Daniel Darling's Blog, page 28
July 5, 2018
The Way Home: Alastair Roberts and Andrew Wilson on salvation and restoration
The events in the book of Exodus stand as a pivotal moment in the Old Testament. Alastair Roberts and Andrew Wilson join the podcast to discuss the recurring theme of the exodus, salvation, and restoration throughout Scripture.
Alastair Roberts completed doctoral studies at the University of Durham. He participates in the Mere Fidelity podcast and is a contributing editor for Political Theology Today.
Andrew Wilson is teaching pastor at King’s Church London. He is a columnist for Christianity Today.
Show Notes
Website: alastairadversaria.com and thinktheology.co.uk/blog
Twitter: Daniel Darling, author, pastor, speaker.
July 3, 2018
7 Times Your ‘Righteous’ Anger Probably Isn’t
When pastors get angry, things can get complicated. On the one hand, we know that anger is not always an indication of sin. After all, we say to ourselves, Jesus got angry. Paul also counseled the Ephesians on anger, saying, “In your anger do not sin” (Eph. 4:26): implying that anger is inevitable in human relationships, and that there is a way to be angry and not sin. James further cautions his readers to be “slow to become angry,” encouraging a slow emotional response, but not forbidding one outright (James 1:19).
All of this seems to suggest that it’s okay to be angry sometimes. What I have found in my own life, however, is that my attempts to justify anger—to point to Jesus whipping folks in the temple as a precedent for outbursts of righteous indignation—are typically ill-motivated, and they usually just end in me being an unbearable jerk.
So how can pastors tell the difference between legitimate anger and a bad temper? Good question. Perhaps this guide will help you. Here are seven times when your anger is probably not the same as Jesus’ in the temple:
When the “special music” performed before your sermon is neither “special” nor, technically speaking, “music.” It’s frustrating to try and preach the Word of God when the kindly but not-exactly-talented soloist has just cranked out a not-so-holy version of “On Holy Ground.” God may hear our singing and music as a sweet and beautiful offering—but sometimes our cochlear nerves don’t extend that same grace. However, rolling our eyes and offering a passive-aggressive “Miss Betty blesses us with her unique voice” is not exactly evidence of righteous anger. (Plus, your spouse probably puts up with your too-loud car karaoke all the time as it is.)
When the prayer requests at your prayer meeting offer too much personal medical information. Pastors should be good listeners. Sometimes, though, it’s hard to listen to the excruciating details of a congregant’s intestinal problems and keep a straight and somber face. It’s even harder to pray for one person’s diarrhea and another’s constipation. Rather than react in silent frustration, though, you might offer a prayer of thanks to the Lord for your calling—after all, at least you’re not a gastroenterologist.
When that perfect video clip that was going to be the key to your sermon short-circuits. Sometimes the devil is just in the system. I don’t care if your audiovisual setup was designed by Apple or if your equipment costs more than the International Space Station: there will be weeks when every screen, button, and wire seems to be on the fritz. That pivotal point, delivered with crisp and compelling accuracy, will fall flat as you wait for YouTube to buffer because your small church’s Wi-Fi is terminally sluggish. You may be tempted, in that moment, to glare menacingly at your sound guy, causing the whole congregation to turn its collective, hydra-like head and contemplate fetching their pitchforks . . . But I’m afraid your anger would be misplaced. A cleansed temple trumps your sermon stumbling on a Sunday.
When your four-year old daughter has a nuclear meltdown in the hallway right before service. This didn’t happen to me when I was preaching a series on parenting, thankfully—but it did happen, and more than once. Nothing makes you angrier than when your kids illustrate the doctrine of total depravity by gnashing and thrashing all over the carpet of the church lobby. The odds are, though, that your anger is probably not at the death-dealing curse of original sin, but at your kid for making you look like a real parent in front of your elders. Besides, would it really have been so terrible to let your child have just one more gummy bear?
That disgruntled Monday morning email asking if you could “just talk” later this week. This is the pastor’s least favorite kind of communication, ensuring your day off is ruined as you prepare to send “What even is this?” texts to your closest confidants all week. Sure, it’s not cool that your people have your every piece of contact info on speed dial. But let’s be honest: you probably shouldn’t have checked your email on your day off anyways. It could be this perpetually sullen member really does just want to have coffee and chat about the hypostatic union or the latest developments in atonement theory. But while you might be tempted to let your worrying turn to what you think is righteous rage, just remember: the all-caps, san serif response has never been proven to resolve a disagreement, anyway.
