself out in procreation in a magnanimous heterosexual marriage. When you study church history you will begin to understand that the church has always faced great opposition. We are in great opposition now, but we will come out victorious. This will be teased out more in our final point.
Third, teach the whole counsel of God’s Word. Rejoice that you belong to a church that practices this. Fathers, as you lead in family worship, practice this. Don’t shy away from difficult texts. Read them as a family, discuss them, and let the word of God work in the lives of you and your family. What we teach as a church on gender, marriage, and sex is not because the culture is corrupting it, it’s because we believe that the Bible alone dictates what it means to be truly human. We believe that the created order, the fall of man, the redeeming work of Christ, and the end of all things are the very foundations that help us to address our current issues. Why the rise in transgenderism and homosexual practices? Because man in his natural state hates God and therefore hates His image and those who bear His image. I will end this section with Trueman’s words “In short, we can stand strong at this cultural moment and address the specific challenges we face only if our foundations in God’s truth are broad and deep.”
Our final way to live as a church as a community in a hostile culture is to remind one another that our final hope is a reality. When Paul writes to the Corinthian church he says “Now these things happened unto them by way of example, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come (1 Cor. 10:11). We are the only institution in all of human history that Jesus himself said the gates of hell would not prevail against. Our final hope is not just some optimistic view of the world that says everything will be fine just sit back in watch. It is, however, the reality that one day Christ will return and bring His elect home for all eternity. Free from sin, free from pain, free to be our true selves. The reason Christians have such trouble “making themselves at home” where they are is they recognize that nothing in this world is their home. When we see what is happening in our culture, we should not have hopeless despair or even a naïve optimism, but rather cry out “How long, O Lord” and let the reality of the return of Christ give us hope that is a sure and steady anchor.
While this is a longer review, I want to offer five groups of people to pray for during this MCC prayer season.
- Pray for yourself. Have you been lax in your personal life with sin? Repent. Have you found yourself angry at what’s going on and sat idle while the anger increases in your heart? Repent. Ask the Lord to give you opportunities to share the gospel with those around you.
- Husbands and Wives pray for one another and your children. Pray for wisdom in knowing how to approach some of the pressing topics of our day. Pray that the Lord would protect them from a life of debauchery and reckless, sinful practices.
- Pray for those who are in darkness. The LGBTQIA+ movement is full of darkness, pray that the light of the gospel would bring those in darkness out and into the light.
- Pray for our government leaders. For the believers in government, God would convict them to use their authority for his glory, and for the unbelievers God would convict them of sin.
- This one may seem strange, but I will qualify it: Pray for those in foster and adoption care. One of the unfortunate realities of the child welfare system in America is its positive affirmation. Abusive homes oftentimes lead to feelings of false identities. Pray God would open their eyes to see that He is a Father to the fatherless and that their identity would be found in Christ alone. Pray also that the Lord would raise many faithful Christians to adopt these children and raise them in the ways of the Lord.
If you have never been a part of a church with an abusive leader count yourself blessed. Thankfully, our current church has no abusive leaders, but I know plenty of churches that do. Many people in our church have had abusive parents. Many have had abusive bosses. At the core of those abusive relationships is a misunderstanding of Biblical authority. In this work on Authority, Leeman writes about the abuses of authority and the proper uses of authority and how they can either tear a person down or build a person up.
The Structure Leeman organizes this book into two sections, but I believe it could be divided into three sections. The first section is what we will label as case studies. Leeman gives a few stories from different people that he interviewed for the book on both the positive and negative effects of good and bad authority. In the second section, Leeman begins to define Biblical authority. Though there is not necessarily a third section, I believe that towards the end of the book Leeman shifts his focus from authority to submission.
Personal Impact While reading this book I was convicted and encouraged at the same time. Convicted to be a man who uses his authority for the building up of my home. My wife was severely abused as a child, and she knows full well what abusive authority looks like. Unfortunately, that abuse was just as powerful from her childhood pastor as it was in the confines of her home. Living with someone whose been abused has been humbling, sanctifying, and convicting. While reading this book I was filled with gratitude that the members of Masters Community Church have not and will not see abusive leadership. An important gauge of any healthy church can be found in its leadership. Abusive leaders shows that the church is unhealthy. Likewise, if a husband and father is abusive to those under him the family is unhealthy. A place of employment with an abusive boss shows that the business is run poorly.
Leeman told a story of a lady that he interviewed, and it had the largest impact on me. The lady tells a story of her father. She defined her father as a man who was a gentle man of principle. The first two words stood out to me. Gentle man did not mean gentle parenting. It meant that everything that he did was done with a gentle spirit. She said that it was through the actions of her father that she saw the love of her Heavenly Father. Intrigued by this statement I couldn’t stop reading, how can this be? Her father was a man that showed mercy while at the same time setting out specific expectations. One night she showed up late from her curfew and her father was awake waiting on her. It was with this story that she began to see the love of God displayed in her earthly father. He told her that she was no longer allowed out at night for the foreseeable future, that’s the consequence. However, he still allowed her to drive, and she saw that as her father exercising mercy and grace.
As I finished reading this case study, all I could think of were my wife and two daughters. Will they say the same thing of me. Do I lead with gentleness and in a way that points them to Jesus. As husbands and fathers, that’s our hope, isn’t it?
Implications for MCC I’ve tried in recent reviews to gear the applications/implications toward whatever season we are in. For this review I would like to focus on two different seasons. The first is the implications this has for our outreach and the second is the implications this has for our discipleship.
