Monthly Archives: March 2014

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Recent Reads

I love to read. By God’s grace I am a pretty fast reader; I usually read a couple books each week. I find it helpful to summarize my thoughts on each book and I offer those thoughts in the hope that you will be encouraged to either read or pass over the given title.

087552186XmGiven For You: Reclaiming Calvin’s Doctrine of the Lord’s Supper by Keith Mathison. When RC Sproul read this volume for the first time he told Mathison (a longtime colleague), “You may die now.” In the foreword Sproul remarks, “I explained [to Keith] that if he made no other contribution to the church for the rest of his life, he has already provided a legacy for future generations by writing this book.” And it is an excellent book. Packed with historical, biblical, and theological reflection on the always timely topic of the Supper. I for one wish the book started with biblical theology instead of historical/systematic theology, but the ordering make sense as Mathison is out to reclaim the traditional Reformed view of the Supper. The book is longish (some 360 pages) and packed with lots of valuable research, so it probably won’t be a fast read. But it nevertheless remains one of the best books available on the topic.

511NcvN64-L._SY344_PJlook-inside-v2,TopRight,1,0_SH20_BO1,204,203,200_Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God by JI Packer. Few books have an undeniable case for inclusion in the “Must Read” category and this is one of them. The issue lying at the heart of the book is as pertinent as when it was first published in 1961. Packer’s objective is to show that “faith in the sovereignty of God’s government and grace is the only thing that can sustain [evangelism], for it is the only thing that can give us the resilience that we need if we are to evangelize boldly and persistently.” And boy does he succeed! While it may be wished that more reflection on the local church’s role in evangelism was offered, it cannot be denied that Packer – in my view – offers the best, and clearest, dismantling of the objection that God’s sovereignty in salvation limits man’s responsibility in evangelism. We should look at this book and, like Augustine, hear a childlike voice saying, “Tolle lege!”

9781433540349mTrue Beautyby Carolyn Mahaney and Nicole Whitacre. Excellent. Wise. Clear. Convicting. Encouraging. These would all be words I’d use to describe this offering by the mother and daughter duo of Mahaney and Whitacre. In fact, it might just be one of the most useful books one can find on biblical femininity. The authors define true beauty as “behold and reflecting the beauty of God.” With biblical and cultural awareness the book covers all the bases one would expect: True Beauty and Our Hearts, True Beauty and Our Bodies, and True Beauty and Our Clothes. The chapters on beauty’s relationship to trust and works are especially useful. I’d love to see all the women in my church read this. It’s that good.

indexThe Sixth Man by David Baldacci. My march through Baldacci continued with the fourth volume in his “King & Maxwell” series. The plot of The Sixth Man was the weakest one I’ve read in my recent Baldacci binge. It somehow manages to capture the attention, while not really picking up steam until about two-thirds of the way through. Which, I imagine, is a backhanded compliment of sorts. The first three books in the series were compelling in their development of the protagonists, but the titular players are quite static as they race to uncover big government machinations. I’ve have to give Baldacci great credit as the twist in this one was an absolute surprise, the first time that had happened in a long time. I must have been asleep at the reading wheel!

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A Series Worth Serious Investment: Vol. 2

Several weeks ago I told you about Crossway’s partnership with 9Marks in publishing the “Building Healthy Churches” series. Today I want to make sure you are aware of another Crossway series worth serious investment: Theologians on the Christian Life.

Here are the works already published or soon to be published.

THEOLOGIANS ON THE CHRISTIAN LIFE

9781433511882Bonhoeffer on the Christian Life: From the Cross, for the World by Stephen Nichols. Dietrich Bonhoeffer died a martyr’s death at the age of 39 but remains one of the most influential and challenging theologians of our time. His writings teach us the value of cross-centered theology, and his courageous actions against the Nazi regime compel us to consider the cost of discipleship. From Bonhoeffer we learn that the Christian life is lived both alone and together, and that there is a stark difference between cheap and costly grace. With insight, clarity, and wisdom, Stephen Nichols guides us through the words and deeds of this humble yet heroic pastor, whose example shows us that the Christian’s life flows from the cross, for the world.

