Monday, July 14, 2014

For Those Who Don't Like to Read but Want to Learn

Let me begin by admitting my bias. I believe reading is essential to learning. Personally, reading is a critical component of both my spiritual and professional life (which are intertwined). Furthermore, reading doesn’t have to be a huge time commitment. If you read 10 pages a day, you can read a book per month. If you drop down to 5 pages a day, you can still read six books a year. For some suggestions on what to read, please see some of my previous posts.

Yet, I understand that some people either do not like to read or find it very difficult. Thankfully, there are many, many resources available where people can learn through listening rather than reading. What follows are 1) places to go to find good listening materials, and 2) some specific MP3’s that I have enjoyed and/or found beneficial.
Where to Find Good Materials

The Gospel Coalition has a treasure trove of sermons and lectures. You can search by speaker, topic, or Scripture text. Some of my favorite speakers on this site are Jerry Bridges, D. A. Carson, Bryan Chapell, Sinclair Ferguson, Tim Keller, John Piper, and Richard Pratt.

Gospel in Life contains sermons, lectures and other materials by Tim Keller. You have to pay for these, but they are worth it. Many would argue that Dr. Keller is the best preacher of our day.

Desiring God contains the sermons of John Piper. Nobody preaches with passion like Piper.

Covenant Seminary has put many of their classes online for free. You have to create a login, but don’t let that stop you. These resources really are free.

You can also access classes from Reformed Theological Seminary and Westminster Theological Seminary online for free through ITunesU. You need to have ITunes installed on your computer to get these.

Third Millennium Ministries is the ministry of Dr. Richard Pratt. You can get nearly a complete seminary education on this site for free. The site also has some highly interactive videos. Dr. Pratt is not the only speaker. The older videos are not as high quality as the newer ones, but the content is good.

Mars Hill Audio is sort of like a Christian NPR. It examines a wide range of cultural issues from a Christian perspective. You probably will not find all of the content appealing. My main problem with it is, every time I listen to an issue, I end up buying more books to learn more. This service requires a subscription, but I find it well worth it.
Some Specific MP3 Recommendations

A Beautiful Orthodoxy by Ray Cortese. This was the opening sermon at the 2014 General Assembly of the PCA. It is well worth the $3.
Culture as Liturgy by James K. A. Smith – I confess, I read the book instead of listening to the lecture, but I think he has some very valuable insights.

Communicating Christ – Every Bible teacher should listen to this 3 part series. Seriously. However, for some reason, this is no longer on the Covenant Seminary website except in Korean!?! However, you should be able to find it on the Gospel Coalition site. The three lectures are The Heart of a Christ-Centered Message, The Hope of a Christ-Centered Message, and the Hands of a Christ-Centered Message.

New Perspective on Paul by D. A. Carson. If you have never heard of  “The New Perspective on Paul,” I doubt this will hold much interest. Even though N. T. Wright fans will say that Carson doesn’t “get it,” I think this is a very helpful analysis.
Ancient and Medieval Church History and Reformation and Modern Church History by David Calhoun. While I loved the education I received at RTS, my church history courses were a bit lacking. These lecture series helped fill in some gaps.
Preaching Christ in a Modern World by Tim Keller and Ed Clowney. I was in this class when these men taught it. Skip the Q & A recordings. Also, Keller is more interesting than Clowney, but both are helpful.
The Calvin I Never Knew by Frank James. Since I knew very little about John Calvin’s life, I found this fascinating.
Conservative Christianity After the Christian Right by Tim Keller. For those concerned about the cultural shifts in our country, this is a fascinating lecture.
Your Walk with God is a Community Project by Paul Tripp. This is for purchase. The title sums it up. It is a good corrective to our individualistic approach to Christian growth.
2007 Global Missions Conference by Richard Pratt. This will expand your vision. Also, check out his lecture series on the Kingdom of God.
I recently listened to Phil Ryken and Ligon Duncan’s lectures on Thomas Boston and the Marrow Men. This is not for everybody, but I found them interesting. Beware that there is about 5 minutes of chitchat in the Ryken recording before you get to his lecture. You will want to fast-forward through all of that. I don’t know why it was not edited out.
Some Video Recommendations

I must admit, I am not one to watch videos. I listen to sermons and lectures while I run, but have a hard time sitting in front of a TV or computer screen to watch a video. However, if this is your cup of tea, here are a few recommendations.
Center Church – While not as complete as his book, these videos by Tim Keller give a good overview on how a church can develop a biblical philosophy of ministry.
I mentioned this above under MP3’s. Third Millennium Ministries is the ministry of Dr. Richard Pratt. You can get nearly a complete seminary education on this site for free. The site also has some highly interactive videos. Dr. Pratt is not the only speaker. The older videos are not as high quality as the newer ones, but the content is good.

