This is my 100th post. And, as it’s summer time, I’m going to take a blog break. I’m doing a CPAS youth summer camp at Edgehill school in Devon then having a rest. I’ve now blogged for about 8 months and the following list of top ten pages shows what people are interested in:
4. The doctrine of adoption – assurance and God’s love for us making a comeback thanks, I suspect, to C.J. Mahaney making adoption a big issue.
5. 8 ways to attain a pure heart – this is the highest ranked Thomas Watson quote. Lots of search engine terms like “how can I have a pure heart?” Watson’s reply is brilliant, though not necessarily the one everyone was searching for.
9. An inside view of inner city ministry – as more voices raise a call for evangelicals to take inner city ministry seriously, it’s good to see people visit this page.
My friend James Oakley and I started a website last year with the aim of developing a library of short exhortations or meditations from the bible for use before communion or baptism. The site is called Edible Words and the project is ticking along.
The idea of linking expository talks to communion is not a new one, what might be new to some is the idea that all of scripture lends itself to being applied to the sacraments. The posts on Edible Words, written by signed-up members, are designed to be used stand-alone or as bolt-on applications to sermons on the same passage.
If you are a minister and like the idea of a library of meditations, please join the project, by signing-up on the website, and help build a resource library for all to use.
On 30 June 2001 I started a discussion topic called The Death of Darwinism on the Ship of Fools forum. The thread has run to 33 pages and still limps along as a “dead horse”.
The thread soon became a battle ground for creationists, IDists and theistic evolutionists, but my original question focused on the effect on theology assuming Darwinism might die:
Much of the theology of last century was shaped by the ‘scientific’ Darwinian view of the origin of life. If Darwinism proves false, much of last century’s theology will be confined to the dustbin and a refined theology will emerge.
In light of this, I have this question to put to the Board.
If biologists show that life could not have just appeared by chance, if a theory develops requiring an intelligent agent behind the original of life, what will be the outcome for the church?
How will our theology be effected? How will our new theology effect the issues surrounding the church in the late twentieth century? What will be the new issues?
7 years later I’d like to ask, what changes have there been now that [neo]-Darwinism is dead?
Going home last Thursday night I passed through a family feud. Bricks were lying on the street, windows were smashed, a young lad was beating another, perhaps it was a girl, there were shouts, screams, swearing, anger. The police showed up, the street was blocked off, neighbours drifted back indoors. I remembered Proverbs 26:17 “Like one who seizes a dog by the ears is a passer-by who meddles in a quarrel not his own” and so did not get involved. Someone should tell the feuding families about Christ, but who?
Yesterday I preached 1 Peter 3:13-4:6 on the Christian’s attitude to suffering for doing good to others and preaching Christ. As I preached, it dawned on me that I must lead the way, as a minister. Others will not be willing to suffer for the cause of Christ unless I am.
Then I read Thomas Watson this morning and, as is often the case, God has reinforced my lesson:
The reasons why the storm of persecution has chiefly fallen upon the ministers are:
1 They have their corruptions as well as others, and lest they should be lifted up ‘through the abundance of revelation’, God lets loose some ‘messenger of Satan’ to vex and persecute them…
2 The ministers are Christ’s ensign-bearers to carry his colours. They are the captains of the Lord’s host, therefore they are the most shot at. …The minister’s work is to preach against men’s sins which are as dear to them as their right eye, and they cannot endure this. …This causes an uproar.
3 From the malice of Satan. The ministers of Christ come to destroy his kingdom, therefore the old serpent will spit all his venom at them. If we tread upon the devil’s head, he will bite us by the heel…
(i) It shows us what a work the ministry is; though full of dignity, yet full of danger. The persecution of the tongue is the most gentle persecution can be expected. It is not possible (says Luther) to be a faithful preacher and not to meet with trials and oppositions.
