Jason K. Allen's Blog, page 26

Living in Light of Jesus’ Return

“There are two days in my calendar: this day and that day,” quipped Martin Luther in reference to Christ’s second coming. We have come a long way since Luther’s statement, with most believers erring dramatically in one of two directions.

Second coming sensationalists are the most egregious, and widely lamented, offenders. They predict the timing of Jesus’ return; but, of course, they do so in vain. Jesus stated no man knows the day or hour of his return. The most infamous prognosticator in recent years has been Harold Camping, who on multiple occasions has predicted the specific date of Jesus’ return, thus embarrassing himself—and the name of Christ—before a watching world.

As irresponsible as Camping and his ilk are, one can argue the greater danger facing the church is not hyper-expectancy about Jesus’ return, but a slumbering church that acts as though Jesus isn’t returning at all. This seems especially to be the case in the year 2013. Twenty years ago, sermons and literature on the second coming were plentiful, but such interest seems to have gone the way of the el Camino car or the waterbed, an out of style fad from a previous generation.

This ought not be the case, for Southern Baptists are a second coming people. Though we hold differing positions on both the millennium and on the tribulation, Southern Baptists are unified on the literal and soon-coming return of Christ. For Christians, though, the most important questions to ask are not if Jesus will return—that is settled—and not when he will return, that is unknowable. The most helpful question to ask is: “So what?”

Jesus’ second coming is not an abstract doctrine with no bearing on the Christian life. Rather, the New Testament refers to Jesus’ return with applicability. The Bible is replete with references to Jesus’ second coming. These passages come not as an eschatological data dump, but as a forthcoming event that is to shape a Christian’s life. The Pauline corpus speaks with special relevance. Paul frequently references, and even elaborates on, the timing and circumstances of Christ’s return. In studying Paul’s many references to the second coming, one finds that the Apostle gives special emphasis not only to Jesus’ return but to the church’s posture as the bride in waiting. What Jesus will do and when he will do it are not unimportant considerations, but they are not the most urgent. The most pressing consideration for believers is how we should live in light of his impending return.

An Expectant Hope

In Titus 2:13, Paul describes Jesus’ second coming as the church’s “blessed hope.” For most Christians throughout church history, expecting the second coming was more than the hope of moving from a good life to a more perfect eternal state. Rather, it was a yearning for deliverance from pestilence and war, a yearning for deliverance from death and destruction, and a yearning for deliverance from poverty and persecution, or even deliverance from martyrdom.

In the Western world, Christianity in the 21st century finds most believers enjoying life in relative comfort. Religious freedom, modern medicine, bourgeois lifestyle, and other modern-day conveniences have proven to bring not only earthly comfort but also spiritual complacency. This comfort often diminishes our yearning for Jesus’ return.

This complacency is frequently found in the local church as well. Many congregations act as though Christ’s return would interrupt their building program or contravene their long-range strategic plan. Too many young adults seem content for material pursuit, while senior adults are too busy enjoying retirement to long for Christ’s return. I sense that for many Christians today, heaven is too distant, eternity too abstract, and Jesus’ return too theoretical. In complete contrast, we need to live life on a first-century footing, yearning for something so beautiful and eternally satisfying—to see Jesus and be made like him—that it eclipses and transcends all other longings and expectations.

A Sanctified Life

In expounding upon Jesus’ return, Paul frequently references the church’s need to prepare individual’s lives to see Jesus. In fact, Paul calls the church to live as “sons of light and sons of the day, not as of the night or of darkness” (I Thessalonians 5:5), in anticipation of Jesus’ return. Truth be known, if our longing is not right, our living will not be right either.

Few things focus one’s life like impending judgment. This is why Jonathan Edwards resolved “never to do anything, which I should be afraid to do, if I expected it would not be above an hour, before I should hear the last trumpet” (Resolutions of a Saintly Scholar). Therefore, it is urgent that we recover a robust and expectant eschatology. As we do, we will find that a healthy anticipation of Jesus’ return infuses the Christian life with focus and urgency, proving to accelerate growth in the spiritual disciplines.

Cause and effect can be difficult to disentangle, but in the New Testament there is a clear correlation between anticipating Christ’s return and living a more sanctified Christian life. Expecting to meet Jesus occurs with a sober intention to purify one’s life, and the call to purify one’s life occurs in concert with anticipating Jesus’ return. This is why one preacher famously said we should live as though “Christ died yesterday, rose from the grave today, and is coming back tomorrow.”

A Renewed Witness

The more Christians contemplate Jesus’ return—and the final judgment associated with it—the more we will be renewed in our evangelistic witness. This is rooted in the gospel and the Great Commission itself. The lost urgently need to hear of Christ before they meet him. After all, as Peter reminds us, God has delayed Christ’s return and final judgment to allow time for a greater harvest of souls. Peter writes, “The Lord is not slow about his promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9).

The second coming of Jesus and the renewal of our personal witness is precisely where the inerrancy of Scripture and the exclusivity of the gospel intersect. To embrace the total truthfulness of God’s Word—including the soon-coming return of Christ and the corresponding truth that all must repent and believe in Jesus to be saved—should propel us into a renewed fervor for the Great Commission. The Christian who confesses Jesus is coming and that salvation is found only in his name must be dynamic, not static, in his witness.

