Jesus and Millennial Wants

There was an article that appeared a couple of times on my Facebook feed over the weekend. It’s an article by Rachel Held Evans on Why millennials are leaving the church. There is so much about this article that I celebrate. I appreciate her encouragement to drop the “church-as-performance” model. Furthermore, I think she’s largely correct about why millennials are leaving the church.

Yet at the same time that I celebrate much of the article I remain a tad befuddled. At one point the author states, “we millennials have highly sensitive BS meters, and we’re not easily impressed with consumerism or performances”. And she then makes the argument that “what millennials want is a change in substance”. After this she lists several things that this generation wants from church.

Her striking conclusion—the point that the whole article is driving towards—is that “we’re leaving the church because we don’t find Jesus there.” And that is what confuses me.

Why I’m befuddled

If what she means is that churches aren’t preaching Jesus then I think millennials ought to leave. But it isn’t the church that millennials are leaving its a social club with a cross hanging on the side of the building. Maybe a mass exodus out of social clubs calling themselves a church isn’t such a bad thing. 

But I don’t think that is the whole story. I wonder if maybe we millennials are the very thing that we say that we hate. On one hand we say that we want Jesus. But I wonder if it’s really Jesus that we want.

If what we really want is Jesus, then we ought to drop our “wants” and come running—not only to Jesus but to the messy church that he bought with His blood. Listen, the second that we come to Jesus with a list of our wants we’ve moved away from being a disciple and we’ve become a consumer. Which, again, is the very thing that Evans says millennials dislike about the church.

If you leave when you don’t like something that is the mentality of a consumer, not of a disciple.

Jesus and Millennial Wants

As I scan through the Gospels, I’m thinking about how Jesus responded to those that approached him as consumers. On one hand our Lord is always stooping. He reaches people where they are. And if this happens to be as a consumer—the Lord stoops and speaks to them on that level. But he always challenges them.

I think of the Rich Young Ruler that viewed Jesus as a good teacher that could nail down this question that has been nagging him. He left sorrowful because Jesus wasn’t a product to be consumed but a King to be followed.

I consider the throng of people that wanted to make Jesus a king because of his culinary skills. They left that day without their king because Jesus isn’t merely an earthly king to be hoisted onto a temporary throne, He’s the eternal ruler and sustainer of the universe.

I’m left to wonder whether or not millennials really want Jesus. Because if we do then we’re probably going to look more like Paul who gave himself to the church for the sake of Jesus’ sheep. And that doesn’t look much like leaving a church because it doesn’t look like what you want. It looks like staying, and pleading, and praying, and surrendering, and repenting, and changing, and growing, and messing up, and being involved in the yuck of church until the day Jesus returns and we’re all transformed.

So yeah, I’ve got to be honest and say I’m not really concerned with asking a group of millennials what they want out of church. I’ll talk. I’ll listen. But at the end of the day I hope that we both begin to ask what is it that Jesus wants out of the church. And I just bet it will be a little more than a fickle and consumerist commitment to the Bride of His affection.

Should I Still Mourn With Someone Whose Mourning Isn’t Based in Reality?

“Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep.”

So what if the person’s weeping is unfounded? Or what if their rejoicing is foolishness? Am I still called to rejoice with them? To weep with them?

It’s pretty easy to say that if some guy is rejoicing because he just had an affair, I should not join in his cheer. Nor should I match the anguish of soul my daughter feels when she skins her knee. Rejoicing with those who rejoice and weeping with those who weep does not necessarily mean matching their emotion.

What I see Paul saying in this verse (and the surrounding context) is that believers ought to have a Christ-consumed heart for others. This means that my heart is so invested in your heart that I ache with you or rejoice with you. My joy is found in your joy. My tears fall when yours do. It is as if the hearts of believers are glued together by the Lord.

This also means that our hearts will be grieved and not glad when a believer rejoices in sin. And we might rejoice—perhaps as somber rejoicing—when the Lord causes a man to weep for his sin and it leads to repentance. Therefore, I say that we must have a Christ-consumed heart for others.

So what about depression?

When a person experiences a dark night of the soul and goes through a period of depression it feels like everything that you are thinking is legit. You feel sad and often do not even know why. There is nothing attached to it. No real reason to mourn. No real reason to be discouraged and faint of heart.

What should a fellow believer do in this case? Am I to mourn with the one that is mourning; even if their mourning is not based on reality?

Yes and No.

Consider Jesus Raising Lazarus

Jesus went to the tomb of Lazarus fully knowing that He would raise him from the dead. Death would not be the end of the story on this day. Even after Jesus proclaims, “Your brother will rise again”, there is still weeping and mourning all around him. It is weeping that is not based in reality.

The only tears that should fall at a resurrection are tears of joy. Yet, Mary and Martha and the others have not yet seen the resurrection of Lazarus. They’ve only heard it on Jesus’ lips. They believe him. Oh, how they believe him. But they still ache. They cannot help but mourn.

Now catch Jesus’ response to their sadness:

When Jesus saw [Mary] weeping, and the Jews who had come with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in his spirit, and greatly troubled…Jesus wept.

Jesus is mourning. But he’s not mourning in the same way that they are. He’s broken by all the sadness around him. He’s weeping because of the cold reality of death and the Fall. He feels it more than anyone else in history has felt it. He created beauty, and therefore he sees fully the harsh reality of life outside Eden. And he weeps.

Then he raises Lazarus from the dead.

Jesus’ weeping is filled with hope and trust. He knows fully that God will be glorified and death will not deal a blow on this day. And He knows that on a dark Friday a short time later, He will deal a decisive blow to death. It will lose its sting.

Their weeping was filled with confusion, darkness, questions, tainted faith, with little flickers of hope. And it is the same way with depressed believers. The mourning of depression is often a hopeless weeping. We dare not join in that. But weep we must.

We weep because depression is not yet conquered. We weep because they are weeping—no matter how distanced from reality. We mourn with them, fully knowing that some day our faith shall be sight and they—along with us—will never be detached from reality again. But we mourn because that’s a not yet.

Mourn we must. But when we are given the grace of sanity and clarity of sight we had better mourn with a hope-filled shout of “Maranatha!”

The Ideal Disciple

Imagine Jesus standing before you. As your head moves towards the sound of His voice you are astonished to hear these words:

What do you want me to do for you?

Put yourself there. Hear his words to you. How would you answer that question?