9781433539565Calvin on the Christian Life: Glorifying and Enjoying God Forever by Michael Horton. John Calvin, a man adored by some and maligned by others, stands as a legendary figure in Christian history. In Calvin on the Christian Life, professor Michael Horton offers us fresh insights into the Reformer’s personal piety and practical theology by allowing Calvin to speak in his own words. Drawing not only from his Institutes and biblical commentaries, but also from lesser-known tracts, treatises, and letters, this book will deepen your understanding of Calvin’s theology and ministry by exploring the heart of his spiritual life: confident trust and unwavering joy in the sovereign grace of God.

9781433535055Edwards on the Christian Life: Alive to the Beauty of God by Dane Ortland. Jonathan Edwards is widely hailed as the greatest theologian in American history. However, despite the recent surge of scholarship related to his life and theology, few books offer an accessible introduction to his understanding of the Christian life. In the latest addition to the Theologians on the Christian Life series, readers are invited to explore Edwards’s vision of what it means to be a Christian. Whether it’s Edwards’s understanding of love, Scripture, the soul, or the natural world, Dane Ortlund shows how the concept of beauty serves as the integrating motif underlying every aspect of his thinking. Clear, concise, and engaging, this book will help readers embrace the great eighteenth-century pastor’s definition of authentic Christianity: the enjoyment and reflection of the beauty of God.

9781433537288Owen on the Christian Life: Living for the Glory of God in Christ by Matthew Barrett and Michael Haykin. John Owen is widely hailed as one of the greatest theologians of all time. His many works—especially those encouraging Christians in their struggle against sin—continue to speak powerfully to readers today, offering much-needed spiritual guidance for following Christ and resisting temptation day in and day out. Starting with an overview of Owen’s life, ministry, and historical context, Michael Haykin and Matthew Barrett introduce readers to the pillars of Owen’s spiritual life. From exploring his understanding of believers’ fellowship with the triune God to highlighting his teaching on justification, this study invites us to learn about the Christian life from the greatest of the English Puritans.

9781433531392Schaeffer on the Christian Life: Countercultural Spirituality by William Edgar. Francis Schaeffer was one of the most influential apologists of the twentieth century. Through his speaking, writing, and filmmaking, Schaeffer successfully transformed the way people thought of the Christian faith, from a rather private kind of piety to a worldview that addresses every sphere of life. This volume—written by a man converted from agnosticism within days of meeting Schaeffer—is the first book devoted to exploring the heart and soul of Schaeffer’s approach to the Christian life, and will help readers strive after the same kind of marriage of thought and life, of orthodoxy and love.

9781433543197Warfield on the Christian Life: Living Life in the Light of the Gospel by Fred Zaspel. B. B. Warfield is well known as one of America’s leading theologians, perhaps second only to Jonathan Edwards. But until now the character of his own Christian experience and his understanding of the Christian life have remained unexplored. Fred Zaspel unpacks these for us here, and what we find is that Warfield’s profound theological mind is matched only by his passionate heart for Christ. From Warfield we learn truly what it is to live in light of the gospel.

9781433515644Wesley on the Christian Life: The Heart Renewed in Love by Fred Sanders. John Wesley was one of the most important figures behind the founding of modern evangelicalism. From his crucial role in the Great Awakening to his inspiring a renewal movement within the Church of England, Wesley’s historical significance is undeniable and his legacy still challenges us today, regardless of our denominational affiliation or theological perspective. Offering an approachable introduction to Wesley’s life and writings, Fred Sanders invites us to learn from Wesley’s reliance on the Spirit, passion for holiness, and zeal for the gospel in this winsome portrait of an extraordinary Christian leader.

Other Volumes On the Docket:

  • Martin Luther on the Christian Life by Carl Trueman (August 2014)
  • John Bunyan on the Christian Life by Derek Thomas (April 2015)
  •  John Newton on the Christian Life by Tony Reinke (June 2015)
  • Herman Bavinck on the Christian Life by John Bolt (August 2015)
  • J. I. Packer on the Christian Life by Sam Storms (October 2015)
  • Charles Spurgeon on the Christian Life by Michael Reeves (unknown)
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New Life & Heavenly Conduct

New Life in Christ

Ephesians 4:25-32 represents a syllabus of sorts regarding life in the school of heaven.  We might simply say these eight verses show us that heavenly conversation and conduct mark new life in Christ.