Conclusion

The church’s attention to Jesus’ return seems to be seasonal, with interest rising and falling based upon a host of issues, most especially current geo-political events. The need of the hour is not for more end-times speculation or an unhealthy preoccupation with the sequence of eschatological events. Such interests should give way to an eschatological anticipation that impacts how we live the Christian life until he returns.

Perhaps there should be a touch of Harold Camping in us all: hoping, yearning, and even expecting Jesus’ return. Until he comes, we find ourselves with the saints of the ages, longing for the day when the kingdom of this world becomes the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and praying with the saints of the ages, “Even so, come, Lord Jesus.”

*This article appears in the May 2013 edition of SBC Life.*

*This article was originally posted on 5/8/2013*

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Lord’s Day Meditation: “Go Again Seven Times” by C. H. Spurgeon

Lord’s Day Meditation: “Go Again Seven Times” by C. H. Spurgeon (Morning and Evening, September 28, Evening)

“Go again seven times.” (1 Kings 18:43)

Success is certain when the Lord has promised it. Although you may have pleaded month after month without evidence of answer, it is not possible that the Lord should be deaf when his people are earnest in a matter which concerns his glory. The prophet on the top of Carmel continued to wrestle with God, and never for a moment gave way to a fear that he should be non-suited in Jehovah’s courts. Six times the servant returned, but on each occasion no word was spoken but “Go again.” We must not dream of unbelief, but hold to our faith even to seventy times seven. Faith sends expectant hope to look from Carmel’s brow, and if nothing is beheld, she sends again and again. So far from being crushed by repeated disappointment, faith is animated to plead more fervently with her God. She is humbled, but not abashed: her groans are deeper, and her sighings more vehement, but she never relaxes her hold or stays her hand. It would be more agreeable to flesh and blood to have a speedy answer, but believing souls have learned to be submissive, and to find it good to wait for as well as upon the Lord. Delayed answers often set the heart searching itself, and so lead to contrition and spiritual reformation: deadly blows are thus struck at our corruption, and the chambers of imagery are cleansed. The great danger is lest men should faint, and miss the blessing. Reader, do not fall into that sin, but continue in prayer and watching. At last the little cloud was seen, the sure forerunner of torrents of rain, and even so with you, the token for good shall surely be given, and you shall rise as a prevailing prince to enjoy the mercy you have sought. Elijah was a man of like passions with us: his power with God did not lie in his own merits. If his believing prayer availed so much, why not yours? Plead the precious blood with unceasing importunity, and it shall be with you according to your desire.

 

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Don’t Waste Your Vacation: Nine Ways to Optimize Time Away

Vacation, as a planned and protracted leisurely excursion, is a relatively modern invention. Middle-class furloughs to the beach, weeks at theme parks, and recurring holiday getaways all would be unfamiliar to the premodern family.

Yet, seasons of rest and recreation are a pattern as old as the Bible itself, and if we are going to vacation, we might as well optimize it. To this end, over the years I have intentionally incorporated a few objectives. Admittedly, they have been more intuitive than scripted, but I deliberately vacation—especially during the summer—with these nine intentions in mind. Perhaps they will help you as well.

1 . Vacation without guilt. Celebrate the biblical rhythm of work and rest, of vocation and recreation. They complement and facilitate one another. Therefore, we should exert ourselves in our work and enjoy our rest and recreation. This dynamic is embedded within the Sabbath principle and the institution of the Lord’s Day. Both are ordained by God, and both can honor Him and help you.

2 . Truly unplug. Vacation should be more than working from a different geographical location. I have fallen into that trap before. It proved detrimental to our family and unhelpful to me and the ministry I served. Now, I delete social media from my iPhone, set up the out-of-office email reply, and intentionally stay aloof from my phone. Be findable in the case of emergency, but be unfindable for most anything else.

3 . Redeem the time. For me, vacation is not synonymous with unintentionality. Rather, it is the opposite. Vacation provides singular opportunities for outings, trips, conversations, projects, reading, making memories, etc. I want to intentionally use the time, leveraging it, and our vacation, in every way.

4 . Evaluate the asset. The maxim “protect the asset” is common in leadership books these days. For me, it has three realms: heart, mind, and body. As to the heart, am I practicing the spiritual disciplines, growing in Christ, and fulfilling my ministry? As to the mind, am I growing intellectually in all of the areas pertaining to my calling and ministry? As to the body, am I caring for myself enough to live, serve and lead most optimally? Set aside some time to “evaluate the asset” on your vacation.

5 . Plan facetime. It is not enough to be near your family or even with your family. It is important to have eye-to-eye, undistracted conversations with spouse and kids. I learned long ago that “love” is spelled T-I-M-E. Schedule time for personal, lengthy, heart-touching conversations.

6 . Assess your goals. I’m a big believer in goal setting and have set goals for virtually every area of my life and ministry—at least those areas which matter most. Flowing from my life verse, “Guard what has been entrusted to you,” goals help me to track stewardship of my life, calling, family, seminary, and other areas. They will help you as well.

7 . Reset boundaries. Busyness often leads to encroachment and reactionary living. You can awaken one day out of kilter with the life rhythm you expect for yourself. For me, reviewing the calendar, pruning unnecessary commitments, and setting myself up for maximum effectiveness is key. While on vacation, my wife and I review/preview our calendars and commitments and ask ourselves, “Is this the best stewardship of our time and resources?”