In Mark 10, James and John answered that question by essentially saying, “make us epic”. In their case Jesus’ question was provoked by their demand, “we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you”. They respond by telling Jesus that they wanted to sit at the His right and left hand—having a special place of honor.

A blind beggar, named Bartimaeus, answered that question differently. He simply says, “Rabbi, let me recover my sight”. Whereas the sons of Thunder wanted to be epic, Bartimaeus simply wants to be normal.

The Ideal Disciple

I’m convinced that Mark has placed these two stories together to highlight Bartimaeus as an ideal disciple: one who is desperate and sees Jesus as his only refuge. When you don’t realize how utterly inadequate and miserable your condition is, you say dumb things like, “make me epic”. Or, “yeah, we can drink the cup of suffering—we’ve got what it takes, Jesus”. And then you go back and fight with the other disciples about who Jesus loves the most.

Not so with Bartimaeus. He is desperate. And this gospel account would have us notice that Jesus “stops” for the forlorn. When you read something like, “And Jesus stopped…” you ought to stop as well. His face is set like flint to Jerusalem. This narrative is on the heels of the triumphal entry. Stopping Jesus at this point is like stopping a jet cruising down the runway ready for flight—if it stops it is for a good reason.

God wants us to know that He stops for desperate people crying out for rescue.

Bartimaeus fits that bill. He is so desperate that a crowd full of people telling him to shut up doesn’t deter him. He must have Jesus. This blind beggar has recognized what so few people in Mark’s narrative could see—that Jesus Christ is the promised Messiah that is overturning the works of darkness. Rather than striving for a seat of honor in Jesus’ kingdom, blind Bartimaeus just wants a seat.

This narrative screams a question out to us: “which type of disciple are you?”

In reality I am as Bartimaeus; desperate, destitute, no hope to be found except in Jesus. But do I recognize it? Does my prayer life reflect the cries and panting of an impoverished beggar or the smug request of a fool that only sees Jesus as a means to being epic?

The Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and so he is still asking today, “What do you want me to do for you?”

I pray that we answer as desperate Bartimaeus-type disciples.

An Unhealthy Focus in Much Christian Literature

“Have you stopped beating your wife?”

That question is the classic example of a loaded question. It is already assumed in the question that the respondent at some point in the past is guilty of having beaten his wife. The question itself begs for a “yes” or “no” answer. Either make the respondent guilty.

Many of the questions in Christian books, small group studies, and Sunday school material reads like this question. At risk of side-tracking discussion, I will cite one question from Multiply by Francis Chan:

“Take a minute to think about your past experience with studying the Bible. Which of the wrong motivations listed above are you guilty of? Can you think of any others?”

My only option is to admit guilt for one of the three. Could it be that God has rescued me from these? A question a few pages later says, “How do you need to adjust your approach to studying the Bible?” Could it be that I don’t need to adjust my approach? I know that we all probably need to adjust in small ways, but should it be assumed that I have wrong motivations in studying the Bible?

Listen, I am greatly benefiting from Chan’s book. It’s very helpful in many areas. I love the plan and it’s a great resource for doing discipleship. We will probably continue to use this. However, I am concerned about an unhealthy focus that this could instill. And this unhealthy focus seems to be in many books that are meant to help with discipleship.

Most material these days has a general feel that seems to come from the assumption that almost everyone and every church is blowing it in their Christian life. And let’s be honest—we do still have remaining sin and no church or person is perfect. There is plenty areas in which we aren’t matching up to what Christ has called us to.

Yet I wonder if such a focus might train disciples to think more about their failures than the work that Christ has already been wrought within us. I am not advocating erasing all of the questions that point to areas where we need growth. We need these questions. But we need another question added. We need to also ask, “In what way do you see God’s grace evidenced in your life?”

Let’s celebrate redemption at the same time we cry out for further rescue.

What About That Guy?

“Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you used to dress yourself and walk wherever you wanted, but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go…Peter turned and saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them…When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, “Lord, what about this man?” Jesus said to him, “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow me!”  (John 21:18-23, emphasis mine)

Peter has just been put on death row by Jesus. It’s an ominous prophecy that Peter will suffer a fate similar to Jesus. Upon hearing these words Peter’s eye falls upon John, the beloved disciple. To this, he points his finger towards John and asks Jesus, “what about this guy”?

Have you ever felt like Peter?

Here you are trying to make ends meet as a poorly paid factory worker. Some other dude (we’ll call him Jim) that seems to do the same amount of work as you (if not less) makes twice the amount that you do. You know that the Lord has you at this job to be a minister for him. You are thankful that he has provided this job, but when that other guy catches your eye you can’t help but ask, “what about Jim?”

You barely seem to be able to lift your head in the morning. You pray for rescue. You read your Bible as best as you can. You surround yourself with encouraging ladies at your church. You do about everything suggested to overcome this darkness, and yet it doesn’t seem to break. The other ladies at the church are doing the same things that you are and seem filled with laughter and mirth. “What about them?”

When we do not like the lot that the Lord has given us we are tempted to cast our eyes on the life of someone else. What about them?

To this the Lord responds just as he did with Peter, “If I want to pay Jim three times your salary, or cause the other ladies to explode with happiness, that is my prerogative, why do you care?…YOU FOLLOW ME!” Jesus isn’t asking Peter to live the life of John or even to concern himself with the life of John. He will never be accountable for living the life that John is called to live. But he will be accountable for his life. And that is why Jesus turns his focus back and says, you follow me.

If God calls you to suffer (whether through depression, an unjust salary, a physical malady, or anything else) it does very little good for you to look around and say, “What about them, Lord”? Fix your eyes on Jesus and be faithful no matter where he has you. He is the Lord over every sphere of your life. You and I are called to simply follow Him wherever he leads.

The grass may be greener in my neighbors yard but I’m responsible for mowing mine.

The Coolest Testimony Ever

Every testimony is “cool”. And it’s kind of silly to talk about the coolest testimony ever. But I do believe there is one testimony—one that is yet to happen—that will be the coolest testimony ever.

If I’m reading by Bible correctly, one of the reasons why Christ has yet to return is because not all of those that are going to be saved have been saved yet. I think we see this in part in Matthew 24:14 when Jesus says, “And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.” The end cannot come until the gospel has been proclaimed to all peoples and people from every tribe, tongue, nation, and people have come to Jesus.

I also think this is what Peter is speaking of in 2 Peter 3:9

The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.

