Thom S. Rainer's Blog, page 395

Talkback Tuesday: Sin and the Gospel-Fueled Power to Overcome

In his treatise On the Mortification of Sin, John Owen penned the famous line "Be killing sin, or it will be killing you." Nearly four centuries later that timeless truth still prevails.

That's why it excites me to see young pastors tackling difficult issues like sin and doing so with a firm grasp on the gospel, not pop culture psychotherapy. In his new study, Seven Daily Sins, Jared C. Wilson addresses an issue we all deal with--our inherent sinful nature.

He writes:

If you're a genuine follower of Jesus, you're genuinely concerned about your sin. You've discovered you can't stop sinning altogether, and apart from the power of God, there are specific areas of sin in your life you can't seem to kill—but you know you ought to, and you want to. You've likely learned that even when you stop doing bad things, you have trouble squelching bad thoughts or impure motives.

Here's the bad news: We all carry these Seven Deadly Sins in our hearts 24 hours a day. They're always lurking in us. That's why I've called this study Seven Daily Sins. We must be clear about what sin really is and where it comes from if we truly desire to crucify it.

Here's the good news: While our running the performance treadmill of moralism and our attempts at behavior management don't work, the power of Christ's perfect obedience, sinless sacrifice, and glorified resurrection do. And in Jesus and the power of His Spirit we find the freedom to confidently diagnose the root of our sins, boldly kill those sins through gospel-fueled repentance, and joyfully walk in newness of life.

I am grateful for Jared's passion for the gospel and church planting. As a pastor in Middletown Springs, Vermont, Jared is planting gospel seeds in one of the toughest soils in America--New England. He has graciously agreed today to answer questions of him or the study on the blog. You can post your questions below and Jared will be popping in periodically to answer.

I've also posted an introduction video below, and you can click here to download a PDF sample of the study.

BCS Championship: Alabama or LSU?

Okay, my blog is a bit off topic today. Still, I would be less than genuine if I did not say that this game is really dominating my thoughts today. Anyone who knows me understands my love and passion for Alabama football. So thanks for allowing me a bit of fun.

The Game

The game of topic is the BCS Championship, commonly known as the national championship for college football. The finalists are Alabama and LSU. This game is unique for at least a couple of reasons. First, the game is a rematch, something that has never taken place in the BCS Championship. In November LSU defeated Alabama 9-6 in overtime. It was a classic game by, in my humble opinion, two classy teams. Through a series of stunning upsets and somewhat controversial poll voting, Alabama was able to move back into the number two slot at year's end.

A second unique feature of this game is that both finalists represent the same conference, the Southeastern Conference. Never before has the BCS Championship included two teams from the same conference. Even more, both Alabama and LSU are in the same division, the SEC West, of the same conference.

A Worthy Opponent: LSU

I am very competitive. That means that I love my Bama team and often have disdain for other teams. But LSU is a school, like the Nebraska Cornhuskers, that I have always liked and appreciated. They have a great tradition and run a first class program.

If LSU wins, they will be the first school to have three BCS championships (they won in 2003 and 2007), a clear indicator of the strength of their football program. As a side note, college football reorganized to form the BCS in the 1998 season so that the national champion would be determined by a championship game. Tennessee--also from the SEC--won the first BCS championship, defeating Florida State 23-16.

LSU has always been a first class football team. They transitioned into the powerhouse they are today under the coaching leadership of Nick Saban, who is, of course, the current head coach at Alabama. Saban coached LSU from 2000 to 2004 before leaving for a brief stint in the NFL as the head coach of the Miami Dolphins.

But LSU lost no momentum when Saban left. Under the leadership of the shrewd and sometimes quirky Les Miles, LSU continues to be a football powerhouse as Miles has led LSU to two BCS championship games in his seven years at the helm in Baton Rouge.

Yes, I deeply hope Bama wins the rematch. But I do have great admiration for LSU. Such sentiments are not typically mine. In most cases, my negative passion against the opponent almost matches my positive passion for the Crimson Tide.