 8 . Strengthen personal weaknesses. No leader is omni-competent. If a leader is not aware of this simple fact, he is simultaneously arrogant and delusional. A dose of self-awareness is essential. While on vacation, I reflect on my life in every dimension, seek to identify personal weaknesses, and strive to strengthen them. Usually, this leads to reading books, accessing podcasts, seeking wise counsel, setting goals, and taking action steps.

9 . Reorganize your life. Given the fullness of my life and ministry, I find myself accumulating disorganization during the academic semesters. There are just some things that have to be put off until the summer and winter break. For me, it is almost therapeutic to declutter. I find sorting stacks, discarding unneeded items, and catching up on life-maintenance issues rejuvenating. Oddly, I actually look forward to these catchup days. In fact, I do not know what I would do without them.

In conclusion, let me add that vacations should be a time to rejuvenate you for your calling, not escape it. If you find yourself always pining for vacations in order to get away from your job, you most likely do not need a vacation; you need a new vocation.

If you are going to vacation, you might as well get the most out of it. Perhaps these nine ways will serve you as well as the have served me.

*This article was originally posted on 7/7/16*

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Lord’s Day Meditation: “The Lord Looketh From Heaven” by C. H. Spurgeon

Lord’s Day Meditation: “The Lord Looketh From Heaven” by C. H. Spurgeon (Morning and Evening, September 28, Morning)

“The Lord looketh from heaven; he beholdeth all the sons of men.” (Psalm 33:13)

Perhaps no figure of speech represents God in a more gracious light than when he is spoken of as stooping from his throne, and coming down from heaven to attend to the wants and to behold the woes of mankind. We love him, who, when Sodom and Gomorrah were full of iniquity, would not destroy those cities until he had made a personal visitation of them. We cannot help pouring out our heart in affection for our Lord who inclines his ear from the highest glory, and puts it to the lip of the dying sinner, whose failing heart longs after reconciliation. How can we but love him when we know that he numbers the very hairs of our heads, marks our path, and orders our ways? Specially is this great truth brought near to our heart, when we recollect how attentive he is, not merely to the temporal interests of his creatures, but to their spiritual concerns. Though leagues of distance lie between the finite creature and the infinite Creator, yet there are links uniting both. When a tear is wept by thee, think not that God doth not behold; for, “Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him.” Thy sigh is able to move the heart of Jehovah; thy whisper can incline his ear unto thee; thy prayer can stay his hand; thy faith can move his arm. Think not that God sits on high taking no account of thee. Remember that however poor and needy thou art, yet the Lord thinketh upon thee. For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect towards him.

Oh! then repeat the truth that never tires;

No God is like the God my soul desires;

He at whose voice heaven trembles, even he,

Great as he is, knows how to stoop to me.

 

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On Affirming the Dignity of Women and the Holiness of Ministers: A Resolution Submitted to the 2018 SBC Committee on Resolutions

In recent days I submitted to the Southern Baptist Convention’s Resolutions Committee a resolution entitled On Affirming the Dignity of Women and the Holiness of Ministers.

Though I am responsible for the resolution and its submission, in order to speak as loudly as possible, I invited my fellow SBC entity heads to participate, as well as SBC president Dr. Steve Gaines. In order to heighten awareness going into Dallas, I elected to make it public now.

Dr. Paul Chitwood, executive-director of the Kentucky Baptist Convention, reached out to all of the SBC state executives. Dr. Ronnie Floyd, pastor of Cross Church in Northwest Arkansas, reached out to past presidents of the Southern Baptist Convention as well as the conference of Mega Metro pastors. I am also grateful both of this year’s candidates for the SBC presidency, Ken Hemphill and J.D. Greear, have also signed on.

Readers should view these names not as formal co-submitters of this resolution, but as people who resonate with it and desire to express their convictions accordingly. I’m gratified so many have signed on as I believe it’s a powerful statement of conviction to the world and to our convention, and of remorse and accountability to God and man.  Moreover, as it is a call to protect, support,  and honor women, I directed my wording and the initial invitation list towards men.

Below you will see names from these different groups listed as well as many other additional names. Frankly, since word began to spread of the resolution and the groundswell of support behind it, I’ve been inundated with people requesting to add their names. The resolution is not a petition and, though this did not begin as a “sign up” effort, my inbox is too full of requests to not make it available to all who share and desire to express these convictions. All who would like to add their name and express convictional and covenantal solidarity with the resolution may do so by clicking on the button at the end of this article.

However, before you sign it know this resolution is intended to be more than a statement of public witness. It is a statement of public accountability. Before God, we are first and foremost covenanting with ourselves anew to be people of integrity, to honor, protect, and to serve women, and to guard our hearts, minds, and marriages in Christ Jesus. If we do not have the courage of our convictions to speak with clarity on these issues, we have no credibility to speak to our culture on other issues.

I understand (from those outside the Resolutions Committee) that other resolutions on abuse and the treatment of women have been submitted. The Resolutions Committee may take up my resolution, other resolutions, draft their own resolution, or choose to go an altogether different route. I have full confidence in that group and am supportive of how they choose to proceed. Annually, the Resolutions Committee has a difficult job without others, including me, complicating it all the more.

This is not Difficult

Yet, as for me I want to be on record on these issues, as do many, many others. When the gossip, posturing, and drama all fade away, these issues are remarkably simple, at least they ought to be: as ministers, we are called to guard our hearts and protect our people.

