Book Review: The Cross and Christian Ministry

I had two endorsements of this book in the back of my mind before even beginning it. The first came from my former lead pastor, whom I remember speaking very highly of The Cross and Christian Ministry. The second is the fact that there has been little, if anything, that Dr. Carson has written and I have not benefited from. So coming to the book, I had expectations that this volume would follow along those lines and be generally helpful and biblically faithful. Without surprise, Dr. Carson's work succeeds at both points.

Let me begin by saying that the Corinthian letters hold, in my opinion, some of the most necessary corrections for the American church today. The nature of the letters as corrective generally lends themselves to addressing "problems" in the life of the church. The problems developing in American evangelicalism increasingly reflect the issues present among the confused Corinthians. Which makes any venture into these letters a profitable one for the pastor/elder or Christian looking to understand what faithful ministry (and Christian living) looks like in an environment hostile to the unique design the gospel supplies to the character of Christian life and ministry. Dr. Carson also wrote a book entitled A Model of Christian Maturity, which takes up some of the issues in 2 Corinthians. Both of these books are very helpful and I would generally recommend both of them as faithful in accomplishing their stated purposes.

The Cross and Christian Ministry takes up various passages in the first Corinthian letter and applies them to the contemporary Christian and Christian leader. Without going into the details of each chapter, it suffices to say that the themes drawn from the letter are more than necessary for any Christian (most certainly the pastor) to have a solid understanding of. The fundamental disparity between the world's values and the gospel's values, between the priorities of fallen men and the priorities of Jesus Christ, are so glaringly evident to us, yet very difficult to leave the former to pursue the latter. And that's where the Corinthian letters, particularly the first, have so much to say to those of us who are tempted to assume worldly priorities and cloak them with Christian garb. Dr. Carson draws out the priorities of a cross-centered life and ministry that necessarily means change on the part of the earnest man of God.

The contents of this book are adapted from addresses delivered by Dr. Carson, which makes them inherently practical. Dr. Carson is particularly gifted in driving home solid theological content in engaging ways. Again, I have usually benefited from anything I have read written by D.A. Carson and this book stands in that line. While the book is shorter than others you might pick up by him, The Cross and Christian Ministry is still well worth the read and should be an assigned as an exit requirement for those graduating from seminary. Seasoned pastors would do well to come back to the priorities Dr. Carson draws out in this book. The Cross and Christian Ministry is a worthwhile book that supplies a much-needed perspective on genuine Christian ministry and living in light of the Cross.

(The folks at Baker Books kindly supplied me with a complimentary copy for review. I was not required to provide a positive review of the book.)

Book Review : Lost Letters of Pergamum

The world of Christian fiction isn't typically filled with a host of substantive, biblical, and obedience-provoking titles these days, at least so far as my impression of the landscape goes. If a book isn't about the Amish, it might as well stay off the fiction racks. Sadly, theology and a compelling story rarely seem to have a place together in the Christian publishing world. Reading through Bruce Longenecker's book The Lost Letters of Pergamum, however, proves to be an exception. Here's why:

• The book, while not strictly "fictional," is historical fiction - which basically means that the license taken to put words in the mouths of characters is a license taken with great attention to the probability that such characters would say what the author has them say. In the case of Longenecker's book, the dialogue mainly consists of a series of fictional letters sent back and forth between Antipas of Pergamum and Luke the Physician (and chronicler of Luke-Acts). What's fascinating about the interchange is that the characters are based on real men, with good biblical scholarship informing the content and style of their correspondence. It's not an historical stab in the dark, but a very real presentation of what an interaction between a first century Christian and pagan may have looked like, particularly those in the higher ranks of society. While the book is clearly fictional, nothing in it reads anachronistically. This needs to be done well for a book written as historical fiction and Longenecker does an excellent job of it.

• The attention to historical accuracy sets up the characters in a compelling way. Though I knew these letters were fictional, I remained interested to find out what would happen to the characters (some of whom, like the main characters themselves, were very real people in the first century).

• The evangelistic tone of Luke's letters to Antipas and the church's relationship to Antipas both made a significant impression on me. The way in which Luke respectfully and clearly engaged the pagan Antipas is a model for the kind of evangelism that usually happens in the workplace. Luke persisted in holding the truth before a man whom he initially knew through "professional" channels in a way that is highly instructive for those tempted to neglect speaking Scripture truth in favor of aimless "relationship building." Equally instructive is the way in which the church at Pegamum (at the fictional Antonius' house) openly received Antipas, while displaying genuine Christian living in their interactions. Both serve to convince Antipas of the truth of the gospel. I would not hesitate to suggest that Longenecker intentionally designed these interactions to instruct, which they do well.