Tuesday, July 8, 2014

Developing a Spiritual Renewal Plan

We can safely say that if one does nothing to cultivate his soul, his soul will not flourish. As has often been noted, people do not drift into holiness. At the same time, we can also say that there is no set, biblically prescribed program that everyone should follow in order to grow. However, that does not mean we are left to our own devices. The Bible outlines certain "means of grace," that is, means by which we might apprehend and comprehend more of the grace of God. These are often referred to as spiritual disciplines. Spiritual disciplines include things such as corporate worship, private worship, prayer, meditating on Scripture, and fellowship.

While the Bible teaches the importance of these disciplines (or means of grace), the Bible does not outline a specific program for all believers. That is, no where in the Bible are we commanded to spend 30 minutes a day in our quiet times or personal devotions. Therefore, it seems there is some flexibility in how believers put these disciplines into practice. Doing this requires intentionality. Passivity will not do.

Because the spiritual disciplines are necessary and yet no particular "system" or method is prescribed in Scripture, at Village Seven, we encourage our staff and officers to develop their own “Spiritual Renewal Plans”, or SRP. What follows are some suggestions on how you might develop your own Spiritual Renewal Plan

What Your Plan Should Include

Spiritual Disciplines

While the Bible does not outline a program for us, the Bible is clear that there are certain “means of grace” that should be a regular part of every Christian’s life. These include:
·        Corporate Worship (church)
·        Prayer
·        Bible reading/study/preaching
·        Fellowship
·        The Sacraments (Baptism and the Lord’s Supper)

In addition to these, there are other disciplines that the Bible tells us are helpful to our spiritual growth. These include: serving, fasting, giving, evangelism, meditation, singing, solitude, etc… Your SRP should include these activities. You might also think about the things that you do or have done that you have found to be spiritually refreshing. It could be that reading certain books or attending a particular conference, or even listening to certain music stirs your soul. Include these things in your spiritual plan as well.

Constructing the Plan

Be Realistic

As you develop your SRP, I encourage you to be both challenging and realistic. If you haven’t been reading your Bible at all, then it is unrealistic to set a goal of reading it for one hour every day. Try 10 minutes of Bible reading and 5 minutes of prayer. Set small goals that you can achieve
 
Be Challenging

While you do not want to set unrealistic goals, you also do not want to settle for mediocrity. The spiritual disciplines need to become a regular part of your daily life.

Add Variety

Do some things daily, some things weekly, some things monthly, quarterly or yearly. There are some wonderful spiritual disciplines that you cannot do every day or even every week (like fasting or solitude), but if you do not put them in your plan, then you will never do them. Also, you may not want to do the same thing everyday. For example, you might decide to read the Bible for 15 minutes on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday and listen to a sermon or message in the car on the way to work on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Don’t Let Failure Stop You

If you set a goal to read your Bible everyday and then go a week without reading it, it is easy to get discouraged. Don’t. Just keep at it. Just because you fail for a time, that doesn’t mean you have to quit or that you are a failure. Just start again. You are going to mess up some, maybe even a lot, but, if you keep after it, you will begin to see solid, steady spiritual growth. At any time that you discover that your plan is not working, then simply take to time to revise it and make it a more realistic plan that you will actually do.
Build It Into Your Calendar

Once you have decided what you are going to do, enter it into your calendar. If you do not put it into your calendar, you probably won’t do it. This is particularly important for things that you do not do every day or every week.
If you are planning a weekend away with your wife, even if it is not for another 6 months, put it on your calendar. If a conflict comes up, you can move it, but you cannot delete it. Putting it on your calendar forces you to think about it and increases your chances of following through. So, everything in your plan must be entered into your calendar.