As to the treatment of women, this is not difficult. Whether it be our mothers, wives, daughters, sisters in Christ, or an anonymous woman on the street, every woman is created in the image of God. As men, we are called to demonstrate biblical valor and virtue towards women. We are called to serve, honor, and protect them. Most especially, Christian men are to lead, love and sacrifice for their wives just as Christ has done for the church. To act in any other way is to reject biblical teaching as well as common civility and decency.

As to abused women, this is not difficult: we are to protect them from those who would do them harm and to remove them from the place of harm. We can work against our matrimony-shattering “no-fault” divorce culture and shore up marriages. But this needed work never means asking women to suffer abuse. Yes, God through our prayers and the power of the gospel can change even the vilest abuser, but wives aren’t called to endure suffering from his hand in the meantime.

As to the minister’s holiness, this is not difficult: we are charged to guard our life and our doctrine. As Southern Baptists, we have excelled in the latter, but not so much the former. The character qualifications for ministry as outlined in 1 Timothy 3:1-7 are not a onetime threshold to cross. They represent an ongoing accountability to God’s Word and God’s people.

In Conclusion

All this informs the resolution below On Affirming the Dignity of Women and the Holiness of Ministers. May the Lord give the resolutions committee—a group in whom I have full confidence—wisdom as they take up this resolution. But, more importantly, may the words carry import in our lives and in our ministries.  In difficult times, let us move ahead in hope and conviction.

resolution

 

National Entity Heads:

Albert Mohler

President, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary

Louisville, KY

Kevin Ezell

President, North American Mission Board

Alpharetta, GA

Danny Akin

President, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary

Wake Forrest, NC

O. S. Hawkins

President, Guidestone Financial Resources

Dallas, TX

Jeff Iorg

President, Gateway Seminary

Ontario, CA

Thom Rainer

President, Lifeway Christian Resources

Nashville, TN

David Platt

President of the International Mission Board

Richmond, VA

Jeffrey Bingham

Interim President, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary

Fort Worth, TX

Russell Moore

President of the ERLC

Nashville, TN

SBC President:

Steve Gaines

SBC President

Memphis, TN

SBC President Candidates:

J.D. Greear

Pastor, The Summit Church

Raleigh-Durham, NC

Ken Hemphill

Special Assistant to the President for Denominational Relations at North Greenville University

Greer, SC

Former SBC Presidents:

Tom Elliff

Former SBC President

Oklahoma City, OK

Jim Henry

Former SBC President

Nashville, TN

Johnny Hunt

Former SBC President

Woodstock, GA

Jimmy Draper

President Emeritus LifeWay

Colleyville, TX

Bryant Wright

Johnson Ferry Baptist Church

Marietta, GA

James Merritt

Lead Pastor, Cross Pointe Church

Duluth, GA

Ronnie Floyd

Senior Pastor, Cross Church

Springdale, AR

Jack Graham

Senior Pastor, Prestonwood Baptist Church

Plano, TX

State Executive Directors:  

J. D. “Sonny” Tucker

Executive Director, Arkansas Baptist State Convention

Little Rock, AR

Tim Lubinus

Executive Director, Iowa Baptist Convention

Des Moines, IA

Rick Lance

Executive Director, Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions

Montgomery, AL

Rob Lee

Executive Director-Treasurer, Utah Idaho Baptist Convention

Draper, UT

Brian Autry

Executive Director, Southern Baptist Convention of Virginia

Richmond, VA

Garvon Golden

Executive Director, Dakota Baptist Convention

Rapid City, SD

Kevin White

Executive Director, Nevada Baptist Convention

Reno, NV

David Johnson

Executive Director, Arizona Southern Baptist Convention

Scottsdale, AZ

Tommy Green

Executive Director-Treasurer, Florida Baptist Convention

Jacksonville, FL

Milton A. Hollifield, Jr.

Executive Director-Treasurer, North Carolina Baptist Convention

Cary, NC

Terry M Robertson

Executive Director, The Baptist Convention of New York

Syracuse, NY

Hance Dilbeck

Executive Director, Oklahoma Baptist Convention

Oklahoma City, OK

Paul Chitwood

Executive Director, Kentucky Baptist Convention

Louisville, KY

Nate Adams

Executive Director, Illinois Baptist State Association

Springfield, Illinois

Barry E. Whitworth

Executive Director-Treasurer, Pennsylvania-South Jersey

Harrisburg, PA

Jim Futral

Executive Director-Treasure, Mississippi Baptist Convention

Jackson, MS

Terry W. Dorsett

Executive Director-Treasurer, Baptist Convention on New England

Northborough, MA

Randy C. Davis

President & Executive Director, Tennessee Baptist Mission Board

Franklin, TN

Leo Endel

Executive Director, Minnesota-Wisconsin Baptist Convention

Rochester, MN

Bill Henard,

Executive Director-Treasurer, West Virginia Convention of Southern Baptists

Scott Depot, WV

Tim Patterson

Executive Director, Baptist State Convention of Michigan

Fenton, MI

David Hankins

Executive Director, Louisiana Baptist Convention

Alexandria, LA

J. Robert White

Executive Director-CEO, Georgia Baptist Mission Board

Duluth, GA

Lynn Nikkel

Executive Director, Wyoming Baptist Convention

Casper, WY

Nathan Lorick

Executive Director, Colorado Baptist General Convention

Centennial, CO

Bob Mills

Executive Director, Kansas-Nebraska Convention of Southern Baptists

Topeka, KS

Gary Hollingsworth

Executive Director, South Carolina Baptist Covention

Columbia, SC

Joseph Bunce

Executive Director, Baptist Convention of New Mexico

Albuquerque, NM

John L. Yeats

Executive Director, Missouri Baptist Convention

Jefferson City, MO

Jim Richards

Executive Director, Southern Baptist of Texas Convention

Grapevine, TX

Mega-Metro Pastors:

Nick Floyd

Lead Teaching Pastor, Cross Church

Fayetteville, AR

Bruce Frank

Pastor, Biltmore Church

Arden, NC

David W. Fleming,

Senior Pastor, Champion Forest Baptist Church

Houston, TX

Grant Ethridge

Senior Pastor, LIBERTYLIVE.CHURCH

Hampton, VA

David H. McKinley

Pastor-Teacher, Warren Baptist Church

Augusta, GA

Randall T. Hahn

Senior Pastor, Colonial Heights Baptist

Colonial Heights, VA

Glynn Stone

Pastor of Mobberly Baptist Church

Longview, TX

Russ Barksdale

Lead Pastor, The Church on Rush Creek

Arlington, TX

Pat Hood

Senior Pastor, LifePoint Church

Smyrna, TN

Rob Zinn

Senior Pastor, Immanuel Baptist Church

Highland, CA

Merle Mees

Lead Pastor, Pleasant Valley Baptist Church

Liberty, MO

Kevin J. Hamm

Senior Pastor, Gardendale First Baptist Church

Gardendale, AL

Brian Stowe

Pastor, First Baptist Church

Plant City, FL

John D. Morgan

Pastor, Sagemont Church

Houston, TX

Don Wilton

Senior Pastor, First Baptist Church

Spartanburg, SC

William Rice

Senior Pastor, Calvary Baptist Church

Clearwater, FL

Mel Blackaby

Senior Pastor, First Baptist Church

Jonesboro, GA

Rob Peters

Senior Pastor, Calvary Baptist Church

Winston-Salem, NC

Michael Catt

Senior Pastor, Sherwood Baptist Church

Albany, GA

Greg Laurie

Senior Pastor, Harvest Christian Fellowship

Riverside, CA

John Meador

Lead Pastor, First Euless

Euless, TX

Gregg Matte

Senior Pastor, Houston First Baptist

Houston, TX

Danny Wood

Senior Pastor, Shades Mountain Baptist Church

Birmingham, AL

Michael Wood

Pastor, First Baptist Church

West Monroe, LA

Bob McCartney

Senior Pastor, First Baptist Church

Wichita Falls, TX

Chad McDonald

Senior Pastor, Lenexa Baptist Church

Lenexa, KS

Jordan Easley

Senior Pastor; Englewood Baptist Church

Jackson, TN

Clint Pressley

Senior Pastor, Hickory Grove Baptist Church

Charlotte, NC

Chris Osborne

Pastor, Central Baptist Church

College Station, TX

Bruce Chesser

Pastor, First Baptist Church Hendersonville

Hendersonville, TN

Hayes Wicker

Senior Pastor, First Baptist Church

Naples, FL

J. Kie Bowman

Senior Pastor, Hyde Park Baptist Church

Austin, TX

Fred Lowery

Pastor Emeritus, First Baptist Bossier

Bossier City, LA

Curt Dodd

Pastor, Westside Church

Omaha, NE

Mac Brunson

Senior Pastor, Valleydale Church

Birmingham, AL

Gary Smith

Founding Pastor, City of Life Church

Kissimmee, FL

Charles S. Lowery

President, Lowery Institute for Excellence

Frisco, TX

Aaron J. Harvie

Senior Pastor, Highview Baptist Church

Louisville, KY

David Uth

Senior Pastor, First Baptist Church of Orlando

Orlando, FL

Robert Jeffress

Pastor, First Baptist Church of Dallas

Dallas, TX

Mike Hamlet

Pastor, First Baptist North Spartanburg

Spartanburg, SC

Jeff Crook

Pastor, Christ Place Church

Flowery Branch, GA

Eric J. Thomas

Senior Pastor, First Baptist Church

Norfolk, VA

Steve Dighton

Pastor Emeritus, Lenexa Baptist Church

Lenexa, KS

Vance Pittman,

Senior Pastor, Hope Church Las Vegas

Las Vegas, NV

Rhys Stenner

Pastor, New Hope Baptist Church

Fayetteville, GA

Robby Gallaty

Pastor, Long Hollow Baptist Church

Hendersonville, TN

Stephen Rummage

Pastor, Bell Shoals Baptist Church

Brandon, FL

 

Click here to sign the resolution ›

 

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Lord’s Day Meditation: “My Beloved Put In His Hand By The Hole Of The Door” by C. H. Spurgeon

Lord’s Day Meditation: “My Beloved Put In His Hand By The Hole Of The Door” by C. H. Spurgeon (Morning and Evening, September 27, Evening)

“My Beloved put in his hand by the hole of the door, and my bowels were moved for him.” (Song of Solomon 5:4)

