Free to Serve

Are There Just Two Ways To Live?

Over ten years ago, I was equipped to share the Gospel with a little tract called Two Ways To Live. Now it is online and you'll find it all over the place.

I love it for two reasons. First, it is easy to remember. Second, it tells the whole story. In a biblically illiterate culture like ours we just can't start by telling people about Jesus. We have to start with the fundamentals. Two Ways does just that. 

We shouldn't let ignorance of the gospel be one of the reasons we fail to share the gospel. 

I'm very excited that our Shepherding Group at MVBC (this is our Sunday morning adult Sunday school) is committed to learning this gospel outline. We are going to start this Sunday! I pray that as we learn the gospel better we will share the gospel more!

The Perspective is Out

January's Perspective is out, the monthly journal of Mount Vernon Baptist Church. Brad Thayer and Bert Neal do an excellent job creating this publication each month, and I hope that it serves to remind us of the amazing riches we have in Christ. A few things to look out for in this issue:

--A conversation with Ken Henson. Ken has been a member of the church for 44 years. As many of you know, he lost his wife, Stella, this past year. The first time I went to the Henson home and prayed for Stella I can remember Ken's hands clutching mine as prayed for healing for his wife with confidence that God was in charge. I'm so thankful to Brad for sitting down and recording a lengthy interview with Ken and look forward to many more interviews in the future.

--A book review of Humility. In case you haven't noticed, each Perspective has a book review. For those of you looking for books to read, do take these recommendations to heart. Every generation needs to be reminded that humility is, as author C. J. Mahaney so eloquently puts it, "true greatness." Thanks again to Brad for encouraging us to pick up and read this little book.

--An article on intelligent design. We hear a lot about evolution versus creation debates. From an early age, evolution was presented to me as scientific fact. I'd love school districts to take intelligent design seriously. There are really good arguments for the existence of God and against the notion that we are the products of chance. In this article, I don't get into the issue of Christians who believe God created everything and then used evolution. Some prominent Christians argue just that, including Francis Collins who is an evangelical and the director of the National Institutes of Health. Exploring this will have to wait for another issue.

That's a taste of this month's issue. Please read it and thank Brad and Bert for their faithful service.

Christmas and the Family

Every year conversations come up about how to celebrate Christmas. Christians want to honor Christ without being hit by the secular shopping tsunami. Two hundred years ago, Christians in America were debating whether even to recognize Christmas as a religious holiday! Times have changed and I agree with Jim Ellif, here, that there are better ways to be different from the culture than to abandon the celebration of Christmas. 

My family has made some adjustments though. Instead of recognizing Santa Claus my wife reads the story of Nicholas who we think was a pastor, generous to those in need. Instead of beginning with the mad rush of presents on Christmas morning we begin by re-reading the narrative of the birth of Christ and thanking the Lord for all of his good gifts to us--especially Christ.

I'm also thankful for the Christmas Eve service that Mount Vernon has had for years. This Thursday evening will be my second. It was a wonderful gathering with my spiritual family for an extended time of reflection on Christ's incarnation before gathering with my biological family. I look forward to celebrating again in just a few days.

Valuing the Gospel

On Sunday morning, we had a conversation about multiculturalism at MVBC during the Sunday school hour. More than one panelist, including myself, argued that multiculturalism is not a primary goal. One day we know that all peoples will worship the LORD together--language and culture and sin will no longer be a barrier, but we are not there yet. It is a powerful goal, though, isn't it? It has led some to so prize multiculturalism that they have downplayed the very gospel that makes this goal possible. We don't want to do that at MVBC. 

This led me during the discussion to say something like, "we should value church for the gospel--all else is sin." What did (and do) I mean by that.

I mean that if we have ethnic diversity in the church but don't -- as the church -- prize the gospel of Jesus Christ, then we aren't truly honoring God. If we have the best music program in the church but don't -- as the church -- prize the gospel of Jesus Christ, then we aren't truly honoring God. If we have the most engaging preaching in the church but don't -- as the church -- prize the gospel of Jesus Christ, then we aren't truly honoring God. So to value diversity and singing and even preaching without a commitment to the gospel is sin.

This, of course, is why we need a Savior. Our love for God and the gospel will not be what it should be until we are praising God in heaven. Today we are constantly tempted to value other things more than Christ. That's why Christ died--because none of us give God the honor and glory he deserves. What a gracious King and Savior we serve! 

Panel Discussion Audio Available

If you missed the panel discussion entitled, "Multiculturalism and the Local Church," you can find it here. Again, it is me, Tony Carter of East Point Church and Felix Lora of the Sandy Springs Mission.