Don't Measure Your Spirituality by Your Success/Failure at Your SRP

Practicing the spiritual disciplines is not a means by which you earn God's favor or blessing. It is a means by which you meditate on the fact that, if you are in Christ, you already have God's favor. We are prone to forget the gospel. The Spiritual Disciplines are a way of reminding ourselves of the truth of the gospel. Also, the spiritual disciplines are a means by which we abide in Christ and abide in His love. Be careful not to reverse this. We do not practice the disciplines to earn God's love. We practice the disciplines in order to walk in His love.

Constructing Your Plan


Below is a sampling of things you might include in your plan. Of course, there are many other ideas, but these are a few that can help you think about what you might do.

Daily

·        Read the Bible for 10 minutes
·        Pray for 10 minutes
·        Listen to an MP3 of a sermon while exercising
·        Pray with my wife every night
·        Read a devotional (there are many good ones available today)
·        Read 1 chapter of the Bible
·        Read or sing a hymn or inspirational song
·        Read a Bible story and pray with the kids

Weekly

·        Family Devotions twice a week
·        Attend church
·        Prepare for and Participate in Small Group Bible Study
·        1 hour of in-depth Bible study
·        Meet with men’s group or friend for accountability
·        Work out three times a week and listen to spiritually edifying sermons, lectures, or music
·        Listen to sermon MP3’s twice a week in car on the way to work
·        Tithe
·        Journal twice a week
·        Try to have one spiritual significant conversation with an unbeliever each week
·        Pray for the pastors each week

Monthly or Quarterly

·        Read one spiritual refreshing book
·        Spend half day alone in prayer
·        Meet with a friend for real accountability once a month

Annually

·        Spend one day in prayer and fasting
·        Attend a retreat or conference
·        Read two spiritually refreshing books
·        Take one day alone for a personal spiritual retreat

Below is  sample of what your Spiritual Renewal Plan might look like. Again, this is just a suggestion. Create yours so that it helps you grow in grace.


Daily

I will pray for personal, family, church leadership, and church renewal every day.
I will commit to reading my Bible at least five times a week.
I will seek to have family devotions at least five times a week.

Weekly

I will meet with a Christian friend once a week for accountability and spiritual encouragement.
I will actively participate in worship every Lord’s Day
I will attend Community or a small group

Quarterly

I will spend a half-day in prayer and spiritual reflection once every three months.

Annually

I will read three spiritually nourishing books this year
I will go on some sort of spiritual retreat this year
Go on a mission trip

Wednesday, July 2, 2014

The Mission of the Church - Some Key Tactics

In several previous posts, I mentioned that Village Seven's mission is:

To make, equip and deploy disciples who live out and proclaim the gospel through word and deed in Colorado Springs, the West and the World.

In these posts, I talked about our strategy for accomplishing this mission. Beyond this strategy, the elders believe that there are other key tactics which we must do if we are to be faithful to God's call. Below is outline of these tactics.

1)  Make prayer a mission priority – Unite God’s people in prayer so that they are empowered for God’s mission.

2)  Train leaders to be equippers and shepherds.

3)  Neighborhood Impact- minister in the immediate area surrounding the church in word and deed to meet needs and make disciples.

4)  Assess children and youth ministries to see if we are properly preparing our children to live as disciples in a post-Christian culture.

5)  Continue to address reaching 20’s and 30’s.

6)  Seek to Strengthen Marriages and Families. 


1)  Cultivate, recruit, and train ministry leaders.

2)  Improve and clarify officer apprenticeship program.

3)  Continue/improve monthly elder and deacon development.

4)  Work with staff on improvement plans.

5)  Train staff in leadership.

6)  Develop alternative method for training pastors.

7)  Develop a church planting apprentice program.

8)  Develop a Fellows Program.

9)  Develop Long Term Financial Plan.

10)      Ongoing Stewardship Development that includes any capital campaigns.

11)      Determine personnel needs.

12)      Improve Communications.

13)      Assess what needs to be done to our facility to make it effective for the long haul.

Wednesday, June 25, 2014

The Mission of the Church - Deploy Disciples

In a previous post, I mentioned that Village Seven's mission is:

To make, equip and deploy disciples who live out and proclaim the gospel through word and deed in Colorado Springs, the West and the World.

In this statement, we define "make disciples" as leading people from unbelief to belief in the power of the Holy Spirit. We define an equipped disciple as one who is prepared to engage with his heart, head, and hands in God's mission (for more on what it means to be an Equipped Disciple, see this post).  To deploy disciples means to help people actually engage in God's mission.