(ii) It shows the corruption of men’s nature since the fall. They are their own enemies. They persecute those who come to do them most good. What is the work of the ministry but to save men’s souls? to pull them as ‘brands out of the fire’. Yet they are angry at this…
(iii) If the fury of the world be against the ministers, then you that fear God had need pray much for them. ‘Pray for us, that the Word of the Lord may have free course, and that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men.’ (2 Thessalonians 3: 1, 2). People should pray for their ministers that God would give them the ‘wisdom of the serpent’, that they may not betray themselves to danger by indiscretion; and the boldness of the lion, that they may not betray the truth by fear.
Please make the last point your prayer for me, for wisdom and boldness, not fear of the inner city.
I was given a leather bound copy of The Valley of Vision, a collection of Puritan Prayers and Devotions, for my birthday last year and have found the prayers really edifying. Banner of Truth now put a prayer a day on their website which is great because at £19 for the leather-bound version, it’s worth sampling a few before shelling out.
Here’s one of my personal favourites,
The Deeps
Lord Jesus,
Give me a deeper repentance
a horror of sin,
a dread of its approach;
Help me chastely to flee it,
and jealously to resolve that my heart shall be thine alone
Give me a deeper trust,
that I may lose myself to find myself in thee,
the ground of my rest,
the spring of my being.
Give me a deeper knowledge of thyself
as Saviour, Master, Lord, and King.
Give me deeper power in private prayer,
more sweetness in thy Word,
more steadfast grip on its truth.
Give me deeper holiness in speech, thought, action
and let me not seek moral virtue apart from thee.
Plough deep in me, great Lord, heavenly husbandman
that my being may be a tilled field,
the roots of grace spreading far and wide,
until thou alone art seen in me,
thy beauty golden like summer harvest,
thy fruitfulness as autumn plenty.
I have no master but thee,
no law but thy will,
no delight but thyself,
no wealth but that thou givest,
no good but that thou blessest,
no peace but that thou bestowest,
I am nothing but that thou makest me,
I have nothing but that I recieve from thee,
I can be nothing but that grace adorns me.
Quarry me deep, dear Lord,
and then fill me to overflowing with living water.
I’ve posted many times against the phenomenon of homogenous church so this post might be surprising. I believe there is a legitimate and important place for homogenous church growth in both parachurch and local church situations.
The homogenous growth principle is like reaches like. There are clearly many mission organisations working alongside local churches whose stated aim just that, for example:
South Asian Concern trains people in local churches to understand and so reach South Asians for Christ.
These parachurch organisations focus their energy on homogeneous units of society. Each exhibits what McGavran observed or promoted, that the gospel spreads through people in the places where they already live, work and play.
None of these organisations call themselves a church. They each, to some degree, seek to support the local church to do mission. I believe, however, that the same principle of homogenous church growth can be applied at a local church level, though it need not be so culturally or focused. I am not advocating for one second that our main Sunday gatherings should be homogenous, indeed focused mission should generate heterogenous church gatherings. Rather, I believe that our mission should be focused on existing networks of people.
The homogenous church growth principle works by allocating mission resources to groups within a geographical area which are “receptive” to the Christ and avoids wasting resources on “resistant” networks. One great fallacy, according to McGavran, is that people suppose “that the church grows in a geographical area, when as a matter of fact it always grows in people themselves – usually a homogenous unit of society.” [Understanding Church Growth p144].
I’ve found in the past three years that some families or networks of friends are receptive to Christ and so I believe we should direct mission resources towards these networks. In essence, start small groups in existing social circles, so that people can grow in their knowledge and love of Christ within these networks rather than asking them to leave their networks, join pre-existing church structures or networks and try to drag people with them.
In Blakenhall, many but not all social networks are ethnically homogenous. Other networks include lifestyle (social clubs, pubs, gym, Black and Ethnic minority groups etc), class, caste or neighbourhood networks. Most networks are small, due to the fragmentation of society. The point is, the news of Christ spreads more quickly through such existing networks when the gospel is taken into them rather than the people being taken out.
I’ve posted before on the doctrine of adoption and need reminding of C.J. Mahaney’s advice on this matter:
If you are a Christian and you are not convinced of God’s love for you then I would recommend you confine yourself to this topic. Confine yourself to your study to this passage and other passages that reference adoption. Confine yourself for a season of time to the study of the doctrine of adoption.
