Pain and difficulty are no indication that you are out of God's direction. He rarely calls us to what is easy (via @artrogers) [go]28 mins ago
.@mercyview "labbers": The gospel always reminds us of who we are before we are told what to do... (via @PastorTullian) [go]32 mins ago
Admitting u are a sinner means running from ur tendency 2 defend, excuse, or shift the blame for what God clearly says is wrong (@PaulTripp) [go]2010/07/29
Holly was talking to Cooper today about tithing and he said: "What's God going to do with money?" [go]2010/07/29
Zach Eswine is one of my new favorite bloggers. The dude knows how to turn a phrase. He is lead pastor @ Riverside Church in my former hometown of St. Louis and was recently assistant professor of Homiletics and the director for Doctor of Ministry program @ Covenant Theological Seminary.
Here is an example of his brilliant writing – in it, he is giving us a “window in” to his thoughts as he works through Ecclesiastes with his church:
God has given us a language for the dark. He has handed us a flashlight and gently walked us down into the creepy basement to show us what He knows is there. He has enabled us to look at death, injustice, misuse, mistreatment, doubt, skepticism, cynicism, greed, lust, emptiness, folly. God, it seems, wants us to grow up regarding our notions of what to expect in this life. He wants us wise toward the harming things we find in the world. If we are like children curled up in our beds as the sound of thunder knocks our trees about, vibrates the walls and rumbles through our yards. He is like a kind and knowing Father who takes our hand, invites us onto the porch and shows us that we can stand steady amid the barrage.
-Zach Eswine, “The Joy of an Ordinary Life, Pt. 1″ from his blog, Preaching Barefoot
In prepping for the class I teach each fall here at MBU called Worship History and Leadership, I’m reminded of why I love where we begin: a theology of worship. And what is at the core of that worship theology? I believe it is this:
“Worship is a dramatic enactment of the relationship that we have with God, a relationship that stems from historical events. Enactment may be done by means of recitation (creeds, hymns, and preaching) and drama (ritual) (that) have their basis in the Old Testament and New Testament, particularly in the Passover and Eucharist. In worship, we enact or act out the Gospel.”
-Robert Webber
For more on this, read Chapters 6-8 of Webber’s Worship Old and New. Also, an excellent theology of worship can be found from D.A. Carson in Chapter 1 of the book he edited, Worship By the Book, entitled “Worship Under the Word.” Portions of Carson’s chapter are available here at Google books.
Though the experiences of Christ and the Spirit may be ever satisfying, and the word be life giving, the blessings of family and the fruit of ministry be ever present, the longing for heaven and the violent reality of its absence will leave you with a broken heart that will express itself in and empty and sour stomach feeling.
Upon feeling this you will very much be tempted to think your doing ministry wrong and want to seek someone/something/some success or affirmation that will take away this feeling. For most pastors you will flee from this feeling through seeking a more successful position. Don’t do it though. It is in this emptiness created by the absence of heaven and this utter dissatisfaction with life apart from heaven, that will keep your lamp lit for Jesus, it will place the gospel ring of truth in your preaching that can’t come about any other way.
His true work within you is right here in this place, and it is your half broken heart that allows you to have the burning in your bones of Jeremiah, the passion to weep in the Garden with Jesus and the courage to stand with Paul before an opposing congregation and preach Christ crucified as the power and wisdom of God. It is this knot in our stomach that will keep you an honest preacher in a sea of compromised men.
1. Great thoughts from Ed Stetzer on how multi-ethnic our churches really are. In short, there not but I’m encouraged to read of those who are trying to get the conversation rolling…
2. Brian of Semper Reformanda Records continues to pump out great posts. These [here and here] center on the danger of inauthentic ‘marketing’ to our congregants. And the jumping off point is Jack in the Box tacos. Yes, you heard me right…
3. A.J. Vanderhorst has been doing a great series on “Planting With Small Groups,” which refreshingly sounds very similar to the missional communities conversation happening in church planting circles today. His most recent entry, “Connect the Dots,” unpacks the subtlety of how to build an organic “church of small groups” rather than a “church with small groups.”
6. I thought Tony Morgan hit this out of the park. He talks about do’s and don’ts regarding ministry growth. i.e., #1: You don’t need a logo, you need life change. Love it…
7. And finally, Bob Robert’s encouragement to young pastors: Keep Movin’ Forward…
7. And finally, two stellar posts by Mark Riddle on not going to church but being the church here and here. An essential distinction in the missional church conversation…