First for our outreach. This book can help us in our outreach approach by considering biblical submission. Though I have my disagreements with Leeman on certain areas, I do believe his overall principle on submission is healthy and right and it can help us in our outreach. I want to focus primarily on the issue of submission in our workplaces. Many of us have had or currently have bosses that are difficult to work for. One implication of submission that Leeman lays out is how employees submit to their bosses. There is a balance between submitting to the boss in a quiet and peaceful manner and not agreeing with your boss. You never know the outreach opportunities that might be afforded to you by quietly submitting to your boss, refusing to gossip about him or her, and doing your job to the best of your ability. I know it’s hard, I’ve been there. I was there recently. There is a time and place to leave an abusive work environment but continue to be diligent as you wait on the Lord. It could open up doors for the gospel that you would have never thought possible.
Second, implications for discipleship. One way that this book can help our discipleship is by understanding Titus 2. In Titus 2, Paul instructs Titus to have older men teach the younger men and older women teach younger women. Many young men who desire a wife and desire to be in positions of authority need to be taught how to use that authority for good. We live in a culture where masculinity is ill-defined by many and seen as nothing more than toxic by others. Older men in our church can ask themselves, how can I teach the younger generations what good authority looks like? Younger men and women seek out those older than you and have them teach you what biblical authority looks like. Submit to that teaching and let’s be a church that seeks to live lives of authority that brings life as we submit to the Giver of life.
Henry Ford famously said, “History is bunk.” This philosophy has affected our country and, in many ways, has affected our churches. One subject that many churchmen are ignorant of is that of revival. We talk about it, pray for it, and even have services designated for it. What we do not do, however, is define it. That is what Iain Murray does in Revival and Revivalism. He defines revival and revivalism by giving a historical picture of revival and revivalism in the United States.
The book is laid out in a simple fashion. He focuses on revival first and then shifts his attention to revivalism. This review will follow the same outline. In the book, Murray examines one hundred and nine years of American History.
Before diving into the content of the book, it is important to note that this is after the First Great Awakening. God used Johnathan Edwards, George Whitefield, and others to bring about a spiritual awakening in the American Colonies.
Revival Murray begins by discussing Samuel Davies and Alexander McWhorter who were both impacted by the ministries of Johnathan Edwards and George Whitefield. These men believed that God sovereignly brings about revival. They simply proclaimed the gospel, called on sinners to repent, and prayed. God answered the prayers of these men by bringing about true revival. You can read about these events in the first four chapters of the book.
Murray highlights the expansion of Princeton and how God brought about a work of revival there. He does so by giving special attention to the fact that all the faculty were born-again believers. A school that is known for much liberalism now was once a powerful influence in gospel proclamation. Like many Ivy League schools, Princeton started to train Pastors for the work of the ministry. The revival that came out of Princeton was a renewed urgency to raise up true biblical preachers.
But around 1800 there was a fundamental shift. Men began to focus more on personal decisions than they did a true call to repentance. They exchanged the ordinary means that God uses for gimmicks that will get people saved fast. This brought about what is known as the Second Great Awakening and led to what Murray calls revivalism.
Revivalism From chapters five to twelve, Murray gives the history of The Second Great Awakening. The first part of the Second Great Awakening revival was understood in the same terms as the first. Over time, however, there began to be theological shifts and revivalism was born out of it. In Cane Ridge, Kentucky the Presbyterians began practicing outdoor meetings, and this led to many people believing there was another awakening happening.
These meetings spread and became inter-denominational. Methodists were invited to preach at these gatherings and large numbers of people began traveling to these meetings. Many of the responses to the preaching and singing were ecstatic.
This brought about a division. Many of the Presbyterians believed these displays were permittable, while others did not. The Methodists believed hyper-emotionalism to be a true work of God. This then led to the Methodist leadership in Kentucky to have their own outdoor meetings. These meetings brought about a radical doctrine of conversion. Biblical preaching was exchanged for emotional means for people to respond to the gospel immediately.
By 1830, the view of conversion had dramatically shifted. Prior to 1800, the predominant view of conversion was that it was a sovereign act of God. God gives them a new nature opens their blind eyes and unclogs their deaf ears. However, by 1830, the view of conversion was based on a decision. Salvation was no longer a supernatural work of God, but rather a decision that someone makes on their own to repent and believe. No sovereign will of God, but by their own free choice.
Due to this many evangelicals began using “anxious benches” to bring about an immediate decision. The altar call was created, certain individuals were specifically called out in prayers, and some would even say this was the last time they would have to repent. Thus, bringing about what we call revivalism.
On page 277, Murray cites William McLoughlin “By the mid-nineteenth century, this new system was the natural religion of the United States.” A supernatural work of God brought about by patient prayer and faithful preaching was exchanged for quick decisions for Christ, which led to many false conversions.
Why Does this Matter? Why does any of this matter? MCC doesn’t believe in manufactured gimmicks to get people to Christ, so why should you care? We are in the process of wrapping up fellowship season, and I want to set out three practical application points for why a proper understanding of revival matters.
- In our Church covenant we pray for Reformation and Revival. A covenant fosters fellowship because everyone is covenanting themselves to the same thing. We want people in our fellowship to pray for true revival. I believe one way we do this is by continuing to support our mission partners. Specifically, those doing Bible translation. Revival is impossible apart from the proclamation of God’s word. Spend some time as an MCG praying for our mission partners.
- Teach your children that true conversion is what brings about true and lasting fellowship. In recent days people have left our fellowship because they weren’t truly in fellowship with God. Kids long for relationships, and we want them to understand that one cannot have fellowship with the local church unless they first have fellowship with God.
- Read church history. Murray’s book is academic. It’s easy to get lost with dates, names, and geographic locations. What you will find is that when you study church history your heart is full of gratitude that God chose to reveal himself to you. Gratitude leads to a true desire to fellowship with those who are just like you. We are all sinners who can say were it not for the grace of God where would I be? Praise be to God that we have been given a new heart.