On Monday we looked at heavenly conversation and today we want to look at heavenly conduct.

THE CONDUCT OF CLOTHING

Have you ever noticed how often clothing can transform conduct? If you don’t know what I mean, just keep your eyes open on Halloween.  You might see a child, or even an adult, dressed in a pirate costume and trying to talk like a pirate.  You might see a teenager dressed as Harry Potter waving around some stick as though he suddenly has attained magical power because he put on a normal white shirt and tie, and a black cape.  We could keep going, but I digress.

Is it not true that clothing can sometimes causes you to feel awkward, or confident, or ashamed, or maybe out of place? Clothing often transforms conduct.

This is the point Paul wants to get across when he tells us that putting on the new self means that we put on the new clothes of Christ righteousness.  And that new clothing must truly transform our conduct. We see him detail this new conduct in verses 4:26-28 and 4:30-31.  The first area of conduct that Paul addresses is anger.

PUTTING ANGER TO BED

26Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, 27and give no opportunity to the devil.

Notice that Paul doesn’t come out and condemn anger, it is as though he sees it some appropriateness to anger.  It’s useful to know that Paul is quoting from the Greek version of Psalm 4:4 in which we find David angry at Israel’s idolatry.  It is possible to have righteous anger: anger at God being robbed of the worship that he is due, or anger at the hideous and offensive nature of sin.  But I would add that this anger should always be mixed with righteous grief.  The one instance where Jesus is said to get angry is Mark 3:5. Jesus was in the synagogue on the Sabbath about to heal a man’s withered hand and the Pharisees would have none of this happening on the Sabbath day. It says, “Jesus looked around at them with anger, grieved at their hardness of heart.”  Righteous anger is to be upset and grieved with idolatry and sin.

What then is unrighteous anger?  You don’t have to look very far, just look down to verse thirty-one, “Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.” Paul gives us five different words to show us the nature of sinful anger.  Sinful anger is filled with bitterness, wrath, clamor (which is yelling, brawling, or shouting indicating a lack of restraint), slander (profane or abusive speech), and malice (viciousness).  So let us look in the mirror and see whether or not our anger is righteous or unrighteous.  Does the name of Christ being profaned and the horrific consequences of sin cause us to get angry?  Or is our anger more of the shouting, abusive, and vindictive sort?  If we are honest, it probably is the latter category.

Paul hastens to add that anger ought not last long, for he says, “Do not let the sun go down on your anger.” Anger must be dealt with quickly and hastily because if it is not, we give an opportunity to the devil.  Let’s pause for a second here and notice the power of this truth.  Unchecked and unrepentant sin gives Satan an opportunity, a place or foothold.  Think about it this way.  Have you ever tried to close a door and then someone sticks his foot in the doorway?  As long as the foothold is there, that door will not shut.  To shut the door the foot must be removed or broken.  That’s the only way.  To knock off Satan from His place as the tyrant dictator of the dominion of sin, he must be removed or broken.  Such a thing happens only when we plead for the blood of Christ to cover our sin and for His righteousness to break the chains of sin and Satan.  After dealing with anger Paul moves on to the issue of stealing.

AWAY WITH STEALING & GRIEVING

28Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need.

Instead of stealing, the thief redeemed by Christ is to work hard and earn an honest wage.  Did you notice the purpose of earning an honest wage? So that he may have something to share with anyone in need. The Christian is not only marked by diligence and discipline in labor, but he uses his income to support and care.  In short, the Christian is generous.

30And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

Paul doesn’t give us a positive thing to put on here; rather he only shows us the negative, “And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God.” Once again Paul is drawing from the Old Testament, and understanding this not only helps clear up a verse that is often quoted out of context, but it reinforces Paul’s emphasis on walking as a heavenly people.  Here Paul is echoing Isaiah 63:10.  As he reviews God’s gracious actions, he looks back to the exodus and recounts how Yahweh brought his people out of slavery and into a covenant relationship with him.  Yet, despite such grace the nation of Israel, “rebelled and grieved his Holy Spirit.” So here we see again, Paul addressing the new creation covenant community who has been sealed for the day of redemption by the Holy Spirit, the guarantee of our inheritance.  And he instructs the Ephesians and us to not be like the Israel of old who fell into continual idolatry and sin, but we are to walk in complete faithfulness before our God.