Knocking was not enough, for my heart was too full of sleep, too cold and ungrateful to arise and open the door, but the touch of his effectual grace has made my soul bestir itself. Oh, the longsuffering of my Beloved, to tarry when he found himself shut out, and me asleep upon the bed of sloth! Oh, the greatness of his patience, to knock and knock again, and to add his voice to his knockings, beseeching me to open to him! How could I have refused him! Base heart, blush and be confounded! But what greatest kindness of all is this, that he becomes his own porter and unbars the door himself. Thrice blessed is the hand which condescends to lift the latch and turn the key. Now I see that nothing but my Lord’s own power can save such a naughty mass of wickedness as I am; ordinances fail, even the gospel has no effect upon me, till his hand is stretched out. Now, also, I perceive that his hand is good where all else is unsuccessful, he can open when nothing else will. Blessed be his name, I feel his gracious presence even now. Well may my bowels move for him, when I think of all that he has suffered for me, and of my ungenerous return. I have allowed my affections to wander. I have set up rivals. I have grieved him. Sweetest and dearest of all beloveds, I have treated thee as an unfaithful wife treats her husband. Oh, my cruel sins, my cruel self. What can I do? Tears are a poor show of my repentance, my whole heart boils with indignation at myself. Wretch that I am, to treat my Lord, my All in All, my exceeding great joy, as though he were a stranger. Jesus, thou forgivest freely, but this is not enough, prevent my unfaithfulness in the future. Kiss away these tears, and then purge my heart and bind it with sevenfold cords to thyself, never to wander more.

 

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Five Reasons Why I Enjoy Reading Biographies

“The history of the world is but the biography of great men,” argued Thomas Carlyle, the proponent of what has come to be known as the “Great Man Theory of History.” This theory suggests that the broader movements and contours of history all go back to the leadership of great individuals who exerted unique influence on their times. Whether or not Carlyle’s theory proves true is debatable, but that certain individuals cast long shadows is not.

More than a cultural observation or historical phenomenon, this is biblical reality. Repeatedly in Scripture we see God providentially calling forth individuals for consequential, kingdom tasks. People like Moses, Joshua, David, and Peter dot the biblical landscape. In fact, Hebrews 11 in many ways is a biographical summation of the great lives of the Old Testament—mini-biographies, if you will.

As one who is entrusted with a leadership position, I find it profitable to read of others who have led. Wherever you find me, you will likely find a good biography nearby. Over breaks—like the Christmas holidays now upon us—I especially enjoy devouring biography or two. Why is this the case?

First, I find good biographies fascinating. I will occasionally read a novel, but I have never been overly drawn to fiction. Yes, I have enjoyed strolling through Wendell Berry’s Port Royal, John Grisham’s court rooms, and of course C.S. Lewis’ Narnia. But for me, well-told biography is more intriguing—and often stranger—than fiction.

I have found myself unable to sleep while in the throes of the Battle of Britain in William Manchester’s The Last Lion. Martin Luther at the Diet of Worms is riveting in Roland Bainton’s Here I Stand. David McCullough’s recounting of Eisenhower wrestling with the D-Day invasion is gripping. For me, to forgo reading biographies—like foregoing family-time, a round of golf, or other enjoyable opportunities that add gratification and spice to life—would leave a void of pleasure in my life.

Second, I find good biographies informative. A good biographer tells not only the story of a person, but also of their times. Reading a good biography is like strolling through an intellectual shopping mall. The anchor store is what drew you there, but you will be pleasantly surprised along the way at what other items grab your attention.

You will find no better recounting of the British Empire at its zenith than the opening chapters of Manchester’s Visions of Glory, volume one of his The Last Lion. Robert Caro’s The Life and Times of Lyndon Baines Johnson will teach you about LBJ, but you will also be confronted with the calamitous effects of the Great Depression, the underbelly of 20th century American politics, the machinations of the United States Senate, the death of a president, and the national quagmire known as the Vietnam War. Ian Murray’s Jonathan Edwards will give you an informative look into colonial America, while Francois Wendell’s John Calvin will help you not only know the reformer, but also Reformation Europe. Strictly speaking, a biography is but a slice of history; but when well done, it opens for the reader a panoramic view into the providential unfolding of God’s cosmic plan.

Third, I find good biographies relaxing. Winston Churchill once noted a man who works with his hands should have a hobby that engages his mind, and a man who works with his mind should have a hobby that engages his hands. Another way to apply Churchill’s maxim is to supplement technical, pen-in-hand vocational reading with leisurely, feet-on-the-ottoman biographical reading. Indeed, few things are more relaxing to me than winding down the evening and entering into another world—a world of martial glory, national crisis, intrepid missionary efforts, or world-shaking preaching.

Fourth, I find good biographies inspirational. Though not prone to self-pity, like anyone I can occasionally use a good dose of perspective. Not only can a good biography bring words of consolation, it can also magnetically pull the reader to new heights of personal aspiration and self-sacrifice. I read of D.L. Moody purposing to evangelize daily; William Carey’s attempting great things for God and expecting great things from God; John Knox’s willingness to stand against Mary, Queen of Scots; or Jim Elliot’s death at the end of a native’s spear, and I cannot help but redouble my pursuit of God’s call on my life.

Beyond the Christian, ministerial realm, I have marveled at Pete Maravich, who excelled at college basketball like none other. Margaret Thatcher bucking up her own cabinet ministers in the Falkland Islands crisis. Or Churchill “mobilizing the English language and sending it into battle.” I never shot basketball with Maravich, visited prime minister’s questions with Thatcher, or plotted war strategy with Churchill, but I have enjoyed the next best thing by reading their biographies—and have been motivated in so doing.