• The first and twenty-first century risk of compromising the gospel is clearly in view, as one church shows a preference for comfort at the expense of their faithfulness to the Lord Jesus. It should not be overlooked that this was a real temptation for the apostolic church facing increasing persecution and lingers today. This, along with Antipas' eventual martyrdom, provide a sobering tone to the book that could otherwise be avoided in a fictional account. Those, along with other sobering moments, provide depth to the book.

 If you're looking to get a better picture of life in the first century church and don't care to read "textbook" type books, The Lost Letters of Pergamum is a sure choice to inform and entertain. It's relatively short at under 200 pages and reads very quickly. I would also recommend the book as a supplement to any Early Church History course, from Sunday School to seminary level. It does a very good job of bringing facts about the first century church together in a way that those familiar with that period of history can generally agree with and those wanting to be familiar can receive a helpful guide.

(The folks at Baker Academic kindly supplied me with a complimentary copy for review. I was not required to provide a positive review of the book.)

Parents, Keep Reality Before Your Children: Buy Good Books

I'm not a fan of horror movies. At all. Unfortunately, the converse of what I'm recommending to you today - getting good kids books for your home - as a parent desiring to "keep reality before your children" provokes a response that approximates those horror movies produce in me: disgust, groans, eye rolls, and the general desire to look the other way. While it might not be that bad most of the time if you know the right places to look, a stroll down the aisle at Wally World or Target isn't (typically) going to get you a haul of "Christian" books that have any business being labeled that way. So for all the parents who have wondered why they've stocked the shelves with Left Behind: The Kids series or why they should trust the near death experience of a 3 year old to provide frontline fodder for their kids, here's a breath of fresh air: the books are out there. And they're getting easier to find. Hopefully this post helps direct you to some of them.

A number of months ago, I became convinced that as a dad, I had a responsibility to make sure that my kids were getting a steadier stream of truth through children's books than they were getting. If you're anything like us (and you very well might, because we're not like people who aren't like us and your family is probably like those who are like yours) you tend to accumulate books and toys for your kids quickly. Unexpectedly. In a way that seems like you had a subscription plan that delivered them to you while you were passed out somewhere. And most of the time, those books don't communicate a whole lot - or a whole lot that is true and hearty - about God and the gospel. That's what gripped me. As I looked at all the books that we had sitting around about how many animals you could count or stories about a mouse eating cookies, I felt strongly that I had a responsibility to my wife and children to make sure that they were "resourced" appropriately. I'm big on equipping as a priority in ministry and it was high time to make sure that my home was equipped to teach my little ones, even during play time, that life is about more than silly stories, nursery rhymes, or princesses.

At the end of the day, there's really nothing wrong with stories about princesses or ballerinas for little girls. It's the vacuum created of rich, true things when those other stories suck the air out of your home. A daily struggle ensues for every Christian parent, as we seek to lead our children to see the glory of God in the gospel, to see that life is not about getting more and more stuff, but loving God and loving people for His glory. And I don't want to tilt the struggle any more in the favor of worldliness and sin than it already is. So I decided to 'roid up my children's library with books that intentionally grounded my kids in the truth of God in ways that are entertaining, accessible, and biblically faithful - a really good mixture.

Ultimately, our family worship time is the place where the gloves come off and we, as a family, have our sparring matches against the encroaching values of worldliness and sin present in our own hearts, by praying, memorizing Scripture, going over a good, solid catechism (of the Spurgeon variety) questions, reading Scripture, singing praises to God, and talking about the Word of God. But it's not just there that my kids are learning truth. They need to exercise if they're going to be any good for the big events and that means I can't let them eat only dessert throughout the day and wonder why they're not caring about what we're doing during that important time. Their hearts are in our stewardship. And I'll tell you this: I'm certainly not going to let Dora the Explorer teach my kids more about life than godly men and women who have prayerfully sought to get some engaging and biblical content into our hands. So from one dad to other parents (or potential parents) - take your stand on what your kids books say about what you're trying to accomplish at home.

So You Want Some Examples, Eh?

That's my story. But here's where I want to really help you, if you're looking for it, get a solid start at putting together a decent set of books for your kids. All I'm going to say about the below books is that I don't think you can really go wrong if you add them to your home. They're all written in order to lead your kids to seeing God and Christian living rightly and biblically. Here's a list, with links to Westminster Theological Seminary's Bookstore website for you to look at. (WTS Bookstore has Amazon-ish prices, even better at times, as well as good, fast service. I give them a thumbs-up and encourage you to give them a look as an option for getting your books.) They also have a kids category for you to look through. Here are some top picks:

Pilgrim's Progress

Get Wisdom!: 23 Lessons for Children About Living for Jesus

Gospel Story Bible

The Barber Who Wanted to Pray

The Donkey Who Carried a King

The Prince's Poison Cup

and here's the link to FAQ's about their children's section. It gives a good perspective on why they stock the books they do and links to different categories of children's books. It's well worth the time to look through what's out there.