Few theologians in the church’s history are as influential as Jonathan Edwards. Edwards is a particularly important figure in the history of the United States. One could argue that Edwards is the greatest theologian in the history of the United States. Many think about the sermon Sinners In the Hands Of An Angry God or his resolutions. One of the most important works that Edwards produced was The Freedom of The Will. Edwards provides a theological and philosophical framework for understanding human freedom. The review will be divided into four distinct sections: the historical context, the definition of terms, the theological implications, and how a proper understanding of human freedom fosters discipleship in the local church.
The Historical Context The spiritual conditions of America before the First Great Awakening were grim and dark. The theological zeal of the early settlers had begun to wane, and deism began to rise. Through a series of faithful Pastors, the Lord brought about an awakening. An awakening that would spread like wildfire throughout the colonies. One of the men responsible for this awakening was Jonathan Edwards. There were multiple theological problems that Edwards would spend time addressing. Deism, the idea that God set everything into motion and then removed his hands from it was a predominate view in the colonies. In the middle part of the 1700s, Arminianism began to flourish in the United States. Many of our churches today still hold this view, but what is it exactly?
The Arminian view of human freedom is that of libertarian free will. Meaning man is free to choose whatever he wants. To the Arminian says Edwards, “the human will is not constrained or determined by any power outside of itself. The argument then bleeds over into moral responsibility. If human beings are morally responsible for their actions, then they have to be free in the libertarian sense. What this idea of human freedom suggests is that if there is any coercion or control outside of themselves then they are not morally responsible for those actions, nor is it fair to hold them responsible. It is against the backdrop of this theological system that Edwards begins to address. He begins his writing by defining terms, which will help us understand the theological implications of this work.
Defining Terms Edwards spends the first section of The Freedom Of The Will defining key terms. Edwards defines the will as “that by which the mind chooses anything” To Edwards the act of the will is the same as the act of choosing, which means that the will is the process by which humans choose one thing rather than another. The will and the desire of man are so closely intertwined that it becomes what Edwards calls an inclination.
Already one can see the differences between Edwards’s view of human freedom and the Arminian view. The Arminian separates the will and desire, but Edwards suggests that one cannot do that because he is inclined to execute the will of his desire.
Edwards goes on to define the will of man by stating “human beings are guided by and shaped above all by their affections… Our loves or affections are the truest indicators of who we are.” Edwards’s definitions help the reader understand that human beings will always make a choice to follow their desires. The Arminian position is that man can make a choice to desire God, and that at the moment of faith, he is the one who has that desire. However, if one follows the definitions that Edwards has set out, man will never desire God above his human sinfulness. It is with this that we will now consider the theological implications of The Freedom Of the Will
Theological Implications Edwards spends a great deal of time arguing the philosophical side of Arminianism. In the latter part of this work, he shifts gears to focus on the Biblical Testimony of human freedom. He uses a three-fold approach to critique the Arminian view of free will. First, certain texts where certain people are given over to their sin; second, the excellence of Jesus; and third, God’s foreknowledge of future events.
Consider first those who have been given over to their sin by God. To the Arminian, if any moral agent is bound to perform any moral action, then they cannot be held responsible that said action. This is the old men are just robots’ argument. To argue against this, Edwards offers the following texts, Psalm 81:12 “So I gave them up to their own hearts’ lust, and they walked in their counsels.” Acts 7:42” Then God turned and gave them up to worship the host of heaven.” Romans 1:24 “Wherefore, God also gave them up to uncleanness, through the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies between themselves.” Romans 1:28 “And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind.” Man is rejecting God, and God is using secondary causes to keep their eyes darkened and keep their hearts hard. The Westminster divines would write about this in the Larger Catechism.
The excellence of Jesus is something Edwards focuses on in this work, but he also has an eleven-part sermon series on this very topic. It is with this topic that Edwards begins to set out the differences between a robust reformed theology and the Arminian position. The natural man apart from the regenerating work of the Spirit will never see Christ as excellent. They have no desire for God unless God first begins the work in them. It is only after the work of regeneration and true biblical conversion that one begins to truly see and seek the excellence of Christ. Ephesians 1, no doubt, comes to most of our minds. The electing love of the Father, Jesus securing those elected by the Father, and the seal of the promised Holy Spirit teaches us that salvation is a complete work of God. Do you see Jesus as excellent? If the answer is yes, which I hope it is, then it is because God himself changed your desires.
Lastly, God’s foreknowledge of future events. The Arminian view of foreknowledge is the same today as it was in Edwards’s day. God looks down the corridors of time and sees those who will place faith in him and man cooperates with God in his salvation. The theological implication of this view is that man should receive the glory for his salvation and not God. However, since God from all eternity elected a people for himself, and in his foreknowledge knew them before the foundation of the world, God is glorified in the salvation of sinners. There is no event past or future that God does not know and did not ordain. This view of God’s foreknowledge gives the believer confidence that nothing that comes to pass is outside of his control.
Application For MCC The reviews we have looked at thus far have been simplistic, and that is purposeful. While this review offers more details it is just a sample of what Edwards writes. It is filled with depth, and it makes God glorious. We are wrapping up our discipleship season at church, and I would like to offer five ideas that will spur us on in our discipling of the nations.
- God has elected people from every tongue, tribe, nation, and people. God sends missionaries to certain places of the world to bring his elect sheep into the fold. Pray that God would raise many more from our midst to go to the nations.
- Confidence in God. The doctrines of grace give us confidence that God will give Jesus the fullness of the reward for which he died. When we understand the sovereign election of God, it gives us great confidence that God will save us, and all we have to do is be faithful in spreading the gospel.
- Total depravity and total inability give you a framework to explain the problems in our current culture. Why is man so concerned with the modern self? Why the rejection of objective truth? Why the rise of transgenderism, Marxism, and other worldly ideologies? Because man in his natural state before God hates him and his people.