In earlier posts, I outlined how we seek to make disciples and equip disciples. Here is our strategy to deploy disciples.

Colorado Springs

a)    Provide guidance for God’s people so they can find and bring Kingdom focus to their places of mission in the church and in the world.

b)   Partner with churches/organizations that are compatible with our vision.

c)    Equip people to share and live out their faith and help them identify where and how to do this in the places they live, work or play.

d)   Train people in spiritual gifts and provide guidance for where they can use their gifts both internal and external to Village Seven.

e)    Identify key civic, social and other institutions where Christians can make a vital difference.  Help match people to these places.

f)     Plant new churches in Colorado Springs.

The West

a)    Plant new churches in strategic locations in the West.

b)   Support College Ministries in Colorado and the West.

c)    Training, equipping and sending out leaders.

d)   Encourage key leaders to serve with the Western Church Planting Network (WCPN) and Presbytery.

e)    Engage the congregation in financial and prayerful support of church planting and college ministry in the West.

f)     Develop a strategic plan for church planting in the West.

The World

a)    Engage God’s people in world missions through prayer, giving, and going.

b)   Partner with missionaries and organizations that are compatible with our vision.

c)    Focus on 2-3 areas of the world for strategic partnerships.

Monday, June 23, 2014

Leadership Training Part 3 - Theology 2

In previous posts, I have listed some of the resources we use in our officer training. One of the larger sections of our training deals with theology. I have already listed some of those resources. Here are some others that we have found helpful:

1. This is a helpful article on how the two natures of Christ (human and divine) relate to one another: What is the Hypostatic Union?

2. Introduction to the Reformed Faith by John Frame.

3. Are there two wills of God? by John Piper

4. Two books on the doctrine of election that are not required but recommended, are Chosen by God by R. C. Sproul and Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God by J. I. Packer.

5. For those who are interested in the debate on Federal Vision and the New Perspective on Paul, please read the PCA's paper on the topic. Also, D. A. Carson has some good lectures on the New Perspective on ITunes.

6. Recommended reading, but not required, is Richard Lovelace's Dynamics of Spiritual Life. We do read some quotes from this book in class.

7. On Sanctification, there are a number of good articles, including:
a. Gospel-Driven Sanctification by Jerry Bridges
b. Union and Imitation by Michael Scott Horton
c. Good Works and the Christian Life by Kim Riddlebarger
d. Not to mention numerous books by Bryan Chapell, Jerry Bridges, Tim Keller, Walter Marshall, etc.

8. On the Lord's Supper, we use mostly my notes, but a great resource (though not easy to read) is Ronald Wallace's Calvin's Doctrine of the Word and Sacrament.

9. On Covenant Theology, The Covenant of Grace, by Calvin Knox Cummings, as well as The Kingdom of God, by Richard Pratt.


Wednesday, June 18, 2014

The Mission of the Church - Equip Disciples

In a previous post, I mentioned that Village Seven's mission is:

To make, equip and deploy disciples who live out and proclaim the gospel through word and deed in Colorado Springs, the West and the World.

In this statement, we define "make disciples" as leading people from unbelief to belief in the power of the Holy Spirit. We define an equipped disciple as one who is prepared to engage with his heart, head, and hands in God's mission (for more on what it means to be an Equipped Disciple, see this post).  To deploy disciples means to help people actually engage in God's mission.

In an earlier post, I outlined how we seek to make disciples. Here is our strategy to equip disciples.

1)  Worshipping

a)    Worship that is Gospel-Centric shapes the head, engages the heart and challenges God’s people to God-glorifying life and deeds. 


2.  Shepherding

a)   The primary venue for shepherding is through Sunday morning communities with the implementation of the Shepherding Plan approved by the Session. This may be supplemented by small groups, as necessary.

b)    Begin Life-on-Life Discipleship program with the aim of equipping disciples according to the definition in this document.

c)   Develop systems and structures to help new people, and especially new members, connect with a Sunday morning community.