Thomas Watson has listed the “twelve rare privileges which belong to the children of God.” I’ve found that it’s worth spending some time meditating on these:
1 If we are children, then God will be full of tender love and affection towards us.
2 The second adoptional privilege is this if we are children then God will bear with many infirmities. A father bears much with a child he loves.
3 The third privilege is this – if we are children then God will accept of our imperfect services. A parent takes anything in good part from his child. God accepts of the will for the deed (2 Corinthians 8: 12).
4 If we are children then God will provide for us. A father will take care for his children. He gives them allowance and lays up a portion (2 Corinthians 12: 14). So does our heavenly Father.
5 If we are children then God will shield off dangers from us. A father will protect his child from injuries. God ever lies sentinel to keep off evil from his children temporal evil; spiritual evil.
6 If we are children then God will reveal to us the great and wonderful things of his law. ‘I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent and hast revealed them unto babes’ (Matthew 11:25).
7 If we are children this gives us boldness in prayer. The child goes with confidence to his father, and he cannot find in his heart to deny him: ‘How much more shall your heavenly Father give his Holy Spirit to them that ask him!’ (Luke 11: 13).
8 If we are children, then we are in a state of freedom. …the children of God, though they are not free from the in-being of sin, yet they are freed from the law of sin.
9 If we are children then we are heirs apparent to all the promises.
10 If we are children, then we shall have our Father’s blessing. ‘They are the seed which the Lord has blessed’ (Isaiah 61:9).
11 If we are children, then all things that fall out shall turn to our good. ‘All things work together for good to them that love God’ (Romans 8: 28): good things; evil things.
12 And lastly, if we are children we shall never finally perish (John 5: 24; 10: 28). Those who are adopted are out of the power of damnation.
12 And lastly, if we are children we shall never finally perish (John 5: 24; 10: 28). Those who are adopted are out of the power of damnation. ‘There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ’ (Romans 8: 1). Will a father condemn his own son? God will never disinherit any of his children…
Because this is so sweet a privilege, and the life of a Christian’s comfort lies in it, therefore I shall clear it by arguments that the children of God cannot finally perish. The entail of hell and damnation is cut off. Not but that the best of God’s children have that guilt which deserves hell, but Christ is the friend at court which has begged their pardon. Therefore the damning power of sin is taken away, which I prove thus:
The children of God cannot finally perish, because God’s justice is satisfied for their sins. The blood of Christ is the price paid not only meritoriously, but efficaciously for all them that believe.
I love the way Watson finishes with the cross, which makes adoption as God’s children possible in the first place.
I’ve started reading George Barna’s 9 Habits of highly effective churches, which begins with the premise that every church has many ingrained habits but not all church habits are effective. Effective churches grow and multiply mature, effective Christians. According to this criteria, small churches can be effective churches, size does not matter.
Barna has surveyed many churches and has concluded that effective churches put the following habits into practice in a variety of ways. I’d like to think through how each one could be applied to inner city ministry, or at least ministry in Blakenhall. I find these headers slightly jargony so I’ve added a plain English summary in brackets:
Habit 1. Rely upon strategic leadership [visionary, team leader, communicator, tactician, passionate about the outcome] Habit 2. Organize to facilitate highly effective ministry [understand the structure of the church, organise, delegate and support] Habit 3. Emphasize developing significant relationships within the congregation [nurture loving, caring, Christian relationships] Habit 4. Congregants invest themselves in genuine worship [experience God's presence in corporate worship - congregant responsibility not institutional burden] Habit 5. Engage in strategic evangelism [do evangelism as a church in a focused and thought through manner] Habit 6. Get people involved in systematic theological growth [develop systematic and applied theology for all members] Habit 7. Utilize holistic stewardship practices [individuals to manage all their personal resources as God intends] Habit 8. Serve needy people in the community [help people outside the church community] Habit 9. Equip families to minister to themselves [parents to teach children the faith and to establish marriages with Christ at the centre]
Assuming Barna’s research into effective churches is right, what would this look like in Blakenhall? Before answering that, we need to ask; which habits should we make priorities given our current situation and resources?
