We’re a little slow on the take in posting this… many of you who are tech-savvy have already caught this video through Mars Hill or Resurgence. But in case you haven’t, this is Mark Driscoll’s special sermon last week chronicling his trip to Haiti. It includes graphic video of the situation on the ground. Please watch it to better understand the devastation and to get a sense of how the relief money we’re sending to Churches Helping Churches will be used.
Baptism is both a sign and seal of: union with Christ, initiation into God’s family, and cleansing from the guilt and defilement of sin. It’s a physical sign and seal of a spiritual reality, that one’s identity has changed. This past Sunday we gathered as a church family to celebrate this new life in Christ as 12 folks were baptized. Their names and some pictures are below…
Aaron Bearinger, Erin Bearinger, Daryl Bunning, Glenna Freemyer, Oscar Gonzalez, Brooke Dillon, Mary Johnson, Dustin Llewellyn, Micalah Magee, Michele Gardner, Bethany Larson, Andrew Biehl
In our preaching through the book of Colossians, we have come to Colossians 3:5: “Put to death, therefore, whatever is earthly in you…” Precious little is written or taught these days on how to put sin to death. But thankfully, our forebears spent some ink on this issue – the most notable work being John Owen’s marvelous treatise On the Mortification of Sin.
Even the most educated scholars find Owen’s writing style dense. J.I. Packer avers that Owen is “heavy and hard to read;” an earlier biographer observed that he “travels through [his subject] with an elephant’s grace.” I pray that some of the more daring Coram Deo attenders will read Owen’s work firsthand, because despite its cumbersome nature, it is some of the finest theological writing in the English language. But for those who don’t wish to do so, I am posting below my summary outline of Owen’s treatise. This outline was organized for preaching, so it is not exactly correlative to Owen’s layout. However, it does preserve the general logical flow of the original. For those who prefer a more thorough and analytical outline, including some of the more memorable quotes from Owen’s pen, you can download my 12-page reading summary in PDF format.
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Why Must We Mortify Sin?
What Does It Mean to Mortify Sin?
Positively, to mortify sin is:
How Do We Mortify Sin?
Four General Principles -
Nine Specific Directives -
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May these principles be useful and helpful to you in your fight against sin.
BE KILLING SIN, OR IT WILL BE KILLING YOU.
At last week’s Sunday gathering a guy offered to match whatever funds our church could put together for relief work in Haiti. The news has been horrifying and perhaps many of you have already given to the urgent needs there. But if you haven’t, or if you want to give more, we’ll have a special offering box for Haiti at the Resource Table this coming Sunday. All donations will be matched, which will allow us to double our impact.
We’ll pass the funds along to two reputable organizations: Samaritan’s Purse and Churches Helping Churches, a brand-new initiative started by Mark Driscoll and James MacDonald last week in the wake of the Haiti earthquake.
Driscoll just returned from Haiti yesterday. He reports some news that will make you angry as well as heartbroken – like relief workers hiring teenage Haitian girls for sex. Check out his interview with USA Today for more. You can also see all his Twitter updates and photos sent on the fly from Haiti here.
This is the first post in a new series I will be starting to highlight some of the songs we sing together on Sunday mornings. When we gather as a church and sing, we are seeking to drive the truths of the Gospel down into our hearts and minds that it might overflow into a life of worship. Therefore, the songs we sing and our interaction with them is important. My hope in these posts is to bring out some of the rich theology in our songs in such a way that raises both your understanding and affections for who God is and what He has done. So to start us off…
Awake My Soul was written and composed by Sandra McCracken in 2002 and was on Derek Webb’s (Sandra’s husband) 2003 release She Must and Shall Go Free. The lyrics are rooted in the beauty of Christ’s supremacy and all-sufficient nature. In the verses we sing that Christ holds all things together, that God’s grace through Jesus provides all we need, and that He is bringing and will bring redemption to our brokenness. Then in the chorus we conclude and affirm that, because of all this, we boast only in God (Jer. 9:23-24) and His revelation in Christ (Gal. 6:14). These themes are a great fit for our preaching series in Colossians.
