Freshly Sane

This just in from my friend, Dave McCarty.

"How can I tell when I'm indifferent to Jesus? When I don't like dependency, weakness, feeling helpless, embarrassed. When my flesh vibrates to strong, together, confident. When I begin to obsess over my next car, vacation, purchase, or ministry strategy. Because, deep down, I evidently believe that something different or new, will bring me happiness... But new circumstances never solve my problem. And so the nicest, sweetest, kindest thing He ever does for me, is to send His Spirit and freshly convict me of my sin of independence and self-confidence. Ahhh, 'tis so sweet to be freshly sane again."

The Significance of Reading for the Preacher

I've got to go read, but first this... : )

"What has exceedingly hurt you in time past, nay, and I fear, to this day, is want of reading. I scarce ever knew a preacher who read so little. And perhaps, by neglecting it, you have lost the taste for it. Hence your talent in preaching does not increase. It is just the same as it was seven years ago. It is lively, but not deep; there is little variety; there is no compass of thought. Reading only can supply this, with meditation and daily prayer. You wrong yourself greatly by omitting this. You can never be a deep preacher without it, any more than a thorough Christian. Oh begin! Fix some part of every day for private exercises. You may acquire the taste which you have not; what is tedious at first will afterwards be pleasant. Whether you like it or no, read and pray daily. It is for your life; there is no other way; else you will be a trifler all your days, and a pretty, superficial preacher. Do justice to your own soul; give it time and means to grow. Do not starve yourself any longer."

John Wesley, writing to a young preacher, quoted in D. A. Carson and John D. Woodbridge, Letters Along The Way, page 169.

HT: Ray Ortlund

Missional Motivation

After John the Baptizer denies being the Christ in John 1, he sees Jesus and tells his disciples, "Look, the Lamb of God." Next we read, "When the two disciples heard him say this, the followed Jesus." What a great picture of true discipleship. John gathered men to himself with the purpose of leading them to follow Jesus, the Lamb of God. Not merely a teacher or moral philosopher, but the God-man who would lay down his life as a justice substitute (the Lamb) for his guilty disciples. In turn, the power of grace fueled by the indwelling Holy Spirit in the lives of Jesus' followers would transform them into a missional people. For later in the narrative, Andrew, who was one of those original two disciples of John, went and found his brother Simon (Peter), and "brought him to Jesus." So the answer to the question of how to motivate people like me to become missional is not beating them over the head with the law of mission, it is leading them over and over again to the Lamb who was slain, because it is the grace of God in the gospel that is the power and motivation for mission.

"I Am Not the Christ"

In John 1:20, John the Baptizer makes a profound denial. Peter had denied knowing the Christ. But here, John denies being the Christ, saying firmly, "I am NOT the Christ." Hmmm... That just may be a new mantra for me. Not that I would ever be confused with Jesus. However, my flesh wants the glory of Jesus, and longs to be honored, respected and valued. In addition, when I think I am anything more than a mere witness who is to testify to the REAL Christ, then I begin to stress out, thinking that I have to have all the answers, and have to be able to fix people (when I can't even fix myself!). Also, if I have to be Jesus for people, then I can't be vulnerable about my own need. I will not be the witness that people need and God wants to use. I will be tempted to have the spotlight shine on me, when it needs to shine on the Savior. So saying slowly, but confidently, "I am not the Christ," helps center me... off of myself and onto the REAL Christ, Jesus.

Glory Days

I am 40 years old. Our culture would say that my "glory days" are behind me (unless, of course, 40 really is the new 30). However, according to a biblical world view, my glory days are not behind me, they are ahead of me—and always will be until I see Jesus face to face. That is good news, especially in the face of the unglory of suffering, setbacks, sin and failures. As Paul says, "I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us." As some say, "The best is yet to come." In the gospel that is true. That is a strong source of hope. And all because of Jesus.

Legalism as Arrogance

To continue with C.J. Mahaney's The Cross Centered Life, he says, "Legalism is seeking to achieve forgiveness from God and acceptance by God through obedience to God... The implications of legalism are staggering in their arrogance. Legalism claims that the death of Jesus on the cross was either unnecessary or insufficient." But the gospel sets me free. Free from the fleshly pull toward religious legalism. It opens the door and invites me in to glory in the cross, where Jesus took the penalty for my legalistic arrogance. By God's immeasurable grace, I am now free. No longer must I seek to achieve forgiveness and acceptance. They are given as a gift in the gospel. And so my calling today is to keep my eyes on the gift... on the gospel... on Jesus.

Grace and Godliness: Do Not Fear the Judaizers

In his book, The Cross Centered Life, C.J. Mahaney says that there are three ways that my heart gets drawn away from having the gospel/cross central in my life: legalism, condemnation and subjectivism.

1. Legalism is basing my relationship with God on my performance.
2. Condemnation is being more focused on my sin than on God's grace.
3. Subjectivism is basing my view of God on my changing feelings and emotions.

Evidently, those who would say that preaching grace leads to license and more sin have it backwards (because it is at the point that I lose sight of the gospel that I encounter the problems of rebellion and moralism-which is just a different form of moral/spiritual rebellion). It seems that the message of grace is a tremendous protective against sin, and promotes authentic spirituality and practical holiness. By the way, the apostle Paul agrees, saying in Titus 2:

11 For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. 12 It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, 13 while we wait for the blessed hope—the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, 14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.

I put certian words and phrases in bold to underscore the relationship between grace and godliness. These are encouraging words and a reminder to preach the gospel of grace. Do not fear the Judaizers.

The Danger of Displacing the Center

In his book, The Cross and Christian Ministry, D.A. Carson says,

"I fear that the cross, without ever being disowned, is constantly in danger of being dismissed from the central place it must enjoy... Whenever the periphery is in danger of displacing the center, we are not far removed from idolatry." (p. 29)

That is such a helpful insight, for I recognize a tendency in my own heart to displace the centrality of the cross... of the gospel. It is at that point that idolatry reigns (even if subtly) and sin abounds. And so I thank God that where my sin abounds, his grace abounds even more.

Peacemakers Breathe Grace

I am preparing a lesson for tomorrow on conflict and peacemaking, and came across a quote by Ken Sande that I really like. He says, "Peacemakers are people who breathe grace." Unless the gospel is oxygenating my spiritual bloodstream, I am in no condition to get the log out of my own eye.

Restore the Joy

In Psalm 51, David prays words that I have been praying for myself today. "Restore to me the joy of Your salvation." Restore the joy— a joy that comes from the truth of the gospel. Oh how I want the sweetness of the love of Jesus to saturate my heart. However, I will not grasp for the joy. Rather, with repentance and faith, I will grasp for a nail scarred hand... and then I will get the joy, too.

Latest Dahlonega Update E-Newsletter

Here is the latest Dahlonega Church Plant E-Newsletter (hot off the e-press). Just click here.

Included:

• Tim Keller on college town ministry
• Travel update
• Prayer needs
• Lots of links (Twitter, photo galleries, etc.)
• "God's Abundance and Mine"
• "Jesus is the Hero"

Shake Off Thy Guilty Fears

Charles Wesley wrote the hymn, Arise My Soul, Arise, during the Great Awakening in 1742. The lyrics reflect both the cause and effect of genuine revival. May God grant this kind of revival in my life. "I believe, help my unbelief."

Arise, my soul, arise,
Shake off thy guilty fears:
The bleeding Sacrifice
In my behalf appears:
Before the Throne my Surety stands,
My name is written on his hands.

My God is reconciled;
His pard'ning voice I hear;
He owns me for his child,
I can no longer fear;
With confidence I now draw nigh,
And "Abba, Father!" cry.

Jesus is the Hero

The common view of the Bible is that it was given by God to show people how to live right. Some (including myself) have said that it is a "users manual for life." However, the more I read the Bible, the more I am convinced that its purpose is not to show me how to live right, but to show me that I can't live right—and that I need a Savior. I need someone who "lived right" in my place. Not Abraham, Moses, David, Peter or Paul. The Bible shows them as flawed, needy sinners just like me. They are not the heroes of the Bible. Jesus is. The perfectly obedience Son who lived for me, died for me and rose for me. He is hero.