CONDUCT THAT LOOKS AND SOUNDS LIKE HEAVEN

Finally, notice the final, positive exhortations of 4:32.

32 Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

In the place of these six sinful actions, we are instructed to put on kindness, compassion, and forgiveness.  As people forgiven by God, so to we must forgive.  This is heavenly conduct isn’t it?  Paul calls us to be a people marked by righteousness, diligence, generosity, faithfulness, kindness, and forgiveness.

In the school of heaven we learn that not only is our conversation is to sound like heaven, our conduct is to look like heaven.

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Who is Able?

God-in-the-Whirlwind_blog

I continue to plod my way through David Wells’ God in the Whirlwind with a few men in our church and it is splendid. There is a gravitas present that is vital for faith and practice.

Here is a hefty, yet glorious theological dumbbell:

If the greatest commandment is to love God with our whole being, then to come to him in worship is a duty central to living out that love. Worship is not primarily a social occasion as we gather with others to worship, though we are always grateful for the other believers with whom we gather. Worship is not primarily a time for our enjoyment, though being in worship is enjoyable. But worship is primarily and expression of the worth of God. It is a God-centered thing. It is primarily for God and about God; it is not primarily for ourselves and our needs. Whatever social and psychological benefits it has are secondary. Worship is primarily for God.

And that was what stood in Isaiah’s way (Isa. 6:1-5). The seraphim were ceaselessly worshipping but he was stricken and mute before God. Until, that is, God enabled him to join the heavenly chorus. This, though, had to be preceded by the terrible consciousness of sin that overwhelmed the prophet (Isa. 6:5).

This experience was an awful, soul-shaking reminder that the nature of sin cannot be concealed in the presence of God’s holiness. Its nature is exposed. It cannot hide, cannot evade, cannot change its dress, cannot pass itself off as something other than what it is. It is exposed. And that lesson is often learned the hard way. Those men of Beth-shemesh who irreverently handled “the ark of the LORD” were struck down. Those who survived, no doubt now in some awe, asked, “Who is able to stand before the LORD, this holy God?” (1 Sam. 6:19-20).

The one whom God touches, cleanses with the coal, the divine fire, from the altar (Isa. 6:6-7).

Tolle lege!

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A Scottish Appetizer

robert_mcheyneA few years ago I read Andrew Bonar’s Memoir and Remains of Robert Murray M’Cheyne and in many ways I’ve never been the same.

“This is one of the best and most profitable volumes ever published,” said Spurgeon. “The memoir of such a man ought surely to be in the hands of every Christian and certainly every preacher of the Gospel.”

M’Cheyne’s zeal for Christ and pursuit of holiness bleeds through on every page and the spilling is oh so glorious. Here are a few choice quotes to whet the appetite.

FEASTING WITH M’CHEYNE

  • “If I am to go to the heathen to speak of the unsearchable riches of Christ, this one thing must be given me, to be out of the reach of the baneful influence of esteem or contempt.  If worldly motives go with me, I shall never convert a soul, and shall lose my own in the labour. (16)
  • Clear conviction of sin is the only true origin of dependence on another’s righteousness, and therefore (strange to say!) of the Christian’s peace of mind and cheerfulness.” (22)
  • A M’Cheyne letter to a young student, “Remember you are now forming the character of your future ministry in great measure, if God spare you.  If you acquire slovenly or sleepy habits of study now, you will never get the better of it.  Do everything in its own time.  Do everything in earnest; if it is worth doing, the do it with all your might.  Above all, keep much in the presence of God.” (29)
  • “Nothing is more needful for making a sermon memorable and impressive than a logical arrangement.” (31)
  • “Enlarge my heart, and I shall preach.” (40)
  • “I see a man cannot be a faithful minister, until he preaches Christ for Christ’s sake – until he gives up striving to attract people to himself, and seeks only to attract them to Christ.” (45)
  • “Two keys are committed to us by Christ: the one the key of doctrine, by means of which we unlock the treasures of the Bible; the other the key of discipline, by which we open or shut the way to the sealing ordinances of the faith.  Both are Christ’s gift, and neither is to be resigned without sin.” (73)
  • “How will we accomplish [deeper affection for Christ]?  To begin with, we need to simply spend more time with Him.  The Christian’s love for the unseen Christ grows by communion with Him.  He is a person, a real person, a living Lord and Savior, who has promised to be with us all of our days.  We must spend time with Him daily, and as we do, we will be overwhelmed with His greatness and glory to the end that we will want to tell others about Him.” (110)