A Brief Overview of the Series

Alabama and LSU first played each other in 1895. They have been playing each other annually since 1964. Bama leads the series 45-25-5 (I almost forgot that college teams could tie in the past. I like the overtime rules of today.). Bama has the largest margin of victory, a 47-3 rout in 1922. The Crimson Tide also has the longest winning streak in the series' history--11 games from 1971 to 1981.

But those statistics represent the past. Currently LSU has a two-game winning streak against Bama. And lest we forget, LSU is number one and Bama is number two--at least for now. We'll know the final rankings late tonight.

My Deep Bama Bias

By all familial standards, I should be an Auburn fan. I grew up 40 miles from Auburn. My mother was a business school graduate of Auburn, when it was unheard of for a female to be in business school. Auburn talked to my dad about playing for them as a 165 pound offensive lineman! But dad decided to answer the call for his country and instead fought in World War II. Indeed, almost all the Rainers went to Auburn if they went to college.

So what happened to me?

I guess my allegiance to Bama was just foreordained from the foundations of the earth. I loved the winning attitude of Bear Bryant. He came to Bama when I was three years old and was still coaching there when I attended and graduated from the University of Alabama.

Bryant once said if he retired that he would "probably croak in a week" and said, "I imagine I'd go straight to the graveyard." Four weeks after coaching his final game, Bear Bryant died of a heart attack on January 26, 1983. I had just begun my first seminary class on the day he died.

Alabama is seeking to win its 14th national championship, and its second in three years. The school is tied with Notre Dame in poll-era and BCS national championships. Bama has been to more bowls (58) than any other team and has won more conference championships (26) than any other team.

Alabama, like LSU, went through some tough times before the arrival of Nick Saban, who restored both programs to new heights. Indeed, after Bear Bryant died in 1983, Bama won only one national championship (1992-93 season under coach Gene Stallings) until Saban arrived.

Who Will Win Tonight?

Of course, I'm picking Bama. But let's have some fun. You pick the winner and the score, and I'll give a $50 LifeWay gift card to the closest pick. For a tiebreaker, state how many rushing yards Trent Richardson will have. I know. He's a Bama player, but my bias has been clearly stated. Feel free to make any comments as well.

It should be a great game.

Roll Tide.

Friday is for Freebies (January 6, 2012)

My giveaway this week is a Read the Bible for Life prize package featuring three resources by Dr. George H. Guthrie. The package includes a copy of the Read the Bible for Life trade book, the Reading God's Story chronological Bible, and the Read the Bible for Life DVD leader's kit.

This package has a retail value of nearly $135.00.

The goal of Read the Bible for Life is to improve biblical literacy in the culture and the church by simultaneously moving readers toward greater skill in reading the Bible well and toward a deeper commitment to applying Scripture to everyday life.

Through a series of down-to-earth conversations with some of today's brightest scholars, Dr. Guthrie discusses the basic tools and attitudes needed to read the Bible more effectively. Chapters focus on the various types of literature in Scripture and how to read them well. For instance, how should we read a psalm differently than we read a parable? How should we read a story of the Old Testament differently than we read a letter from Paul? How can we engage these various parts of Scripture in a way that is truly life-changing? The book also discusses issues such as reading the Bible in context, choosing and reading a Bible translation, reading in times of sorrow or suffering, and reading the Bible with your family.

As we better understand how to read the Bible skillfully, we begin to see how every person of the Bible, every psalm, and every teaching fits into the Bible's powerful, overarching story, and we begin to realize our place in the story that God is still writing in the world.

To be eligible to win, share in the comments how often you read your Bible. I hope you have a daily plan started for 2012, but if not, today is a great day to start.

The deadline to enter is midnight CST this Saturday. We will select one winner from the entries on Monday morning.

Other Read the Bible for Life Resources Available from LifeWay

Free iPhone App - Includes videos, reading plans, and a sample chapter from the book.

Audio Podcasts - Get your daily reading delivered via podcast.

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Notable Voices (January 5, 2012)

Six New Year's Resolutions for Church Leaders - Tony Morgan

Healthy churches are built around healthy leaders. It begins with you. If you're not healthy, your influence will be marginal at best. Are you ready for a fresh a start? Here are six resolutions to set you up for success. They're the foundation for helping you take your next steps in your leadership.