- It’s fine if you’re not cool. This one is particularly important for the youth in our church to understand. The illusion of “being cool” can be found in every generation. What is cool today will be boring later. What is never-ending is the redemptive work of God and living for his glory.
- Consider the end of all things. God created the world, God allowed Adam to fall into sin, and God brought about the redemptive work of his elect, and he will bring his elect home. That is the beauty of our theology, and that is the reason it is imperative to understand the need for free moral agents to be given a new heart.
Have you ever considered why God would reveal Himself in a book? Think about that for
a moment. God, the Eternal One, decided to reveal His essence, His Character, and His divine
attributes in a book. What we know of God in creation is incomplete without His revelation of
Himself through words. The ability to reason, write, and read are gifts that God in His kindness
has given us. Reading is also something very few people enjoy. If we pause for a moment and
consider that God used human authors to communicate His message, we will begin to enjoy
reading more. Just as God used human authors to write Scripture, so he continues to give men
wisdom to write books that benefit us today.
Maybe you’re a busy seminary student who is dreading the amount of reading
assignments you have. Maybe you’re a High School student who doesn’t enjoy reading. Maybe
you’re a busy mother trying to find time to read that stack of books by your bed. Maybe you’re a
hard-working man who is mentally exhausted after a long day at work, and picking up a book is
just another mentally exhausting task. Whatever walk of life you find yourself in think about the
joy of knowing God more.
That’s why we read. Classics like C.S. Lewis’ “The Chronicles of Narnia” helps enhance
our view of King Jesus through the character of Aslan the Great. We open up the pages of J.I.
Packer’s “Knowing God” and we see the realization that God has made Himself known, and He
has elected a people for His own possession. Maybe you are a parent, and your children really
enjoy Andrew Peterson’s “The Wingfeather Saga” telling the adventures of the Jewels of
Anneira. The saga of three children who are displaced from their royal home in Anneira.
Peterson writes in a way that captivates the attention of children and adults alike. The children
are drawn in by vivid pictures, and adults understand the eternal implications of the book. The
enemy, Gnag the Nameless, believes that material wealth and power are supreme. While, the
children of the book, are the true Jewels. Such writing helps us to see how God views His
people.
Reading is a gift from God that allows us to know Him more. The Bible is supreme to all
other books, but God has granted certain men and women to write in such a way that it reveals
His splendor. Packer explains God’s supreme love being seen in the adoption of certain
individuals into His family. Lewis explains the problem of man’s pride. John Bunyan writes
about the pilgrimage of the Christian from the City of Destruction to the Celestial City. God uses
words to make Himself known.
While reading is an essential part of the Christian life and Christian formation, it is
important to note that not all books that are labeled as “Christian” are truly Christian. Some of
the best-selling books of our time include Sarah Youngs, “Jesus Calling,” Joel Osteen’s, “The
Power of I Am,” and many other heretical health, wealth, and prosperity heretical books.
Unfortunately, authors like these make Christian bookstores one of the most dangerous places a
Christian can go. Discernment is something that Christians will gain over time, but it is
important that we warn them against certain books lest they be tossed to and fro by every wind of
doctrine (Ephesians 4:14b).
With all that said, I am excited to introduce to you a new ministry of The Master’s
Community Church. I will be writing book reviews for the church. These are books that we want
you to read. We believe that they will strengthen your faith, focus your attention on Christ, and
build you up. These reviews will be broken into two distinct categories: classics and current.
Classics will consist of works that have been around for some time and have benefitted
thousands, potentially millions of Christian lives. Currents will be more recent works.
My hope is three-fold. First, that you would fall more in love with the person and work of
Jesus Christ. Second, you would stretch your limits and read material you might not normally
read. Last, by reading this material together as brothers and sisters we would grow in our love
and our fellowship with one another.
I pray that as you read these reviews, and perhaps these books you would glory all the
more in the work of Christ. We have a glorious Savior who wants to be known. Let’s read more
about Him and as a result, love Him all the more.
by Jared Shaw
In 2021, during our men’s summer Bible study, Jim Gutsch led us to consider Paul’s life. We surveyed many men in the Old and New Testaments and considered their lives. 25-40 men were in a room singing together. We were singing a well-known song to MCC, but at that moment, it was more powerful and real to me than ever. Hearing men sing out with joy, “With every breath, I long to follow Jesus for he has said that he will bring me home, and day by day, I know he will renew me until I stand with joy before the Throne. To this, I hold my hope is only Jesus, all the glory evermore to him. When the race is complete, still, my lips shall repeat, Yet Not I, but through Christ in me” will bring you to tears. That is a moment that is etched into my life forever. Hearing younger and older men alike sing about the same truths profoundly affects your soul. The thought that came over me as we were singing was this: it’s not that we’re men singing the same song; it’s that we are men singing the same song that is all about God. There are many articles and books on why we sing, but the purpose of this blog is to ask why we sing what we sing.
We know that through New Testament writings, we are commanded to sing. We know the profound effect of singing on our souls, but have we ever stopped to consider the words we sing? I’m concerned that in many evangelical churches, well-intended music ministers and pastors are singing songs that have no place in corporate gatherings. I hold that concern because many of our modern “worship” songs are centered around “me, myself, and I” and not on God. Word choices in songs matter because what we sing matters just as much as why we sing.
The following story may be one you resonate with. My wife, Maggie, and I had recently moved to Bartlesville, Oklahoma, after finishing Bible College. We attended a church with my mother and sister, and hundreds of people were standing singing a chorus, “This is how I fight my battles.” While there are more lyrics to the song that are okay, that was the only phrase sung. The song went on for six minutes. As each minute passed, people in the crowd became more and more emotional. The music director began to sing with greater intensity, and the public worship of God became nothing more than an individual concert. Having just finished Bible College and not having much tact, I looked at my wife after six minutes and said, “I still have no idea how they’re fighting their battles.” While the comment was offhanded, it was nevertheless true. The sad reality is that in many churches, there is never a conversation about what we sing but why we sing.