These are just a few examples. But they're good. And you'll find a lot more, as most everything at WTS Bookstore is "trustworthy" and not going to teach your kids to live as Christians without knowing their need for Christ (like, sadly, a number of well-intentioned children's books can). I do hope that, if you're a parent, you take a good look at what your choices about media and books are teaching your children about life - and if its reinforcing what you really desire them to learn. Let's strive together to serve our children well for their good and God's glory.

To God Alone Be the Glory,
-Chris

Studies in the Sermon on the Mount: Mourning What?

"Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted." 

-Matthew 5:4

It's been a few days since visiting MLJ's Studies in the Sermon on the Mount.  A little late, not forgotten.  Today's chapter focuses on Matthew 5:4 and has to do with mourning.  One of the benefits of reading through Scripture at a slower pace is the opportunity to track with the intent of the author or speaker.  God has inspired Scripture intentionally and not with haphazardness.  So if we take seriously MLJ's argument that all of the Beatitudes are related and have a sequence that "makes sense," we can start doing away with some misconceptions about them.  And, like any Beatitude, this second one can be used, abused, and misused.  We must come to this and ask, "What kind of mourning is the Savior talking about?" to gain a real sense of what the blessing of comfort spoken of here has to do with.  Does this mean everyone on planet earth who is mourning (over one thing or another, from the loss of a child to the loss of their dictatorship over a country) will be comforted?  Is there some kind of "universal blessedness" promised here?  Does the audience matter?  Should we "force" mourning?  What is being talked about here?

Hallmark Doesn't Help

Scripture is complete.  Scripture is clear.  And Scripture, from Genesis to Revelation, has themes and truth about God that becomes very clear when we go to it as its own interpreter, in the light-giving ministry of the Holy Spirit.  If a passage of Scripture seems to make you turn your head like the dog in the RCA commercials, like it doesn't make any sense at all, one of the most helpful things you can do is ask this question: Based on what I know about the Bible and what other "clearer" passages have to say about what's in question, what does this passage not mean?  That's probably one of the more helpful questions to understanding hard passages and its not usually the first we want to have answered.  We're quick to want the kernel of application and not so quick to want to know how to get it.  So when we come to something that seems like it could be - and has been - taken way out of context, how do we understand it?

In short, coming to the Word of God and taking one verse here or there isn't as helpful as it is popular.  I've seen "Christian" Valentine's Day cards that go out of their way to find a verse that has love in it, but doesn't make biblical sense to use it that way.  And to fire off a "Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted" to anyone and everyone is like sending off a greeting card that says (true story) "I have derived much joy and comfort from your love" as a romantic gesture.  Paul was telling Philemon what a blessing it was that he had served the saints so well and faithfully.  Frankly, it would just be better to write "I love you and here are the dozens of reasons why" and fill in the blanks than to chop up a passage of Scripture and use it out of context.  Words matter much more than that!

Mourning What?

So what kind of mourning is in view here?  Here is what MLJ has to say: "Our Lord did not say that those who mourn in a natural sense are happy, meaning by 'mourning', the sorrow experienced because of the death of someone. . . . As we saw that poverty of spirit was not something financial, but something essentially spiritual, so this again is something entirely spiritual and has nothing to do with our natural life in this world" (Studies, 43-44).  Whoa.  Is this too harsh?  Is Lloyd-Jones guilty of "over-spiritualizing"?  In one sense, I think we need to be careful to not over-correct the false impressions we get of these things.  There is comfort for those who are in Christ and mourn.  The Scriptures are clear about God's compassion and care for His people.  And in one sense, every bit of mourning that happens in this fallen world is a result of sin.  So yes, the comfort that comes to those who mourn has to do with real stuff, a real grief over the fallenness of this world.  But what MLJ points out - and this is what we have to see - is the kind of mourning that follows right on the heels of poverty of spirit.  If someone knows themselves bankrupt of any righteousness that will be acceptable before God, what must they mourn?  How do mourning and poverty of spirit relate?

The answer, Lloyd-Jones suggests, is to see that the threshold of conversion is stained with tears mourning sin and its sinfulness.  And as a very, very practical point of application, he has this to say about the failure to recognize the place that mourning over sin has in the Christian life, even characterizing conversion to greater or lesser degrees: "I cannot help feeling that the final explanation of the state of the Church today is a defective sense of sin and a defective doctrine of sin.  Coupled with that, of course, is a failure to understand the true nature of Christian joy.  There is the double failure.  There is not the real, deep conviction of sin as was once the case; and on the other hand there is this superficial conception of joy and happiness which is very different indeed from that which we find in the New Testament.  Thus the defective doctrine of sin and the shallow idea of joy, working together, of necessity produce a superficial kind of person and a very inadequate kind of Christian life" (Studies, 45).