Book Reviews for Two New Marriage Books - Tim Challies and Denny Burk

In the last month, two new books on marriage have been released by well-known Christian authors. While the audiences for these books may admittedly be different in their makeup, it is interesting to see the contrast in the topics covered and the way in which they are presented.

The Meaning of Marriage | Real Marriage

Six Tips for Reading Your Bible - Ryan Whitley

So, how is it going with your Bible reading for 2012? I know many of you have made the commitment to read through God's Word this year, and I am proud of you for accepting the challenge. Today is day four. You are doing a great job. Stay the course. You only have 362 days (Leap Year) remaining. Here are a few tips for staying the course and completing the process of reading through God's Word.

Easy Like Friday Afternoon: A Manifesto on Hard-Believism - Jared C. Wilson

To have Jesus as Savior is to have him as Lord. It is not legalism to say the new birth begins a new life. Yes, we still battle the flesh -- crucifying it daily -- but this in itself is a change from the old life, in which we cared nothing about battling the flesh. We still have sin in us, but we are conscious of it, convicted about it, and concerned to be rid of it. This is not works salvation; this is the fruit of salvation.

30 Social Media Predictions for 2012 - Social Media Examiner

How will social media impact businesses in 2012? We sought expert opinions from a wide range of pros you're likely familiar with. To give you a glimpse of what we can expect in the next 12 months, we decided to tap their knowledge and expertise. Here are their predictions of where social media is headed in the next 12 months.

Free Audiobook Download of J.I. Packer's Knowing God - Christian Audio

What began as a number of consecutive articles angled for "honest, no-nonsense readers who were fed up with facile Christian verbiage" in 1973, Knowing God has become a contemporary classic by creating "small studies out of great subjects." Each chapter is so specific in focus (covering topics such as the trinity, election, God's wrath, and God's sovereignty), that each succeeding chapter's theology seems to rival the next, until one's mind is so expanded that one's entire view of God has changed.

How Are You Reading the Bible?

The New Year gives us a great opportunity to examine our lives, priorities, and goals. Upon examination of our spiritual walks, resolutions are often made to pray more, to grow closer to God, or to read the Bible more. While those first two resolutions listed are great goals to have, they are ultimately tied to the third—we will not pray more nor will we grow closer to God if we are not first seeking Him through His Word.

While reading the Bible is of great importance, how we read the Bible also is a significant factor in our growth as Christians. In his book Read the Bible for Life, George Guthrie writes:

For us, the Bible is not just another influential body of literature. It is a "living" book because it comes from and leads to a living Lord. Hebrews 4:12 reads, "For the word of God is living and effective and sharper than any double-edged sword, penetrating as far as the separation of soul and spirit, joints and marrow. It is able to judge the ideas and thoughts of the heart." In other words, God's Word, wielded by the Holy Spirit, has the power to sort us out spiritually, to surprise and confront us, growing us in relationship with our Lord Christ.

Thus, reading the Bible ought to at once be as encouraging as a mother's gentle touch and, at moments, as unsettling and disturbing as a violent storm. In his work entitled Eat This Book, Eugene Peterson rightly notes concerning the Bible, "We open this Book and find that page after page it takes us off guard, surprises us, and draws us into its reality, pulls us into participation with God on his terms." This should be our experience of reading the Bible as we move from dry duty, beyond a checklist Christianity, slogging through the "reading of the day," to an experience of the Bible that might be called a "disrupting delight." If we are not being moved in heart and moved to new places in life—new levels of obedience to God—we are not really reading the Bible the way God wants us to.

So as we embark on 2012, I encourage you to examine your individual reading of God's Word. Are you just reading it as a handbook, a life manual, or a suggestion box? Or are you reading it as the inspired Word of God, "profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness, so that the man of God may become equipped for every good work?"

Twelve in 2012: Trends in Healthy Churches. Trends 7 to 12

In my article yesterday, I noted that the beginning of a new year inevitably brings a plethora of predictions, resolutions, and trends. I chose to follow that same pattern. I am thus providing twelve trends for 2012 in the healthiest churches we have observed.