Then, some churches go to opposite extremes—no choruses, no hymns, just Psalms. I love the Psalter, and I long for singing Psalms to be a common practice among protestant believers again, but if all we sing are Psalms, we have missed Paul’s admonishment in Ephesians 5:19. We are to sing more than just Psalms. We are commanded to sing hymns and spiritual songs as well. The goal is to take a panoply of voices, instruments, and writing styles and use them for one intended purpose: God’s glory.
The reformers lived by the motto, Soli Deo Gloria, to the glory of God alone. That included music. We look at music today from a purely consumer mindset; it’s simply there for entertainment and enjoyment. While there is some truth to that on a worldly level, that couldn’t be further from the truth in church. It’s also not true that we perform for an audience of one. Yes, it is ultimately God that we are singing to and for, but we are also singing to instruct one another. That is why, in a day and age where the exaltation of self is significant, we must be clear about what we sing.
What we sing offends. I remember hearing a story of a man telling the Gettys that when they sing “In Christ Alone,” they change the words from “till on the cross as Jesus died the wrath of God was satisfied” to “till on the cross as Jesus died the love of God was magnified.” Is it not true that God’s love was magnified on the cross? Of course, it’s true, but God’s love is magnified because God’s wrath is satisfied. What we sing can sometimes offend people. To which I say, good. Let them be offended. Let them be offended when we sing, “Alas and did my Savior bleed and did my Sovereign die, would he devote that sacred head for such a WORM as I.” We are teaching one another through song that though our sins are so great and high, the grace and love of our Lord Jesus Christ are more remarkable. Are we mere worms that can be crushed under his feet? Apart from Christ, yes. But praise be to God that we can then sing the following words: “At the cross, at the cross where I first saw the light and the burden of soul rolled away. It was there by faith I received my sight, and now I am happy all day.”
What we sing convicts us. I was driving home from work one day, hearing John Newton’s “I asked the Lord that I might grow” for the first time. I almost had to pull over because I was weeping. It was a day that I had been wrestling with the old man all day. I was beaten up, I was hurt, and I was in prayer. While praying, I hear these words in the background, “these inward trials I employ from self and pride to set thee free and break thy schemes of earthly joy that thou mayst find thine all in me.” Those words then made the tears already present flow even greater. It made me see God in a more excellent light.
What we sing reminds us of our final destination. The old Southern Gospel song says, “When we all get to heaven, what a day of rejoicing that will be. When we all see Jesus, we’ll sing and shout the victory.” While there is a hint of truth in that song, a better song would be “the bride eyes not her garments, but her dear bridegroom’s face. I will not gaze at glory but on my King of grace. Not at the crown he giveth, but on his pierced hand. The Lamb is all the glory of Immanuel’s land.” We will sing of the victory of Jesus, but we will do so because he is the victor, and it is only through the finished work of the Lamb that we are victorious.
Over the last few years, we have lost some dear brothers and sisters. What we sing matters because they are in the presence of the One we sing to. Consider these words, “some have crossed before us safely to that land of perfect rest. Can you hear them singing faintly in the mansions of the blest? Hallelujah, Hallelujah, hallelujah, praise the Lamb. Hallelujah, hallelujah glory to the Great I Am.” One day, faithful pilgrim, when your eyes close in death, you can sing these words “as I draw this fleeting breath when my eyes shall close in death. When I rise to worlds unknown and behold Thee on thy Throne, Rock of ages, cleft for me, let me hide myself in thee.”
What we sing matters because it reminds us that we are weak; he is strong. We are sinners; he’s our Savior. What we sing teaches us what we believe about God. It stirs up our emotions, and it helps us to consider that one day, this God we know in part here, we will know fully one day soon. “By and By, when the morning comes when the saints of God are gathered home, we will tell the story of how we’ve overcome; we will understand it better by and by.”
On Sunday mornings, stop and listen to those around you. Look around and realize that this person sitting next to me or across from me is singing about the same God I am. The people coming into our midst who don’t know Jesus are being introduced to him in what we sing as well as what we preach. Let’s be a people who care about the words we sing as we seek to glorify God together.