My Abundance and God's

In the gospel, God invites me to meet him at the cross, where an eternally binding transfer takes place. God brings his abundance. And I bring mine. However, my abundance is that of need, and his is that of provision. I bring my abundance of sin, and he brings his abundance of grace (propitiation, forgiveness, the imputation of Jesus' righteousness, adoption, the gift of the Holy Spirit, hope, peace, joy, etc.). Part of the glory of that transaction is that when I first brought my abundance, it included not only my known, but also my unknown sin; not only my past and present sin, but also my future sin. When Jesus said, "It is finished," he meant finished. And so now the Father calls me to live out of the abundance that is mine as a free gift in the gospel. I am no longer to be a fearful pauper, but a believing son. "And so Father, help me to understand and embrace the abundance of your grace. Set me free from guilt and a life of penance. Let me glory in Jesus."

The Confrontation and Consolation of the Gospel

I tend to be a people-pleaser. Yes, I know that it is a curse, and I struggle. This struggle is especially acute when counseling folks. I so want to make them feel better, and say something that will encourage them. Mainly, I want them to know that I am on their side so that they will like me. However, it struck me today that when I preach or counsel, I will either reinforce the default self-righteousness that resides in every human heart, or I will lead them toward repentance (for self-righteousness) and faith (in the imputed righteousness of Jesus). The point is not whether someone likes me or not, but whether they are encountering, embracing and living in light of the truth of the gospel. There are times to comfort, and there are times to confront. Thankfully, the gospel does both... and at the same time! May I remember that the next time my own heart needs the confrontation (I am more sinful than I can admit or understand) and consolation (I am more forgiven, loved and accepted than I could ever dare to dream) of the gospel.

The Great Enemy of Grace

"My ability is the great enemy of grace."
~ Becky Long

It's (Not) All Good

Driving to a meeting today I noticed a sticker in the window of the car ahead of me. It read, "It's All Good." Actually, it's not all good. War is not good. Theft is not good. Sickness is not good. Murder is not good... and so on. The issue is not whether it's all good, but how I am going to process those things that are not good. It was not good when Joseph was sold into slavery by his brothers. But he learned that in God's providence, though people mean things for evil (Joseph's suffering), God is able to work all things for good (the feeding of the nations).

Romans 8:28 says,

"We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."

All things are not good, but God works in and through them for good—to fulfill his purposes of redemption.

And so even though Joseph's suffering was not good, and my suffering is not good, God is at work, orchestrating things (beyond my finite mind and understanding) for good. I can believe this because God himself, in the person of Jesus, endured the world's most evil act, the crucifixion, and worked it for the world's greatest good. If I had been there that day I would not have believed it. I would have thought that hope was lost. But then he rose.

Keller on Reaching College Towns

In a recent article in ByFaith Magazine, Dr. Tim Keller says:

"We must give high priority to finding ways to minister in three areas: universities, big cities and ethnically diverse situations. College towns are incubators where we can learn how to address the ideas of the rising culture…we must go to the university towns, big cities, and the ethnically diverse places because there we will learn to understand and reach America’s future."

Since Dr. Keller, one of my living heroes, usually speaks on the importance of city ministry, it is refreshing and encouraging to hear him emphasize the significance of college town ministry (even if it is a small town) as a strategy of reaching and shaping the future landscape of the church and culture. Ministering to the campus is one of the primary areas of focus for the Dahlonega Church Plant.

1,400 Miles Later

1,400 miles later, we are back home in Atlanta. We had a great time seeing friends and family during our Mississippi Edition of the Caston World (Support Raising) Tour. Thanks to all of our praying friends!

Mississippi Road Trip '09, Part 3: Tupelo

Yesterday, we attended Lawndale and had lunch with a group of friends at the home of Whitney and Marcus Ueltschey. Great time! In the evening, we enjoyed a dinner hosted for us by Lawndale, and then I had the huge privilege to share a mini-version of our church planting vision as well as to preach. Today I am meeting folks all day at the Atlanta Bread Company in Tupelo.

Our over-the-top hospitalble hosts for the weekend have been Julie and Steve Brister, close friends from back in Kristy's high school days. Yes, it's a small world... especically in Mississippi. : )

Mississippi Road Trip '09, Part 2

Tonight we had a really great meeting with friends in Jackson at the home of Libby and Jack Crawford, some of our closest friends. Libby made a wonderful dinner (and way to go Amanda on the desert- wow!), and allowed us to go way over in our church plant presentation. It was like a college reunion. Thanks, Jack and Libby! You served us so well. And thanks to those who made the sacrifice to be with us. We appreciate y'all so very much.

I'm Not Done Yet

I'm not done yet. That thought struck me as we drove from Atlanta to Benton, Mississippi, the other day. What I mean is that sanctification (the practical holiness that the Spirit works in my life as I believe the gospel) is progressive. Like a chicken that takes time to bake, my growth in grace in ongoing, and will not be complete until Jesus takes me home or comes back. In fact, if that chicken takes an hour to cook, it feels like I only have been in the oven for a few minutes. I'm not done yet. And the minute I think that I am done, I'm really cooked! But even that happens all the time. When I condescend, hold grudges, and condemn others I am acting as if I am done and they are not. That is the essence of self-righteous Phariseeism. Yes, I am a recovering Pharisee whose sin of self-centered, sinful pride runs so deep, which is why I am growing in thankfulness to God that his grace runs deeper still. That is my hope when I see the raw, unfinished me. It is then that I remember that sanctification is also positional (I have been declared justified by the Father based on the perfect gift-righteousness of Jesus), which is the promise that "he who began a good work in me will complete it" and will "present me before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy." Because of the cross, I have the hope of glory and glorification, which is a huge encouragement for folks like me who are not done yet.

Mississippi Road Trip '09, Part 1

Tonight we had the privilege to share about the church plant to a group of friends in Greenwood, MS, at the home of our great friends, Amy and Lee Coleman. Super good food (including some unreal deer sausage and mustard dip!) added to a special evening.

Tomorrow it is off to Jackson... more to come. Thanks for praying as we seek to raise up a support team for the Dahlonega Church Plant.

Latest E-Newsletter

The latest Dahlonega Church Plant e-newsletter was published today. To view it, click here.

Road Trip

The Dahlonega Church Plant is going on a road trip to Mississippi this week to see friends and family, and to raise up ministry partners who will support the new church through prayer and with funding. Would like to pray for us? Here's how you can... right now!

"Father, I do pray that you would give the Castons a safe trip to Mississippi this week, and that they would be encouraged by seeing friends and family. I desire with them that you would raise up many people who would share their vision and would partner with them in prayer and with funding."

"Father, although funding is a critical aspect of beginning a new church, I primarily pray for the Caston's hearts. I pray that they would be freshly convicted of their sin and need for a Savior. And I pray that they would believe deeply that they have such a Savior in Jesus, who stands as their righteousness—and that this grace-saturated gospel would provide fuel for their lives and ministry."

"Also, Father, I pray that You would keep the Castons free from worry and fear. Give them gospel peace, joy and hope as they share the vision, not only for a church, but for a life of living out of weakness and need as the chief of sinners so that they might be living examples for others who are in need of the same grace. May they truly live as if the ground really is level at the foot of the cross."

Christian Socialism?

Acts 4:32-35 is a remarkable picture of unity and generosity in the lives of the early Christians in Jerusalem. Everyone shared their possessions, and sometimes sold what they had to supply the material needs of other believers. On the surface, it looks a lot like socialism... but it wasn't. Socialism is an imposed, or forced redistribution of wealth. However, no one was forcing these believers to share. Instead, something was compelling them to live in such an unusually generous, counter-cultural way. I think the key is found in verse 33, "With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and much grace was upon them all." They had believed the testimony about the resurrection of Jesus, an event that confirmed in bold the message of the cross. Jesus had done much more than sell a field, or share a plow. He gave up his life. And in dying as a propitiation for the sins of his people, he delivered them from hell, gave them his very own record of righteousness, provided eternal life and secured for them "an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade—kept in heaven..." (1 Peter 1:4) For these early Christians, a living faith in the resurrection gave them a grace-permeated world view that changed everything about what people "naturally" do. Indeed, the reason they lived the way they did was because much grace was upon them all. And that life-transforming, God-glorifying grace was not just for them, but is for all who will believe. Even me.