Remember the three caveats I noted. First, the trends are for healthy churches. They are not inclusive of all 400,000 American churches, much less the millions of churches around the world. Second, the trends are based on both detailed empirical research and anecdotal observations. In other words, I can point to some outstanding research projects for my conclusions in some cases. In other cases, I am simply expressing what I hope is an informed opinion. Third, the trends are not ranked in order of any priority.

I thus conclude these two articles with trends seven to twelve. Please feel free to comment, agree, or disagree.

These healthy churches have pastors who love the members.
That love is obvious in their words, their actions, and their pastoral concern. It does not mean that a pastor is present for every need of a member of a church member; that is physically impossible. It does mean that the church has a ministry in place that cares for all the members. Above all, though, you can sense intuitively when you walk into these churches that the pastor deeply loves the members, even those who may often oppose him. The churches allow their pastors to spend time in sermon preparation.
Our research has confirmed over the years that pastors in healthier churches spend more time in sermon preparation than those in other churches. For that to take place, the congregation must understand the primacy of preaching, and they must be willing for their pastor to forego some areas of activity and ministry so he can spend many hours in the Word. There is clarity of the process of disciple making.
Such was the theme of the book, Simple Church, written by Eric Geiger and me. For the healthy churches, the ministries and activities are not just busy work; instead they have a clear purpose toward moving the members to greater levels of commitment toward Christ. These churches do less better.
They realize that they can't be all things to all people; and they shouldn't have such a flurry of activities that they hurt rather than help families. So the leaders of these congregations focus on doing fewer ministries, but doing those few better than they could with an overabundance of activities. The process of discipleship moves members into ongoing small groups.
A member is almost guaranteed to leave the church or become inactive in the church if he or she does not get involved in an ongoing small group. These groups have a variety of names: Sunday school; small groups; home groups; life groups; cell groups; and others. The name is not the issue. The issue is getting members connected to ongoing groups. Corporate prayer is intentional and prioritized.
Prayer is not incidental in these churches. The leadership regularly emphasizes the importance and priority of prayer. The congregation is led regularly in times of corporate prayer.

As I indicated in my article yesterday, I realize that many churches, particularly Western churches, are struggling. But I almost keenly aware that God is doing a great work in many congregations. Though my "12 in 12" list is neither inerrant nor comprehensive, just noting these trends gives me great hope. God is not yet done with our churches.

Twelve in 2012: Trends in Healthy Churches. Trends 1 to 6

The beginning of a new year inevitably brings a plethora of predictions, resolutions, and trends. I see no need to alter that course in this article. My assignment is simple; but my conclusions are debatable. I am providing twelve trends for 2012 in the healthiest churches we have observed.

A few caveats are necessary. First, the trends are for healthy churches. They are not inclusive of all 400,000 American churches, much less the millions of churches around the world. Second, the trends are based on both detailed empirical research and anecdotal observations. In other words, I can point to some outstanding research projects for my conclusions in some cases. In other cases, I am simply expressing what I hope is an informed opinion. Third, the trends are not ranked in order of any priority.

Today I will share with you the first six of the trends. The final six will be in my article tomorrow.

The churches have a high view of Scripture. A number of research projects over the past four decades point to this trend. Healthy churches have leaders and members who believe the totality of the Bible, often expressed as a view called inerrancy. A large number of church members read the Bible daily. The simplicity of this trend often surprises church leaders. But we can no longer assume that all of the congregants read their Bibles every day. That is a practice that must be encouraged and monitored. In our research on spiritual health of Christian, we found that the highest correlative factor in practicing other healthy spiritual discipline was reading the Bible every day. The churches have a priority and focus on the nations. This priority is manifest in short-term mission trips, in care and adoption of the orphaned, in giving to mission causes, and in the number of congregants who commit their lives to reaching the nations with the gospel. The churches have a missional community presence. The leadership and members do not look at their community as a pool for prospects. Rather, they love their community. They serve their community. The live in their community. They have deep relationships in their community. The congregations have membership that matters. These healthy churches are high expectation churches. Membership is much more than completing a card or walking an aisle. These churches have entry point classes that set the expectations of membership. Church members are expected to serve, to give, to be in small groups, and to be accountable to others. Church discipline is practiced in most of these congregations. Because membership is meaningful, the assimilation rate in these churches is very high. The members are evangelistically intentional. The gospel is central in these healthy churches. As a consequence, the sharing of the good news is natural and consequential. But leaders in these churches do not simply assume that evangelism is taking place. There are constant reminders of the priority of evangelism. There is inherent in many of these churches some type of accountability for ongoing evangelism in a number of contexts.