 

3.  Teaching

The purpose of teaching is to equip disciples to live in step with the truth of the gospel with their hearts, heads, and hands for the glory of God.

a)    Community Leaders, Elders and Teachers must understand the definition of an equipped disciple and must give an account for how their teaching/shepherding addresses the entire definition of an equipped disciple.

b)   Community Teachers will state in their course objective the primary focus of equipping disciples for all areas of life, use class interaction while developing clear applications on equipping, look for ways of telling stories of application that present models of disciples, need to have a defined next step.

c)    Village Seven Elders and teachers will equip our people to engage the un-churched where they live, work, and play by demonstrating through personal story word and deed ministry, providing quarterly evangelism training, incorporating evangelism training in the Life-on-Life Discipleship, and equipping people to invest and invite in their neighbors.

d)   The Inquirers’ Class will be redesigned so that it explains the gospel, explains what it means to live out of the gospel, introduces them to V7PC and Presbyterianism. It also connects people to the shepherding and equipping ministries of the church. The Inquirers’ Class will include a visit to a community. Elders and community leaders will be informed that they are visiting the community so that they can follow up with them after their visit.

e)    Offer ‘Disciple Making’ classes, seminars, and conferences for all members that address key discipleship topics that we believe are important for all church members.  These ‘Disciple Making’ classes will be designed to help new and seasoned members of Village Seven to live in step with the truth of the gospel with Heart, Head, and Hands using their time, talents and treasure.

f)     Create a Leadership University that is designed to equip and train the leaders needed to accomplish this mission. This Leadership University will include training for church officers, ministry leaders, shepherds, disciplers, and those interested in vocational ministry.

Monday, June 16, 2014

Leadership Training Part 3 - Theology 1

In an earlier post, I listed some of the articles that the men read on gospel foundations. In another post, I listed some resources that we use for understanding how the church ministers in its particular context in such a way that it is faithful to her biblical mission. In this post, I am listing some of the resources we use to understand sound theology. Of course, our primary text is Scripture, but God also has given the gift of teachers to the church. So, we use a variety of other biblically saturated resources as well. Here are a few:

1. The Westminster Confession of Faith (alone with the Larger and Shorter Catechism). Officers in the Presbyterian Church in America take a vow to “sincerely receive and adopt” these confessional documents “as containing the system of doctrine taught in the Holy Scriptures.”

2. Concise Theology by J. I. Packer. The title says it all. This is a collection of short articles on a wide range of theological topics. It is easy to read and saturated with Scripture proofs.

3. "Why Use Creeds or Doctrinal Statements?" by John Frame. In this article (which I can't find on the web), Dr. Frame explains why it is not enough simply to say, "We believe the Bible." Creeds and doctrinal statements are helpful for clarity.

4. Here are a few articles related to our understanding of Scripture:
a. The Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy
b. The Cambridge Declaration
What About Prophecy and Tongues Today? by Richard Gaffin
c. Ten Basic Facts about the New Testament Canon by Michael Kruger
1. “The New Testament Books are the Earliest Christian Writings We Possess
2. “Apocryphal Writings Are All Written in the Second Century or Later
3.“The New Testament Books Are Unique Because They Are Apostolic Books
4."Some NT Writers Quote Other NT Writers as Scripture
5.“The Four Gospels are Well Established by the End of the Second Century
6.“At the End of the Second Century, the Muratorian Fragment lists 22 of Our 27 NT Books
7.“Early Christians Often Used Non-Canonical Writings
8.“The NT Canon Was Not Decided at Nicea—Nor Any Other Church Council
9. “Christians Did Disagree about the Canonicity of Some NT Books
10. “Early Christians Believed that Canonical Books Were Self-Authenticating

5. Here is the PCA's position on the doctrine of creation. Related to this, here is an interesting article on science and faith.

I will continue this list of resources in future posts.

Wednesday, June 11, 2014

The Mission of the Church - Make Disciples.

Every church has (or should have) the same mission. Jesus gave it to us. He said, "Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you, and, behold I am with you, even to the end of the age" (Matthew 28:19-20).

At Village Seven, the elders have sought to define what this means specifically for our church. We have summarized it in this mission statement:

To make, equip and deploy disciples who live out and proclaim the gospel through word and deed in Colorado Springs, the West and the World.

In this statement, we define "make disciples" as leading people from unbelief to belief in the power of the Holy Spirit. We define an equipped disciple as one who is prepared to engage with his heart, head, and hands in God's mission (for more on what it means to be an Equipped Disciple, see this post).  To deploy disciples means to help people actually engage in God's mission.

This raises the question, how do we seek to make, equip, and deploy disciples? I will address in later posts how we seek to equip and deploy disciples. Below is our strategy for making disciples (leading people from unbelief to belief).