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Church Planting is Gospel Planting

I am not called to plant a church, but to plant the gospel and pray that a church begins to grow. I am to live, preach, and offer the gospel in such a way that, as I water those seeds of grace, God enables them to penetrate hearts, take root and grow. Then a group of "gospel saplings" gathers together and becomes a church, which as the Spirit enables, produces fruit, thus testifying to the greatness of God and blessing the wider community. Yes, there are aspects of the church that are institutional (budgets, facilities, etc.). But an institution without life is useless. The former serves the latter. And so, I am coming to realize that church planting is necessarily and primarily gospel planting.

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Unschooled, Ordinary Men

God chooses and uses the weak things of this world to accomplish supernatural results in ministry. I think we need to emphasize "supernatural," because there can also be "worldly" results in the church. Numbers. Programs. Energy. Fame. And so we look for leaders like Saul. Big. Impressive. Powerful. But God's model for a leader would be a young shepherd boy. Strength vs. weakness. God choose to use weakness... which is why a phrase jumped out at me this morning in Acts 4, where Peter and John had been arrested for preaching about the death and resurrection of Jesus after healing a crippled man. Verse 13 says that the high priest and his crew were amazed by Peter and John, especially the fact that they were "unschooled, ordinary men." However, they "took note that they had been with Jesus." Ah ha! That is the key. Their usefulness was not tied to their intellect, skill set or conference notebook collection. The results of their ministry were not natural, they were supernatural, and dependent upon the power of God to work in and through them. So may I, as a church planter, seek to live as an ultimately unschooled (especially in the context of God's cosmic knowledge, providence and wisdom), ordinary man... who has been with Jesus. Let me not lift up my degrees, but rather, the cross.

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The Good Shepherd

This morning I was reading in John 10 when a phrase caught my attention. It is the passage when Jesus calls himself the Good Shepherd, who calls his sheep by name and "leads them out" of the sheep pen through the gate. My mind went immediately to Israel in Egypt, and how Moses, as a shepherd of his people, led them out of bondage and slavery toward the land of promise. For Moses, the enemy was a Pharaoh of Egypt. In Jesus' word picture, it is a thief, who enters the pen to steal, kill and destroy. But Jesus is no thief. He enters the pen to set his sheep free—free from the bondage of fear, sin and death. But Jesus knew that setting me free would require him to take my place in the pen. On the cross, he laid down his life and satisfied justice for my sheepishness (for we know that sheep are dumb, disobedient, and smell!). And now the resurrected Jesus, through his Spirit, he calls to his sheep to hear his voice, come out of the pen and follow him. He calls me to believe the gospel— to "have life and have it to the full," because "there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus," because he was condemned in their place. "Father, give me ears to hear."

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Keller's Preaching Model

Here is a simple version of what I perceive to be Tim Keller's "structural method" of preaching the gospel, where he is able to build "narrative tension" that longs for the story to reveal God's saving, liberating and transforming grace.

I. Introduction. He introduces the topic/life issue that is raised in the Bible passage.

II. Law. He reveals our problems related to the issue by describing what should be done/thought/etc. vs. what we actually do/think. This "creates the need/longing" for the gospel.

III. Gospel. This is where Jesus comes to the rescue as the hero through identification, substitution, mediation, etc. He is the greater Moses, the greater Joseph, the ultimate Daniel, the ultimate Esther, etc. For example, she said "if I perish, I perish," but Jesus said, "When I perish..." So Jesus is not merely a moralistic example, but is a redemptive Savior from both worldly irreligion and worldly religion.

IV. Application. This is the redemptive application part. If the gospel begins to define my identity, this is what can happen by the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit. What I could not do before, or did with wrong motives, now I can do because of the life of Jesus in me (Gal. 2:20). The gospel provides the new motivation and new power for change.

For application Keller tends to use a tri-perspectival approach, which keeps the gospel touching all of life, rather than merely one sector. The three perspectives are (truth) theological applications (truth), personal/devotional applications (life), and cultural renewal applications (kingdom).

If you'll notice, Keller often outlines his messages along the lines of this narrative tension.
1. the life issue
2. the law problem
3. the gospel solution
4. the redemptive applicaition

Paradoxical Leadership

Dan Allender, in his book, Leading with a Limp, asks a question,

"Is living out the gospel in this world meant to be marked by an inverted, paradoxical, mysterious twist on what most people expect of a leader?"

He answers with a resounding "yes," saying that the paradox of biblical leadership is that the chief leader must be the chief sinner, just like Paul. Allender says, "You must choose to adopt that identity for yourself." Hmmm... Two things come to mind.

One, leading out of weakness and need is counter-intuitive and, therefore, must be a chosen path. It is not natural. Being strong, able, powerful and influential is natural. Today, as I lead, I must choose to know myself as a sheep among sheep, and an under-shepherd of the Ultimate Shepherd.

Two, the only way to make this choice to consciously lead as a needy sinner is to have an even greater Savior. He is the strong, able and powerful one whom I am to follow as a leader. When Jesus, rather than my status as a leader, is my righteousness, then I am able to be a paradoxical leader. I am able to admit when I am wrong, give credit to others, show appreciation for the contributions of potential rivals, and wash the feet of my critics. I suppose, in a nutshell, biblical leadership is about living out the implications of the gospel in a way that moves others to consider the power and glory of God's grace.

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Gospel-Consciousness

Why am I so self-conscious? Why am I so concerned what others think about me? Why do I let the opinions of others so profoundly influence my words and actions. Why am I a different person around different people? Why can't I be real?These questions help me realize that I understand what it would have been like to have been a Pharisee in the first century, for whom image was everything.

In Matthew 23:5, Jesus says something about the heart of a Pharisee that I find deeply convicting.

"Everything they do is done for men to see."

It is sickening (but liberating, too!) to admit it, but I am a praise monger, wanting people to bask in the glory of my (imagined) greatness. Of course, that is the flesh at work. But the Spirit is creating a hunger in my heart—a longing to be real.

And so the Holy Spirit graciously invites me to trade my self-consciousness in for a gospel-consciousness. Yes, in myself, I am an insecure orphan. But in Jesus, I am a dearly loved son. In myself, I am weak. But in Jesus, I am strong. In myself, I am a condemned sinner who wears masks attempting to cover up the ugliness of my inner sin (including the insecurity and pride). But in Jesus, I am declared righteous, and now it is safe to be real. As Tim Keller, says, "I am more sinful than I would ever be able to admit, but at the same time, in Jesus, I am more forgiven, more loved, and more accepted than I could ever dare to dream!" Yes, it is that kind of gospel-consciousness that will dispel my self-consciousness by enabling me to be real by (1) taking off my mask and (2) basking in the glory of God's grace to me in Jesus.

So What?

A revolutionary thought struck me while playing H-O-R-S-E with my eleven-year-old son. "So what?" Okay, here's the context. He is just like me. Hyper competitive. Loves to win. Must win. Although he is a gifted athlete and basketball player, he lost his rhythm and began to miss shots that he normally makes. Because he is like me, he began to get angry and show frustration. So we stopped the game to talk about it.

As I put myself in his shoes, I realized how easy it is to find my identity in my own performance and ability: like shooting a basketball, knowing the capitol of Vermont, having obedient children in public, succeeding in planting a new church, or even preaching a good sermon. Then it hit me: so what? So what if I miss the shot and lose the game? So what if I don't know the capitol of Vermont? So what if my children make me look like a dufus parent in public? So what if the church plant fails or if someone criticizes my sermon? God is still God. I am still his crazily loved son with a imputed heavenly record of utter perfection! His decretive will has not been thwarted. God's glory will not be diminished. In fact, if I find my life in my success and ability, then, on an earthly level, His glory will not be as clearly seen, for the self-righteousness that I pursue through accomplishement will seek to eclipse the righteousness that God gives through Jesus.

This means that if I can learn to live by a "sanctified" so what, then I will be free from the bondage of me. I am free to shoot the rock and miss. I am free to say "I don't know." I am free to focus on my children's hearts and not just their behavior. I am free to fail as a pastor and preacher. I'm free now to live by grace to the glory of God by boasting in and resting in the success, ability, glory and righteousness of Jesus.

The Cost of Busyness

Well, I'm still in Leading with a Limp, and just got to the section where Dan Allender talks about busyness. In most professional vocations, being "busy" is a badge of honor—a virtue that says I am not lazy. However, and surprisingly, Allender says,

"A lazy person does little to nothing while a busy person dos almost everything, but the similarity is that both refuse to be intentional. Busyness is the equivalent to moral laziness... because it involves refusing to live with courage and intentionality."

