Reflections from England: June 17-30, 2009

There is always more work to be done.

This is a conviction under which I constantly labor in ministry. The balance is knowing when to take a God-directed Sabbath to reflect, recharge, and recognize all the ways the Lord has worked in recent days. And then get ready to go full tilt all over again.

Never have these statements been more true to me than over the past two weeks of mission work in England and the past two days that I have been home. A large part of me feels it is torn between two countries as I fell in love with the people of England; the believers we were privileged to meet and minister alongside became fast friends and partners for Kingdom work. And that is a testament to the spirit of unity that can only exist among fellow believers in Christ Jesus. We came together for the gospel and what follows here are my own personal reflections on two weeks that will forever have an effect on my life and ministry.

"This is a country that has pretty thoroughly rejected the Gospel..."

These are the words of an English pastor friend when explaining to our team the spiritual state of England and the magnitude of the work that is to be done there. This is a great tragedy, as England was once one of the major forces for the work of the gospel in the entire world. It was scarcely 100 years prior to now that the preaching of Charles Spurgeon helped reignite a passion for winning souls to Christ in the country. But modernism/postmodernism come at a great spiritual cost, one that England has paid dearly.

The hope I have, however, is twofold: Firstly, it was proven to me that there is a strong remnant of faithful believers in Great Britain. The Lord is not finished with this country as He has left many strong workers to contend for the gospel. It was my privilege to meet many of them: Pastor Paul Newman of Whitley Bay Baptist Church, Helle Sewell, David and Miriam Lennox, and many others in the Tynemouth area. Seeing their hearts for God and for the English people testifies to me that we cannot give up on England because our great God has not.

Secondly, this "loss" of the gospel may indeed have run its course. After spending a week in the schools of the Tynemouth area speaking to Religious Education classes about the truth of biblical Christianity, I walked away burdened by the darkness the enemy has cast over the hearts of young people in England. But I also have hope because seeds of the gospel were planted and the Word of God never returns empty! I saw many faces light up as we unabashedly shared Christ in the classrooms. Many sessions began with "gotcha" questions but would mostly transform into very personal requests for Christian truth and worldview to be explained. At the center of it all was the gospel. It was an incredible opportunity the Lord opened for us. We pray these doors into the schools of England continue. What I have seen in the schools is that the young people are nearly ignorant on the story of Christ so when told with prayer and power it is moving to them. It may well be England rejected the gospel, but it may also be that a resurgence in the hearts is around a hard-fought corner. Time will tell as we continue our work.

One young man, 12 years old, particularly touched my heart as he stayed after our first class to ask us how he could become a Christian. He said, "I want to move to America so I can become a Christian." It broke my heart to hear that his parents had no place for religion in their home and that this boy felt he had to leave his country in order to follow God. We had many lunches and talks with him about his life and about the hope of Jesus Christ. It is my conviction that the Holy Spirit is at work in his life and he will come to Christ very soon if he has not already since we left. It was a sad parting our last day in the schools. There were shared tears with this boy and promises to write which I very much intend to keep. There is opportunity now for further explanation of truth and possible discipleship through letter-writing.

And there is indeed hope for England, for the brief reasons I have lifted above and many more that our great God is working to ensure. This will be a subject of great prayer and reflection for me in the coming weeks and months. Because with the gospel of the glory of Jesus Christ, there is always more joyful work to be done.

Mission Britain

Very excited to be leaving this week for the UK. A team of youth and four adults from NBC will be going into the public schools of Whitley Bay for a week of representing Christ in the religious education classes. We will also be spending a weekend doing a DiscipleNow with youth who are believers. Pray for our team and the hearts of the students and adults with whom we will interact. Pray that, as with Lydia in Acts 16, the Lord will open their hearts to pay attention to what is said.

Who Is Jesus?

You can also view this in HD here

'Discipleship Defined' launches

www.discipleshipdefined.blogspot.com

My new blog, Discipleship Defined, exists to provide focused insight and direction for the discipleship and mentoring of Christ-followers.

Available here are a growing set of resources, articles,book reviews, sermons, and ideas for enacting this Great Commission of mentoring believers through one-one-one relationships and Christ-centered community.

Be Disciples. Make Disciples.

Discipleship Defined

You can view here the first ten minutes of "Discipleship Defined." You can continue watching/listening by clicking the link at the end of this preview.