It seems to me from the context of 2 Peter that the reason why the Lord has not yet returned is because the Lord is patiently waiting for all that are going to come to repentance to actually come to repentance. If I’m right about this, then I’m picturing in my mind the coolest testimony ever.

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After sharing the gospel with this woman you ask her if she wants to call upon the Lord in faith and repentance. She says, “yes”, prays a little Psalm 51. You rejoice with her and the next thing you know Jesus is sounding a trumpet, riding upon the clouds coming down to be with His bride forever.

That in my mind will be the coolest testimony ever. The very last one. The one in which we can say of the Great Commission, “It is finished”. I might be a little selfish but I kind of want to be the guy that leads that last person to the Lord. Now every time I share the gospel I’m going to start looking up into the clouds to see if he/she was the one. And if the Lord continues to tarry I’ll know that it’s time to get back to work—going, sharing, and making disciples.

A Leadership Lesson From @JohnPiper

In preparing a training session on hospitality I found myself wading through a few older John Piper sermons. In one particular sermon from 1985 I read this quote:

“When I am dead and gone and another man stands in this pulpit to candidate as your pastor, O how I pray that you will ask: Does he relate everything to God? Or is he content to simply promote morals? Is there distinctively Christian theology in all he says? Or could his messages be spoken by a tender-hearted secular psychologist with keen insight into how to get along better?”  -John Piper, sermon from 1985

That was 1985. Fast forward to 2012/13. The day has arrived when “another man stands in the pulpit” of Bethlehem Baptist Church. That man is Jason Meyer. Of whom Piper has said:

I joyfully and expectantly commend him to you with all my heart. Not only because of a long list of gifts and graces and competencies, but also because I believe God has chosen him and anointed him for this role. May the Lord confirm this with a hope-filled, happy, unified vote of the Bethlehem family.

It is because of the mercy and goodness of God that Bethlehem Baptist Church is supplied with a godly pastor. The means that God used to accomplish that purpose can be found in Piper’s statements from 1985. For 30 years he gave his flock a vision of what his successor should look like. It was not by accident that Piper could say, “I joyfully and expectantly commend him to you with all my heart”. Piper had labored for that moment for three decades.

The lesson for us?

The second that you step into the pastorate begin preparing the congregation for your successor and being praying for him.

It is not that you do not intend to have staying power. You prepare for your successor because you are not in control of your stay. Unless the Lord returns, the church you now serve will someday have someone else as their shepherd. A faithful shepherd prays that his sheep are fed for their entire life—not just for the season in which he has the title of her pastor.

10 Books I Want the Next Generation to Read

A Christian man that is battling cancer is compiling a list of ten books that he wants the next generation to be sure to read. He has sought my top 10.

Rather than just giving a top 10 books I think it might be more beneficial to say what 10 “types” of books I’d want to leave to the next generation. It is my hope that these books would ground the next generation and give them a passion for digging further. Because of that aim most of these are more introductory type of books to inspire further reading.

I’ll give an example or two of each of these. These are in no particular order.

1. How to read the Scriptures: 40 Questions About Interpreting the Bible by Robert L. Plummer
2. What is the gospel?: Gospel for Real Life by Jerry Bridges or God is the Gospel by John Piper
3. How to apply the gospel: How People Change by Paul Tripp and Timothy Lane
4. How to live the Christian life: Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life by Don Whitney
5. Who is God?: Knowing God by J.I. Packer
6. Something to break me: The Holiness of God by R.C. Sproul
7. Something to introduce you to a deep well like the Puritans: The Bruised Reed by Richard Sibbes.
8. Someone to model: The Works of John Newton (I would suggest also stockpiling biographies of Newton and his letters. Wise Counsel by Grant Gordon is also a great resource).
9. How to fight for joy: Pleasures Evermore by Sam Storms or Desiring God by John Piper
10. How to share the gospel: Tell the Truth by Will Metzger or The Gospel and Personal Evangelism by Mark Dever

I feel like the author of Hebrews must have felt when writing his eleventh chapter. I don’t have time to tell you of Dever’s 9 Marks, or Lloyd-Jones, or all the great books to help with preaching and ministry, or suffering, or the immensely helpful Puritans, or McCheyne’s diary. I didn’t even scratch the surface of church history. But my hope is that the aforementioned books would create a solid foundation and cause the next generation to seek further helps.

More than anything, though, it is my prayer that the next generation will have a hunger for knowing and living God’s Word.

The Church Going Full Ninja

I had to have wasted a good hour.

It was my first experience—at least that I recall—with a powerful sunbeam. I pondered the impact that this ray of light had upon our home. Its brightness exposed all of these little creatures. They looked like sea monkeys. Or floating pieces of dirt. They would soon take on a life of their own.

I experimented with these dust fragments for all of five minutes. Then I did what all little boys do when confronted with invaders; I busted out my sweet ninja moves. I employed karate chop after karate chop to destroy these little minions bombarding our kitchen floor.

I lost.

Quite shamefully really. It didn’t matter how much effort I put forth, I never could conquer these dust particles. As soon as I roundhouse kicked one in the face a million others came through the open window, dive-bombing down a sun-beam and gleefully sabotaging our kitchen floor.

After an embarrassingly long time I discovered the solution. Somehow the sun was giving these little goobers their energy. I quickly learned that if I could block the sun it would kill these dust particles. I shut the curtain.

Game Over. No more tiny creatures taunting me with their invincibility.

The Church

As I reminisce about my youthful ignorance I cannot help but think about the church. It seems as if we spend a good amount of our energies trying to clean up these dust particles; namely, all the brokenness around us. That’s good and well. We ought to be engaged in bringing the transformation of Jesus into the lives of every sphere of brokenness and rebellion.

But, let’s be honest. Little boys trying to annihilate dust particles with karate chops is impossible. Then again, so is it impossible for the church to ultimately conquer her sin this side of glory. Is it possible that in our discouragement with attempting the impossible that we have succumbed to the quick fix of shutting the curtain?

Have we convinced ourselves that we have gotten rid of sin for the most part but all we have really done is close the curtain? And by “close the curtain” I mean that we’ve somehow shut out the penetrating and heart-searching work of Jesus.

Maybe safe and sanitized does not equal a church that has been rocked by Jesus. It might mean that in her apathy the church has simply closed the curtain. The ugliness is still there but it’s largely hidden. She’s comfortably sanitized herself from outward brokenness but for some reason Jesus seems gone too.