Fifth, I find good biographies sanctifying. How can I not grow in my love for evangelism and missions while reading of Adoniram Judson in To the Golden Shore or Hudson Taylor’s Spiritual Secret? How can I not grow in my devotion to prayer while reading of A.W. Tozer putting on his praying pants in In Pursuit of God? How can I not recommit myself to meditating on Scripture and to a life of faith while reading Man of Faith, the biography of George Mueller? How can I not give more effort to sermon preparation after reading Ian Murray tell of Jonathan Edwards’ 13-hour days in the study? How can I not renew my efforts in preaching after having Arnold Dallimore describe George Whitefield preaching himself into his grave? How can I not stand for truth after reading of Spurgeon’s Downgrade Controversy; sacrifice for missionaries after reading of Lottie Moon; or resolve to live with abandon for Christ after reading of Stephen Olford’s maxim that “only one life, twill soon be past, only what’s done for Christ will last”?

In the spirit of Hebrews 11, reading good biographies summons forth a veritable chorus of cheers, encouraging us to lay aside every encumbrance and sin that so easily entangles us and to run with endurance the race set before us.

This, and so much more, is why I love reading good biographies, and why I pity the person who neglects them. Do not be counted among their number.

*This article was originally published on 12/13/15*

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Lord’s Day Meditation: “Happy Art Thou, O Israel” by C. H. Spurgeon

Lord’s Day Meditation: “Happy Art Thou, O Israel” by C. H. Spurgeon (Morning and Evening, September 27, Morning)

“Happy art thou, O Israel; who is like unto thee, O people saved by the Lord!” (Deuteronomy 33:29)

He who affirms that Christianity makes men miserable, is himself an utter stranger to it. It were strange indeed, if it made us wretched, for see to what a position it exalts us! It makes us sons of God. Suppose you that God will give all the happiness to his enemies, and reserve all the mourning for his own family? Shall his foes have mirth and joy, and shall his home-born children inherit sorrow and wretchedness? Shall the sinner, who has no part in Christ, call himself rich in happiness, and shall we go mourning as if we were penniless beggars? No, we will rejoice in the Lord always, and glory in our inheritance, for we “have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but we have received the spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.” The rod of chastisement must rest upon us in our measure, but it worketh for us the comfortable fruits of righteousness; and therefore by the aid of the divine Comforter, we, the “people saved of the Lord,” will joy in the God of our salvation. We are married unto Christ; and shall our great Bridegroom permit his spouse to linger in constant grief? Our hearts are knit unto him: we are his members, and though for awhile we may suffer as our Head once suffered, yet we are even now blessed with heavenly blessings in him. We have the earnest of our inheritance in the comforts of the Spirit, which are neither few nor small. Inheritors of joy forever, we have foretastes of our portion. There are streaks of the light of joy to herald our eternal sunrising. Our riches are beyond the sea; our city with firm foundations lies on the other side the river; gleams of glory from the spirit-world cheer our hearts, and urge us onward. Truly is it said of us, “Happy art thou, O Israel; who is like unto thee, O people saved by the Lord?”

 

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Nine Questions to Ask Before Choosing a Seminary

Every semester at Midwestern, we host a Preview Day in order to display who we are as a school, and what we offer prospective students for their seminary education. Preview Day encourages me as I get to interact with future students and sense who the Lord is calling to study here. This year’s spring Preview Day did not disappoint. I heard the stories, sensed the passion, and felt the conviction of another wave of students coming to Midwestern Seminary for theological education.

It was good for me to hear from them, but also for them to hear from me about what they can expect at Midwestern Seminary. One of life’s most important questions for those pursuing ministry preparation is which seminary to attend. One should not choose a seminary lightly. In fact, I would encourage anyone considering seminary not to move forward with their choice without having these questions satisfactorily answered:

What are the Seminary’s Confessional Commitments?

Every student should know what he can expect to be taught, and he or she should know that from the beginning. Does the institution have a confessional statement? Is it actually used as a functioning instrument of accountability? What does the seminary believe and teach about the Bible, the gospel, human sexuality, marriage, and gender? As a prospective student, does the confessional statement align with your convictions? Is the seminary positioned to undergird, not undermine, your faith?

Midwestern Seminary is unapologetically a confessional institution, happily teaching in accordance with, and not contrary to, the Baptist Faith & Message 2000. Additionally, our professors ink their names to the Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy and the Danvers Statement on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood.

What is the Seminary’s Purpose?

 Why does the seminary say they exist? Can you state plainly its calling, and does that calling resonate with yours? If you do not know why the seminary exists, the seminary might not know why it exists either. Every seminary worthy of your consideration ought to be about the business of serving the church. At Midwestern Seminary, we have ensconced that front and center. We exist for the Church.

For the Church is our guiding vision, shaping every decision we make; every position we fill; every event we host; every initiative we launch; and, most definitely, every class we teach. A seminary is not required to have “for the church” as their official mission statement, but they must be a pre-committed institution—pre-committed to the church of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Who does the Seminary Serve?

This question is similar to the previous one. Every seminary has a constituency—someone they look to please and under whose oversight they serve. For some seminaries, that might be an active alumni base, a generous group of donors, or some other subset of their denomination.

When you figure out who they serve, that will tell you much, much more about the school. It will tell you the type of faculty they will hire, the campus culture they cultivate, the events they’ll likely sponsor, and a host of other things.

How Much Will It Cost?