1.    Equip God’s people to share the gospel in word and deed where they live, work, and play.


2.    Proclaim the gospel to our community in both word and deed.


3.    Create opportunities for our people to invest in and invite un-churched people to places where they can be exposed to God’s Word and God’s people.


4.    Provide ministries addressing areas of brokenness.


5.    Connect newcomers to the church so they are enfolded into membership and receive the shepherding and equipping necessary to be part of God’s mission.


6.    Create an environment of authenticity in relationships.

Monday, June 9, 2014

Leadership Training Part 2 - The Church and Her Mission

At Village Seven, we take leadership development seriously. Men who may be called to serve as elders or deacons go through 9 months of classroom instruction as well as a one year apprenticeship. In an earlier post, I listed some of the articles that the men read on gospel foundations. Here, I am listing some of the resources that we use for understanding how the church ministers in its particular context in such a way that it is faithful to her biblical mission. In my opinion, no one has been more thoughtful or theological in his thinking on this subject than Tim Keller. As a result, most of the resources have been produced by him.

Center Church by Tim Keller. For some, this might read like a textbook, but it is incredibly rich. In this book, Keller not only lays out his philosophy of ministry, but gives leaders the tools for developing their own.  I found the Kindle version hard to read. This is one that you will want to read in print. There are video discussions of most of these chapters on Vimeo.

How Do Word and Deed Ministry Fit Together? by Tim Keller. The title of this article says it all. Very helpful for those in leadership.

Missional Church by Tim Keller. Keller wrote this article years ago, long before he wrotes Center Church. I found it very helpful.

Reading Scripture Missionally by Christopher Wright. Unfortunately, I cannot find a link to this article online. However, Wright has written several books along this theme. In this article, he shows that the mission of the God is not ancillary to the mission of the people of God, but is seen throughout Scripture.

Insourcing by Randy Pope. Randy shows how equipping disciples for mission is key to the church's mission.

The Burden of Change by John Frame. This is a short article on how and why church leaders must be change agents.

Leading Change by John Kotter. This book is the standard text on how to lead change in an organization. Those in officer training are not required to read the book, but we do review the outline of it. A good summary of the book can be found here.

Leadership and Church Size Dynamics by Tim Keller. Church size affects how a church operates. Since Village Seven is a large church (at least by PCA standards). This is important to understand for those coming from smaller churches.

No Man Left Behind by Pat Morley and David Delk. We do not use this book in our Officer Training, but we have used it with our staff and other leaders. The book is not just about how to minister to men, but how to develop sustainable ministries. It provides a very helpful model.

Wednesday, June 4, 2014

Great Books on Knowing God

All of us have a tendency to fashion God in our own image. The result is that we worship a god of our own creation rather than the God who is really there. The truth is, the real God is far greater than any idol of our making. Without knowledge of this true God, our faith will be weak, our worship tepid, and our spiritual growth stunted.

The antidote to this false worship is knowledge of the true God, or, as Francis Schaeffer put it, The God Who Is There. The way we come to know this true God is through His own revelation in both Scripture and nature. Yet, we do not need to embark on this journey alone. One of the gifts God has given to His church are teachers who can open up the Scriptures to us in order to give us a greater glimpse of who God is.

Here are some of my favorite books that will help you come to know more about the great God we worship.

The God You Can Know by Dan Dehaan. This is a relatively short, easy to read book and is a wonderful introduction to the character of God.

A Heart for God by Sinclair Ferguson. This is another short, easy to read book that is rich in its description of God and His character.

Knowing God by J. I. Packer. This is a bit longer than the two above, but is one the greatest Christian books of the 20th century. Once you read it, you will want to reread it again and again.

The Holiness of God by R. C. Sproul. As the title says, this book focuses on one attribute of God, His holiness. It is both very readable and very profound.

Monday, June 2, 2014

Summer Reading - Defending the Faith

In 1 Peter 3:15, we are told that we should always be prepared to give an answer for the hope that is within us. Today, we are bombarded with questions about the truthfulness of Christianity. These books will help you answer questions that you and your friends are asking.

The Reason for God by Tim Keller. Keller deals with questions like "There Can't Be Just One True Religion?" "How Could a Good God Allow Suffering?" "How Can A Loving God Send People to Hell?" and "Science Has Disproven Christianity."