He then addresses the "real cost" of busyness, saying that it contributes to "the loss of our spiritual vitality." Maybe that is why Jesus never seemed hurried or busy. He was focused and intentional about what he was called to do, and even took regular times away from people to spend focused time connecting with the Father. And I think we can agree that Jesus was spiritually vital—so vital that he was willing to fulfill the Father's will of going to the cross. That was his focus. He was vital unto suffering.

It makes me wonder, in all of my busyness, am I spiritually vital? In reflection, it may be that allowing myself to get so busy reveals a deep seated, stubborn, and arrogant heart that insists on doing more than resting, believing, praying and yielding. And so I am faced with another opportunity to be still, joyfully repent, and be thankful that my life is not to be defined by my work, but His.

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The Gift of Brokenness

I don't like broken stuff. I want it either fixed or thrown out. But God loves broken stuff. King David knew this when he wrote, "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise." And the way we get "broken" usually hurts.

Applying this concept to leadership in Leading with a Limp, Dan Allender says,

"For most leaders, humility comes only by wounds suffered from foolish falls... We achieve brokenness by falling off of our throne. To be broken is not a choice; it is a gift."

Hmmm... I suppose it is only when I am conscious of my brokenness as a leader that I am genuinely equipped to lead as an ambassador of Jesus. Paul led as the chief repenter in his day—as a big sinner who had an even bigger Savior. He refused to be the hero, because that role was reserved for Jesus. So that's what I want today: a consciousness of my cracks that, although I would not have chosen them, are present as gifts. Wounds through which humility and wisdom are created and through which grace can now flow.

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The Disappointing Leader

I am re-reading Dan Allender's fairly recent book on leadership, Leading with a Limp. As the leader of a church plant in its most fledgling stages (support raising), I need all the help in that area that I can get. And while many books on leadership talk about being effective, Allender takes a counter-intuitive approach—more of a gospel approach, I think. He says, "A good leader will, in time, disappoint everyone." Notice that he said a "good" leader, not a bad leader. Why is this? Because, to the degree that a leader acknowledges his inability, personal weakness and need for the grace of the Great Leader, the better a leader he will be. If I were to become a Jesus-substitute for those in the church (and I've already tried that before- ugh!), they would be disappoited and possibly become disillusioned. Thankfully, my job is not to be a savior—that job is for Jesus only. And so, I am learning that the ultimate goal for the pastor-leader is not so much to lead, but to follow. And in following the Great Leader, who laid down his life for the sheep, the lesser leader learns what it means to lead as a wounded healer in need of the same grace that the rest of the sheep need. In this next leadership gig, I plan to tell the folks up front, "I will, in time (and it will not take long!), disappoint you. So do not put your hope in me. Put your hope in Jesus."

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Moment by Moment

The Bible talks about "walking with God." I suppose this means that as I live each day, I am to be in conscious fellowship with him who is with me—really with me, as if we were walking down the road together. It's better than a "Quite Time" (as profitable as focused time with God is).  However, the essence of the Christian life is not checking in with Jesus, but is walking with him, as my friend, Francis Schaeffer, says in True Spirituality, "moment by moment." 

"I became a Christian once for all upon the basis of the finished work of Christ through faith; that is justification. The Christian life, sanctification, operates on the same basis, but moment by moment. There is the same base (Christ's work) and the same instrument (faith); the only difference is that one is once for all and the other is moment by moment... If we try to live the Christian life in our own strength we will have sorrow, but if we live in this way, we will not only serve the Lord, but in place of sorrow, He will be our song. That is the difference. The 'how' of the Christian life is the power of the crucified and risen Lord, through the agency of the indwelling Holy Spirit, by faith moment by moment."

As one who tries so often to live in my own strength (ugh!), I want desperately to abide in Jesus today as my perfect righteousness. I want to experience not only his justifying grace, but also his sustaining, enabling grace as I walk with him by faith, moment by moment, knowing that even if I fail or fall, he is still with me.

As the hymn says, 

"Hallelujah! what a Savior!
 Hallelujah! what a Friend!
 Saving, helping, keeping, loving,
 He is with me to the end."

The Disciple Jesus Loves

In the gospel he authored, John calls himself, "the disciple Jesus loves." Interesting. Did he mean that Jesus did not love the others? Not at all. He knew better. However, his own self-perception was wrapped up in being loved by Jesus. And so rather than mention himself by name, he uses that rather stunning description to identify himself—a description that could be used of any of Jesus' disciples, then or today. The challenge is for me to see myself this way. Rather than see myself as the one whom Jesus tolerates... or the one with whom Jesus is disappointed... or even disgusted... What if I were to see myself as "the disciple Jesus... loves?"  That dream is made reality when I come face to face with the message of the cross—a message that tells me via loudspeaker that he cannot love me more (even on what I think is a "good" day), and that he will not love me less (even on what I think is a "bad" day), because his love is not dependent on me, but on him. 

Losing My Religion

In his book, Soul Talk, Larry Crabb says,

"Religion is the invention of the Devil."

Steve Brown agrees, saying, "I hate religion." That was the discussion for last week's Caston Family Discipleship gathering after dinner. I asked my kids what makes the Gospel different from all other religions. I was delighted when they answered, "Grace!" Of course, Islam, Judaism, Buddhism, Hinduism, and every other religious ism says, "If I obey and sacrifice, then I will be accepted and blessed." To the contrary, the gospel says, "I am accepted and blessed not because of my obedience and sacrifice, but on the basis of the obedience and sacrifice of Jesus." However, there is a religious virus in the church, because there is a religious virus in people like me. It is so easy for me to take the gospel and moralize it. To make the gospel a religion. That is why Jesus called the Pharisees children of the Devil." They were rule-keepers, not grace-lovers. They demanded to stand before God on their own works. And so it appears as if Larry Crabb is right. Religion is the invention of the Devil. And I have been duped plenty. So my prayer is that I would cast off religion, and embrace the gospel afresh today. If I must live by works, let them be the works of Jesus.

And that's it?

I am a recovering Pharisee who falls off of the wagon all of the time, slipping back into a mode of self-righteous pride (when I think I do well) and insecurity (when I fail, or if someone else does well).  So what I need is radically grace-centered preaching to keep my heart in line with the gospel. 

That is why I was so grieved today to read a quote from one of the most influential pastor/preachers in the country, and maybe the world. I respect him so much and have been helped by him in many ways, and when it comes to communication, he is gifted with a big G. Nevertheless, speaking about his preaching philosophy, he says,

"Here is the model: Make people feel like they need an answer to a question. Then take them to God's Word to answer the question. And tell them why it is important to do what we just talked about. And then you close by saying, 'Wouldn't it be great if everybody did that?' And that's it."

And that's it? 

Now, I am not a great preacher, and I've preached self-help, man-centered moralism more times than I want to admit. But I crave for experienced leaders to preach the gospel to me.  I desperately need help seeing the cross, the blood, and the glory of God's propitiatory grace.

And since he is such a great leader/preacher, I want to give him the benefit of the doubt, assuming that if he had the chance to say it again, he would replace "and that's it" with how our failure to keep the law and practice wisdom leads us to Jesus and the cross. At that point redemptively motivated and empowered application could flow from what then would be a gospel-centered sermon rather than a moralistic sermon.  And so when I hear someone get to the part when he asks, "'Wouldn't it be great if everybody did that," I hope that he will point me to the only one who did. The One who is my only hope and my complete salvation. His name is Jesus.

Lent and Sacrifice

I came across a genius quote the other day by Scott Lees that has made me want to practice Lent. I have never been into the "church calendar," but thinking about how Lent can help me grow in grace in appealing. Now, the typical angle on Lent is that we give up something, sacrifice something for God in preparation for Easter. From what I understand, Lent is a way of taking up my cross and following Jesus. However, Scott's blog post said, and I paraphrase: "Lent is not about what I give up and sacrifice for God, but is about embracing what God has given up and sacrificed for me." When I read that my mind went straight to Philippians 2, where Paul says,

Jesus... made himself nothing,
taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
and became obedient to death—
even death on a cross!
Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.