In North America, higher education costs are skyrocketing. This is true in every realm of study, including theological education. Thankfully, due to the Cooperative Program, Southern Baptist seminaries remain affordable, especially when compared to other evangelical institutions.

Yet, even for institutions that are generously supported by their denomination, you should carefully review what they charge. What are their tuition and fees? What is the cost of living on or near campus? Are there hidden fees buried within their catalogue? These are urgent questions because they will impact how much you have to work during seminary, how quickly you can complete your degree, and the extent to which you may have to take on indebtedness.

Is the School Spiritually Vibrant?

Admittedly, this is a difficult assessment to make from a distance, but it is an important question to consider. Is the seminary a dry place, which so prizes academic achievement that the spiritual disciplines are not upheld and celebrated?

Is there a warmth and vibrancy to chapel hour? Is prayer, Bible-intake, worship, evangelism, personal holiness, and other spiritual disciplines cherished? Do you get a sense that godly men are leading and attempting to build a God-honoring institution?

Will There Be Ministry Opportunities?

Every seminary worth its salt will have formal, local-church expectations for its students. Minimally, this will include active church membership. Yet, students ought to desire much more than this. The best ministry preparation couples classroom instruction with the weekly local-church service.

Therefore, you should not only look for a healthy seminary, but healthy churches near the seminary in which you can plug in and, perhaps, enjoy a paid ministry position.

What is the School’s Faculty Like?

It is impossible for a seminary to rise beyond its faculty. They are entrusted with the sacred responsibility to pass on the truth of Scripture from one generation to the next. Therefore, you should ask yourself, who teaches there? What are they known for? Would you like to study with them? Will they be accessible to you? Are they willing to invest in you personally?

This is more than a rundown of who has published what (though writing is an essential part of a faculty member’s work). If theological education was merely about publications, you could just buy books, read them, and save yourself a lot of time and money. Rather, does the faculty actually invest in students? Are internships available? Are leading professors present and accessible? Does the faculty view students as an interruption to their calling or as their calling?

What is the Campus Community Like?

Seminary is so much more than the formal teaching that takes place in the classroom. Yes, ministry preparation is taught—but it is also caught. This takes place over coffee, in chapel, at campus events, in student housing, and in countless other venues. Is the campus community one in which you can envision yourself growing in Christ and in your ministry pursuit?

This is more than an assessment of amenities and events, but what is the vibe on the ground? Is it a cheerful institution? Are the faculty, staff, and students happy to be there and encouraged about their future? Is the seminary a natural place of encouragement, organic discipleship, and group synergy toward kingdom matters?

Is the Great Commission Celebrated?

Lastly, is personal evangelism and the Great Commission a box to be checked or is it actually an essential part of the seminary community? Does the institution long for the Lord to call out workers of the harvest? Are outreach opportunities and international mission trips front and center? Does the faculty engage in personal evangelism and let it shape their classroom instruction? Do you sense a burden for lostness, a love for the community, and a heart for the nations? If not, you will probably be best served by another seminary.

In Conclusion

Ministry is too high a calling to enter it ill-prepared, and seminary is too serious a decision to choose lightly. There are other considerations one should make in choosing a seminary, but these nine are essentials.

I am grateful to God for the institution that he as entrusted to me—Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. By his grace, these nine questions can all be answered positively. As well they should, the needs of the church are too urgent for any other outcome.

Do not enroll in a seminary without carefully considering these nine points. Nothing short of your ministry calling—and the church of the Lord Jesus Christ—is at stake.

*This article was originally published on 4/27/16*

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Lord’s Day Meditation: “Howl, Fir Tree, For The Cedar Is Fallen” by C. H. Spurgeon

Lord’s Day Meditation: “Howl, Fir Tree, For The Cedar Is Fallen” by C. H. Spurgeon (Morning and Evening, September 26, Evening)

“Howl, fir tree, for the cedar is fallen.” (Zechariah 11:2)

When in the forest there is heard the crash of a falling oak, it is a sign that the woodman is abroad, and every tree in the whole company may tremble lest to-morrow the sharp edge of the axe should find it out. We are all like trees marked for the axe, and the fall of one should remind us that for every one, whether great as the cedar, or humble as the fir, the appointed hour is stealing on apace. I trust we do not, by often hearing of death, become callous to it. May we never be like the birds in the steeple, which build their nests when the bells are tolling, and sleep quietly when the solemn funeral peals are startling the air. May we regard death as the most weighty of all events, and be sobered by its approach. It ill behoves us to sport while our eternal destiny hangs on a thread. The sword is out of its scabbard–let us not trifle; it is furbished, and the edge is sharp–let us not play with it. He who does not prepare for death is more than an ordinary fool, he is a madman. When the voice of God is heard among the trees of the garden, let fig tree and sycamore, and elm and cedar, alike hear the sound thereof.

Be ready, servant of Christ, for thy Master comes on a sudden, when an ungodly world least expects him. See to it that thou be faithful in his work, for the grave shall soon be digged for thee. Be ready, parents, see that your children are brought up in the fear of God, for they must soon be orphans; be ready, men of business, take care that your affairs are correct, and that you serve God with all your hearts, for the days of your terrestrial service will soon be ended, and you will be called to give account for the deeds done in the body, whether they be good or whether they be evil. May we all prepare for the tribunal of the great King with a care which shall be rewarded with the gracious commendation, “Well done, good and faithful servant”

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