The Apologetic of Francis Schaeffer: Still Very Much Needed

Here is audio from the Francis Schaeffer: A Mind and Heart for God conference at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary on Nov. 7-8, 2008.

This particular address from Jerram Barrs focuses on the apologetics of Francis Schaeffer. I found the message quite engaging, even as I have begun reading through Schaeffer's complete 21 works recently.

Schaeffer has much to teach us still about engaging our modern culture as intelligent, compassionate, stalwart Christians. This message is one such glimpse of the man and his ministry. May it challenge, equip, and spur you on in living and providing witness for the Kingdom.

A Christian Response to Homosexuality (And For That Matter, All Sin)

This is a text version of a teaching originally given to church members at Normandale Baptist Church during the Pastors' Bible Study on Wednesday, February 4th, 2009.
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The issue of homosexuality has become perhaps the most divisive since the contentions that led to America's Civil War. But the fight today is taking place on the political front instead of the backcountry battlefields. It is the pressing issue of our time and our response will define the evangelical church from this point on. Battle lines are being drawn, especially in light of November's passing of Proposition 8 in California, and every body of Christian believers will be forced to make a choice if they have not already.

Though it breaks my heart to write this, I believe the fighting will only increase. The incredible division in our country between those who would celebrate homosexuality and gay marriage as acceptable and those who would oppose it on grounds of biblical authority is only to chasm more. So what are we as the church of Jesus Christ going to do? How will we respond in an intelligent, loving Christian manner to those in the culture living a homosexual lifestyle or arguing for gay marriage?

The favorite proof text of some Christians and many gay rights activists is Leviticus 18:22:You shall not lie with a man as with a woman; it is an abomination. Christians with little biblical knowledge (far too many, I fear) like this passage because they see it as a quick and easy quote against homosexual behavior. Proponents of gay marriage also favor the passage because it is surrounded by commands to refrain from eating pigs (11:7) and shell fish (such as shrimp, or catfish; 11:10). As was featured in the fairly recent "Proposition 8 Musical" online, gay activists think the Bible lists a lot of mandates from God for which Christians no longer argue. At first glance this argument makes Christians look unintelligent and hypocritical. Christians who can only quote one seemingly obscure passage of the OT don't do much in practice to refute this.

The Leviticus passage is near the end of a section that builds up to the crux of the book's argument and demand from God: "You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy" (19:2). God as Creator has the right to make such a demand, but man, despite his best efforts, cannot attain such righteousness on his own. That's the thrust of Leviticus. Holiness is to encompass ALL of one's life and living, every sphere of a person's existence. These were to be rituals of grace to the ancient Israelites; each one a picture of God's character and requirements. But again, no matter the effort, no man can attain this holiness on his own because we are all of us trapped in rebellion against God. We need a Savior because just following moral mandates will not purify a person to stand in the presence of almighty God.

Romans 1:18-27 is a text far too many Christians 'forget' in the discussion about homosexuality, either by ignorance or fear. But a Christian response will argue the truth in urgent love, because a refusal to warn one of coming consequences or imminent danger is unloving. So, even though this was as difficult for Paul to deliver as it is for us today, this passage of Scripture is a not-to-be-delayed warning. To all of us.

The passage IS us. All of us. Sin, whether it be homosexuality or greed or gossip, is an act of unbelief. Mankind has a guilty knowledge of God meant to keep him on the moral up-and-up, but the Romans passage paints the tragic portrait of the consequence of rejecting God: one becomes "futile in their thinking" and their hearts become "darkened." When this happens, a human being begins to go further and further into perversion, even rejecting one's very base biological insticts instilled in us by the Creator.

Homosexuality, just as much as bowing down before a bronzed bull, is idolatry. All sin is idolatry according to Romans: "Claiming to be wise, they exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles" (1:22-23). Paul argues that homosexuality is the prime example of this, as the homosexual act is itself a worship of an image as much like oneself as is possible to find. It is a literal exchange of the image of God in us for the image of a mortal man. This is "worshipping the creature rather than the Creator" (1:25).

