Coram Deo Blog
Archive for October 2008
28 October 2008 at 3:59 pm by Bob Thune · A29, masculinity
One of the distinct blessings of being a lead pastor within the Acts 29 network is access to the A29 Member’s Forum – an online community of church-planting pastors across the country where we share resources, encouragement, and prayer. For years, one of the best-kept secrets in the network (known only to insiders) was the “Mars Hill Male Sexuality Booklet” – a very frank and direct booklet Mark Driscoll wrote in the early years of Mars Hill Church to “help young men get dominion over their pants.”
Now that booklet is being released in revised and expanded form as a free e-book. If you are a dude, trust me: you must read it. This is one of the only resources out there that deals with subjects like pornography, lust, masturbation, and sexual temptation without sounding a) weak and effeminate or b) fundamentalist and legalistic.
My wife and I read through the whole thing together a year or two ago. Check it out. You won’t be disappointed.
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27 October 2008 at 9:34 am by Kendal Haug · baptism
Yesterday evening we gathered at Bob’s house for some chili, and oh yeah… to get some folks baptized too. And by “we” I mean to say, a small country was gathered in the Thune residence to witness what can only be described as the perfect combination of two of life’s necessities: chili & hot tubs. And for the tip on the coconut topper, Walker would like to say, “You are welcome!”
The weather forced the action inside a little earlier than preferred, but it was a great celebration nonetheless. Here are some pics from the evening:
People Baptized
Laurel Freemyer
Jesse Meyer
Sean Thompson
Kevin Huddleston (not pictured)
Josh Michael (not pictured)
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23 October 2008 at 1:06 pm by Kendal Haug · hannahisms
- My goal is to read the Bible much more. To read the Bible to get myself out of it so I can hear the voice of God in it.
- None of us rise above some degree of preconditioning.
- The problems you can live with being unsolved are the ones that will define your theology.
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21 October 2008 at 4:33 pm by Bob Thune · church planting
Live streaming video from the LEAD conference is available at The Planting Channel. Bob and Daniel’s session on Wednesday takes place at 2:45 PM Central if you want to tune in. You can watch all the main sessions, as well as the church planting breakouts.
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19 October 2008 at 10:04 pm by Bob Thune · church planting
This week I (Bob) speak at the LEAD Conference, hosted by our brothers at The Journey Church in St. Louis. Daniel Montgomery and I are partnering up to lead a total of three sessions focused on “Building Gospel DNA in a Church.” As part of the conference, Acts 29 pastors will be assessing 25 potential church planters according to the biblical criteria for eldership in 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1. Acts 29 assessment is one of the most rigorous church planting assessments out there – and also the one with the highest success rate. (The correlation would seem to indicate that when you actually expect men to meet the criteria God gives in Scripture for spiritual leadership, they tend to be better spiritual leaders.)
Check out the conference website for details. And thanks to all of you who will be praying. May God be exalted, may Jesus raise up qualified men to plant new churches for His glory, and may church communities throughout the region rediscover the centrality of the gospel in everything.
NOTE: You can see live streaming video of the conference if you’re interested… www.plantingchannel.com
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18 October 2008 at 9:39 am by Bob Thune · sermon, theology
“What is God like?” If by that question we mean “What is God like in Himself?” there is no answer. If we mean “What has God disclosed about Himself that the reverent reason can comprehend?” there is, I believe, an answer both full and satisfying. For while the name of God is secret and his essential nature incomprehensible, He in condescending love has by revelation declared certain things to be true of Himself. These we call his attributes.
- A.W. Tozer, The Knowledge of the Holy
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15 October 2008 at 4:26 pm by Bob Thune · culture, music
I can’t study with music on. Walker can’t study without it. So most of my study and preparation time is spent in silence and solitude, while most of his is spent with headphones on. Last week we found a happy medium.
Our visit to Sojourn Church in Louisville allowed us to take in a live show with rock artist Wovenhand as the 
headliner. The opening band was a local act called Interstates. I figured out as the show started that Interstates was an ambient/electronic band – no words, only music. Perfect! Because the lyrics are the thing I find distracting. I can’t study and listen to someone sing at the same time. But I CAN study to the subtle undertones of an ambient soundscape.
So I loaded the Interstates album into iTunes and I’ve been playing it all week. It’s pretty solid. You can read more about the band and sample their music here.
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12 October 2008 at 7:57 am by Bob Thune · sermon, theology
This morning we closed out our “Objections to Christianity” series by considering the nature of free will. Here are three very good resources for those desiring more reading and study.
The Bondage of the Will by Martin Luther – Luther’s debate with Renaissance scholar Erasmus has been the defining work on this subject for almost 500 years. All thoughtful Christians should read this book. Do not be afraid. It is short, engaging, and entertaining.
The Myth of Free Will – article by 20th-century pastor Walter Chantry, posted by our brothers at Kaleo Church
Westminster Confession of Faith, chapter 5 – the most thoughtful 7 paragraphs ever penned on this subject outside the Bible. Read slowly and digest.
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7 October 2008 at 7:45 am by Kendal Haug · music
For those of you who did not attend the house show, here is your chance to see what you missed. And for those of you who went to the house show, here is your chance to see the full band in action. A good night of music awaits you on Monday.
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6 October 2008 at 8:05 am by Bob Thune · gospel, theology
Last week an acquaintance came to visit me to seek some counsel about his church. This man is a senior citizen, part of a church that could fairly be labelled “generally evangelical” but not “gospel-centered.” As I listened, I found myself praising God for his grace toward Coram Deo, even with all its faults – and gripped with a renewed vision to influence as many churches as possible toward “gospel DNA.”
In one sense, this man was a trademark church consumer, annoyed that his church had changed some of his favorite programs and emphases. But as I pressed into his consuming tendencies, a number of other challenges became apparent.
- The lack of a strong, masculine, biblical eldership in a church leaves people like this man floundering. Without a high view of eldership and a rigorous assessment process, elders become keepers of the status quo, more concerned to deflect criticism and placate people than to lovingly engage and seek to answer biblical questions, confront sin, and assist in forming godly character.
- The lack of a strong commitment to biblical authority in a church leaves people like this man floundering. Why did he come to see me? At first I suspected he was interested in fomenting division or in finding an ear for his critiques. But I was forced to repent of those prejudices. He came to me because he sees me as someone who studies the Bible. And many of his questions and concerns were simply questions about the Bible – questions that the elders at his church were unable or unwilling to tackle. I was able to hear his complaints, direct him to specific passages in the Bible that speak to them, urge him to submit to the elders of his church, and gently rebuke him for the sin reflected in his criticisms.
- The lack of a gospel grid for spiritual formation leaves people like this man floundering. Our conversation ended with him opening up about his past and explaining how life has shaped him into someone who’s “a little rebellious.” Were he in gospel-centered community, an insightful leader or pastor could now carry forward the work of gospel transformation. But since he’s in a church without gospel DNA, that probably won’t happen… which means he will miss out on the beauty and life of deep spiritual transformation, and his church will miss out on the chance to unleash his gifts and talents for the work of gospel renewal in others.
A church centered on the gospel is not just a “good idea.” The gospel is not one of many possible models and strategies; it is quite literally the church’s only hope. The gospel changes everything.
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One of the distinct blessings of being a lead pastor within the Acts 29 network is access to the A29 Member’s Forum – an online community of church-planting pastors across the country where we share resources, encouragement, and prayer. For years, one of the best-kept secrets in the network (known only to insiders) was the “Mars Hill Male Sexuality Booklet” – a very frank and direct booklet Mark Driscoll wrote in the early years of Mars Hill Church to “help young men get dominion over their pants.”