by Jared Shaw A few years ago, as I sat in my living room, I read a thought-provoking story. The story began with a little girl and her mother returning home from church. As they were walking the little girl saw the next-door neighbor sitting on his porch. Upon closer inspection, she could see him […]
by Karen Gutsch The 2022 MCC Women’s Conference was held the weekend of March 11 – 12. Throughout the conference, we used a variety of ways to focus on our theme of Fellowshipping with Hope. Songs of worship and praise to God were sung at the beginning of three sessions to draw us into a […]
Lyrics by Todd R. Chipman Chorus: Shut the mouths of lions, O believer in ChristYour God rules the nationsAnd He will make you wise Verse 1: Though you dwell in a foreign land,Yet there you are under God’s hand.When false witnesses rise and scheme,Look to Him and not on self lean. Chorus Verse 2: […]
Please explain your views on church discipline. Church discipline is the church’s confrontation of one’s sin and call to repentance. It is a restorative process that strengthens and preserves the church for God’s glory. Church discipline is the church’s confrontation of one’s sin and call to repentance.[1] Jesus tells his disciples, “If your […]
I have recently completed my twenty-first year as the teaching pastor at MCC. As I look to the next twenty, I want to be more strategic about cultivating complementarity—the word used to articulate Scripture’s portrait of the diverse and mutually beneficial ways that men and women live unto God in the church and society. My […]
During Elders meetings, we are studying through our Doctrinal Statement and considering ways to help the congregation practice our beliefs. Below you will find a summary of resources that might be helpful for you. First, you will find the article and then questions that correspond to MCC ministry emphases. Special thanks to Will Toumey for […]
Great to connect with you at themcc.org! Julie and I joined The MCC in 2000. After I completed the pastoral internship, God called me to serve as the Pastor/Teacher later that year. I have the privilege of preaching and leading our elder team and other leaders to equip members of The MCC for service in […]
by, Todd R. Chipman ——- Lest some should go astray, Let us all stand firm and stay. Fixed, our hope in God’s grace— He, the Sovereign Potentate. ——- King of kings and Lord of lords, Look to Him for our reward. In the world, no treasure stored. He our Judge forevermore. ——- We, on earth, […]
Pastor Jared Webb leads the Prayer ministry emphasis at Master’s Community Church and regularly preaches and teaches during Equipping Hour and Master’s Kids Sunday School classes as well as leads a weekly MCG small bible study group. By GOD’s amazing grace, Jared came to recognize the sin in his life, repent of his sin against […]
Curs’d the man who hangs on a tree, Jesus was, and was for me— Known of God from eternity. I am crucified with Christ. † He gave Himself for all my sins, I’ll not live for worldly men, But serve in love those born of Him. I am crucified with Christ. † Round the table […]
Jim has been a member of Master’s Community Church since 2002. He met his wife, Kim, in 1993 and she was instrumental in his conversion that same year. They married in 1995 have 6 children. Jim completed a Bachelor’s in Biblical Studies and Organizational Leadership at Calvary University and has worked for Cerner Corp as a Systems Engineer since 2013.
Jim has served Master’s in various capacities over his time as a member teaching both children and adults, serving in the nursery, and helping with various facilities improvement projects (as well as being part of many “moving parties”). His interests lie in teaching, theology, apologetics, worldview, and men’s ministry. He also enjoys reading, building things, outdoor activities like camping and backpacking, and riding his motorcycle.
Jim’s desire is to see others as enthusiastic about learning the depths of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God (Romans 11:33) and for that to make a lasting difference in how they live their life.
Where do I begin? How did our nation come to this point? There are so many factors that have led us here. There has been a growing spirit of division in our nation over the years. The Right characterizes the Left as “Communists”, “Socialists”, “Cry-baby Snowflakes”, et al; while the Left characterizes the Right as “Nazi’s”, “Fascists”, and “Deplorables”. And in this modern reign of social media these sentiments are magnified and shouted from the rooftops, reaching unprecedented numbers of people in an instant. When our nation was founded, political differences were discussed amongst smaller groups. Ideas could be hashed out and views clarified over time.
But as various forms of media (print, radio, television, internet) have evolved and our attention spans have shortened, the whole process has been short-circuited. We’ve become a nation that communicates in sound-bites. People don’t make time for anything more substantial. One hears a few lines from someone, makes assumptions about their view (and their character) based on that tiny bit of information, and labels them. Then everyone with that label is lumped together and classified based on the assumed perception. There are now entire schools of thought being taught in universities that perpetuate this and children being raised with these ideologies. It’s the same old story of prejudice based on stereotypes, but on a massive scale.
So comes the presidential election of 2020 with this as the foundation for the political discourse. In the past four years of Donald Trump’s presidency the divisions in this country have grown to massive proportions. This has been exacerbated by the increased popularity of social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc. These platforms set up virtual echo chambers and thought bubbles where one is exposed only to those who have a like opinion and also allows for the most atrocious, vitriolic statements to be made about “the other side” with relative anonymity and little to no repercussions. Combine this with the sinful nature of man and it’s a powder-keg ready to blow.
What is the church’s place in all this? What would God have us to do? There are many that have conflated the ideas of being a faithful Christian and being a patriot. They hold to the idea that, in order to be a good Christian in America, one must take a stand against the ungodly forces attempting to force their will upon the nation. They stand behind “their man” with tenacity while blinding themselves to his flaws. Going to rallies is placed on par with going to church. While this idea is partially valid how far should this be taken? How much support should believers give to candidates who claim they will push for the “Christian” agenda?
I believe that Scripture gives clear direction. Followers of Christ are to pursue the ends of the kingdom of God over and above the ends of whatever nation He has placed us in. Man’s heart is sinful and corrupt and that is going to play out in the politics of a nation. Corrupt, sinful men cannot be expected to run a government in a holy and righteous manner. There has always been corruption and fraud in governments, and it can only be expected to get worse. There are many who would say that the 2020 election was rife with fraud and many who signed affidavits and produced evidence in various forms to back that claim. There are others that state that those pieces of evidence are inaccurate. The question we, as believers in Christ, must ask is this: Is God still sovereign over what some claim to be a fraudulent election? Was a group of sinful, corrupt men able to thwart the plan of the Almighty?
Let’s take a lesson from the Israelites. God was not surprised after Solomon’s reign that there was a civil war in Israel and the nation was divided. God was not taken aback when the northern kingdom of Israel chased after idols for 200 years and He was not shocked when Assyria destroyed them and took them into captivity. In fact it was His preordained plan! He was also not bested by Babylon when they returned 200 years later to finish off Israel and take the remainder captive. It all served His holy purposes. And what was the command to Israel while they were in captivity? Were they told to rise up and overthrow Babylon? No. God told the Israelites through the Prophet Jeremiah: “Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, to all the exiles whom I have sent into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: Build houses and live in them; plant gardens and eat their produce. Take wives and have sons and daughters; take wives for your sons, and give your daughters in marriage, that they may bear sons and daughters; multiply there, and do not decrease. But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the LORD on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare.” (Jeremiah 29:4-7) In short, God told them to settle in and carry on as they always have. Follow God and His commands, live their lives, and “seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the LORD on its behalf….” (even though it was a pagan city with an idolatrous government).
