The Gospel Coalition

Until today, I was unaware that there was an assassination attempt on former president Theodore Roosevelt. 99 years ago today, he survived an assassination attempt while campaigning in Milwaukee as the Progressive (or Bull Moose) Party presidential nominee. Despite having his shirt bloodied and the bullet still lodged in his chest, Roosevelt delivered an 80-minute speech that started out this way:

“Friends, I shall ask you to be as quiet as possible. I don’t know whether you fully understand that I have just been shot; but it takes more than that to kill a Bull Moose. But fortunately I had my manuscript, so you see I was going to make a long speech, and there is a bullet — there is where the bullet went through — and it probably saved me from it going into my heart. The bullet is in me now, so that I cannot make a very long speech, but I will try my best.”

Below are some pictures. Here is where you can find more information.

I love the set up for this scene from Home Improvement, with Tim getting mad at Al for issuing warnings. The physical comedy is well done too.

Last weekend, I enjoyed time with the congregation of Metro East Baptist Church in Wichita, KS and their pastor Greg Brezeale. Greg is giving away a few copies of Counterfeit Gospels and Holy Subversion on his blog today. Check it out.

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Here are seven links for your weekend reading:

1. Mormonism 101

2. Michael Horton Reviews Scot McKnight’s King Jesus Gospel

3. Prophets Against Profits? What “Occupy Wall Street” Misses

4. The number of people who question Obama’s birthplace has plummeted.

5. Leaders are Encouragers

6. Excommunication – 21st Century Style

7. Stories are Soul Food: Don’t Let Your Children Hunger

Here’s a roundtable discussion on an important question posed by J.D. Greear – “If we look back 20 years from now on the growing gospel-centered movement, what might we notice that we neglected?” The main areas of concern regard the believer’s heart and the believer’s mission.

• Regarding the heart, we don’t want to be gospel-centered in just a cerebral sense but gospel-centered in the way we love Jesus more.
• Regarding our mission, we want the practice of “preaching the gospel to ourselves” to translate into proclaiming the gospel to others.

In short, the gospel makes us want to know God and make Him known.

The Christian post summarizes the discussion here.

Don’t Be More Gospel-Centered Than Jesus from The Gospel Coalition on Vimeo.

The Authenticity Trap:

As the pendulum swings from the bully pulpit of years past into the self-disclosing conversational approach of our social-media rich environment, it continues past center into what I call the “permissive confession.” In short, this type of confession is not designed to right wrongs or to make amends. It’s often used to find sympathy and grace from your audience without having to do the hard work of repenting, changing your ways and paying retribution.

Why Jonathan Leeman is Grateful for the Idea of “Celebrity Pastors:”

I’m grateful that evangelicals have celebrity pastors. Or let me put it like this: I’m grateful that it is pastors that evangelicals celebrate. Maybe I’m just calling the glass half full, or finding the silver lining in an otherwise dark cloud. But think with me for a second about the office of pastor. Unlike any other office or position that I can think of off the top of my bald head, the office of pastor requires a man to excel in two areas: doctrine and life.

Fred Sanders: What’s a Good Question?

A good question evokes curiosity by exhibiting curiosity.

A socratic teacher can’t hover above the discussion, occasionally hurling a thunderbolt of insight down toward the benighted students from the Olympian heights of clear understanding. A socratic teacher has to get down in the perplexities with the students, and find the way out using the same resources available to them.

D.A. Carson and Tim Keller reflect on confessionalism, boundaries, and discipline:

Recent discussion, mostly in blogs, regarding the forthcoming Elephant Room conference, sponsored by James MacDonald and Mark Driscoll, provides an opportunity to write a few clarifying paragraphs on confessionalism, boundaries, and discipline.

Jared Wilson’s new book Gospel Wakefulness made me think. In a good way. In the “thinking that leads to worship” kind of way. That’s why, despite a couple of concerns, I endorsed Gospel Wakefulness and I commend it to you.

In the book, Jared makes the case that Christians need not only to believe the gospel but to delight in it to the point that sin becomes increasingly bitter and Christ becomes our supreme treasure. He defines gospel wakefulness as “treasuring Christ more greatly and savoring His power more sweetly than before” (24).

But Gospel Wakefulness goes against the grain of many current evangelical books for a number of reasons. First off, it doesn’t offer church leaders any ideas for increasing excitement among church people. You won’t find anything about making the church more hip, more contemporary, more “razzle-dazzle” in the attempt to keep people’s interest. Instead, this is a book about things “of first importance.” Jared believes that church ministry isn’t about “creating experiences” but centering our teaching, our worship, and our service on the gospel. The goal is that Christians would “find themselves utterly captivated by the gospel” so that they can hardly be entertained by anything else (18).

