Pagan Christianity: Viola Responding

Posted by Joe Thorn - 04/01/08

For those who are reading the book, or have questions Frank Viola is responding to some questions at his website.

Pagan Christianity Ch 1

Posted by Joe Thorn - 02/01/08

I was planning on interacting with at least the first two chapters today, but I am sick and only have the energy to write up some thoughts on chapter one.

Chapter one is a challenge to re-think our current practices in the church, an invitation to read the book. I guess we should all be thankful for this little book since without it the church remains doomed to misunderstanding who it is and what it should be doing. This is how the book presents itself. Since the death of the Apostle John no one got it right. At best, according to the authors, the Church Fathers syncretized just about everything the church should be doing with pagan practices to such a degree that the divine mandates have been lost. And no one since has done much to return the church to its Apostolic practices. The Reformers did not reform the church, the puritans did not purify worship, and your contemporary church with its building, paid staff, sermons, etc. is so far outside the will of God that the spiritual health of those attending your services is in grave danger. My response after reading the book - whatever.

I do not want to dismiss the authors’ concerns, but it’s hard for me to take them seriously when they so grossly overstate things.Don’t get me wrong. I enjoy provocative books. I want others to challenge me and force me to re-think my practices and beliefs. The problem for me is that the book reads more like an ecclesiological version of the Loose Change conspiracy theories concerning the 9/11 attack. A lot of information is collected, assumptions are made, and in the end the final interpretation of history is simply wrong. Not only does their attempt to uncover the truth fail, but more importantly I fear their legit concerns will be ignored by many while others will read the book as gospel because it presents itself as unquestionable history with Barna’s research seal of approval.

The book contains two early qualifications. The publisher is careful to note, “Tyndale does not necessarily agree with all of the authors positions.” And though the authors are aiming at bringing about change, Barna urges caution on the part of readers with “rebellious hearts” who want to use this book to ” wreak havoc” in their churches. He writes, “Our advice: Either leave your church quietly, refusing to cause division, or be at peace with it. There is a vast difference between rebellion and taking a stand for what is true.” (pg. 5) This is part of my concern with the book, it actively encourages a polite divorce from the church. It suggests that the church, in its institutional form, is so far gone than the best option for many is to leave quietly. I think this is a careless and deadly suggestion.

In the next post I will interact with their remonstrance against “church buildings.” I know, like we needed someone to come along and tell us the early church did not operate out of a building. But some of their concerns about our buildings are very legit. If you own one, it would do you well to seriously consider why and what you do with it.

Repentance is not enough

Posted by Joe Thorn - 24/08/07
It is not only repentance toward God but faith in our Lord Jesus Christ that is required for the pardoning and purging of sin, for destroying sin and saving you. Repentance is not enough, for righteousness is not by repentance, but by faith (Phil 3.9). Prayers and tears, sighs and sorrows are not our saviour; it is Jesus only who saves us from sin (Mt. 1.21). None can out our sins to death but he who died for our sins. Bring all your repentance and righteousness, and it cannot compensate or make amends for one sin. If all the angels in heaven lent you their whole stock of righteousness - and it is a great one - yet it would not do. No satisfaction could be made nor anything merited for you but by the Son of God; he and he alone is the Saviour from sin…

Ralph Venning, The Sinfulness of Sin

Family Worship Resources

Posted by Joe Thorn - 05/06/07

The family is a huge ministry priority for us at Redeemer because of God’s emphasis on it in Scripture, and because of the number of families in our particular context. So in our infancy we are looking to develop ministries that seek to redeem and transform the family, bring the gospel to every family’s center, help fathers become good fathers and mothers become good mothers. A foundational issue we are addressing early is family worship. Family worship is one of those issues many Christians simply give little thought to, but I believe it to be critically important to the spiritual health of our families and children.

I am compiling a list of resources for our church members on family worship/devotions and wanted all the input I could get. I am looking for books that teach on the subject (eg. J. W. Alexander’s, Thoughts on Family Worship), books to use during that time (eg. The Jesus Storybook Bible), periodicals, music, websites, articles, etc. that reflect the various ages of children in a household.

Share your favorite resources and please provide links when possible.