When the guest preacher ends his sermon with Carman’s “We Need God in America Again.” Okay, this is pretty bad. I mean, what is he thinking: resurrecting a decades-old, cringe-inducing patriotic power ballad that sends millennial members bolting for the exits? But even though flag-waving CCM may very well be the greatest abomination unto the Lord since the Thief in the Night series, it’s still probably not worthy of “Jesus in the temple” levels of anger.
When the usher serving communion is rocking spandex bike shorts and flip flops. Actually . . . you can take this one. Rage away. For all we know, those money-changers were probably wearing yoga pants, anyway.
This article was originally published here.
The post 7 Times Your ‘Righteous’ Anger Probably Isn’t appeared first on Daniel Darling, author, pastor, speaker.
June 28, 2018
The Way Home: Jason Romano on forgiveness and redemption
He worked a dream job for Mike and Mike at ESPN for 18 years. But God stirred in his heart a new passion to share his own story, of forgiveness, of living with an alcoholic father, and of redemption.
Show Notes
Website: jasonromano.com and sportsspectrum.com
Twitter: @JasonRomano and @Sports_Spectrum
Book: Live to Forgive: Moving Forward When Those We Love Hurt Us [image error]
The post The Way Home: Jason Romano on forgiveness and redemption appeared first on Daniel Darling, author, pastor, speaker.
June 21, 2018
The Way Home: Rodney Bullard on the heroes who shaped his life
Are there any heroes today? We asked Chick-Fil-A executive Rodney Bullard about his public service, his work with troubled youth, and about the heroes who shaped his life.
Rodney is Vice-President of Community Affairs for Chick-Fil-A. Before coming to Chick-fil-A, Rodney served as an Assistant United States Attorney prosecuting complex criminal cases. For his service, the United States Attorney General presented him with the Department of Justice Director’s Award. Prior to this role, Rodney was selected as a White House Fellow, the nation’s most prestigious public service Fellowship. As a White House Fellow, Rodney was placed at NASA working directly for the NASA Administrator. A decorated veteran, Rodney also served in the United States Air Force Judge Advocate General Corps eventually working at the Pentagon as a Congressional Legislative Liaison in the Office of the Secretary of the Air Force.
Show Notes
Twitter: @rodney_bullard
Website: heroeswantedbook.com
Book: Heroes Wanted: Why the World Needs You to Live Your Heart Out [image error]
The post The Way Home: Rodney Bullard on the heroes who shaped his life appeared first on Daniel Darling, author, pastor, speaker.
June 15, 2018
SBC Resolution on Human Dignity
I was grateful to see the messengers of the Southern Baptist Convention pass a strong resolution on human dignity. More than ever, Christians need to reclaim this biblical view and apply it to the way we see ourselves and our neighbors. I’ve included it below:
WHEREAS, In the beginning, the Triune God chose to create humanity in His image and according to His likeness, such that “God created man in His own image; He created Him in the image of God; He created them male and female” (Genesis 1:26–27); and
WHEREAS, God judged His creation of humanity to be very good indeed (Genesis 1:31), crowned humanity with honor and glory, making them rulers over the works of His hands (Psalm 8:5–6), and put eternity in all human hearts so we might seek after Him (Ecclesiastes 3:11); and
WHEREAS, God’s precious likeness and image was passed down from Adam to his posterity, the human race, through generations (Genesis 5:3); and
WHEREAS, God sent His own perfect image, Jesus Christ, into the world (Colossians 1:15; Hebrews 1:3), intending through the sufferings of Christ (Hebrews 2:10) for human beings to become conformed, renewed, and transformed into the same image of Christ (Romans 8:29; 2 Corinthians 3:18; Colossians 3:9–10); and
WHEREAS, God intends to bless human beings to “bear the image of the man of heaven,” Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15:49; cf. 1 John 3:2), and “wants everyone to be saved” through hearing and believing His gospel (1 Timothy 2:4; cf. Ezekiel 18:23; Matthew 23:37; 2 Peter 3:9); and
WHEREAS, Significant challenges threaten the dignity and worthiness of human beings who do not possess power or advantage, including but not limited to the heinous murder of the unborn child in the womb, the enforced withdrawal of life-sustaining medical care from the ill or infirm, the prejudices and discriminations of racism and ethnocentrism, various abuses of other human persons, the denigration of opposing political groups, and persecutions of religious minorities; and
WHEREAS, Article III of The Baptist Faith and Message clearly affirms that human dignity is an inviolable status, stating, “The sacredness of human personality is evident in that God created man in His own image, and in that Christ died for man; therefore, every person of every race possesses full dignity and is worthy of respect and Christian love”; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the messengers to the Southern Baptist Convention meeting in Dallas, Texas, June 12–13, 2018, reaffirm the sacredness and full dignity and worthiness of respect and Christian love for every single human being, without any reservation whatsoever; and be it further