The height of this rejection of God is that "women exchanged natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error." Hard words. It is difficult to come into the contact with the truth that a man reaps what he sows. This "due penalty" of rejecting God is an increasingly empty, sad, dependent, obsessed, and in some way, abusive lifestyle. Perhaps not at first. Maybe not even for a long time. But inevitably and irrevocably unless Christ comes to redeem the man or woman consumed by homosexuality. This desperation birthed in sin and cultivated by continued refusal of God leads to hatred.

The angry picketing and, in some cases, violent attacks on religious persons and organizations in the wake of the passing of Proposition 8 is an indicator of the fervency the gay movement has to discredit and destroy the voice of the religious right. The greatest threat to full societal acceptance of homosexuality is not a political, racial, or educational group, but conservative Christianity. This is why is it imperative Christians have an intelligent, cogent response in the face of continuing attacks in the form of psychology, equality, legality, morality, and even theology. The country's intellectual elite have had great success in marginalizing a Christian response largely due to a lack of intelligent Christians stepping up to the plate. We must have our hearts readied and our minds sharpened to engage the culture with the loving and life-changing message of Jesus Christ.

The only way to begin this process is to ourselves turn to 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 and realize that each and every one of us has the potential to be such a sinner; if not a practitioner of homosexuality, then something just as awful. "...neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God" (6:9-10).

If that list of rejections against God doesn't appear to indict you, then see v. 11: AND SUCH WERE SOME OF YOU. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God" (emphasis mine).

Let me repeat: if you are reading this, you have all the potential to fall into homosexuality, or greed, or drunkenness as the next guy. There exists more of a propensity toward homosexuality in some than in others, true. Same with alcoholism. Or pedophilia. But a propensity or disposition toward any of these does not make it morally acceptable. As far as sexual sin goes, realize that none of you past the age of puberty is sexually pure. You've either given your body away outside of marriage, lusted after another person, or acted upon a lustful feeling through porn or masturbation. So don't think too highly of yourselves, "for such were some of you." We are none of us sexually pure. Or completely holy. Nor can we become so outside ourselves.

This truth has to humble us and spur us to share Jesus Christ all the more. We who have been "washed...sanctified...justified" by Christ must have the love and broken heart He had when encountering and confronting sinners, be they homosexuals, swindlers, or just plain unlovable people.

No one's race, gender, or sexual "preference" should be their identity. We ultimately fall into two classifications: those who will spend eternity suffering because we continually rejected God and those saved by nothing of themselves but by the grace and love of Jesus Christ. I rejoice to identify only with Christ and His suffering, I glory in His resurrection from the dead. And because of this I am moved because of His forgiveness of my moral impurities. He rights my wrong relationship with God and readies me to minister intelligently and lovingly. This must be our attitude when ministering to those identifying themselves in word and practice as homosexuals. We minister as the formerly hopeless who now have a Great Hope to share. It is only in Christ that we will ever experience true unity with one another and be healed and made made holy.

Community

My wife last night reminded me of what a cornerstone community is in my life and living. Distinguishing the shadows cast by those closest to us are the best way to illuminate a life. Here are few reflections from this realization:

My first acknowledgement of community came at the lack of it I felt in junior high and high school. Somewhere in there I decided to start asking God to send me some people. It didn’t have to be an extensive assembly; it was probably better if it wasn’t. I just wanted some fellows who shared my values and my conviction for Christ. The brothers I instinctively knew I was supposed to have around me weren’t there. So I prayed long and hard for them. And waited.

Then came college and Brothers Under Christ, a national Christian fraternity whose chapter at the University of Oklahoma had just taken off. It was purely providence to landed alongside these men and spent 4 years of my life praying together, playing together, comforting, sharpening, and protecting each other; constantly pointing one another to Jesus Christ, our King who is unashamed to call us His brothers. It was with these men who taught me how to learn, lead, disciple, and love my brothers deeply.

Coming to seminary, being an adult, moving on... community didn’t’ come along as easily. And then I walked into Normandale Baptist Church one November and found spiritual family in a room full of short-term strangers. They’ve since grafted me in and granted me the privilege of serving them in leadership.

And then there’s my wife, Jenny, who teaches me more about my God, myself, and my fellow mortals than I could ever learn alone. She is my constant companion and community.

I don’t mean to be overly sentimental about this, but it’s true. These people are family. And this truth of community and its influence on the course of my journey waves like a banner over my calling and ministry.  I hope to encourage and engender community and discipleship in those God allows me to touch.