The mark of a church that is being rocked by Jesus is one that has the curtain wide open. For that reason it is probably going to look more sinful and more jacked up. The light of the gospel exposes what is hidden—even those little dust particles that we’d like to pretend aren’t there.

A biblical church doesn’t celebrate the exposure of sin. A biblical church rejoices at the heart-penetrating work of Jesus but then she gets busy karate chopping the dickens out of the sin that is exposed. Of course by “karate chopping the dickens” I mean nothing more than applying the gospel and all it’s power and benefits to the sin that has been exposed.

Let’s open up that curtain and get to choppin’

Controversy and Discipleship

“What’s your opinion on whether or not our wills are free”.

The question wasn’t quite as polished but that was the core of this young man’s question. Had he asked it 7-8 years ago I would have jumped for joy assuming that God was mightily working and this dude was really interested in the really important aspects of our faith. That was then, though.

Now when I hear that question…especially from a young man that hasn’t been a believer for even a year…I cringe a little, answer him as simplistically as I can, trying to divert his attention.

I’ve come to believe that such controversial questions aren’t automatically the work of the Lord. It’s quite possible that it comes from another camp altogether. Controversy destroys new believers. In his excellent work, A Christian Directory, Richard Baxter offers three reasons* why new believers shouldn’t “plunge too soon into controversies”.

1. It will be a great loss to you, because it will distract your souls from what is far greater. It will be more beneficial to your soul—and more pleasing to God—for you to drink deeper in the fundamentals of the gospel than spending your time in controversy.
2. It will corrupt your minds. In place of humility, love, holiness, and heavenly-mindness it will feed your pride, and kindle a heart of division. Controversy will quench your love for others and grow in you a contentious spirit. You will ignore these sins because you assume your doctrine is sound.
3. It can lead to such a deception that you will eventually become erroneous and heretical. You are not yet mature enough to judge of these things because you have not gotten a firm enough foundation in the gospel. Therefore, you are undertaking a work that you cannot do. You will undoubtedly end in error.

What this means for discipleship

I wish that I could say that Baxter was a goober and that he is largely over-reacting. Sadly, I have seen the ill effects of new believers too quickly plunging into controversies. I have witnessed (sadly, even in my own heart) a propensity to pride and division. Early on I believe I cared more about whether someone was a Calvinist than whether they were a good husband and father. That’s just silly.

Because I have learned the hard way from what Baxter is saying I have changed the way I do discipleship. I try to focus on the majors and minimize the minors. I will still share my opinion on various controversial matters but I will do everything in my power to bring back the conversation to the sufficiency and importance of gospel basics.

I want the people that I disciple to know theology because I believe it is the fuel to worship. But I also want them to know be more attuned to their wife’s favorite flower than the difference between infra and supralapsarianism. I’d rather they be able to name every character on their son’s favorite television show than be able to name every millenial theory. That happens by asking tough questions of life and love instead of just theological true/false questions.

Controversy doesn’t usually make good disciples. So let’s be sure that new believers aren’t distracted right out of the gate.

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*I’ve tried to update and simplify the language as best as I can.

20 Directions for New Believers

After years of desiring its possession I have finally secured a copy of A Christian Directory written by Richard Baxter. It has proven a great help thus far. In one section Baxter gives twenty directions for new believers. I have modernized these and make them available for your benefit:

1. True grace over novelty. Make sure that it is true grace that is captivating you and not simply that the gospel has become “the next best thing” in your life. Time will tell this as those not truly captivated by grace will end up bored with the gospel and/or will run away once suffering and discomfort come.
2. Knowledge AND practice. Give equal attention to knowledge and practice as the two are intimately joined together.
3. Theological Triage. Truths have a dependence on one another. Some are more significant than others. Doing the lesser truth at the expense of the greater truth is a sin. A solid catechism helps with this.
4. Slow to controversy. Do not be hasty to jump into controversy. If/when you do be sure to keep these lesser matters in their place.
5. Thankful but not arrogant. Be grateful for the grace you’ve been given but do not get cocky. Remember that you are but an infant in grace.
6. Do not be discouraged with your humble beginnings. Again remember you are an infant in the faith. Some things that seem almost impossible now will be second nature later.
7. Sound preaching. If at all possible be certain to sit under the ministry of a sound gospel preacher. This would include pursuing counsel outside of his pulpit ministry as well.
8. Beware of factions. Love Christians as Christians. Be very cautious of developing a “party” spirit. (Not the spirit of someone that likes to drink a bunch of Jack Daniels and dance on tables in a bar—though that too should be avoided. A "party” spirit means be careful of following too closely to one particular brand of the Christian faith—ex. the Young, Restless, and Reformed).
9. Grounded in Trials. Don’t let persecution embitter you and make you less than your profession. Do not be shocked when the world hates you or embittered to them when they do.
10. Balance. When running from one error be careful not to go off into the other extreme. New believers will have a tendency to take new information and make as much of an error out of it than the opposite error that they just escaped from.
11. You Could Be Wrong. Do not be overly confident in the “disputable matters” or religion. Remember you are an infant in the faith. Be confident in the substantial matters of the faith but know that you will likely change your mind on many of these disputable issues.
12. Stay on the sidelines in controversy. If there is controversy in your area look for common truths and do not pick a side yet. Pursue unity.
13. Godliness=Happiness. Joy is found in holiness not in sin. Though Satan, the world and your own flesh might try to convince you otherwise know that true rest, peace, and happiness is found in a life of godliness.
14. Mortify. Be diligent in mortifying the sin and lusts in your life. Get to know your diverse temptations and seek to avoid them and mortify their lusts. (Mortify is an older Puritan-type of word that means “to kill).
15. Watch Your Companions. Be careful of your teachers and your company. This is not to say avoid unbelievers, but do not make your choicest companions those that do not treasure the Lord.
16. Watch Your Library. Be careful what books you read. You do not have to avoid all unsound books but be cautious in everything that you read.
17. Freedom isn’t License. Do not fall into libertinism. Free grace should not lead to carnal security and sloth. Jesus Christ is a promoter of holiness and not sin.
18. Counterfeits are Tricky. Watch against obvious decays of grace but also counterfeit and carnal affections. The tempter will be happy to have you practicing Christianity outwardly and making a fine show of it all the while inwardly you are withering away.
19. Life is a vapor. Do not promise yourself a long life. Life is but a mist, live your life as if this is true—because it is.
20. Be God-centered. In everything that you do make sure that the Lord and His glory is your aim. Your pursuit and your prize is the Lord Himself.