As we were singing this song together this past Sunday, a few lines especially stood out to me, and I have been meditating on them since:
This grace gives me fear
And this grace draws me near
And all that it asks it provides.
These are weighty words, but what exactly are we singing? Let’s look at each of these lines and see how they powerfully fit together.
“This grace gives me fear”
As we encounter God’s grace, we necessarily encounter His holiness. We begin to learn something of God’s divine nature, that He is altogether separate in being than we are, and that in Him is contained the perfection of all power, beauty, and moral excellence. The holiness of God, encountered only by His grace, produces in us a healthy amount of fear when held up to our sinfulness (Is. 6:1-5).
Furthermore, the grace we are singing about is God’s work through the person of Jesus to reconcile us to Himself. “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not of yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast” (Eph. 2:8-9). God’s grace towards us in Jesus is a gift, it is unmerited and undeserved, there is nothing in our effort or doing that makes us worthy of God’s grace. Jesus died precisely because there was nothing we could do in and of ourselves. This kind of grace is threatening. It threatens our pride, our struggle for self-worth, our religious efforts, and our very identity. We are not our own, we have been bought with a price and our identity has changed. God, in His grace, has purchased us through the blood of Jesus. And this new identity brings with it a new reality, a calling on our life—a call to come and die, a call to deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow Jesus. God’s grace in our life is calling us to a life of discipleship; it is costly grace, not cheap. God’s grace is threatening, it strikes fear into our very being.
“And this grace draws me near”
But this same grace also draws us near, reconciles us, and gives us confidence to approach a Holy God. Because of God’s grace towards us in Jesus, we now have a great high priest who pleads on our behalf. God grants and imputes to us, the perfect satisfaction, righteousness and holiness of Christ so that we might enter His presence with worship that has been purified. This grace is both threatening and comforting. Dietrich Bonhoeffer captured these two aspects of grace well…
Costly grace is the gospel which must be sought again and again, the gift which must be asked for, the door at which a man must knock. Such grace is costly because it calls us to follow, and it is grace because it calls us to follow Jesus Christ. It is costly because it costs a man his life, and it is grace because it gives a man the only true life. It is costly because it condemns sin, and grace because it justifies the sinner.
It is as we draw near to God that we discover that this costly grace, this call to come and die, is actually a call to life in all its fullness. It is the call of Jesus: “For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it” (Matt. 16:25).
“And all that it asks it provides”
God’s grace calls us to lose our life and follow Jesus, and it is also the very power that enables us to actually be able to follow Him. The Gospel (God’s grace towards is in Jesus) is the means for both our justification (God’s saving grace) and our sanctification (God’s empowering grace). God’s grace draws us to Himself, justifies us by faith in Jesus Christ, and sanctifies and empowers us by the Holy Spirit. What God’s grace asks of us it also provides, and in so doing awakens our soul to life in Him, the fullness of joy.
Awake my soul tonight, to boast nothing else!
Since Coram Deo’s inception, we have had an active concern for the poor. I take no credit for this; it’s all a result of God’s good providence, and His good plan to sanctify me. I am wired with a primary concern for the word of the gospel. But in the early days of Coram Deo, God placed on our launch team a number of people with an equally aggressive concern for the deeds of the gospel. These folks were relentless. They helped me come to grips with my own faulty understanding of poverty, and they helped form a vision for social justice that lodged itself in the DNA of our church.
Hashing out that vision for social justice proved more difficult than anyone expected – primarily due to the lack of good books on the subject. The language of “social justice” had been almost entirely co-opted by liberal theologians, who were heavily influenced by liberation theology and tended to equate serving the poor with the gospel itself. The more conservative evangelical types were still recovering from a century of fundamentalism and were suspicious of any model for helping the poor that didn’t start with evangelism and gospel proclamation. In the (very narrow) middle stood some disaffected Christians who didn’t seem to fit comfortably in either camp – guys like Ron Sider and Shane Claiborne – who were making important contributions to the dialogue, but tended to say things in ways that made my “gospel reflex” twitch with discomfort. Finally, at a loss for good theological material, we tasked JD Senkbile with writing a position paper on poverty to provide a starting point for our church’s thinking and practice.