I remember thinking after reading the memoirs of M’Cheyne that only Edwards’ diary, in my opinion, exceeds the Scotsman in a warm-hearted, Christ-centered piety. M’Cheyne would seem to agree for notice what he said one March 20th:

Read part of the Life of Jonathan Edwards.  How feeble does my spark of Christianity appear beside such a sun! But even his was a borrowed light, and the same source is still open to enlighten me.

Awesome. And yes, the same sun shined brightly on the young Scotsman. So grab a copy of Bonar’s work and let Mr. M’Cheyne encourage you unto Christlikeness.

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New Life & Heavenly Conversation

New Life in Christ

In Ephesians 4:25-32 we find Paul giving the Ephesians a syllabus regarding life in the school of heaven.  The text unfolds a magnificent structure for our new life in Christ. These eight verses offer a series of twelve commands pointing the church to a glorious reality: Heavenly conversation and conduct mark new life in Christ.

In this post I will simply focus on the exhortations to heavenly conversation found in verse twenty-five and twenty-nine. Later this week I will try to show how the other seven verses give us a glimpse into the conduct of heaven.

HEAVENLY CONVERSATION

You may wonder why I am using the adjective of heavenly.  “What in this text speaks of heaven?”  The answer is actually quite hidden within verse twenty-five and is easy to miss.  But it is an answer that provides a firm foundation for eight verses filled with twelve imperatives.

25Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another.

Paul says because you have put off the old self and put on the new self (therefore), let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor.  In this command, speak truthfully, we find the answer to why I am saying that Paul instructs the Ephesians in heavenly conversation.

The exhortation to speak the truth is a quote from Zechariah 8:16 where the prophet says, “These are the things that you shall do: Speak the truth to one another.”  This is the first in a series of commands that immediately follow divine promises regarding the New Jerusalem. Through Zechariah, God is telling us what kind of people His children are to be in the new heavens and new earth. So the first command Paul gives is an echo from Zechariah that was originally given to the people of God who would dwell with him forever in the New Creation, in heaven.  And doesn’t this beautifully fit with what has come before in Ephesians?

Chapter two tells us that Christ has broken down the dividing wall of hostility between Jew and Gentile, and God has created one new man, one new body in Christ Jesus.  We are later told that, in Christ we have put of the old self and put on the “new self, created in the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.”  In short, Ephesians repeatedly reveals the in-breaking of the New Creation.  Although it is not yet here in its fullness, it is already here in part.  Thus, Paul tells us right from the outset, “You are a heavenly people who are to be marked by heavenly conversation.”  And speaking the truth marks heavenly conversation for we are members one of another.

Let us now look at verse twenty-nine to see what else is to mark heavenly conversation.

HEAVENLY MEANS GRACE-FILLED

29Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.

The word corrupting was used to refer to rotted wood, diseased lungs, rancid fish, withered flowers, and rotten fruit. Rotten, diseased, rancid, and withered talk belonged to the old self, but now we are instructed to speak in the opposite manner with words that are good for building up.  Our language is to edify and benefit those who hear it, as fits the occasion.  And isn’t this quite difficult, to speak edifying words at the right moment and in the right way?  Far too many of us are little concerned to wisely discern what other people need to hear from us with our words.  What Paul is telling us here is that heavenly conversation begins with wise listening.