The Summit of Love

The church at Ephesus was a doctrinally solid church. It also had endured a great amount of hardship. They had remained faithful in the midst of false teachers. In our wishy-washy lite on truth society the church at Ephesus would have been a welcome sight. Yet, in the eyes of Jesus they were missing the mark:

But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. (Revelation 2:4 ESV)

Scholars debate whether this is love for the Lord or love for one another. I agree with those that believe it is probably a combination of both. Biblically speaking the two often go hand in hand. You can’t love the Lord and hate his bride. Likewise you aren’t going to be lacking in love for Jesus but exploding in love for his broken bride. The doctrinally sound church at Ephesus was missing an awe of God. Perhaps they had gotten to a point where they equated believing correct doctrine with treasuring correct doctrine.

Jesus tells them that the prescription for this lack of love is to remember, repent, and to get back to doing the works that they did at first. In this statement in verse 5 I find something very interesting. In verse 5 Jesus says, “remember therefore from where you have fallen”.

That tells me something about correct doctrine and endurance; namely, they aren’t the summit. Love is. (Or at least love is higher than both of those). Otherwise their lack of love wouldn’t have been a height from which they could fall. Love is not optional to correct doctrine. It’s not the icing on the cake of having sound theology. If you don’t have love then your whole cake is jacked up. 

Why does doctrine matter?

From such a truth some have erroneously concluded that doctrine really doesn’t matter. The only thing that matters is love. To this I say “poppycock”. Or at least I would if I said things like “poppycock”.

In Paul’s prayer for the Philippians he prays that their “love may abound more and more” and that it might do so “with knowledge and all discernment”. (Philippians 1:9) In other words Paul prays that they might have a growing love that is grounded in the truth.

You do not get to the summit of love without correct doctrine to fuel you upwards. Your love for Jesus grows when your grasping of the truth of Jesus grows. The argument from many of Paul’s letters is that there is an intimate link between our seeing and beholding Christ (doctrine) and our treasuring of Christ and His people (love).

You cannot treasure what you have little knowledge of. My son thinks that baseball is pretty cool. But he also still will sometimes run to second base before first base. Or he’ll think that the goal of the game is to tackle the pitcher after you’ve hit the ball. It’s a pretty cool version of the sport, I’ll give him that, but he doesn’t understand baseball and therefore he doesn’t rightly know how to treasure it. It’s the same way with Jesus. Correct doctrine fuels love. Or at least it ought to…

What does this mean for the local church?

I would like to also ask, “what does this mean for seminaries”, but because I have about as much influence on seminary life as Justin Bieber does on making solid music I will stick to the local church. I will say though, that I believe many seminaries err in training pastors how to have correct doctrine but seldom challenging them to learn love.

In the local church we must disciple people not only with correct doctrine but with a heart that treasures Christ. At the end of the day this is all the work of the Spirit. Even being able to swallow, embrace, and treasure correct doctrine is a work of the Spirit. How much more then is it the work of the Spirit to cause people to respond to correct doctrine with worship and and a life of love?

How does the church keep from churning out theological dolts and/or loveless theology nerds? I believe it’s by continually exposing them to the word of God while modeling humility and pushing them towards that. When discipling others we must value truth and excel in love.

Some need to be reminded that they haven’t arrived simply because they can win games of Bible trivia or go toe to toe in theology discussions with a seminary professor. They need to be reminded that doctrine truly embraced will express itself in worship of God and humble and loving service in a local church.

Others need to be reminded that if their doctrine is shallow more than likely so is their love. They ought to be congratulated that they are excelling in love but spurred on to make that love more grounded in the unchangeable truth of Jesus.

Both must, through the power of the Spirit, aim for the summit of love.

Uncomfortable Grace is Still Grace

I forget if it was college or the latter years of high school. Whenever it was, I prayed something really stupid. You see I looked around at many of my friends that were able to do whatever they wanted to do and it seemed they were able to do it without even a tinge of guilt. Not me. I had what seemed like an angry bear of conviction that would pummel my soul and emotions whenever I would engage in sinful activities. My prayer in that day was that the Lord would simply leave me alone and let me do what I wanted to do without feeling so badly.

Stupid…stupid…stupid prayer. I was basically praying the Lord’s judgment on myself and I did not know it. I was acting like the Lord’s vineyard in Isaiah 5 and praying that the Lord would treat me the same:

    I will make it a waste;
        it shall not be pruned or hoed,
        and briers and thorns shall grow up;
    I will also command the clouds
        that they rain no rain upon it.
(Isaiah 5:6 ESV)

As I read through Isaiah 5 this morning I was reminded of my ignorance. I was painfully reminded that Isaiah 5 ought to be my story. There is absolutely nothing within me that does not deserve to be carried off and banished just as these Israelites were. I deserve for the Lord to not prune me, to lay me to waste, and to have His anger stretched out against me. I even prayed for it.

Thankfully the Lord in His grace disregarded my foolish prayer. He continued to hound me and prune me. He is molding me and shaping me into the creation of His desire. I am a vineyard…a stubborn vineyard…that He is radically dedicated to. Even His dry and painful seasons are meant for my redemption. May I think Him for every moment of His work.

If you are being convicted by the Lord today thank Him for it. Do not be dumb like I was years ago and pray for the Lord to remove His rod of conviction. Thank Him that He is still pruning you. And remember His uncomfortable grace is still grace. 

Faithful Disciples Aren’t Just Wet Disciples

That disciple whom Jesus loved therefore said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer garment, for he was stripped for work, and threw himself into the sea.

Forget rowing.  I’m swimming dude. 

I’m on the receiving end of such jubilation about every night when I come home from work.  I’m always greeted with little pattering feet and exclamatory shouts of “Daddy’s home!”  And occasionally they’ll be so excited they’ll cast off all restraint and trip over chairs, shoes, couches, cats, and garden hoes just to greet me.  There are few better feelings in the world. 

In John 21:7 Peter is like a little kid excited that daddy is finally home.  Thankfully for everyone involved he does put on his outer garment, but that’s about the only propriety that Peter will allow himself to have on this day.  He casts off all restraint and throws himself into the sea.

That’s a picture of discipleship. 