If all this is true and God is sovereign over all things then it must be conceded that, while many may believe with all their hearts that this election was stolen and that the winner only won by cheating and fraud, Joseph Biden has been placed by God as President of the United States. As such, believers must cover him in prayer, challenge him (and Congress) to act in a righteous manner, and follow whatever laws they enact insofar as that obedience does not violate our Christian conscience which has been formed by the Scriptures. We must also pray for our nation as a whole that any and all corruption would come to light and that the population would turn from the nasty, hateful rhetoric and begin to see one another as human beings made in the image of God. And we should pray that they would come to the cross, repent, and subject themselves to the One true King.
What is fellowship, and when do members of a local church engage in fellowship? Are Christians guaranteed to enjoy fellowship every time they eat a meal together? If a group of men from the church get together to watch football, are they engaging in fellowship? Should we assume that creating a women’s knitting group is a sure-fire path to fellowship? Though fellowship may take place in any of these contexts, gatherings like these are not the essence of fellowship. Many churches are lacking in authentic fellowship because they do not have a clear understanding of what fellowship is. Once a church has a clear vision of what biblical fellowship is, they can consider which elements promote true fellowship and which hinder it.
So then, what is fellowship? Fellowship centers on the common bond that Christians share with one another in the gospel, and fellowship embraces that common bond through relationship with one another. Fellowship is a personal relationship between Christians that centers on their common identity in Christ and spurs one another on in following Him (Hebrews 10:24-25). In this regard, fellowship is a unique relationship between believers that cannot be enjoyed by unbelievers; it only exists between those who have been united to Christ through faith.
That leads us to consider how a church can promote fellowship among its members. Because fellowship requires relationships, churches commonly host various types of gatherings (i.e., meals, intramural sports, etc.) in order to promote fellowship. These efforts provide a space for fellowship to be expressed, but they do not necessarily create fellowship. The first and most important way to promote fellowship in a local church is by preaching the gospel because the gospel is the root of fellowship.
Though numerous New Testament passages reveal this truth, consider Ephesians 2:11-22. It begins by reminding Gentile Christians that they were at one time separated from Christ and alienated from His people (verses 11-12). Verses 13-14 proclaim that, “…now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility…” (ESV) What is the effect of this? Verse 19 says, “So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God…” (ESV) Verses 19-22 go on to explain that the church is a spiritual house that has Christ as the cornerstone. The unity and relationship that Christians enjoy is solely based on Christ and His work to unite us to right standing with Him and into fellowship with one another. This is the only basis for Christian fellowship.
Why do we begin here? Because Christians will only have a proper excitement for fellowship with one another when they understand that it is a blood-bought fellowship. When believers rejoice in the reality of their reconciliation with Christ that brings them into the household of God with other saints for whom Christ died, they will understand the true value of fellowship and pursue it. In this way, proclaiming the gospel is the most essential means of promoting Christian fellowship.
With this basis established, we can explore two practical steps that leaders of a church can take to promote fellowship. First, elders can model fellowship to their people. Many Christians are excited to gather together for fellowship events, but few are comfortable initiating spiritual conversations. Elders can model fellowship by engaging members on a level that only Christians can engage in. They can ask others how their walk with the Lord has been, share passages of Scripture that they are meditating on, ask how they can pray for another member, or ask another member to pray for them. Though awkward at times, these types of intentional conversations can demonstrate to church members that deep fellowship ought to be the norm among Christians. Furthermore, it is no accident that hospitality is an essential qualification for elders (1 Timothy 3:2). Elders can invite families to their homes for dinner, ask men to meet them for coffee, and look for other opportunities to engage with Christians at on a spiritual level outside of the Sunday gathering. Modeling by example is a powerful way to promote true fellowship among members of a local church.
Second, elders can intentionally encourage members to pursue deep fellowship with one another. This will be far more effective if the elders are already modeling fellowship. In a Sunday gathering, a pastor could explain what the essence of fellowship is and specifically challenge members to pursue fellowship with other members that goes beyond surface-level conversation. An elder could meet with a small group of men to study a series of Scripture passages that explain what fellowship is. Then, he could encourage those men to pursue deep levels of fellowship with each other and with other church members. Whatever the method looks like, elders and church leaders can intentionally challenge members to pursue fellowship.
With these ideas in mind, we can consider elements that hinder fellowship in a local church. First, churches sabotage fellowship when they cater to the personal preferences of their members. Though it is wise to consider the preferences of members when making choices about music style, building décor, meeting times, and the like, it is dangerous to cater to these preferences. Why? Because it gives members the impression that their unity is rooted in common preferences. For example, it is common for churches to hold a “traditional” church service earlier in the morning and a “modern” service later in the morning. This practice may seem benign, but it poses a great threat to unity and fellowship. It says, “The content of the songs we sing is not enough to unite us with one another; we need to have our stylistic preferences satisfied in order to meet as a unified group.” In contrast, the glory of Christ is displayed when college students who prefer modern music and older saints who love hymns can set aside their preferences to worship Christ in any style of song – as long as those songs center on the gospel that unites them.
Second, churches can hinder fellowship by segregating their members based on common characteristics like age, grade, marriage status, and the like. To be sure, there is value in sometimes leading mens’ breakfasts, childrens’ ministries, and marriage seminars; these allow members who may be struggling in similar areas to encourage one another. However, if a church constantly segregates members based on these factors, the unique fellowship that the gospel creates is suppressed. Unbelievers can understand why a 10th-grade girl wants to attend youth group with other high-schoolers; they scratch their heads when the same 10th-grader wakes up early on a Saturday morning to meet with a 67-year-old widow to read the Bible and pray together. The same principle applies with activities that a church promotes. Mixing members of varying ages, genders, and marital status reminds all members that their fellowship with one another is rooted in Christ alone.