Related posts:
Family Worship (just a few thoughts)
Ascol on Family Worship (helpful interview of Pastor Tom Ascol)

Amid a Flood of Mortal Ills

Posted by Joe Thorn - 02/04/07

There is no shortage of scandals in the evangelical church these days. Many of our leaders are stealing from churches and associations, cheating on their wives, or outright abandoning them. Hypocrisy abounds and it seems like every month or so there is some other high-profile, Christian superstar whose gross, secret sins find him out and bring significant damage to marriage and ministry. Such news always catches my attention, but it has little impact on me personally because I do not know these men, and generally have not heard for them until their scandal. What has had continual, significant impact on me throughout the years is seeing men I know, and have looked up to, fall from grace.

I have watched a zealous, evangelistic, biblically informed friend give up and jump head first into a life of immorality. He never denied the gospel to be true, but claimed he was never truly converted and just walked away. I watched another young man who formerly appeared to be walking with Jesus with great care reject it all for the things the world offers. I had a close friend who was a great theologian, a good teacher/evangelist who produced some very good fruit grow to be so overtaken by pride that he left his family and little children to pursue his own sinful interests. I have seen other leaders, men that I knew well and admired, abandon their spouses or lose their ministry because their secret moral failure had found them out. At one point in my life I honestly felt like I was left almost all alone, standing by myself, covered in the blood of my friends who had fallen and died - asking, “Why am I still standing? I am just as screwed up as everyone else, just as tempted with sin. What have I done to protect myself?” I certainly was never foolish enough to think of myself as more spiritual than those who fell morally. Watching my friends fall was not only frightening, but discouraging. Perhaps, I often thought, it is only a matter of time before I fall in the same way.

Over the years I have talked with a lot of Christians who have shared the same fear. How can they stand when so many others have fallen before them? Is it even possible to persevere in faith and godliness when surrounded not only by temptation but by so much failure and moral collapse among men formerly held in high esteem? William Gurnall said that many Christians lose hope of persevering when,

seeing such, whose gifts they so much admired, lie before them, wallowing in the blood of their slain profession: [from being] zealous professors, to prove perhaps fiery persecutors; [from being] strict performers of religious duties, [to prove] irreligious atheists: no more like the men they were some years past
The Christian in Complete Armour (pp. 14, 15)

But the failure of the men we know should not only be a discouragement to us. We should let it have a positive effect on us as well.

When we see those who have fallen morally:

1. Mourn over it.
See the awfulness of sin, and the devastation that comes from a self-directed life. Learn to hate the sinfulness of sin.
The fear of the Lord is hatred of evil. Pride and arrogance and the way of evil and perverted speech I hate. (Pr. 8:13)

2. Be warned by it.
Yes, you too can fall. The potential for every wickedness lies in your heart, just as it does in mine, just has it did in those who have fallen. Be stirred to greater care of your soul, life, family and church.

3. Repent.
Take the opportunity to examine yourself and confess your sins carefully and precisely; addressing both those sins of omission and of commission. Look to those “root sins” that bear fruit in your lives and tear them out.

4. Let it draw you close to Jesus.
Let the failure of others compel you to cling more tightly to the Savior. Men will fail both God and let us down, but our hope is not the men who go before us. Our confidence of continuing in the faith is not rooted in becoming more like those we admire, but in abiding in Jesus (see What Jesus Demands of the World, Demand #7 by John Piper).

5. Surround yourself with men who will encourage you and hold you accountable.
When men are walking with Christ together, not attempting to go it alone, they are much more likely to remain strong and persevere.
But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up! (Ecc. 4:10)

And be encouraged that though many may fall, many more - even Jesus himself - will cheer you on as you persevere in holiness.

Christians, God and angels are spectators, observing how you [conduct] yourselves like children of the Most High; every exploit your faith doth against sin and Satan causeth a shout in heaven; while you valiantly prostrate this temptation, scale that difficulty, regain the other ground you even now lost out of your enemies’ hands. Your dear Savior, who stands by with a reserve for your relief at a pinch, his very heart leaps within him for joy to see the proof of your love to him and zeal for him in all your combats; and will not forget all the faithful service you have done in his wars on earth; but when thou comest out of the field, will receive thee with the like joy as he was entertained himself at his return to heaven of his Father.
William Gurnall, ‘Armour (pg. 17)

Powered by WordPress with GimpStyle Theme design by Horacio Bella.
Entries and comments feeds. Valid XHTML and CSS.