RESOLVED, That we affirm the full dignity of every unborn child and denounce every act of abortion except to save the mother’s physical life; and be it further
RESOLVED, That we affirm the full dignity of every human being, whether or not any political, legal, or medical authority considers a human being possessive of “viable” life regardless of cognitive or physical disability, and denounce every act that would wrongly limit the life of any human at any stage or state of life; and be it further
RESOLVED, That we affirm the full dignity of every human being of whatever ethnicity and denounce every form and practice of racism and ethnocentrism; and be it further
RESOLVED, That we affirm the full dignity of every human being, whether male or female, young or old, weak or strong, and denounce any and every form of abuse, whether physical, sexual, verbal, or psychological; and be it further
RESOLVED, That we affirm the full dignity of every human being of whatever political or legal status or party and denounce rhetoric that diminishes the humanity of anyone; and be it further
RESOLVED, That we affirm the full dignity of every human being of whatever religion or creed and denounce any unjust violation of the first freedom of religious liberty; and be it further
RESOLVED, That we affirm that the full dignity of every human being can never be removed, diminished, or modified by any human decision or action whatsoever; and be it finally
RESOLVED, That we affirm the full dignity of every human being and commit to model God’s saving love by sharing the eternal hope found in the gospel, to call all people to repentance and faith in Jesus Christ (Matthew 28:19–20; 2 Corinthians 5:11; 1 Peter 3:14–17), and to love our neighbors as ourselves (Matthew 22:39; Romans 12:10, 15; Philippians 2:4–7).
photo credit: Baptist Press
The post SBC Resolution on Human Dignity appeared first on Daniel Darling, author, pastor, speaker.
June 14, 2018
The Way Home: Lauren Green McAfee on the heroes who have shaped her life
What is it like growing up in a famous Christian family? What does ordinary faithfulness look like for a Christian women today? Lauren Green McAfee joins the podcast to talk about growing up in the Green family and about the heroes who have shaped her life.
Show Notes
Book: Only One Life: How a Woman’s Every Day Shapes an Eternal Legacy [image error]
Twitter: @LaurenAMcAfee
Website: onlyonelifebook.com
The post The Way Home: Lauren Green McAfee on the heroes who have shaped her life appeared first on Daniel Darling, author, pastor, speaker.
June 12, 2018
‘Curator’: The New Line on Your Pastor’s Job Description?
“So . . . who exactly is Tim Keller, anyways?”
I can still remember when this question came from a longtime, faithful member of my church. At the time, I couldn’t believe he didn’t recognize the well-known, respected pastor of New York’s Redeemer Presbyterian Church. Had he not read The Reason for God? The Meaning of Marriage? Counterfeit Gods? Apparently not.
But really, why would he? Unlike me—who had spent a majority of his adult life in Christian ministry, swimming in theology and names like Chandler, Stanley, and Dobson—this faithful brother worked long hours and spent very little time online. He wasn’t on Twitter. He didn’t get the latest Christian book catalogues, and he probably didn’t know what a podcast was (lucky guy). What this brother did have, though, was an earnest desire to learn, study, and grow in his Christian faith—and he looked to me, his pastor, to let him know what he should be reading and consuming.
This is a part of ministry that isn’t often mentioned in Bible college, one that I was never taught: the task of filtering and curating reliable, helpful resources for the people of God.
This early ministry experience was a fresh reminder of the gap that can exist between pulpit and pew, leadership and laity. Church leaders often live in a rarified Christian bubble; it can be easy to assume that everyone else is aware of pieces of Christian thought and culture that are just not on their radar. This is why leaders need to be proactive about leaving those bubbles and getting into the lives of their people to learn the conversations they’re a part of—and, when appropriate, invite them to participate in new ones.
In many ways, pastors and other church leaders act as gatekeepers. Church members assume their leaders are filtering out the very best kind of Christian resources and regularly making those things available. Of course, Christian content can be found in a variety of sources outside the church walls: Christian radio, the Internet, bookstores. But for the most part, church members are busy living their lives—busy with kids, careers, and finances. They depend on pastors, elders, deacons, and other mentors to be curators, to sort through the stacks of Christian content, choosing good resources and discouraging resources that confuse or distort the truth.
In John 10, Jesus calls himself the Good Shepherd who protects his flock from wolves. In many ways, church leaders are given some of this authority in the church, and they use it both to feed God’s people good spiritual food and to lead them away from what can cause spiritual pain. Paul picked up these themes in his parting words to the church at Ephesus, urging the leaders there to take seriously their job as guardians of truth, curators of spiritual food.
