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Calvin on Thankfulness

John Calvin’s little work, The Golden Booklet of the True Christian Life has proved to be one of the most helpful reads in my life outside of Scripture. I’m encouraging you all to get it if you don’t already have it. It’s a short book that can and should be read multiple times. I have shared this particular quote before on the blog, but at this time of year when Thanksgiving and Black Friday combine to lead us into a kind of grateful gluttony it’s a helpful word. Calvin argues that when we see all good things as gifts from God and receive them with gratitude and enjoy them in faith, we will not abuse or misuse them. Thankfulness will lead us to enjoy the gift fully without turning it into an idol, or our pleasure into our highest virtue. Here’s a quote.

First of all if we want to curb our [ungodly] passions we must remember that all things are made for us, with the purpose that we may know and acknowledge their Author. We should praise his kindness toward us in earthly matters by giving him thanks.

But, what will become of our thanksgiving, if we indulge in danties, or wine, in such a way that we are too dull to carry out the duties of devotion or of our business?

Where is our acknowledgment of God, if the excesses of our body drive us to the vilest passions, and infect our mind with impurity, so that we can no longer distinguish between right and wrong?
(Golden Booklet of the True Christian Life, pg. 89)

You can find online versions of this, but newer translations are better. I encourage you to buy a new copy.

Theology Can Kill

Depending on the tribe you belong to, the term “pastor/theologian” might be seen either as a redundant, or oxy-moronic expression. Some view the pastor as a practitioner, and the theologian as a theoretician; two separate roles. Others, like those of us in Acts 29, understand the pastor to be a leading theologian among the people he is called by God shepherd.

At the recent Acts 29 Bootcamp in Louisville, KY I was given the opportunity to lead a break out session in the Pastor as Resident Theologian Track. The title of my session was, “How Theology Can Kill Your Church.” If the audio is made available, I’ll link to it [Now available: here]. I sought to make four basic points.

Thanks to Chuck Heeke who took some amazing photographs throughout the bootcamp.

Theology Can Kill Your Church (Plant) when:

1. Your Theology is Under-developed
Under-developed theology leaves your church defenseless against false doctrine and heresy, and corrupts the spiritual growth of the body. We need a robust theological confession and culture in our churches.

2. Your Theology is Over-valued
Theology is over-valued when we find our identity more in a system than in the Savior. The dangers here are often pride and pugnacity. Good theology will always give a clear picture of God and self, which promotes strong convictions and humble hearts.

3. Your Theology is Compartmentalized
Compartmentalized theology is a purely academic discipline removed from Christian experience. The danger here is being satisfied with knowledge over transformation. We need “experimental Calvinists” who are not content to be right, but desire to be made right by the Spirit of God in conjunction with the truth of God.

4. Your Theology is Disconnected
When our theology is disconnected from the gospel, all of the above dangers are likely, and additionally our preaching will be little more than moralism. Imperatives apart from the gospel tell people to “do this,” and doctrinal preaching divorced from the gospel tell people to “know this.” In both cases people are not led to the grace of God in Christ, but to their own attainments. We need theologians who can show the connection between doctrines like sin, creation, the Trinity, etc. and the life, death and resurrection of Jesus.

In short, I was aiming at encouraging our men to be passionate, convinced, humble, experiential, gospel-centered theologians.

I shared some of my journey and failures in all this, and some of you asked what books I have found helpful. Here are just a few of them, but these were instrumental in breaking me of pride and theological elitism, while encouraging humility. Feel free to make your recommendations in the comments.

The Practical Implications of Calvinism, A. N. Martin (read it online for free)
Words to Winners of Souls, Horatius Bonar (read it online for free)
Vital Godliness, by William Plumer (read it online for free)
Quest for Meekness and Quietness of Spirit, Matthew Henry

Big Happenings: B&B

Two new things are going on in my life that are “big.” One is HUGE, and the other is just big.

Baby. The HUGE news, as most of you have already heard, is that my wife Jen is expecting our fourth child! Conception has typically been difficult for us, and Jen’s pregnancies are considered high risk. This gift from God is a major answer to our prayers. We would appreciate your prayers for Jen and the child.

Book. Then second thing is also great (but come on, it can’t touch family); I recently signed a contract with a great publisher for my first book. I will share a bit more in the near future, but on the blog I will focus on the process of writing my first book. I would also appreciate your prayers regarding this new endeavor.

Check it

I’m heading down to Louisville for the Acts 29 Bootcamp with friends (an elder and two of our young men) from Redeemer. If you’re going to be there and want to connect look around shoulder height of everyone else and you might see me. You can me in Twitter to get a peek of the happenings from my perspective.

Here’s some stuff I recently came across that I thought was worth sharing.

Mark Driscoll talks with R.C. Sproul. Humor and humility.

Sojourn Community Church in Louisville opens East Campus in old Catholic church building. Beautiful.

John Piper on the “prosperity gospel.” It’s an abomination.

Great assessment of the Family-Integrated Church Movement by Jason Webb.

My Introduction to the Family-Integrated Church Movement
What is the Family-Integrated Church Movement? – Part 1
What is the Family-Integrated Church Movement? – Part 2
What is the Family-Integrated Church Movement? – Part 3
What is the Family-Integrated Church Movement? – Part 4
What is the Family-Integrated Church Movement? – Part 5

Scripture wallpaper for iPhone and desktops from Resurgence. Sweet!

Sing!

We believe that singing the praises of God, is a holy ordinance of Christ, and not a part of natural religion, or a moral duty only; but that it is brought under divine instutution, it being enjoined on the churches of Christ to sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs; and that the whole church in their public assemblies (as well as private Christians) ought to sing God’s praises according to the best light they have received. Moreover, it was practised in the great representative church by our Lord Jesus Christ with His disciples, after He had instituted and celebrated the sacred ordinance of His holy supper, as a commemorative token of redeeming love.
- Philadelphia Baptist Confession of Faith, 1742