Reformation in Giving III

"Why give to the local church?" Some may decide that they are going to give 20% of their income to "ministry." Maybe they support a friend who works for Navigators. Then there's that missionary family that visited years ago that they now support monthly. Then there's the local pregnancy center that is doing great work and needs an annual gift. Then there's the high school student going on her first missions trip. Isn't that a worthy investment in the Kingdom? So, when all is said and done, an individual may give 15 percent of his income to these worthy causes and the final 5 percent to the work of the church. How should we think about the responsibility to give in light of the options we have?

Multicultural Church

I was very thankful this Sunday that Tony Carter of East Point Church and Felix Lora of the Sandy Springs Mission joined me for a conversation about multiculturalism and the local church. What a joy to look straight into texts like Revelation 5:9 and Colossians 3:11 and asking what they mean for the church today!

This is what I especially appreciated about the conversation: both Tony and Felix agreed that as a church we cannot make a diversity of ethnic groups worshipping together today a primary goal. The primary goal must always be the proclamation of a perfect, crucified and risen Savior! If we assume the gospel only to devote ourselves to diversity in the church we soon lose the gospel. 

Second, I appreciated the honest assessment of the church today. The fact is that most (not all, but most) evangelical churches today are homogenous.We discussed some of the reasons for this. 

Language is one reason. A few years ago, most of the Southern Baptist Churches that are being planted were ethnic churches. I don't know if this is true today, but I think we can accept that there is something wise about planting churches to reach people groups that do not speak English. Yes, we can reach the nations in our backyard. 

Culture is another difference that leads to homogenous churches. Cultural identities are not formed overnight and they are not changed overnight either. These identities manifest themselves in differing music preferences and even different attitudes toward punctuality. In my culture, punctuality is valued. In some latino cultures it can be seen as pushy and presumptuous to arrive on time or early. Little differences? Yes. But when it comes to choosing songs and starting a service those little, cultural differences can make for significant barriers to gathering together. 

A third barrier to multiculturalism is, simply put, arrogance on the part of the majority culture. When you are the majority or see yourself as the majority there is a temptation to speak or act in a subtly (or not so subtly) off-putting manner. Tony helped me see this. A few years ago I suggested to a friend who was an elder in a predominately Filipino church that they join us. My goal was a church merger. I think my heart was in the right place, but nonetheless, I communicated in such a way that it came across as our church assimilating their church. A small faux pas? Perhaps. But even in a small way it contributes to a division of cultures.

A fourth barrier is friendships. Who are your friends? With whom do you socialize with? With whom do you hang out? If the truth is you hang out with people who look like you and are culturally similar to you then is it any wonder our churches reflect the networks of friendships that we have "naturally" created?

I'm committed to Mount Vernon Baptist Church being about the gospel. Furthermore, I trust that as the years go by and the gospel is preached in the pulpit and consistently (albeit imperfectly) lived out in our lives, we will see representatives of the nations come to Christ in our midst. I look forward to being a part of God's plan and seeing his Word powerfully work.

In the meantime, do pray that we would see in our congregation the truth of Colossians 3:11, "Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all."

P.S. For those of you who missed, as soon as I can provide a link to the audio of the panel discussion, I gladly will!

Church Matters Blog

I occasionally post brief comments at a blog called, "Church Matters," a ministry of 9 Marks. I've been involved with 9 Marks for a few years now. It is a ministry designed to help church leaders think about the church and pastoral ministry. It is a great resource. 

Reformation in Giving II

When my wife and I were first married, we sat down to work on a budget and the issue of tithing to the church came up. We both had jobs, but even our combined salary wasn't anything impressive. When I sat there looking at our finances, I wasn't asking, "Now how much can we give away?" Instead, I was asking, "How much do we have to give." Both of us agreed that a tithe was an appropriate amount to give to our local church. But we weren't sure if that should be a tithe of our gross (pre-tax) income or our net (after-tax) income.

Of course, my goal was to keep all I could. So, seeing no specific scriptural commandment on the issue I suggested we tithe on the net. My wife's inclination was to give all we could, so she suggested we tithe on our gross income. Not wanting to seem morally or spiritually inferior I quickly agreed that was a good idea. 

Reformation in Giving I

There have been many conversations about finances at Mount Vernon as we seek to meet our budget. Times are tough. My desire through it all is to focus our attention on the need for sacrificial giving from every member. We will not all give the same amount, but if each gives sacrificially, regardless of the economic climate, our budget will be full to overflowing. 

This kind of change can't happen overnight. Let's say a family has been living off of 98% of its income for twenty years. How, all of a sudden, is that family going to give 8% more to the church--at least overnight? In our personal budgets, it is amazing how quickly expenses that were once considered discretionary now seem fixed. That's why the church needs a reformation in her attitude toward giving. We want to be a congregation full of Christians who give generously, cheerfully, and sacrificially. 

This raises some important questions. First, what does Scripture say about how much of my income I should give away to "the Lord's work"? Second, what does Scripture say about how much of what I give away should be given to the local church? These are important questions.

Let's begin with how much of my money I should give away to "the Lord's work."