Jesus didn't just give up french fries, Facebook, or carbonated beverages. He gave up his life. And so I need to be reminded that the gospel majors not on some puny, legalistic sacrifice that I might make, but on the eternity-shaking, incalculably loving, life-transforming sacrifice that Jesus made for me.  If Lent can help get me there, I'm in. Thanks, Scott.

Luther's Struggle is My Struggle

When the light of the gospel was turned on in Martin Luther's mind and heart, the Protestant Reformation was given a huge dose of momentum. Some say it began in that moment, but that is to miss the whispers of Reformation that had been taking place for over one hundred years. But that is a different story. The point for me today is that this man who was so enamoured and set free by a conscious apprehension of God's grace, really struggled to believe it.  As a friend of mine, Johnny Long, says, "The gospel can be like a bar of wet soap. It is easy to lose our grasp on it."  Luther says the same thing, but in a little different way:

"Let anybody try [to live by faith in God’s grace] and he will see and experience how exceedingly hard and bitter a thing it is for a man who has lived by works righteousness, to pull himself out of it with all his heart... I myself have been preaching and cultivating [a grace centered life] through reading and writing for almost twenty years and still feel the old clinging dirt of wanting to deal so with God that I may contribute something so that He will give me His grace in exchange for my holiness. Still I cannot get it into my head that I should surrender myself completely to sheer grace, yet I know that this is what I should and must do." 

Surrender to sheer grace. Yes, that is it! But not just once, or at a re-dedication service. I am called to surrender my self-righteousness to the sheer grace of Jesus every day—and if your experience is like mine... multiple times a day. And the result is the experience of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, etc.

So thanks, Dr. Luther, for the encouraging word of struggle, for your struggle is mine.  Let's just be thankful that even though the gospel is like soap in my hands, I am not like soap in the hands of Jesus. As the hymn says and the cross proves, "His love will not let me go."

Thou Alone

This stanza from Augustus Toplady's famous hymn has been on my mind today...

"Not the labors of my hands
can fulfill thy law's commands;
could my zeal no respite know,
could my tears forever flow,
all for sin could not atone;
thou must save, and thou alone."

That is why Jesus lived and died. To save people like me who could never save themselves. He must save, and he alone.  And thank God, those whom he saves, he also sustains. As Jesus says of those who repent and believe, "I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand."   

An Invitation for the Destitute

In Isaiah 55:1, God says, 

"Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost." 

I have read that 100 times and missed the critical word—no. The invitation to the king's banquet is not for those who don't have enough, but for those who have nothing—NO money. It is not just for the poor, but for the utterly destitute. And of course, the analogy is not merely for the financially destitute, but for the spiritually destitute who are called to dine at the feast "without cost" because the price has already been paid in full. It is not a free meal, it is a costly one whose bill has been covered fully, tax, tip and all. My calling now is to partake in the feast of grace by eating, or by "believing" that Jesus is the One who paid such a price for my seat at the table by experiencing the ultimate destitution on a Roman cross. And at such a price, the banquet is to be deeply enjoyed... even savored. For the gospel tells me that the more I delight my heart in the riches of God's fare (ie, his grace in Jesus), the more God is magnified as the master of the banquet. Indeed, my joy is for his glory. But on most days I tend to live as if I am to leave a tip, or contribute in some small way.  But to the degree I try to "do my part," I insult God's grace, diminish my joy, and cloud God's glory.  So today, I pray that I will come in my spiritual and moral poverty to Jesus, hungering and thirsting after his righteousness, which he gives to the destitute freely and fully.

Filing for Bankruptcy

Personal and commercial bankruptcies are increasing at a record setting pace. However, in the words of Jerry Bridges, "As devestating as permanent bankruptcy is, there is a bright side. The beleaguered businessman is free." His debts have been cancelled. The calls from the creditors have been silenced. "This businessman may be humiliated, but at least he is free." The gospel tells me that Jesus came for folks who were ready to file bankruptcy—not financially, but spiritually. And so I'm filing moral and spiritual bankruptcy today, so that I can be reminded that the law's condemnation has been silenced. Jesus has settled the debt. I am free.

Stop Performing in the Pulpit

In his book, Fresh Power, Jim Cymbala asks the question, "What is a Spirit-filled preacher?" For a preacher like me, that's a good question. Using the apostle Peter as an example, Cymbala provides a helpful answer:

"Many of us have heard oratory and cleverness in the pulpit. We've seen showmanship and listened to smoothly worded phrases. In contrast to all this, here is Peter, a fisherman with no formal training in homiletics, giving a simple but powerful message... He points them to the Savior... He wasn't... performing. His heart had been filled with the love of God through the Holy Spirit." 

Now I do not discount the value of homiletical instruction. However, the power of the gospel is not in alliteration, rhymes or funny stories (as helpful as they can be in communication). The power is the gospel itself—the message that points sinners to a Savior and his cross. 

For someone who had tried so hard to preach well, I realize that much of my efforts have been a form of man-centered performance. There is no power there, since a performance is about the preacher's reputation, and not the reputation of Jesus. So I repent, want to stop performing in the pulpit, and look forward, Lord willing, for more opportunities to magnify the reputation of Jesus by preaching the simple message of grace in the gospel.

Tasting the Honey

Jonathan Edwards, using honey as a metaphor for experiencing the gospel, said that there is a "difference between having a rational judgement that honey is sweet and having a sense of its sweetness." In other words, there is something more than mere intellectual ascent (but not less) that is part what it means to "experience" the sweetness of the gospel. After all, Scripture says to "taste and see that the Lord is good." Don't just know it, taste it... savor it... experience it. I think that this may be what the apostle Paul was talking about in Romans 5:5, saying, "God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit." That is what I need today—a fresh outpouring of the God's love expressed to an unworthy, but dramatically loved, adopted child. That is what Paul prayed for the Ephesians. It is a love about which the cross speaks so clearly. To mix the metaphor, I want to be still long enough to listen and hear the music of the gospel (i.e., taste the honey), then I will begin to sing, and dance, and really live to the glory of the One who has loved me so well.

Ships Need Wind, Coal Needs Fire

As we look toward launching a new gospel mission later this year, I am energized by words of Charles Spurgeon, a preaching with amazing speaking gifts, "Without the Spirit of God, we can do nothing. We are as ships without wind or chariots without steeds. Like branches without sap, we are withered. Like coals without fire, we are useless." As someone who has longed for great gifts, I now realize how withered and useless I have been through much of my preaching ministry. I am so glad for Spurgeon sharing his secret. The power was not to be found in his great gifts, but in his great God. And if he needed the empowering of the Holy Spirit, man, how much more do it need it—and not just in preaching, but in every facet of living the implications of the gospel as a follower of Jesus. So give me the wind and the fire... of the Spirit.

Church Plant Vision Video

This is the vision video for the Dahlonega Church Plant. If interested, you may download a high quality version here.

Why Do Humans Wear Clothes?

Our family recently watched a documentary on the Scopes "Monkey" Trial in Dayton, TN, which took place early last century. With the theme of Biblical creationism vs. Darwinian evolution on the table, I began to wonder: Why do humans wear clothes? Why do apes wear not wear clothes? It seems as if the fundamental difference is a sense of guilt. Now, certainly there are humans who have a calloused sense of guilt and are comfortable living in nudist colonies or streaking (I'll never forget the pack of streakers that I saw running through mid-town Memphis in 1975, when I was six). Nevertheless, I find it interesting that, even as Adam and Eve's nakedness was associated with their moral guilt, so also most folks would experience a degree of shame if exposed in our physical nakedness. The same is true with moral guilt. Most people resist being exposed morally. However, that exposure is at the heart of the gospel. For on a cross, Jesus was stripped naked and killed, bearing my guilt and shame in his exposed body so that my guilt and shame may be covered, not with fig leaves, human success, or even merely jeans and a t-shirt, but with his perfect righteousness. Anyway, it struck me that my dog does not wear clothes, and neither do the deer who live in the woods behind my house. And neither do apes. But I do. And it serves to remind me of the gospel.

Emancipated by the Gospel

I'm still wading through Brennan Manning's Ragamuffin Gospel, and came across a helpful quote on one of the many implications of what it means to be "free in Christ":

"Freedom in Christ produces a healthy independence from peer pressure, people-pleasing, and the bondage of human respect. The tyranny of public opinion can manipulate our lives.... For most of us it takes a long time for the Spirit of freedom to cleanse us of the subtle urges to be admired..."