A Shot of Faith to the Head by Mitch Stokes. The subtitle says it all: "Be a Confident Believer in an Age of Cranky Atheist." Like Keller (but with a different approach) Stokes also deals with the relationship of faith and science. Yet, this book is much broader than that. He also deals with the problem of evidence and the role of faith.

Tactics: A Game Plan for Discussing Your Christian Convictions by Greg Koukl. This book focuses on the practical ways you can engage with unbelievers.

Wednesday, May 28, 2014

What is an Equipped Disciple?

Our mission at Village Seven is to make, equip and deploy disciples who live out and proclaim the gospel through word and deed in Colorado Springs, the West and the World.

To guide is in our mission, the elders developed this definition of an equipped disciple:

“Equipped disciples” are those who are prepared to engage with their Hearts, Heads and Hands in God’s mission.

Heart

  • They love God and respond to His grace through regular worship and fellowship with God through regular practices of the means of grace.

  • They love other believers as fellow heirs in Christ and express that love in service, encouragement and blessing toward other believers.

  • They love the lost and regularly express that love by reaching out to unbelievers in word and deed where they live, work and play.

Head

  • They know and are familiar with the Scriptures and understand how all of the Scriptures testify to God’s plan of redemption through Jesus Christ. 

  • They know the basic truths of the Christian faith and can discern truth from error. 

  • They know a biblical view of all of life to include self, others, home, work, culture and community

Hands

  • They share their faith in Jesus Christ and seek opportunities to connect where they live, work and play. 

  • They share their various gifts with generosity. They serve inside and outside the church by sharing and exercising their spiritual gifts and talents. They share of their earthly wealth and possessions with their local church, other believers and the world in need. 

  • They share their lives with others by participating in Christian community and openly living all aspects of their lives in fellowship with other believers.


Monday, May 26, 2014

Recommended Articles - Gospel Foundations

At Village Seven, we spend a great deal of time and effort training men to serve as elders and deacons. Our officers go through nine months of classroom training usually followed by a one year apprenticeship. Much of what we study would be of benefit to all church members. So, over the next few weeks, I will post some of the articles that men in the training read. This week's post focuses on the Centrality of the Gospel.

Gospel Centered Sanctification by Jerry Bridges. Whenever anyone asks me my view on sanctification, this is the article that I give them.

The Centrality of the Gospel by Tim Keller. In this article, Keller shows how the gospel renews every dimension of our lives.

Martin Luther's Preface to His Commentary on Galatians. Tim Keller has edited this a bit. This short article sums up what it means to live in line with the gospel.

The Gospel Centered Life. This is not an article, but a Bible study curriculum. It does a great job of outlining how to grow more and more in Christ-likeness.

All of Life is Repentance by Tim Keller. Very, very helpful on what repentance is and how to do it.

Tuesday, May 20, 2014

Why PCA Elders Should Vote for the Minority Report on the Insider Movement


PCA Study Committee for Insider Movements

Minority Report 2014 FAQs
 
Prelude
As an aid to Commissioners to the 2014 General Assembly of the PCA regarding the Study Committee on Insider Movements, the authors of the 2014 Minority Report entitled, “Realities on the Ground, An Additional Perspective,” present the following FAQs.

Question:  Why did you submit a Minority Report to the 2014 General Assembly? 

Answer: While the Committee Report (CR) provides vital theological foundations and helpful boundaries for doing mission (through the Affirmations and Denials) which we support, we believe it's important for those doing mission among Muslims to receive information concerning certain on-the-ground realities, along with some associated biblical considerations.  We hope and pray that the additional perspective in this 37 page report will provide practical help to PCA churches, assisting them in their broad sowing of the message of God’s saving power through his Son and the building of his church throughout Muslim nations, “…that your ways may be known on earth, your salvation among all nations” (Psalm 67:2, NIV).

Question: What is the relationship between MR 2014 and the Minority Report submitted during the General Assembly of 2013?


Answer: MR 2014 has new authorship and thus we consider it as a total replacement for Minority Report 2013.


Question: What is the significance of MR 2014’s recommendations to the 2014 General Assembly?