In light of our concern for this subject – and the lack of good foundational resources – it is a great joy for me to report that the book we’ve been waiting for has finally been written! When Helping Hurts: How to Alleviate Poverty Without Hurting the Poor and Yourself was put out late last year by Moody Press. Authors Steve Corbett and Brian Fikkert run the nonprofit Chalmers Center for Economic Development and also teach economics at Covenant College. In other words: they’re respected in the field and they know what they’re talking about. In the book, they have crystallized both a sound, gospel-centered theology of poverty and the “best practices” of poverty alleviation. They have succeeded in being academic but not heady, helpful but not condescending, challenging but not demoralizing.
I had an inkling this book would be genius when I saw it endorsed by both John Perkins (a founding father of community development who “gets” the practical side of poverty-fighting) and Brian Chappell (a seminary president who “gets” the gospel). Corbett and Fikkert strike all the right notes. They help us understand poverty as something more than an economic problem. They help us confront the unrecognized “God complex” that often hinders our effectiveness. They introduce us to best practices (like asset-based community development) and help us recognize crucial distinctions (like those of relief, rehabilitation, and development). And they do all of it through a rich, gospel-driven perspective. They write neither as smug experts who have already arrived, nor as distant prophets who are content to point out our faults, but as humble practitioners who are learning what it means to seek for God’s kingdom to come “on earth as it is in heaven.”
Those of you who have been around Coram Deo for awhile know that we love our partnership with inCommon Community Development primarily because of their relational approach to ministry. Corbett and Fikkert will take you further in understanding why that’s so crucial to reducing poverty – and why, in fact, other strategies are doomed to fail. Furthermore, as the title indicates, they’ll show you why many well-meaning approaches to poverty alleviation – both governmental and private-sector – actually hurt the very people they’re designed to help. Oh, and if you’re gung-ho about short-term missions trips… you might want to read chapter 7 before you plan your summer.
If you care about the poor… if you long to see the church recover a heart for justice… if you desire to alleviate poverty in ways that are truly sustainable and empowering… if you just want to learn more so you can participate intelligently in the conversation… or if, like me, you know you need to grow in this area and want a reliable tutor… you should buy this book. While you’re at it, get some copies for your friends and family. The evangelical church has a long way to go in living out our biblical mandate to “the least of these.” Corbett and Fikkert have written a book that will resonate with liberals and conservatives, Republicans and Democrats, big-church folks and small-church folks, academics and novices. It’s well worth your time.
It’s not necessarily wise to go on an idol hunt all the time, or explore every motive. That might lead to unhealthy introspection. Our focus should be on God’s liberating truth. A good guide is to explore your sinful desires only when you see the bad fruit of sinful behavior and negative emotions in your life… When you see that bad fruit, trace it back to the idolatrous desires of your heart.
Introspective self-analysis is a recent cultural phenomenon. Our evangelical forebears practiced self-examination, but it was different. They assumed a clear link between actions and the heart. Spotting that link was made difficult by the deceitfulness of sin, but the answer was not deep introspection, but illumination brought by the Spirit and the word. But we live post-Freud. Sigmund Freud said that the roots of our actions and emotions are deep in our subconscious. Because it’s subconscious, we need to dig it out by means of deep and endless introspection. We often bring this model to sanctification. We think we need some form of analysis or counseling to uncover the hidden depths of our actions. In reality, our need is to look to Christ. Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones writes: “We cross the line from self-examination to introspection when, in a sense, we do nothing but examine ourselves… If we are always talking to people about ourselves and our problems… it probably means that we are all the time centred upon ourselves.” Introspection assumes I’m what matters in sanctification. But it’s God who changes us. As God to expose your heart by the Spirit through his word (Psalm 139:23-24; Hebrews 4:12-13). But don’t linger when looking at yourself. Linger when looking at Christ. As Robert Murray M’Cheyne famously said: “For one look at yourself, take ten looks at Christ.”