Oh this is so hard!  I have the sometimes useful, but often cursed gift of being able to totally tune people out.  A week never goes by where my wife does not tell me that I wasn’t listening to her.  Heavenly conversation builds up as fits the occasion, so that it may give grace to those who hear.  Our words are to be saturated with and steeped in grace.  As salt seasons whatever it touches, so to must grace season our conversation.  Verses twenty-five and twenty-nine tell us that heavenly conversation is marked by truth, wisdom, and grace.  Truth, wisdom, and grace.

WIELDING THIS NEW CREATION WEAPON

This text reminds us of two realities. First, it cannot be mere coincidence that Paul the first specific thing Paul deals with regarding our new life in Christ is our tongue.  For we all know that there is nothing more telling about the condition of our heart than our tongue. After all, out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks.  Thomas Brooks said, “The tongue is the nimble interpreter of the heart. If there be piety or iniquity at the bottom of your hearts, your tongues will discover it . . . What is in the heart will be in the mouth.”  Our tongues tell of our true heart.

Second, we are reminded of the tongue’s power.  It has the ability to corrupt and tear down, and the ability to edify and build up in grace. Brooks likened its power to a razor saying, “The tongue is often like a sharp razor, that, instead of shaving the hair, cuts the throat.”  It is designed to sooth, clean, comfort, and brighten, but one small misstep can result in great pain.

The New Creation renovation has dawned upon Christ’s church. And it’s a renovation heard in our heavenly conversation.

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Recent Reads

I love to read. By God’s grace I am a pretty fast reader; I usually read a couple books each week. I find it helpful to summarize my thoughts on each book and I offer those thoughts in the hope that you will be encouraged to either read or pass over the given title.

415WJZ0RSZL._SY344_BO1,204,203,200_The Lord’s Supper: Eternal Word in Broken Bread by Robert Letham. Next week I am scheduled to deliver a lecture on the Lord’s Supper to a group of pastors in my local county, so I’ve been working through some choice titles on the topic. And I think Letham’s work is the best introduction to one’s understanding of this means of grace. It is clear and convictional, while steering clear of the monotony I find in many works on the topic. If you want to wade into a classic Reformed understanding of the Supper, this is the place to start.

419JXwusGWL._SY344_PJlook-inside-v2,TopRight,1,0_SH20_BO1,204,203,200_What’s Best Next: How the Gospel Transforms the Way You Get Things Done by Matt Perman. For years I’ve heard about this book and I was eager to see it finally come to publication. In full disclosure, I’ve rarely profited from productivity books. Why that’s so is a post for another day. As I read through What’s Best Next I found myself consistently saying, “Yeah! That’s how I do it.” Perman just explains the method much better than I ever would. He is spot on to say that productivity is something God deeply cares about and ought to be thought of as “effectiveness” not “efficiency.” Effectiveness is necessarily efficient, but the reverse is not always the case. A particular highlight for me was his discussion of the “ringing effect” and how it informs capacity in work. Any Christian worker would do well to read this book. Tolle lege!

51hp2VapR7L._SY344_PJlook-inside-v2,TopRight,1,0_SH20_BO1,204,203,200_Reaching and Teaching: A Call To Great Commission Obedience by David Sills. This is a marvelous book and one every pastor should read. Sills believes that much mission work neglects a crucial aspect of the Great Commission, namely that we are to teach everything Christ commanded. He convincingly argues that long-term patience in theological education is vital to taking the gospel all nations and planting healthy indigenous churches. I experienced Sills argument first hand while in Uganda last week. We performed all manner of service in the area where we worked: dental/medical clinics, kids programming, soccer camps, construction work, and ministry to orphans. And you know what sure seemed to be the most sought after ministry? Teaching the Bible. More than meeting physical needs, the people longed for and needed the meat of God’s word. I’d recommend every mission team read this book.

A Bundle of Baldacci. The trip to and from Uganda consisted of, literally, a few days worth of travel time. For me, bumpy plane rides and bus rides are not really conducive to heavy theological reading. So I loaded up the iPad with a lot of David Baldacci, the quintessence of easy and fun reading to make the time fly. We could call it “dessert” reading. Reading that you can’t survive on, but is good to partake of every now and then. The plot lines are always intriguing, character development finely paced, and twists inventive, if not predictable at times. Here are the individual titles I read:

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Of Melody and Music Part 2

A Singing Church Slider

Yesterday I wrote our church’s desire to be “A Singing Church.” The desire is rooted in the truth that singing mirrors the character of God and is a mark of obedience. We sing because He first sang over us.