Finally, churches can foil fellowship by hosting too many programs and formal activities. As stated earlier, churches often create programs and “fellowship events” when they want to promote fellowship in their church. Paradoxically, these gatherings can hinder fellowship. How? They can make members feel as if they have engaged in fellowship when, in fact, they haven’t. Men can feel as if they enjoyed fellowship when they really only played football and talked about sports – activities that a group of unbelievers could also enjoy. Furthermore, if church members are running programs every night of the week, they may be so busy sustaining those programs that they do not have time to invite other members into their homes or find contexts that promote deeper fellowship. Church leaders must use wisdom to discern which programs are promoting true fellowship and which may be hindering it.
At the end of the day, each church must discern which practices are promoting true fellowship and which are hindering it. The goal is not to create hard-and-fast rules about which activities should be promoted and which should be banned; rather, my encouragement is for church leaders to carefully consider what true fellowship is and whether their current practices are promoting fellowship among members. For all of us, may we always treasure Christ’s work at the cross to save us into His family and bring us into fellowship with one another. May we pursue fellowship with one another for the glory of Christ and our joy with one another.
Though a steady diet of expository sermons each week is not enough to sustain us, it provides a framework for all other spiritual growth with the church. In a year like 2020, we might feel like we did not grow much. I thought it might be helpful for you to see what you heard from the Word this year.
Below is a list of what was preached in our series’ in 1-2 Chronicles and 1-2 Peter, as well as topical messages we heard throughout the year. We had the joy of hearing many voices speak the Word to us. I have listed in parentheses the names of those who joined me in preaching this year. These men have expressed their gratitude for you giving them a chance to exercise their gifts within the body and I want to pass that along here. We all rejoice in your listening ears and teachable hearts.
January:
5: 2 Chronicles 10
12: 2 Chronicles 11
19: Sanctity of Human Life
26: 2 Chronicles 12 (Kevin Dunford)
February:
2: 2 Chronicles 13 (Dalton Thompson)
9: 2 Chronicles 14
16: Valentine’s Day
23: 2 Chronicles 15 (Austin Eiler)
March
1: 2 Chronicles 16 (Austin Eiler)
8: 2 Chronicles 17
15: 2 Chronicles 18
22: 2 Chronicles 19
29: 2 Chronicles 20 (Jared Webb)
April
5: Palm Sunday (Travis Montgomery)
12: Easter 1 Peter 1:1-9
19: 1 Peter 1:10-16 (Alan McElroy)
26: 1 Peter 1:17-25
May
3: 1 Peter 2:1-10
10: Mother’s Day (Jim Viens)
17: 1 Peter 2:11-25
24: 1 Peter 3:1-12
31: 1 Peter 3:13-22 (Kevin Dunford)
June
7: 1 Peter 4:1-6
14: 1 Peter 4:7-11
21: 1 Peter 4:12-19
28: 1 Peter 5:1-7
July
5: 1 Peter 5:8-14
12: 2 Peter 1:1-9 (Jared Webb)
19: 2 Peter 1:10-15: (Kevin Dunford)
26: 2 Peter 1:16-21: (Kevin Dunford)
August
2: 2 Peter 2:1-11
9: 2 Peter 2:12-22
16: 2 Peter 3:1-13
23: 2 Peter 3:14-18 (Adam Anderson)
30: Deacon Appreciation
September
6: Chronicles Review
13: 2 Chronicles 20:1-19
20: Missions Conference (Luke)
27: 2 Chronicles 20:20-37
October
4: 2 Chronicles 21 (Alan Noble)
11: 2 Chronicles 22
18: 2 Chronicles 23 (Jared Webb)
25: 2 Chronicles 24 (J.C. Morrison)
November
1: 2 Chronicles 25
8: 2 Chronicles 26
15: 2 Chronicles 27-28
22: Thanksgiving (Justin Ridgway)
29: Luke 1:5-38
December
6: Luke 1:39-80
13: Luke 2:1-20
20: Luke 2:21-38 (J.C. Morrison)
24: Christmas Eve Worship: Luke 2:41-52
27: New Year’s Message: Missions in 2021
And looking ahead to 2021, we will finish our series in 2 Chronicles just before Easter. After Easter, we will begin a series in Galatians. In the fall, we will begin a series in Daniel and then in the summer of 2022 launch a series in Revelation. Along the way, other elders and interns will join in the preaching rotation; some are already scheduled, as you will see in the January-May schedule below.
Finally, I want to exhort you to diligently prepare for worship each Sunday. There are only 52 Sundays each year! Each Saturday night, read the passage that will be preached on Sunday. Pray for the Chorale and the preacher; pray for Master’s Kids and Equipping Hour teachers. Be silent for sixty seconds and let the Lord minister to you. You will get more out of Sundays if you prepare on Saturday night.
January:
3: 2 Chronicles 28
10: 2 Chronicles 29
17: Sanctity of Life
24: 2 Chronicles 30 (Josh Reeves)
31: 2 Chronicles 31 (Jim Viens)
February:
7: 2 Chronicles 32:1-23
14: Valentine’s Day
21: 2 Chronicles 32:24-33 (Jared Webb)
28: 2 Chronicles 33
March:
7: 2 Chronicles 34
14: 2 Chronicles 35 (Intern/Elder)
21: 2 Chronicles 36
28: Palm Sunday
April:
4: Easter
11: Galatians 1:1-5
18: Galatians 1:6-10 (Intern/Elder)
25: Galatians 1:11-24
May:
2: Galatians 2:1-10 (Intern/Elder)
9: Mother’s Day
16: Galatians 2:11-21
23: Galatians 3:1-9
30: Galatians 3:10-18