This isn’t to say that an aggressive and authoritarian posture of content-policing is warranted, of course. I once did ministry in a culture that was closed to any outside voices and fearfully regulated the kinds of influences its people heard, and it did more harm than good. Instead, leaders can humbly embrace the influence they wield. We can be intentional—through our conversations, our writing, our social media platforms—to help our people become better students of Scripture, deepening their walk with their heavenly Father by introducing them to the many voices who can help them along the way.
“Curator” may not be something you see on your business card or in the job description at your church, but if you’re a church leader, it’s a task you have been given by God—whether you know it or not.
This article was originally published here.
The post ‘Curator’: The New Line on Your Pastor’s Job Description? appeared first on Daniel Darling, author, pastor, speaker.
June 7, 2018
The Way Home: Jessalyn Hutto on the pain of miscarriage
Enduring miscarriages can be one of the most painful experiences for a couple. When this happens, how can friends and family comfort those who mourn? And how can the church come around a grieving couple? Jessalyn Hutto, who experienced her own miscarriages, joins the podcast to give pastors and church leaders helpful advice.
Show Notes
Book: Inheritance of Tears: Trusting the Lord of Life When Death Visits the Womb [image error]
Twitter: @jessalynhutto
Website: jhutto.com
The post The Way Home: Jessalyn Hutto on the pain of miscarriage appeared first on Daniel Darling, author, pastor, speaker.
June 5, 2018
Here is the Church, but Where is the Steeple?
Several years ago, a church I pastored went through a massive remodeling effort, updating a tired, ‘90s-era look with more modern, chic, 21st-century décor. Peeling wallpaper was replaced with fresh paint. Hideous brown siding was covered over with a beautiful new stone treatment. A landscaper transformed some tired and unkempt bushes into a beautiful garden walkway. Our building, which many mistook for an abandoned union hall or a Masonic lodge, now looked, to passersby, like a place that might have signs of life.
Interestingly, though, we capped off our remodeling effort by adding a steeple. Yes, you heard that right—as part of our revitalizing, modernizing, moving-our-church-forward renovation, we added an architectural element straight out of the Dark Ages.
A fresh logo. A modern auditorium. A welcoming lobby. And a steeple.
The history of church steeples is a bit mysterious. Nobody knows for sure when the first steeple was built, but the oldest one still standing is the massive spire on the 12th-century Chartres Cathedral in France, about 80 miles southwest of Paris. They made their way to America, it seems, with the architecture of Christopher Wren during the colonial period and were ubiquitous up until very recently.
Why steeples? Some historians speculate that they are an attempt to symbolize Christians’ desire to lift up their hearts and minds toward the heavens. Others note the more practical benefits. According to Joe Carter of The Gospel Coalition,
The addition of a steeple to a church often had three functions. First, vertical lines of the steeple helped to visually enhance the lines of the church, directing the viewers’ eyes vertically to the heavens. Second, steeples gave church buildings—which were usually short and squat—an aesthetically pleasing feature that enhanced the harmony of the design. Third, steeples were often the highest architectural feature in an area, which provided a landmark for people to find the church from any part of town.
Today, of course, people find a church in other ways. As Cathy Lynn Grossman says, “People hunting for a church don’t scan the horizon; they search the Internet.” This and other reasons explain why steeples are far less common nowadays. The ‘90s seeker-sensitive movement saw the rise of more utilitarian church architecture as evangelicals sought to distinguish personal faith in Jesus Christ from the stuffy, legalistic religion of traditional Protestantism. Symbols like steeples and crosses were seen as obstacles to those who might be turned off by institutionalized religion.
And yet, something, I think, is lost with our “Jesus versus church” dichotomy, and it shows in our church architecture. Of course, steeples aren’t the sign of a healthy church, but we shouldn’t be so quick to abandon historic church architecture simply because it looks too Christian. There is something otherworldly about a church building that looks distinctly like . . . well, a church. To those who seek something more than the emptiness of modern life, it can be a beacon of hope—and, to those who know Jesus, a reminder of their allegiance to another, higher kingdom.
This article was originally published here.
The post Here is the Church, but Where is the Steeple? appeared first on Daniel Darling, author, pastor, speaker.
May 31, 2018
The Way Home: Kyle Mann of the Babylon Bee
Show Notes
Twitter: @the_kyle_mann
Website: babylonbee.com
Book: How to Be a Perfect Christian: Your Comprehensive Guide to Flawless Spiritual Living [image error]
The post The Way Home: Kyle Mann of the Babylon Bee appeared first on Daniel Darling, author, pastor, speaker.