If I asked my kids why they greet me with such excitement at the door they’d probably give a confused answer.  Hannah would probably say “banana” and we’d both just laugh.  Isaiah would probably ponder it for a few moments and then tell me a very honest, “because you’re home daddy”.  They aren’t really concerned with all the in’s and out’s of the thing.  They just love their daddy and want to be with him.  Same with Peter who throws himself into the sea instead of rowing a hundred yards. 

I pray that I have that much excitement.  When I see the Spirit moving does my heart leap like Peter’s?  “It’s the Lord!”  When my eyes are opened to see the Christ all throughout the Scriptures do I cast myself into the sea?  “It’s the Lord!” 

Yes, faithful disciples are wet disciples that love Jesus so much that they just throw themselves into the sea because it seems like the quickest way to get to him.

But They Aren’t Just All Wet

Yet, there is more to discipleship than throwing yourself in the sea.  A few verses later Jesus is going to ask Peter three times whether or not he loves Him.  Jesus’ first question is telling.  And given the display of love that Peter just exhibited it’s a little shocking.  “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?”

Those guys were hurriedly rowing a fish-filled boat to shore.  Not Peter.  He displayed his child-like love by throwing himself overboard.  Jesus’ questioning is intentional.  He is reinstating Peter.  Just as Peter had denied Him three times so now Jesus is charging him three times, “feed my sheep”.  By the third time that he asks the question Peter is grieved.  “You know that I love you, Lord!” 

In one sense it means very little that Peter can confess that he loves Christ.  Perhaps that is why each time he appeals to the Lord’s omniscience instead of Peter’s own broken confession.  They both know all too well that Peter can do boasting.  Peter can do brazen.  He has evidenced this his entire time following Jesus.  The Lord is after so much more than a hearty confession.  The Lord wants all of Peter and so he probes to the depths of his being, and there He heals Peter.  And as he does this he shows all of us a little something about discipleship.

Yes, discipleship is evidenced by a white-hot affection that boils itself out of a boat and throws itself into a sea.  But it is not only white-hot affection.  It is also faithful action (ministry) that marks a faithful disciple.  It’s awesome that Peter throws himself into the sea just to get to Jesus.  But it’s even more awesome when this love for Jesus displays itself in spilling out his blood in feeding the Lord’s sheep.

A faithful disciple is marked by white-hot affection for Jesus and faithful ministry in Jesus. 

 

 

I Need Your Help

Serious question.  If the title of this post were the subject of an email from me would your reception of it be different? 

I know my answer to that question.  A few days ago I received an email from someone that I love and respect.  I saw the subject line and my initial thought before I even read it was, “sure man, I’ll do what I can”. 

Then I read the email.  And the 50 other names that were connected to the email.  I still found myself wanting to help, but with much less vigor.  I went from a passion to do whatever it was that I could do to help out to simply saying something to the effect of, “If I’m able to get time I’d love to help out”. 

I really do not know why I would respond this way.  My level of passion for helping a guy out should probably be the same whether he asks 50 guys or just me.  But it wasn’t. 

The singular plea sounded like this: “I’ve got an issue, Mike.  I think you’d be great for helping out and solving it.  I need YOUR help.”

The group plea sounded like this: “I’ve got an issue fellas.  And I’m really hoping one of you chaps can help out with it.  I have no idea who that dude is going to be, but I figure one of you fits the bill.  I need your help.”

The first one makes me think that there is something in me that is called forth to help out.  I fit the bill.  I need to take this thing and help.  The other one makes me think that anybody could probably do it, somebody will do it, but it doesn’t necessarily need to be me. 

Perhaps this is selfish.  Maybe this doesn’t reflect a servants heart.  Chastise me in the comments—seriously, call me out if I’m totally off base here.  But I wonder how often our announcements and pleas for help in the “nursery” or cleaning bathrooms, or teaching Sunday school, or being on the finance team, or anything else, simply falls on the ears of nobody because they aren’t the somebody. 

I hope that thinking through my response to this email will make me a better pastor.  When we have needs within the church I want to pray and think through who I can personally walk up to and say, “I need your help”.  I’ve known this all along that you get far more response when you ask them personally.  I think now I understand why that is the case. 

Monday’s Ministry Musing: Fast Tracking Spiritual Growth and Golden Calves

“When the people saw that Moses delayed to come down from the mountain, the people gathered themselves together to Aaron and said to him, “Up, make us gods who shall go before us. As for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.” (Exodus 32:1 ESV)

If this story was not so sad it would be wildly humorous.  The Israelites have been waiting at the bottom of the mountain to hear from the Lord.  They have already promised that “all the words that the LORD has spoken we will do” (Ex. 20:3).  Then Moses jaunts up the mountain to receive the word of the Lord. 

Hours turn into days.

Days turn into weeks.

Weeks turn into a month. 

Finally, the people at the foot of the mountain call together a meeting and say, “Let’s face it…this Moses chap…who really knows what has happened to him.  He’s not coming back down from that mountain.  We liked his vision, we liked his idea about being in covenant with this YHWH, but seriously guys this is taking a REALLY long time.  Can’t you just make us a god so that we can worship, we’re too tired of waiting on YHWH.” 

So Aaron follows the people and they take up a missions offering, throwing their gold into the offering plates.  When the ushers gather together they give all their prosperity to Aaron who then crafts it into a golden calf.  I assume they called this idol something similar to YHWH because they ascribe to this assemblage of metal the work that YHWH had previously accomplished.

They wanted the fruit that YHWH had promised but not the labor of trust and love that it took to see it. 

I would really like to laugh at them.  Then I realize that I’m probably somewhere amongst them--plotting out plans for church success, spiritual growth, and helping people to worship a convenient “YHWH”.  You see, I have my own little sacred cows that I have constructed under the pretext of worshipping the living God.  I have my own plans to fast track the spiritual growth of the flock that I am called to help shepherd. 

“And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ”. 

Day of Jesus Christ?!?  That’s might be take awhile.  “As for this return of Jesus, we aren’t sure when that’s going to happen”.  Let me help you out, Lord.  I think I can fast track their spiritual growth.  I’ve written these really helpful articles on my blog…

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Lord, Your people are in your hands.  You hold them with an immovable hand.  Your arm is not too short to save.  Mine is.  When I think that I know better, when I am tempted to construct my own sacred cows help me remember that the only thing that brings us to completion is the finished work of Jesus.  Yes, finished work of Jesus.  You don’t need my golden calves.  You don’t need anything from me.  Yet, you bid me come and die.  May I follow you even if at times it looks like I’ve been slaughtered on a scary mountain. 