These are certainly hard words.  But if you give some thought to it, it won't take long to conclude that Lloyd-Jones hit the nail on the head more than half a century ago when he preached these words.  And it hasn't gotten any better.  When the garbage of health-wealth-prosperity teaching can convince millions that their best life is now and when the design to provide a shopping mall experience of take it as you like it Christianity marks so many churches, is it any wonder that the Gospel - the life-changing, world-changing, sin-killing, love-producing, God-glorifying Gospel - is not taking hold?  We've got many folks who identify as "evangelical" Christians, yet don't know the Good News that makes evangelicalism evangelical.  MLJ: "They have failed to see that they must be convicted of sin before they can ever experience joy.  They do not like the doctrine of sin.  They dislike it intensely and they object to its being preached.  THey want joy apart from the conviction of sin.  But that is impossible; it can never be obtained.  Those who are going to be converted and who wish to be truly happy and blessed are those who first of all mourn" (Studies, 45).  Indeed, happy are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.  Not with the cheesy enticements and false promises of an illegitimate gospel - but with the comfort of God who welcomes sinners into His Kingdom, who extends gracious and open arms for a world at enmity with Him. 

Again, MLJ says: "The man who truly mourns because of his sinful state and condition is a man who is going to repent; he is, indeed, actually repenting already.  And the man who truly repents as the result of the work of the Holy Spirit upon him, is a man who is certain to be led to the Lord Jesus Christ.  Having seen his utter sinfulness and hopelessness, he looks for a Savior, and he finds Him in Christ. . . . He sees in Him the perfect provision that God has made and immediately he is comforted.  That is the astounding thing about the Christian life.  Your great sorrow leads to joy, and without the sorrow there is no joy" (Studies, 49).  Further, this goes on throughout the Christian life - mourning sin, our own and the sin of others, the sin that has brought this world into a ruinous fall - mourning it and finding fullness, hope, peace, and comfort in Christ. 

So that's where we'll end for this installment.  There is certainly more to be said, but I'll leave it off there.  I've got a good, cheesy movie to watch with my wife and a late supper to eat.  Meekness is up next and, Lord willing, that chapter will come in a couple two-three days, as we say around Wisconsin.  Take care.

To God Alone Be the Glory,
-Chris

Weekly Where-to-Go: May 7th

The title might be a little forced, but hey - I like alliteration.  I've really enjoyed Tim Challies' A La Carte postings with links of interest that he puts up on an almost daily basis.  So I thought I'd join the club and put some links out that might be fun and helpful.  Here's the round-up for this week:

The Gospel Project: Available for purchase today, this looks to be a really useful resource for the local church.  Here's their own description: "The Gospel Project is a Christ-centered curriculum that examines the grand narrative of Scripture and how the gospel transforms the lives of those it touches. Over a three-year plan of study, each session immerses participants — adults, students, and kids — in the gospel through every story, theological concept, and call to missions from Genesis to Revelation."  I love the Children Desiring God curriculum, but see this as another really solid option for introducing kids to the "big picture" of the Bible.  There are some other interesting aspects of the curriculum that I'll let you check out on your own, but I do want to mention one thing that really sets The Gospel Project apart: it has separate (and I'm assuming) complementary tracks for children, youth, and adults.  So moms and dads can be learning "together" with their kids, even if they're not in the same classroom.  Plus, they have practical take-homes that can encourage families to put into practice what they're learning.  Thumbs-up.

A Conversation with J.D. Greear on Teaching Kids the Gospel: Trevin Wax interviews J.D. Greear about the heart of a good kids curriculum.  A good tie-in to look at with The Gospel Project in mind.  Says Greear, "You want them understanding from the very beginning that this is about worship and about grace and that what they do for God is a response to what He has done for them."

The Campus Tsunami: An interesting look at the place of technology in education and its emerging role at top-notch schools.  As an alum of Reformed Theological Seminary's Virtual Campus, I can attest to the benefit of providing a distance option at a quality school.  Some of us just can't move our family across the country.  Distance education is no longer just TV/VCR repair.

The Underestimated God: God's Ruthless, Compassionate Grace in the Pursuit of His Own Glory and His Ministers' Joy: Very good message by Ligon Duncan from this year's Together for the Gospel.  And though it's very helpful pastors, it's not for pastors only.