WHAT SINGING DOES

Another question worth pursuing on the topic is, “What singing does singing actually do?” If we long for a culture of singing in our churches, what kind of culture are we longing for? Among the myriad of things singing does, I believe there are four worth particular mention.

Singing glorifies God. Spirit-filled churches, according to Ephesians 5:19, are those that sing and make melody to the Lord with all their heart. The first function of singing is vertical, a harmonious declaration of all His wonderful works (1 Chron. 16:9).

Singing teaches. One way we teach one another is by “singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs” (Col. 3:16). Singing is biblical and systematic theology set to meter and melody. Want to help your church understand sin has the two-fold effect of curse and corruption, and that Christ justifies and sanctifies? Have them sing good Mr. Toplady’s “Rock of Ages”:

“Be of sin the double cure, save from wrath and make me pure”

Singing encourages. The horizontal dimension of singing to “one another” (Eph. 5:19) means teaching and encouraging. They are closely related and functional synonyms, but it seems wise to distinguish them. Has a church member in your congregation recently lost a child through miscarriage? Help your church encourage them by singing “How Firm a Foundation”:

“Fear not, I am with thee, O be not dismayed
For I am thy God and will still give thee aid
I’ll strengthen and help thee, and cause thee to stand
Upheld by My righteous, omnipotent hand”

Singing humbles. I don’t have an explicit reference for this, but I am increasingly convinced few things fuel humility like faithful singing. It is so common, isn’t it, for Christians to think, “If the music is just right, or is to my particular stylistic liking, then I will be able to sing along.” But the vertical and horizontal dimensions of singing compel us to praise even when the music may not be to our personal preference. We see that glorifying God and encouraging one another is more important than my hope that the musical glory of “Enter Your Favorite Band Here” invades the congregation.

This is why, if our churches are ever to be singing churches, we pastors must give our people a grand view of our majestic God. God’s majesty, not man’s music, must ultimately compel our singing. What unites us together in life and worship is not stylistic preference, but God’s majesty as revealed in Christ. Personal preference in man’s music can never truly unite a church in the bonds of peace, but prioritization of God’s majesty will. Pursue the majesty of God more than the music of men and find your church become a singing church.

A SINGING-SHAPED CHURCH

I hope then it is clear why we pray for God to form us into “A Singing Church.”

            We want to mirror God’s character, so we sing.

            We want to be obedient to His word, so we sing.

            We want to glorify God, so we sing.

            We want to teach one another in truth, so we sing.

            We want to encourage one another in the Spirit, so we sing.

            We want to humble our hearts before God, so we sing.

By His power and for His glory, may He form all our churches into singing churches.

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Of Melody and Music

A Singing Church Slider

When I first began the journey of planting a church one common refrain of encouragement from seasoned planters was, “Identify your church’s core values. Communicate them clearly and often.”

Now, this isn’t the place to quibble with whether or not mission statements and core values ought to be a “first order of business” reality in planting a church. When used rightly, just like church confessions, core values function as faithful identifiers of what a local church understands and treasures about its faith and practice.

So we came up with what we call at Imago Dei Church, “Things We Want to Be True.” Things that we hope would permeate our church’s life together and witness to the world. One of those things is that we would be “A Singing Church.”

WHY WE SING

Why have a specific desire to be a singing church? Two things come immediately to mind.

First, singing mirrors the character of God. Zephaniah’s only recorded sermon helped bring spiritual revival to God’s people after the long and disastrous reign of Manassah. For three chapters Zephaniah has detailed the “day of the Lord,” a day when he would, according to chapter 3, “Pour out upon them [His] indignation, all [His] burning anger . . . all the earth shall be consumed.” The picture is bleak. It’s as though God announces that His storm of judgment is coming and His people stare at a sky swelling with rolling and thunderous clouds. And just before judgment bursts forth in power, a single ray of sunshine breaks through and shines down. Zephaniah says sadness and depression isn’t the order of the day for everybody. The sun of salvation is going to burst upon the earth because “The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save. He will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing.” (Zeph. 3:17) Our God is a singing God!