Review of Gospel-Centered Discipleship by Jonathan Dodson

“How are you and God doing?” 

That is a question I have been asked numerous times in various accountability type groups.  I have to be honest.  I’m really never sure how to answer it.  Do I just say, “uhmmm pretty good.  He died for me and because of His work I know that I’m ‘doing good’ with God”?  Or do I look into my Christian activity?  Do I be honest and say that on Thursday I lived like an atheist and pretty much thought like one?  So, I’m not really sure how God and I are doing.

That question and my muddy responses displays the difficulty (problem?) with many accountability groups.  They either become places of legalistic sin searching or surface relationships of cheap grace.  I’m either beat with the stick of “accountability” for my bought with anger towards my kids last week or I find false fellowship and cheap grace because my accountability partner struggles with anger too.  Though I leave my accountability group with more moral resolve (though beaten to a pulp) or a false peace because I’m “not alone in my struggle” my sin still runs rampant and wild because it has never been confronted with the gospel. 

Summary:

Jonathan Dodson in his book Gospel-Centered Discipleship presents a model for discipleship and fighting sin that steers clear of legalism and license and finds its center in the gospel.  Though only 150 pages Dodson gives not only a model for discipleship he also shares a theology and the biblical motivation for discipleship. 

The book is divided into three parts.  In the first part Dodson attempts to define discipleship by considering the goal of discipleship.  He looks at a few of the pitfalls in modern definitions of discipleship and gives the reader a biblical definition of “fighting for image”.  The second part gets to the heart of discipleship.  Here he considers our motivations for discipleship (both false and what should be the central motivations).  In this section he also focuses on the Essential Role of the Holy Spirit.  Part three is the application section.  Here he introduces the reader to “fight clubs” and also shows ways to implement them. 

My Take:

The first part of the book is a very necessary foundation building.  But for someone who has read and finds themselves firmly within the gospel-centered movement there will not be a ton of new information.  I found myself in the first 5 chapters nodding my head agreeing with Dodson, underlining a few really good quips, but honestly not being profoundly changed by the book. 

To be truthful I was a tad disappointed.  Not that the book was in error or something that I could not embrace.  It just didn’t seem all that new.  Or to be honest, all that necessary as a new book.  I was hoping this book would help with implementing a gospel-centered discipleship philosophy within the church.  Knowing that these chapters were necessary I still found myself hoping that Dodson would shift gears in the latter half of the book. 

He did.  Boy, did he shift gears!  I went from thinking this book was good and solid to thinking through ways of going through it with a few people in our church and implementing some of it.  Chapter 5 was convicting and absolutely rocked my socks off.  I was very convicted that I was painfully neglecting the very One that was doing the convicting in that moment.  No wonder some of my discipleship and ministry efforts seem so empty—I’m occasionally ministering as an atheist would.  Dodson brings this neglect out in a painful yet gospel-saturated way. 

Chapter 6-8 is where the book will really help pastors and church leaders.  Dodson’s idea of fight clubs is very helpful.  It is something that the leadership within our church has been looking at doing but not quite sure how to get it done.  Dodson’s book, I believe, will help with this.  Fight clubs are pretty simple to implement but probably very difficult to live out.  I look forward to trying. 

Should You Buy It?

I would.  It’s a very solid book on discipleship.  Even if you are new believer I think the first section will help a new believer not fall into the various pitfalls of beginning steps of living the Christian life.  It is also helpful for seasoned believers that are looking to disciple other people.  I highly recommend this book.  In fact we may take a few people in our church through this book and try to start some Fight Clubs (or whatever we decide to call them) here at FB Jasper. 

You can buy it here: Gospel-Centered Discipleship for just a little over 10 bucks.

Monday’s Ministry Musing: Disciple is Eternal, Pastor is Not.

For there is no reason to fear that a minister, if tolerably furnished with gifts, will be remarkably deficient or negligent in any known branch of pastoral obligation while his heart is alive to the enjoyments and to the duties of Christian character.  It is from the pastor’s defects, considered under the notion of a disciple, that his principal difficulties and chief dangers arise.  -Abraham Booth

First, is this true?  If Booth means something akin to “seldom do ministers get fired for skill but often they are fired for immorality” then it is only partially true.  I can think of more ministers that are politely asked to step down because of inadequacy in their “skills” than because of immorality. 

However, I think Booth means something more eternal than simply being asked to step down from a position.  Booth is speaking of that which is eternal.  We will not be pastors in heaven—but we will be disciples.  Every faithful pastor is first a faithful disciple.  It’s when pastors are no longer disciples that their “ministry” is longer fruitful before the Lord. 

I agree, then, with Booth’s sentiment that pastors are disciples first.  And when being a disciple is neglected the ministry will typically not flourish.  But even here we can be deceived.  Booth continues:

Take heed to yourself, lest you mistake an increase of gifts for a growth in grace.  Your knowledge of the Scriptures, your abilities for explaining them, and your ministerial talents in general may considerably increase by reading, study, and public exercise, while real godliness is far from flourishing in your heart. 

He then says something that I think all of us that preach and proclaim gospel-centrality need to heed:

I have long been of the opinion, my brothers, that no professors of the genuine gospel have more need to be on their guard against self-deception, respecting the true state of religion in their own souls, than those who statedly dispense the gracious truth. 

In other words we can preach the gospel to others quite faithfully while neglecting to preach the gospel to ourselves.  A pastor may begin his day in his study, a disciple will begin his day on his knees.  A pastor may begin his day reading Scripture to prepare for the sermon, a disciple will begin the day reading Scripture to preach a fitting sermon to his own heart and soul.  A pastor may begin his day thinking of ways to serve and extend grace to others, a disciple will begin his day pleading for mercy and grace for his own soul. 

All that the pastor does, above, is not necessarily wrong.  But he has to remember that he is a disciple first.  Pastor he must; but a wise pastor will not forget that he is a disciple before he is a pastor.  Sitting at the feet of Jesus is eternal—pastoring is not.  Or to tweak a wonderful Piper quote, “[Pastoring] exists because worship doesn’t.  Worship is ultimate, not [pastoring], because God is ultimate, not man. When this age is over, and the countless millions of the redeemed fall on their faces before the throne of God, [pastoring] will be no more. It is a temporary necessity. But worship abides forever.”

Be a disciple first.  A pastor next.