- from Tim Chester’s book You Can Change, p. 120-121.
In The Screwtape Letters, CS Lewis used the fascinating literary device of writing on behalf of the devil. In this post, one of our pastor friends from Philly does the same (he originally wrote this for the men in his church, then shared it with some other pastors). So men, here are Satan’s top ten suggestions for your New Year’s Resolutions.
DIRECTLY FROM SATAN TO YOU: TOP TEN NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS FOR MEN
That’s right, men: top ten New Year’s Resolution suggestions from Satan.
#10. Look at more porn. Let’s face it—porn is awesome. Look how much I am doing through the world through my world-porn strategy—it’s time for you to really get on board with the program (porn’s not bigger than all major sports combined for nothing). You’re not as addicted, self-medicating and self-focused as I would like to see. Dabbling more in porn will also cut down on the joy and peace and love for others I see in your life that is really concerning me. Let me add one thing for you pathetic married guys: this is my number one hope for your marriage—more porn. Trust me on this one.
#9. Less Bible reading. If you could cut down on this, you’ll have less of God’s promises and annoying comforts and you will be reminded less of His work and agenda (“he who shall not be named” ….. you know….. the guy who rose from the dead and ruined everything) rattling around your head and heart. Less Bible reading and meditation will really open you up to increasing your worry, anxiety, and self-pity—- all things I think you could take great strides in 2010. This is YOUR year. Let’s go for it.
#8. Drink alone more often. Forget all that “balance” and “all things in moderation” crap and stick with my straight-forward “more often/more alone/more drinks” program. This is best to try when feeling sorry for yourself, something else is bothering you, ect. Let me comfort you here. You might have to isolate yourself to really pull this off….. let’s talk later about how to hide what you are doing from others. If drinking isn’t your thing, and you’ve failed to get on board with my self-medication strategy: please consider focusing on some other all-consuming addiction. Be it pills, working too much, spending hours each week in chat rooms or an online gaming universe, my advice is simple: find a way to escape what’s really going on in your life and the world around you and immerse yourself in it. Find a way to escape and numb pain and let’s get started. You’ll be lost in it before you know it. Do it. Pick a distracting, life-sucking addiction and let’s get committed.
#7. Isolate yourself more from other men. Keep friendships shallow—this is a must for my agenda for your life. I would rather you stay away from other men in general and ignore their challenge in your life. Especially avoid men who talk about HIM, love HIM, and want to serve and follow HIM. Avoid men who engage in “confession” and “repentance”—it’s contagious. This pisses me off and ruins everything.
#6. More bragging and focus on your reputation. If you do have what I consider problem friendships in your life (people who will challenge you contrary to my purposes and agenda in your life), you might want to consider subtly bragging about your accomplishments. Pastors can lead in this, which is ironic when you think about it. Worry more about what others think—- let that rule guide what you share with others. I always lay this down as a general rule. Battle hard the idea that there has been redemption and salvation for you provided by “you know who”. Focus more on appearing to have it together and that’s really all you have to worry about. Above all costs, don’t admit any weakness—that might invite HIM messing with your life.
#5. Do more to keep the Ch^%$CH (I don’t even like to see that entity’s name in print) at arms length. Try to HATE HER (ch#@CH), ridicule HER, point out HER faults….. anything to lessen involvement. I hate HER because HE loves HER so much… it’s so weird and committed. Almost like they were married or something. Lame. Anyway, quit ch*#ch stuff. It sucks anyway. Just keep telling yourself that.
#4. Do more weird stuff with money. Pick one of my strategies and get disciplined with it. Hoard your money, or blow your money, or ignore your money—- any one of these strategies will be awesome as far as I am concerned. Whatever happens or however you are challenged in area of money, don’t regress and starting giving, sharing and saving. Apart from working against my goals in your life, the giving/sharing/saving stuff greatly helps HIS mission and the “ch#$ch”, which I know I don’t have to remind you that I hate. If you’re struggling with this, just watch a lot of ads and meditate on things you deserve to own. Again, trust me on this.