One of my besetting sins is "the fear of man," and while I wish I could say it is a problem that resides in my past, I can relate to the "it takes a long time" dynamic of breaking free from the need to be admired. It is sad how often it has dominated my life. That is why I continually must affirm the positional righteousness that I possess in the gospel though faith alone in the work of Jesus on my behalf.  For on the cross, Jesus was bound and suffered in my place so that I could be free from the struggle to attain a righteousness of my own. That is what I am called to believe. And when I do, I actually experience the freedom for which Jesus has set me free.

And the Winner Is...

Drum roll please.... And the winner of the cool blue 2009 MINI Cooper S is...

Jay Hightower of Atlanta, GA! Congratulations, Jay. And thanks to everyone for following The Dahlonega Church Plant. : )

Pleasing Jesus by Believing Jesus

What if I believed that I really am totally, unreservedly, completely, and eternally forgiven... and more than that, that I have been declared righteous? What if I believed that no performance, ritual, or duty could increase my perfect standing as a fully-loved child of the Fathter? What if I could rest in my sonship with God, and just be. The Scripture says, "Be still and know that I am God." Yes. And I think it also is good to be still and know that I am his. I have been adopted by the King, and will receive an inheritance beyond my wildest dreams. Furthermore, I cannot be more loved for my well-doing, or less loved for my ill-doing. That is why my being his his must dominate my mind and heart. For it is only in knowing who I am as an object of God's grace, mercy and love, that will have a deep, lasting, and positive affect on my doing. 

In 1667, Marjory Kempe of Lynn, MA, believed that she had received a prophetic word from Jesus, who apparently said,

"More pleasing to me than all your prayers and works... is that you would believe that I love you."

Whatever I or others might think about her claim, the question remains: What if I really believed that? The cross is whispering those words to me today. And so let me be still for a while so that I can hear and believe.

Humility is Always Truth

In The Ragamuffin Gospel, Brennan Manning says,

"Perhaps the real dichotomy in the Christian community today is not between conservatives and liberals... but between the awake and the asleep.... Just as a smart man knows he is stupid, so the awake Christian knows he is a ragamuffin. Although truth is not always humility, humility is always truth."

Wow. That is good. Unfortunately, I am not.  For it is true: I am worse than I think I am.  But thanks be to God that it is also true that the gospel is much better than I think it is.  So in light of Manning's dichotomy, I am praying for a great awakening— an awakening in my own soul so that I may be awake to the beauty, wonder, and power of the gospel.

Catalyzed by the Gospel

Bill Hybels, the founding pastor of the now famous Willow Creek Community Church, says,

"When I was saved at 17, I had a dramatic conversion: I went from a perfomance-based theology to a grace-based theology. In a moment of time, I understood I was loved so much that Christ went to the cross so salvation could be made available to me as a gift. The enormity of that shock has never left me. I have been permanently ignited by the miracle of grace. I still can't get over grace. I don't witness to my friends because I feel any obligation to witness. I can't get over grace. I am catalyzed by the gospel message."

That is a great testimony. But isn't it one to which every Christian can testify: "I went from a performance-based theology to a grace-based theology." What I find most challenging is that while I profess a wonderful, grace-based theology, I still get stuck in a performance-based life.I have such a hard time shaking off the legalism from my heart.  And so the call of the gospel to me in this condition is to believe again... to believe that Jesus performed in my place. The gospel tells me that through faith in his work, I am counted righteous. Such a simple message to understand intellectually... but so hard to live practically. This is because, as David Benner says, "Grace is alien to human psychology." So I pray that human psychology would be overrulled in my head and heart by the Holy Spirit so that I, like Bill Hybels, increasingly will live a life that is "catalyzed by the gospel."

Obsession

"An obsession with the Gospel is the only obsession that will cure all other obsessions." Tim Keller

Mystic Wisdom

English Mystic, Julian of Norwich, said, "The greatest honor we can give to Almighty God is to live gladly because of the knowledge of his love." Really? But I tend to live so joylessly because of a knowledge of my failure and sin. I am so unlovable. But the gospel is for folks just like me. The unworthy. The unlovely. The unrighteous. The gospel is for folks like me, because we can glorify God the most. Not because of our goodness... but because "where sin abounded, grace abounded more." It is this grace that delivers the love of God to the soul. And delighting in God's love glorifies the giver of this love... the kind of love that makes the ultimate sacrifice to reconcile a wayward son or daughter. The kind of love of which the cross speaks so clearly. And so my desire today is to glean from Julian's mystic wisdom by delighting in and savoring the deep, rich, eternal, unexpected, and unrelenting love of God expressed to me in Jesus. Even when I don't feel loved or think that I should be loved, I will look to the cross, and pray for the gladness that glorifies God.

The Real Thing

Brennan Manning (no relation to Archie, Peyton or Eli), in his modern devotional classic, The Ragamuffin Gospel, says, "Unlike Quasimodo, the hunchback of Notre Dame, we need not hide all that is ugly and repulsive in us. Jesus comes not for the super-spiritual, but for the wobbly and the weak-kneed who know that don't have it together." In a word, I think Manning is getting at the point that because of the cross, I now can be real. Real about the pervasiveness of my sinfulness now (not just before I was a Christian), and real about the pervasiveness of God's grace to me in Jesus now (not just when I became a Christian).  In the paraphrased words of Dr. Tim Keller, I am more sinful and morally depraved than I would ever be able to admit (or fully understand), but in the gospel, at the very same time, I am more forgiven, loved and accepted than I could ever dare to dream.  Oh, to live like I really believe that. I believe... help my unbelief!

McDonald's Interview at Perimeter

This past weekend at the Dahlonega Church Plant "video premier" at Perimeter, we had the opportunity to interview some good friends of ours from Atlanta, Brittany and Joe McDonald. Enjoy.

Repentance

A very close friend of mine emailed me the other day asking for a definition of repentance. Hmmm...

I heard someone say that repentance is spiritual and moral honesty. Meaning, in repentance I admit that I am a real sinner, and not just one in theory. That's good (not the sin, but the honesty!). For Stanley Voke, a working definition of repentance is "sitting in the sinner's place." I really like that. 

Anyway, the Greek word for repentance, metanoia, means "to change one's mind" or "to turn." The standard explanation is that when we repent, we change... we commit to stop doing bad stuff and to start doing good stuff. Some say it this way: "Repentance is turning from your sin to following Jesus." However, I think that this explanation misses the teaching of John the Reformed Baptist, who said that the Pharisees should "produce fruit in keeping with repentance." The fruit (the change) is not the repentance... it is the result of repentance.

So let me twist the phrase a bit, and say it this way... Rather than turn from my sin to Jesus, I am to turn with my sin to Jesus (or to anyone else whom I have sinned against).  The change of mind is that I am the sinner. I am wrong. I deserve justice. And so to repent with faith is to turn with my sin to Jesus believing that he takes my sin upon himself on the cross and, in turn, clothes me with his perfect righteousness. Then I am filled with the Spirit and enabled to see the fruit (change) of repentance, which is nothing other than the fruit of the Spirit working in my life as I go to the sinner's place and find grace. 

So the problem with my lack of practical change, is not a lack of trying harder to change, but a lack of repentance (not penance) combined with faith.

Dahlonega Church Plant Featured at Perimeter

This past weekend at Perimeter the Dahlonega Church Plant was featured at all the weekend services with a vision video and by having our family introduced on stage. Bob Cargo, the director for church planting at Perimeter, introduced us and prayed for us. We also had an information table set up in the main lobby where we enjoyed talking to many, many folks—lots of whom were very enthusiastic about the new church. Several high school seniors who will be attending NGCSU introduced themselves. Needless to say, we are very excited about doing ministry in a college town!

The Second Look

I came across a hymn of John Newton today (I don't know the title, only the words), in which his eyes fix twice on those of Jesus on the cross. The first look overwhelms him with guilt and shame, but the second convinces him of God's immeasurable grace and complete forgiveness. That is the law (the first look) driving him and me to the gospel (the second look), and is why I need to spend time meditating on the cross of Jesus. I first need to feel the pain of my sin so that I more deeply can experience and appreciate the hight, depth, width, and breadth of God's amazing grace toward and love for me in Jesus. It is encountering such grace that not only consoles me, but changes me. So don't miss the second look!