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I know that many of my readers are not pastors.  You can just as easily replace the word pastor with whatever you are doing: mothering, banking, sword-fighting, or working in a factory.  The main point still stands---disciple first, _____ next. 

Know How Much You Hurt Me?

Matthew Griffiths was a student at Bristol in 1799-1800.  He was a “promising young man” and one that John Newton strongly recommended to Samuel Pearce his attending the Bristol Academy.  The details are as of yet unknown to me but Newton refers to Griffiths “pre-marital fornication” and his having been dismissed from the Academy. 

In response to hearing of these events Newton asks John Ryland, Jr., to “read this part of my letter, it will suffice to inform him that his conduct has hurt me much, because I loved him much; I shall mourn and pray for him in secret”. 

Do you think that what Newton is asking Ryland to do is correct?  Should we help those trapped in sin see how much their sin is hurting others?  It seems to me that this practice is one that is not present in many faith communities today.  Should it be restored? 

Keep in mind that Newton is not being vindictive.  He does not want this young man to know how much he has hurt him so that he can unnecessarily punish him.  Newton follows this request with a prayer for Griffiths:

The Lord grant that he may be humbled by what is past, and get strength, by the proof of his own weakness.  I mean, may the Lord pardon him, and lead him to a more simple dependence upon Himself who alone is able to keep us from falling, or to raise us when we are down.  (Wise Counsel, 391)

Review of Family Shepherds by Voddie Baucham, Jr.

I apologize for the voice dub on the above scene—it is the only video I could find.  I also must mention that for the following illustration I am indebted to Dr. Timothy Paul Jones from SBTS. 

“BOB, It’s time to engage!” 

Voddie Baucham has written Family Shepherds to not only inspire men to engage and lead their families but also to give Christian men a resource to engage.  This practical call for men to take up their God-given responsibilities to lead their families is meant to be an encouragement to men and a helpful resource for churches to use to equip husbands and fathers. 

It has been my experience that most men in the church want to lead their families.  The problem is that they either do not know how or lack the confidence to embark on this difficult and life-long labor. 

I confess on behalf of men everywhere that we are quite often guilty of only playing the games we are good at.  If we can dominate at baseball but can’t quite master ping pong you will see us on the baseball diamond far more often than swinging a paddle in our basement.  The same goes with areas in our lives.  Many men feel confident in their jobs, social clubs, or hiding behind the success of their sports teams.  Few men feel confident as husbands, fathers, and spiritual leaders.  As a result many men disengage.

Sadly, though many fathers compare their own parenting not according to Scripture but according to their own fathers treatment of them.  Yet all across America families are being devastated by men that have “taken their ball and went home”.  As Baucham there are…

“a myriad of families strewn across battlefields of broken homes, having been ravaged by passivity, ignorance, cowardice, and usurpation.  They’re homes with fathers who have no earthly idea how to lead them, let alone the slightest inclination to shoulder the responsibility.  What’s worse, many of these causalities of war are wearing medals and have trophies on their mantle that read, ‘For Merely Showing Up’!  (19)

Men need to do far more than show up.  Baucham hopes that Family Shepherds will not only inspire men to pursue more valuable trophies but also the book will equip men.  Baucham’s desire is to help men “see their proper role and responsibility as a family shepherd” and then “give him the tools, motivation, confidence, and accountability he needs in order to step into that role and succeed.” (44)

The book is divided into five parts.  The first part is a biblical exposition of the family and a passionate plea for men to see themselves as the family shepherd.  The second part is meant to equip men to disciple their children by embracing their role as prophet and priest for their family.  The third part rightly emphasizes the necessity of a family shepherd to have a healthy marriage.  The fourth part deals with training and discipline by reminding dads that their goal is not to raise good little Pharisees but Jesus followers.  The last section is a lifestyle evaluation where Baucham challenges men to consider their church membership, use of time, and dual citizenship.  The book also has a short section meant to address the reality of fatherless families and then two short appendices: tools and a sample prayer gram. 

Does it succeed?

One of my “projects” at FB Jasper is to develop, implement, and work out family-equipping ministry in our church.  As such I am constantly looking for resources to not only inspire men to take up their God-given responsibility to be a family shepherd but also to equip men to fulfill that role.  I was very excited to see that Family Shepherds claims to accomplish both of these aims.  Does it?

If I ask the question of this book, “does it clearly define and inspire men to take up their God-given role of family shepherd” then the answer is a resounding yes.  Baucham not only navigates controversial aspects (such as discipline and male headship) but he also inspires men to do what God has called them to do.  I appreciate Baucham’s chapter on the necessity of a man putting his wife ahead of his children.  I further appreciate his emphasis on the necessity of the local church.  I would feel comfortable giving this book to any man that is wondering what his responsibility is as a husband and father. 

If I ask the question of this book, “does it equip men to confidently fulfill their role as family shepherd” I would humbly and disappointedly say not quite.  In my opinion the book does a good job of showing men what to do but it falls a little short in helping men actually figure out how to do it.  Though Baucham rightly points out the necessity of men discipling their wives, there is little in the book to assist men in accomplishing this task.  There is some practical help on catechizing, leading family worship, and disciplining children but as a whole the book does not seem to fulfill it’s promise to equip men as much as it does calling men.

The reader should also be aware of Baucham’s blunt style.  He is known as a teacher that simply says things as they are without leaving much room for grey.  There are times when this is necessary but some may be turned off by the way Baucham navigates controversial topics.  If one is not already in agreement with Baucham’s basic presuppositions I am not sure he winningly makes his case to convince a skeptical reader of adopting his position. 

I will save for a later date my distaste for the occasional shot that Baucham seems to take at those that do not fully embrace his family-driven faith model of church and family ministry. 

Conclusion 

Though the book has a few weak spots I would still recommend it.  The book is an excellent source for calling men to become family shepherds.  If it were to be used as a resource to inspire men to discover their God given roles with the occasional practical tip to live that out then this book is very helpful.  If you try using it as the resource (and I’m not sure Baucham would even suggest that) for equipping men to be family shepherds you will probably be disappointed. 

I am very grateful for Voddie Baucham and his ministry.  This book inspired me and taught me in areas where I have been lax.  I would encourage every man to at least give this book a quick look—and some may want to feast for awhile. 

I received the book free from Crossway in exchange for a review.  The review did not have to be positive.  If you would like to purchase the book you can do so for under 10 bucks.  Click here if you want to buy it.