Answer: Our recommendations mirror those of the CR with the exception that we separately recommend that the 2014 General Assembly, "make available and recommend for study" both the CR and MR 2014 to its presbyteries, churches and missions committees. Treating the papers separately allows commissioners to discuss and vote for each paper on its own merit. A General Assembly action to “make available and recommend for study” does not imply agreement with every word or idea expressed in a paper. We are not requesting, “adoption” of these reports, but that the Assembly send the papers to presbyteries, churches and missions committees for study.


Question: Tell us some of your convictions on matters related to Insider Movement missiology.

·         We hold to the Scriptures as our only authoritative guide to engaging in mission.

·         We believe that both Scripture and our confession encourage believers to apply scriptural principles to the realities of everyday life, wherever they live.

·         We believe that Christ ordinarily intends that his people will follow him in the context of their family, birth community, and vocation.

·         In recognition of the comprehensive claims of Christ on the lives of his people we hold that identity in Christ is wholly controlling in the life of the believer; we do not advocate or support voluntary, indefinite retention of Islamic religious identity by MBBs.

·         We hold that disciplers of MBBs should not encourage a disciple to remain within Islamic religious institutions.

·         We hold that every believer is a member of the church of Jesus Christ, and we believe in the central importance of every believer to be part of a local expression of church.

·         We hold by faith that Muslims are people made in the image of God, and that through Christ alone, people from Muslim majority countries will be among those represented before the throne of God (Rev. 7:9-10).

(Note:  In Minority Report 2014, references are provided for the above points to specific Affirmations and Denials from the Majority Report.)

Question: What is the outline of the Minority Report?
 
Answer: After providing introductory context to this report, we describe five realities faced by believers living in Muslim societies and treat four considerations that undergird and inform our approach to mission in the midst of these realities. A list of questions for use by missions committees with their missions partners is also included. An outline of our major topics follows.

Part One: Realities on the Ground Facing Muslim Background Believers (MBBs)

·         Reality #1: It is Important that MBBs Live Biblically within Muslim Societies.

·         Reality #2: MBBs Can Live Biblically within Muslim Societies.

·         Reality #3: National Churches within Muslim Societies Do Not Always Accept MBBs.

·         Reality #4: Living within Muslim Societies Requires MBBs to be Vigilant to Avoid Syncretism.

·         Reality #5: Growing in Christ within Muslim Societies Holds Significant Challenges for MBBs.

Part Two: Biblical Considerations for Facing Realities on the Ground.

·         Consideration A: Every Culture has “Good” and Evil Aspects.

·         Consideration B: We Must Not Add Requirements to the Gospel: Principles from the Jerusalem Council of Acts 15.

·         Consideration C: We are Called to Live in the World But Not of the World:
1 Corinthians 7:17-24 and its Context.

·         Consideration D: We Must Not Participate with Demons in False Worship: A Warning from 1 Corinthians 10:19-20.

·         We hold that every believer is a member of the church of Jesus Christ, and we believe in the central importance of every believer to be part of a local expression of church.

·         We hold by faith that Muslims are people made in the image of God, and that through Christ alone, people from Muslim majority countries will be among those represented before the throne of God (Rev. 7:9-10).

Question:  What is the outline of the Minority Report?

Answer: After providing introductory context to this report, we describe five realities faced by believers living in Muslim societies and treat four considerations that undergird and inform our approach to mission in the midst of these realities. A list of questions for use by missions committees with their missions partners is also included. An outline of our major topics follows.

Part One: Realities on the Ground Facing Muslim Background Believers (MBBs)

·         Reality #1: It is Important that MBBs Live Biblically within Muslim Societies.

·         Reality #2: MBBs Can Live Biblically within Muslim Societies.

·         Reality #3: National Churches within Muslim Societies unfortunately Do Not Always Accept MBBs.

·         Reality #4: Living within Muslim Societies Requires MBBs to be Vigilant to Avoid Syncretism.

·         Reality #5: Growing in Christ within Muslim Societies Holds Significant Challenges for MBBs.

Part Two: Biblical Considerations for Facing Realities on the Ground.

·         Consideration A: Every Culture has “Good” and Evil Aspects.

·         Consideration B: We Must Not Add Requirements to the Gospel: Principles from the Jerusalem Council of Acts 15.

·         Consideration C: We are Called to Live in the World But Not of the World:
1 Corinthians 7:17-24 and its Context.

·         Consideration D: We Must Not Participate with Demons in False Worship: A Warning from 1 Corinthians 10:19-20.