In my sin I took delight
Unawed by shame or fear
Until a new object met my sight
And stopped my wild career

I saw one hanging on a tree
In agony and blood
Who fixed his languid eyes on me
As near his cross I stood

Sure never til my last breath
Will I forget that look
It seemed to charge me with his death
Though not a word he spoke

My conscience owned and felt my guilt
And plunged me in despair
I knew my sins his blood had spilt
And served to nail him there.

A second look he gave which said
I freely all forgive
My blood was for your ransom paid,
I died that you may live.

Let me emphasize it again to my own heart: do not miss the second look, but gaze and gaze upon him who is my Savior and Priceless Treasure. 

Functional vs. Devotional Prayer

According to Myers-Briggs, I am an INTJ, which means that I like "alone time." So did Jesus. Listen to Mark 1:34 and Matthew 14:23:

"Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.... After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountain by himself to pray."

The problem is that when I get to that gloriously solitary place, I tend not to pray, but to plan. But Jesus prays.  He knew he needed to draw strength from his relationship with the Father. But many times I live like an orphan who has no Father. That probably is why I plan so much and pray so little. 

But a real relationship with the Father (not religion, not ritual, and most certainly not guilt or duty) is what fuels real prayer. When I know God as a Father who would send his own beloved Son, Jesus, to reconcile me to himself by dealing with the penalty of my sin on the cross, the motives for my time with God change. I know myself as a runaway, spiritual orphan, who has been adopted in love. I am the guilty offender who has been declared righteous. I am the enemy who is now a friend. I am the unlovely and unloveable sinner who has been made beautiful in the sight of God. All though Jesus. All by grace. 

It is embracing this gospel that transforms prayer from being primarily a functional list of requests (where I use God) into being a devotional relationship characterized by trust, hope, love, joy, etc. (where I enjoy God).  So the call on my life today is not to try harder to pray better, but to look upon the love of God in the cross. Then prayer will not be something that I have to do, but something that I get to do. 

A Six-Pack of Core Commitments

As I have thought and thought about the core commitments for a new, gospel-centered church in Dahlonega, there are four core commitments that I see guiding the ministry. The original post had four commitments, but in the past few days I have added two more that I think are essential. So here is the six-pack of core commitments:

#1- IMPASSIONED ORTHODOXY
We will be committed to the Bible as our standard for theological orthodoxy, which is not an end in itself, but is a means to knowing and enjoying God.

#2- RADICAL GRACE
We want the radical message of grace to be the central theme that permeates the church’s worship, teaching, leadership, discipleship, mission, etc.

#3- AUTHENTIC COMMUNITY
We long for a grace-saturated atmosphere that communicates to people, “This is a safe place to be real. We are all broken, sinful people who desperately need Jesus.”

#4- INTENTIONAL DISCIPLESHIP
Utilizing both structured and unstructured aspects of equipping believers as followers of Jesus, at the heart of our mission is an intentional approach to grace-centered, life-on-life discipleship.

#5- HOLISTIC COMPASSION & JUSTICE
A holistic gospel compels us to minister holistic compassion and justice, not only serving spiritual needs, but also meting physical and material needs.

#6- ORGANIC MISSION
We will encourage all the folks in the church to see themselves as missionaries, word and deed ambassadors of the gospel living as “salt and light” in the context of their organic spheres of influence.

Encouragement for the Dehydrated

Yesterday during the panel discussion at the GCA church planting conference, a question was asked concerning the most critical factor in church planting. Most of us expected the response to be tactical. There must be some magic "how to" that if perfected would guarantee success. The answer was not tactical. Rather, it was devotional. Ted Powers took the mic and said that the most critical factor for the church planter is his own abiding in the Vine/Jesus/the gospel (John 15:4-5). A church planter wants others to receive and rest in the grace of God in the gospel. However, the most important thing is that the church planter himself receive and rest in the grace of God in the gospel. As I reflected on this, I realized that the application is wider than just for a church planter. It applies to every Christian. For example, the most significant factor in the health of my marriage is whether or not I am abiding in Jesus as my righteousness. The same is true for anyone's role as a parent, student, athlete, etc.  For the athlete, an analogy might be hydration. If I am not hydrated, I will become dehydrated and, eventually, will give out on the field. The same is true as a Christian. As one who finds himself dehydrated far too often, I need to be reminded of my desperate, daily need of the hydration of God's love and grace to me in Jesus through his life, death, and resurrection. My greatest need is not primarily tactical, it is devotional. I need the hydration of the beauty, wonder, and power of the gospel. 

What to Pray

Sometimes I want to pray for folks, but I'm just not sure what to pray. So my prayer often is limited to something generic like, "Bless so and so." Now God knows what to do with that. But if prayer is going to be a means of grace for the one praying (me), then maybe it would be helpful to get a bit more specific, and more Jesus/gospel/grace-centered.  

While I was sitting in a seminar today on gospel-centered preaching, the instructor said that if I was struggling with how to pray for folks beyond, "Bless _______," then I could pray the prayer of Paul in Ephesians 3:14-21 (or any other Scriptural prayer). What a great idea! I think I am going to start praying this for myself, family, and the folks whom I pray, by God's grace, we will reach through the church plant in Dahlonega.

"For this reason I kneel before the Father,from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge--that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen."

Life Out of Death

At the risk of sounding like a broken record (or a scratched CD), I am going to post one more thought from Stanley Voke's Personal Revival. The theme of brokenness has so gripped me that it seems like I have had a gravitational pull toward that topic lately. Don't get me wrong, I do not want to be broken, and there is more to talk about. But having experienced a little brokenness (and being a slow learner who needs to hear the same thing over and over), I find Voke to be so helpful and encouraging. So please forgive the redundancy. 

"God blesses all he breaks. Victory came to Gideon's army when the pitchers were broken to release the light within them. Fulness came to the five thousand when Jesus broke the loaves that seemed so few. Fragrance poured through all teh house when a box of ointment was broken over the Savior's feet. It all happened in the breaking. When the Son of God was broken in the darkness... of the cross, Satan was overthrown, sin was dealt with, the Gospel set free and eternal life released for all the world. Calvary proves the principle that God always blesses brokenness, for he brings life out of death."

The Requirement of Brokenness

Today I heard Tim Keller relate a story about several pastors talking in England about a young preacher who was taking the country by storm. Strong, authoritative preaching. As the men discussed this younger man's success, one of the older pastors remarked, "Yes, but I do not think that he has been broken yet." I suppose he was getting at the idea that grace can only flow through a broken vessel. So is it possible that brokenness is not a liability after all, but actually a requirement for effective ministry? Something to think about. Anyway, those remarks echo the words of Stanley Voke, who, in his book, Peronal Revival, said, 

"God knows how much we need to be broken, so He uses people and situations to humble us that we might be brought wounded and helpless to the foot of the cross." 

Brokenness is painful. No one chooses that path. However, what an encouragement it is to know that God plans those hard things in our lives in order that we might experience more grace, more love, more Jesus... and in turn, be much more effective "witnesses" to the beauty, wonder, and power of the gospel.

My Challenge

There is an article by World Magazine columnist Andree Seu that I keep in my Bible and pull out quite often. She writes, 

"In normal times one tends to derive one's security from notoriously losable things, even while continuing to believe that one has placed one's house squarely on the Rock. If you are a child of His, God will not let that state of affairs persist indefinitely." 

Seu is piggy-backing off of German pastor-martyr, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, who said, "The disciple is dragged out of his relative security into a life of absolute insecurity." This is the place from which I tend to run. I want safety. Comfort. Security. But as Seu says, "There is no place than on this scary adventure that we learn to trust Jesus." Whether it is the flood of my sin or the stress of circumstance, I am called to live by the saving and sustaining grace of God. And part of living by grace is learning to live by grace. That is my challenge today: to believe the promises of God in the gospel, experience rest, and walk in the security of the Savior's shadow (Ps. 91:1).

A Gospel Reminder

I received an email today from a friend, Dave McCarty. Some people are preachers, some evangelists, and others leaders, exhorters and motivators. Dave is a gospel reminder. And I am thankful for him and his ministry of reminding me of my need for Jesus.  In his most recent email "reminder," he writes:

"Only the deeply wounded who realize their woundedness, those with a deep sense of failure, can deeply appreciate The Healer... and can experience the ecstasy of His unconditional love, to the point where everything else in this world, pales by comparison. The gift of... His presence is incomparable to the hurting, the needy, the loser, the nobody, the dysfunctional, who is self-aware. The work of the Spirit is to make us self-aware."