There is a lot of bad news in the world today. Indeed there is a lot of bad news in many of our churches today. I am not the metaphorical ostrich with my head in the sand.

But I am convinced that there are many reasons to be encouraged about God's work in our churches. These six trends for 2012 exemplify some of those reasons for encouragement. In tomorrow's article, I will add another six trends. And I think, as a consequence, you may have 12 reasons in 2012 to be encouraged.

Merry Christmas

I am deeply grateful for all of you who take time to read my blogs each week. May you have a great and joyous Christmas. For the remainder of 2011, I will be enjoying time with my family and taking a respite from blogging. See you in 2012!

Talkback Tuesday: Intentional Discipleship

In the book Essential Church, Sam Rainer and I discussed extensively the topic of intentionality. Churches that are intentional with their discipleship process are intentional about moving Christians to a deeper walk with Christ with deeper teachings of Christ. When we asked church leaders about the best method for intentionally discipling those in their churches, the typical response was "Don't just stand there; do something."

As we approach 2012, I'd like to ask you to take time to reflect on 2011 and answer the question "Did I personally—or my church corporately— "do something" this past year to reach and disciple people.

As a follow-up, "How will you continue or improve upon that in 2012?"

Feel free to share your ideas, methods, or words of encouragement.

Ten Tips for Leading Under Pressure

Leadership can be difficult.

Okay, I've just stated the obvious. Anyone who has led a group or organization knows that tough times and tough decisions are inevitable. The issue is not whether leaders will find themselves under pressure; the issue is how leaders will handle pressure. Allow me to offer ten suggestions.

1. Avoid spiritual slippage.
Many effective leaders are incredibly focused on their work, so much so that they neglect their spiritual disciplines. Leaders under pressure must depend more on prayer; they must spend more time in the Word; and they must realize their wisdom and their strength come from God.

2. Avoid family slippage.
Busy leaders sometimes neglect their families. Such leaders under pressure often disregard the most important people in their lives. Great leaders must first be the right kind of leader in their homes.

3. Avoid physical slippage.
I recently had my annual physical, and my physician once again reminded me that I needed to remain diligent in my exercising and eating habits. He noted there is no way I can sustain the energy necessary to cope with the pressures of my job unless I am taking care of my body.

4. Love those you lead.
Sometimes the pressure in leadership is great because we don't first love those we lead. Indeed we aren't really leaders at all unless we demonstrate Christ's love to those who are under our leadership.

5. Be transparent.
It takes so much more unnecessary energy to be someone we're not. Transparency means we are authentic and lead with integrity.

6. Admit and deal with mistakes quickly.
As I write this article, I am dealing with a tough issue where I made a leadership mistake. I have admitted my mistake and now feel the freedom to move forward. If we postpone tough decisions, or if we do not own up to our mistakes, the pressure will only get worse.

7. Be accountable.
Every leader needs accountability to someone or to some group. Those persons should always be checking our actions and our motives. And when we face either internal or external pressures, these persons are among the first who can help us.

8. Use fun and levity as a balance.
Many leaders take themselves too seriously. We need to lighten up and laugh more. A truly joyous person can withstand almost any pressure.

9. Have a longer-term perspective.
The crisis of the moment often makes us feel as if our world is about to end. But leaders who understand that most issues will takes care of themselves in time are better equipped to deal with the seemingly heavy burdens of the present.

10. Have an outside interest as an alternative focus.
I have three major outside interests: my grandchildren, reading, and Alabama football. When I am playing with one of my grandchildren, for example, I feel as if all the pressures I was feeling are really not that bad after all. Those grandchildren give me a healthy perspective.

Leadership is indeed difficult. And good leaders will always feel pressures and have problems they must address. But the most effective leaders will deal in healthy ways with those pressures and, as a result, be healthier leaders themselves.