#3. Go on a diet. I would love to see you do this: a diet from serving and from loving others in HIS name. When men cut down on this, I can’t tell you how much it helps the neighborhood and city swing the direction I want it to go. For those of you who are up to it: I suggest a total fast. Quit what you are involved in and complain about what you see. This “quit and complain” strategy goes a long way to discouraging others from further involvement, which is also obviously a big win as far as I am concerned.
#2. Dwell more on failures in the past. This helps to shut down what I see as problem growth. HE will be calling to you repent, to grow, to seek change, to humble yourself and pray,… to basically believe the Gospel. I don’t need to tell you that I hate the Gospel. If you would really dwell on past mistakes and push your guilt down (instead of bringing it to HIM), we could increase your sense of shame and condemnation. This, of course, would be awesome in my book. Whenever you are tempted to think that HE could help you—remember that you truly truly suck and this is the way you will always be. Loser. Failure. Go over past lists of mistakes…… I can whisper these to you if you’ve forgetten. Think of nothing else and we’ll be set. Forget HIM and keep your attention, where I, Satan, want it to be. Just remember I love you and I’m not lying.
#1. Skip Prayer. Avoiding prayer to HIM, and especially avoiding prayer to HIM with other men, is really key to all of the above. This activity attacks everything I want in your life, and works towards everything I hate. Friday morning at 6am?…. Give me a break. Stay in bed and be my little b*$%! just like we talked about.
—Satan
In the spring of 2008 Will and I got the following email from a guy we had never met:
Bob, Will,
Neither of you know me. I’m a native Nebraskan, now living (with my wife and 2 girls) in the St. Louis area where I’ve worked for almost 6 years as an electronics design engineer at Boeing.
The reason for my writing to you is due to God’s call on my life to plant a church in Lincoln. This is a calling that has been brewing in my soul for almost 2 years now (from obscure to clarity). I’m currently going to school part time at Covenant Theological Seminary here in town and am plugged-in with a non-denominational church near our home out in the burbs.
I see there is an Acts 29 regional event in St. Louis this month… if you guys are coming, I was wondering if it would be possible to meet up to chat over coffee or something.
I get at least one email inquiry like this every week. Generally I file them in the “call me back when you have moved out of your mom’s house” file. But we were going to be in St. Louis for the regional. And this email had a number of factors that made it stand apart:
So I agreed to meet him for coffee in STL, and I dragged Kendal along just to get another opinion. That conversation at a coffeehouse across from Wash U began an 18-month journey that is reaching its apex this month with the official beginnings of Two Pillars Church in Lincoln, NE. Along the way, Todd Bumgarner has progressed through Acts 29’s church planter assessment, done a church-planting internship at The Summit Church in St. Louis, quit his lucrative job at Boeing, sold the only house he’s ever owned, and relocated his family to a city he last knew as a pagan frat boy.
It’s exciting for us to see this journey come to fruition with the beginning of The Whiteboard Sessions this month. These are a series of vision meetings at “The 815″ – a building in downtown Lincoln’s Haymarket that God providentially provided before Todd even moved to town.
If you’re part of Coram Deo, I hope you’ll read some of Todd’s personal journey – especially the faith step of his resignation at Boeing – and celebrate with us the joy of seeing God raise up church planters. This is why we do what we do. This is why we blog, speak, and write – because through those mediums, God puts us in touch with men like Todd and helps us fulfill our objectives of raising up, equipping, and supporting church planters.
If you’re a blog reader in Lincoln, I hope you’ll either check out The Whiteboard Sessions or at least pray for the success of Two Pillars. Church planting, after all, is good for God’s kingdom and good for the city.
If you’re a person of means who likes to invest your resources to help people come to know Jesus, I hope you’ll send Todd a check or write him into your will!
