Dr. Tom Nettles, widely regarded as one of the foremost Baptist historians in America, recently gave two messages on the lives of William Carey and Adoniram Judson. Tom is a member of my church and one of the most humble servants you’ll ever meet. These “character sketches” will encourage you and inspire you.
Character Sketch: William Carey
Character Sketch: Adoniram Judson
As a pastor or church leader, how do you balance family and ministry? Which comes first? What are the biblical responsibilities of a husband and father? And how should a wife respond to the many trying circumstances in ministry?
These and other questions are explored by Doreen Moore in Good Christians, Good Husbands? an ”inspiring and convicting account of three 18th century Christian leaders (John Wesley, George Whitefield, and Jonathan Edwards), all of whom were passionate about glorifying God by serving Him in their generation … how they balanced (or did not balance) their passion for ministry with being married is the subject of this book.”
I’m about halfway through the book, and it’s a very convicting read. If you’re a church leader who feels the weight of balancing family and ministry, you need to get this book. My friend, Dr. Tom Nettles, Professor of Historical Theology at Southern Seminary, endorses the book saying, “each reader will receive rewards in personal development far in excess of the time investing in reading.” I couldn’t agree more.
These were prophetic words as he was assassinated the next day. What a challenge. To live like it’s your last day … to live for something that will outlast you … with no fear of man … with your eyes fixed on the glory that awaits you.
Martin Luther King Jr. with a powerful call to the church, which still rings true today as it did fifty years ago:
There was a time when the church was very powerful–in a time when the early Christians rejoiced at being deemed worthy to suffer for what they believed. In those days the church was not merely a thermometer that recorded the ideas and principles of popular opinion; it was a thermostat that transformed the mores of society … But the judgment of God is upon the church [today] as never before. If today’s church does not recapture the sacrificial spirit of the early church, it will lose its authenticity, forfeit the loyalty of millions, and be dismissed as an irrelevant social club with no meaning for the twentieth century.”
Originally taken from Martin Luther King Jr., “Letter from Birmingham Jail,” p. 17 (later quoted in Brothers We Are Not Professionals by John Piper, p. 203).
Mark Driscoll gives a short history of Santa Claus here.
“Christianity is the only major religion to have as its central event the humility of its God.”
- Bruce Shelley, Church History in Plain Language, p. 3
(HT: Zach Nielsen)
I’m home (in Iowa) for the holidays. It’s been a joyful time being with family, opening presents, singing Christmas carols, and eating lots of food! Perhaps like many of you, my family went to a Christmas Eve service together. The service included many songs and many Scripture readings which I enjoyed hearing and taking in. And then there was the message. It was okay, but typical of most Christmas sermons. Let me explain.
Most Christmas sermons, like the one I heard, tell of how God has come down to us (the incarnation) so he can show us the way and comfort us in our dark times. That’s true, but the incarnation is not the end. In fact, the only reason why God came down is so that he would be lifted up on a tree at Calvary. The incarnation means nothing without the crucifixion. But this is the disturbing part of Christmas, isn’t it? The little baby born in Bethlehem is the one who grew up and died on a bloody cross at Calvary. And if we tell only the beginning of the story we have no story at all — at least no gospel story.
C.J. Mahaney puts it this way:
The purpose of the manger was realized in the horrors of the cross. The purpose of his birth was his death. Or to put it more personally: Christmas is necessary because I am a sinner.
And so, in order for us to see Christmas for what Christmas really is, we must first see how disturbing the Christmas message really is.
Mahaney tells of an article written some years ago in WORLD Magazine by William H. Smith with the title, “Christmas is disturbing: Any real understanding of the Christmas messages will disturb anyone” (Dec. 26, 1992).
Smith ends his column with these words which I invite you to ponder:
Only those who have been profoundly disturbed to the point of deep repentance are able to receive the tidings of comfort, peace, and joy that Christmas proclaims.
And so my prayer for you and me is that we would be filled with peace and joy this Christmas–because we have been disturbed by the God who was born in a manger so he could die on a cross for our sins.
Washed Away
This picture was #5 on Time’s Top Ten List of Photos of 2008. Iowa was ravaged by floods in June. The rising waters carried these boat houses downstream until they collided with a railroad bridge in Cedar Rapids–my hometown.
It’s very easy to forget–especially for those of us who are on the younger side–that it was only a little over 40 years ago that there were Jim Crow laws in the US. Just a generation ago, many African Americans were segregated from whites in public schools, transportation, restrooms, and restaurants.
Tonight, the United States has elected a biracial man to serve as its leader.
It would be an understatement to call this a watershed cultural moment in our country’s history.
No matter who you voted for–or whether you voted at all–it’s important to remember that, as President, Barack Obama will have God-given authority to govern us, and that we should view him as a servant of God (Rom. 13:1, 4) to whom we should be subject (Rom. 13:1, 5; 1 Pet. 2:13-14).
- We are to pray for Barack Obama (1 Tim. 2:1-2).
- We are to thank God for Barack Obama (1 Tim. 2:1-2).
- We are to respect Barack Obama (Rom. 13:7).
- We are to honor Barack Obama (Rom. 13:7; 1 Pet. 2:17).
There are many qualifications to add to these exhortations–for example, see this excellent post by John Piper–but it’s still important to remember that these are requirements for all Bible-believing Christians.
Father in heaven, as we approach this election on Tuesday, I pray … above all, that we will treasure Jesus Christ, and tell everyone of his sovereignty and supremacy over all nations, and that long after America is a footnote to the future world, he will reign with his people from every tribe and tongue and nation.
Keep us faithful to Christ’s all important Word, and may we turn to it every day for light in these dark times.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen.
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