This "reminder" reminded me of how spiritually blind I am most of the time. So UNaware of my need, because I am always trying to be strong, able, mature and self-protective... and therefore, I am UNaware of the grace, love and spiritual power that is available to me in the gospel. And so my prayer today is that I would be freshly aware of my woundedness, failure, weakness and need, so that I would find, cherish, and enjoy Jesus as my all-sufficient Savior, Healer, and Lover of my soul. 

Don't Miss Jesus

In his book, Objects of His Affection, Scotty Smith says, 

"It's one thing to go to church, but quite another to go to Jesus." 

Now, these are not mutually exclusive. We can, I hope, "go to church" and "go to Jesus." But I can relate to just "going to church." I know what it is to be compelled by religious duty. This can also happen in the evangelical "quiet time." The point is that I can go through the religious motions, and still miss Jesus—because religious motions are about what I do, while the gospel essentially is about what Jesus has done. So I suppose the distinction between religious activity and true spirituality is that the religious life is driven by guilt and duty, while the life of being a disciple of Jesus is driven by grace. So my prayer today is that whether "in church" or in my "quiet time," or in whatever I'm doing, that I would experience a living, vital, faith-filled, grace-dependent communion, not with a religious duty, but with Jesus. 

Grace Flows Downhill

James Proctor wrote a hymn entitled "It is Finished" that has a stanza which speaks to a very real need in my heart. This is because I am a "recovering Pharisee (legalist)" who by default lives by performance rather than by grace. Sometimes I fall off of the wagon by living as if my "doing" secures my "being" forgiven, accepted and loved by God. However, the gospel tells me that my "being" forgiven, accepted and loved comes before any "doing" on my part. I am reconciled to God, accepted, declared righteous and loved, not because of anything good I have done. I do nothing— no thing. Jesus does it all. He does every thing necessary for my salvation as a dearly loved and adopted son. And so if I think my doing either secures or sustains my position before God, my doing becomes deadly. That is why Proctor's hymn helps to set me free, loosening the chains of legalism, guilt and duty. As if speaking to me, he says,

"Lay your deadly doing down

Down at Jesus' feet

And stand in Him, in Him alone,

Wondrously complete."

The Question for Today

I just can't get enough of Stanley Voke. Here is a bit more from his chapter in Personal Revival entitled, "The Way Up is the Way Down." 

"We have to continually take this lowest place.... [However] we want to be strong in ourselves, popular and powerful like Absalom, rather than poor and crippled like Mephibosheth, who was obliged to live by the grace of King David."

The question for me today is this:  Will I live by the grace of King Jesus? The fact is that I am more crippled than I want to admit—far more crippled. But He is more able to heal than I am able to imagine—far more able... and far more willing.  

The Way Up is the Way Down

I am re-absorbing the late Stanley Voke's book Personal Revival: Living the Christian Life in the Light of the Cross. It is gospel gold. In his opening chapter entitled, "The Way Up is the Way Down, Voke writes:

Zacchaeus had to come down from his tree to find salvation. Peter came down from his boat to walk on teh water to Jesus. Lepers and blind men came down to the Lord's feet to find healing. Prophets and apostles found the fulness of the Holy Spirit as they lay prostrate before God. The last church in Revelation was promised rightousness and riches when she took the place of poverty, blindness, nakendness and need. In each case, the way up was the way down.... This is where we must come if grace is ever to reach us."

Quoting the Old Testament, Peter said it like this, "God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble."  Or as Jack Miller used to say, "Grace flows downhill." 

The Sinner's Place

In Stanley Voke's wonderful book, Personal Revival: Living the Christian Life in Light of the Cross, he talks about the significance of "the sinner's place." He says, "The hardest thing for anyone is to take the sinner's place." Simply put, "the sinner's place is where [I] take blame."It is the place where I am real, honest, authentic, and vulnerable. While I naturally resist that place with all my might, the Spirit guides me (sometimes pushes me) there, not to condemn, but to help me see my need of Jesus as my only righteousness, and therefore, my only glory, boast, and ultimate joy. For the gospel tells me that "the righteousness of God" (as well as the peace, hope, and joy of God) is only given to those who stand in the sinner's place. This is because Jesus has already stood there, or better, was nailed there in my place. So when I am honest with myself, God, and others, about the reality of my sin and need for redemption, the sinner's place becomes "the place of true peace, for here [I] cease my strivings and find [my] God... Here [I] cast away [my] pretense, and admit who I really am. Here [I] come to Jesus to be cleansed by his precious blood. Here the Holy Spirit fills and holiness is found. Here are the springs of revival."  

I've had to stand there this week (as I should every day). It is a painful and humiliating place. I really don't want to fess up to the deeply flawed and sinful McKay. But not to be here is make-believe and a sham. However, as the gospel promises, I am finding the sinner's place to be uniquely liberating, and drawing me to glory in and love Jesus as my Savior more than I could have imagined. Indeed, the sinner's place, for those who will go there, is a place of abundant grace.

"Nothing in my hand I bring, simply to Thy cross I cling."

The Gospel According to Plato

The ancient Greek philosopher Plato (428-347 B.C.) believed that everything in the material world was a shadow of that which is eternally true, beautiful, and good. While what we see is imperfect, especially concerning humans, there is something about humanity (and all other facets of the material world) that leads us to conclude that there is a commonality among humans. Plato would say that we, like a batch of ginger bread cookies, are all cut from the same mold. I don't think that he would say that humans are created in "the image of God," but the concept is incredibly similar.  

In the remarkable novel, Sophie's World, Jostein Gaarder takes a young girl on a tour of the history of philosophy. Concerning Plato's ideas about the material world being a shadow of the eternally true, beautiful, and good, Gaarder says, that even though the cookies possess various flaws, "You are seized by the irresistible desire to see this mold... because clearly the mold itself must be utter perfection—and in this sense, more beautiful—in comparison to these crude copies." As I read that I was struck by Plato's insight, and how stunned he might have been to discover how correct he was, for the mold has been revealed in the person of Jesus, who in his incarnation became the revelation of the eternally true, beautiful, and good, and in his crucifixion, took on my deception, ugliness, and evil, so that—by the wonder of sheer grace—I might be declared eternally true, beautiful, and good (2 Corinthians 5:21). 

As Gaarder said that I would be, I now am seized by an irresistible desire to see the mold— to see and to savor Jesus. So thank you, Plato, for such an unintentional, yet helpful insight into the gospel.

Downloadable Church Plant Information

The Dahlonega Church Plant now has downloadable information (a 2-page Ministry Summary and a full, 12-page Ministry Prospectus) on our website, or directly, here.  

Winslow's Wisdom

One of my favorite authors is Octavius Winslow, a nonconformist preacher in 19th century England. His book The Work of the Holy Spirit has had a deep impact on me, so much so that I named my third child after him (and after Jonathan Edwards' wife). Anyway, one thing he captures so well is the connection between gospel faith and life change. Here are three quotes from that book that I go back to over and over again.

“It is by simple, close, and searching views of the cross of Christ that the Spirit most effectually sanctifies the believer. This is the true and great method of gospel sanctification... The Spirit especially and effectually sanctifies by unfolding the cross of Jesus.”

“Let no man dream of true mortification of sin, of real sanctification of heart, who does not deal constantly, closely and believingly with the atoning blood of Jesus.”

“Self-trust, self-complacency, self-boasting all must be crucified... Our wisdom is to go in our weakness and folly to Jesus. In this lies the great secret of our victory: ‘When I am weak, then I am strong.’”

The Paradox of the Gospel

A paradox is an apparent incongruity. In many ways, the gospel is a paradox. Whatever my "natural" mind thinks, I can be fairly sure that the gospel is going to challenge it. Consider this:

In order to live, I must die. Really?

In order to be spiritually mature, I must become like a child. What?

In order to be first, I must become last. C'mon.

In order to be great, I must become a servant.  Huh?

In other to be strong, I must be weak.  You're kidding?

God's ways typically are not my ways. So by grace, I hope to begin thinking more paradoxically. Of course, this will require me to believe the gospel.