Faithful singing then is little more than a mirror of the great God who sings over His people. Our singing God creates and commands His people, which leads to the second point.

Second, singing is a mark of obedience. God not only creates His people, but commands His people and one command is that we sing. As best I can tell, there are some four hundred references to singing in Scripture and over fifty commands to sing. God’s salvation compels the commands of Zephaniah 3:14, “Sing aloud, O daughter of Zion; shout, O Israel! Rejoice and exult with all your heart, O daughter of Jerusalem!” Did you notice from where our singing is to come?  “Rejoice and exult with all your heart.” What matters most in singing is the state of our hearts. God is honored when our hearts sings unto Him in joyful humility and honesty.

This is why we sing, because it mirrors God is and is a mark of obedience. Said another way, “We sing because He sang first over us.”

Tomorrow I will look at “what singing does” and how those answers ought to fuel our desire for the church to be a singing church.

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3 Books Every Pastor Should Read: On the Lord’s Supper

Books are some of the best friends a pastor can have. How to know which friends to have is quite difficult, for as the inspired Preacher said, “Of making many books there is no end” (Ecclesiastes 12:12). Every so often I recommend three books for pastors on a given topic, hoping the suggestions might hone your book budget.

Today I offer suggestions on books about The Lord’s Supper. One little known truth today about the Reformation is that the Supper was the most common topic of discussion. Yep, more than sola Scripture or justification by faith. Protestants and Roman Catholics alike spilled more ink over the Supper than any other aspect of Christian faith and life.

It must be a telling test, of some kind, that few notable books on the Supper have been published in recent memory. Nevertheless, here are a couple titles well worth your time.

415WJZ0RSZL._SY344_BO1,204,203,200_The Lord’s Supper: Eternal Word in Broken Bread by Robert Letham. There is a lucidity in Letham’s writing that alone makes his work worthy of your attention. The volume is brief (75 pages), but it is not short on truth for feasting. Letham breaks down the topic into four parts: 1) Biblical Foundations of the Lord’s Supper, 2) The Lord’s Supper in Church History, 3) The Supper in Reformed Theology, and 4) The Lord’s Supper in Practice. The ordering seems the most natural way to go about it and the brevity ensures the work is free from undue monotony that can plague the older works. If you read only one work, start here.

087552186Xm Given For You: Reclaiming Calvin’s Doctrine of the Lord’s Supper by Keith Mathison. In many ways this book is the anti-Letham. It’s long (over 350 pages), has a funky ordering, and the liberal footnoting gives it an undeniably “academic” feel. But patient reading will be rewarded. One cannot truly understand the various views of the Supper if he doesn’t understand the mediating position of Calvin, so this is a vital read. Part 3, “Theological and Practical Issues”, I think is the most helpful part of the book. Grab a copy, diligently chip away at it, and see if your view of this means of grace is not enriched.

0875526470mWhat is the Lord’s Supper? by Richard Phillips. I suggest this booklet in P&R’s “Basics of the Reformed Faith Series” because it is probably the one your church members would most likely read . Phillips lays out “the biblical institution of this sacrament, the theological issues surrounding it, and the pastoral considerations for administering and receiving it.” The argumentation is clear, attention to Scripture sound, and care to deal with common questions commendable. A useful discipling tool.

HONORABLE MENTIONS

The Lord’s Supper: Remembering and Proclaiming Christ Until He Comes edited by Schreiner and Crawford. Definitely the most extensive articulation of a traditionally Baptist understanding of the supper. Like all edited volumes, some chapters are better than others, but you can pick around according to personal interest and not lose out on much of the flow.

Incarnation and Sacrament: The Eucharistic Controversy Between Charles Hodge and John Williamson Nevin by Bonomo. What is this you ask? Quite possibly the most forgotten, yet significant, ecclesiastical debate of the 19th century. It’s impossible to understand the prevailing American view on the Supper today apart from this controversy. Seriously.

Check out my past suggestions in the “3 Books Every Pastor Should Read” series here.