Second, Jared doesn’t offer a checklist for “how to live in gospel wakefulness.” One of the main points of Gospel Wakefulness is that we can’t wake ourselves up. The kind of affection-filled delight that Jared writes about is something that only God in His grace can give. He writes:

Really, there are only two steps to gospel wakefulness: be utterly broken and be utterly awed. But neither of these things are things you can really do. They are things only God can do for you. (35)

Third, Jared’s prescription for gospel wakefulness begins with profound brokenness. Asking God to break you is generally not the type of prayer request suggested by many evangelical books. Jared isn’t encouraging Christians to go looking for suffering (one hardly has to search for it!). He merely wants us to see how God uses the pain of life, the punishment of sinful consequences, and persecution for one’s faith to expose our deepest longings in a way that leads us to the joys of gospel wakefulness.

Brokenness leads to renewed affections. In Piper-like fashion, Jared maintains that our problem is not that we have desires and longings but that we seek to satisfy these desires in ultimately unsatisfying things. The problem with the American church is not that we want to be entertained; it’s that too often we’re satisfied with being entertained by something less spectacular than the gospel. “The Christian who knows gospel wakefulness is entertained consistently by the unsearchable wonders of Christ,” he writes (63).

One of the most helpful sections of the book concerns freedom from the chains of “hyperspirituality.” Jared’s warnings against turning gospel freedom into zealous duty are timely. Gospel Wakefulness also explores the effects of gospel wakefulness in a local congregation, particularly how it should lead to worship-fueled evangelism in which the overflow of our hearts leads naturally to fulfilling the Great Commission. This is not evangelism done for the sake of adding a notch on the belt. It’s evangelism that flows naturally from one’s gospel-soaked heart.

Despite the wise counsel offered by Jared in this book, I have a couple of misgivings. My hesitation didn’t preclude me from endorsing and recommending the book, but I would like to register my concerns here, in hopes that they will further the conversation this book will begin.

First, Jared recounts how his passion for the gospel resulted in a decreased passion for politics. He writes:

“What was happening? I couldn’t stop talking about the holiday at the sea, and I couldn’t figure out why I should be inordinately enamored with mud pies.” (65)

On one level, I agree wholeheartedly that many Christian political activists could use a strong dose of gospel wakefulness. We need to reorient our activism around our ultimate hope and set our sights on the unshakeable kingdom that will never fade.

But Gospel Wakefulness leaves little room for the reality that for some people gospel wakefulness will be best expressed through increased political action. It was gospel wakefulness that propelled the political activism of William Wilberforce and the heroic resistance of Dietrich Bonhoeffer. It was gospel wakefulness that led John Wesley to speak against slavery and Charles Spurgeon to do something about the orphans in his city. Church history is full of examples of gospel wakefulness resulting in political involvement, not retreat.

I worry that the results of Jared’s personal experience of gospel wakefulness might be seen as normative and thus lead people to think he is advocating a quietist gospel of retreat. Misunderstanding Jared’s intentions might lead us to think that gospel wakefulness results in Christians just sitting at the table of the Lord, savoring His goodness, while never getting up and moving outdoors into society, energized by the gospel to do good works, change laws, challenge injustice, and promote peace.

My other reservation concerns the possibility of turning gospel wakefulness into a pseudo-Wesleyan version of the “second-blessing” experience. Jared explicitly writes against setting up tiers of Christian sanctification. There is no first-class discipleship and then a second-class, etc (31). Still, his emphasis on the sudden experience of gospel wakefulness could give the impression that there are Christians and then there are Christians. There are sleeping Christians and awakened Christians. At its best, Gospel Wakefulness is a simple proposal about sanctification and growing in grace. But a misunderstanding of the book’s intentions could easily lead to unhelpful division and categorization.

Overall, I repeat what I said in my endorsement. Anyone hungry and thirsty for righteousness will be refreshed by the invigorating streams of truth that flow from Gospel Wakefulness. Jared Wilson wants Christians to delight in the gospel to the point that sin becomes bitter and Christ becomes our supreme treasure. May this book awaken your affections toward the Savior who deserves all praise.

This review was first published in Credo Magazine.

Update: Jared has responded to my two concerns in a thoughtful blog post that helps us think carefully about these things and keep the gospel central. I recommend you read his full response.

Good suggestions to encourage your shepherd: Top Ten Gifts to Give Your Pastor

As I was driving to the office this morning I was thinking through some of the gifts that I know I have appreciated over  the years as a pastor and thought that I would share what I believe are the top ten gifts you should give your pastor, not just during Pastor Appreciation month, but the other eleven months of the year as well.

Before Hitler, Who Was the Stand-In for Pure Evil?

Today, the Führer is universally recognized as the embodiment of evil and the most convenient example of a truly terrible human being. Before World War II, who was the rhetorical worst person in history? The Pharoah. In the 18th, 19th, and early 20th centuries, many Americans and Europeans had a firmer grasp of the bible than of the history of genocidal dictators. Orators in search of a universal symbol for evil typically turned to figures like Judas Iscariot, Pontius Pilate, or, most frequently, the Pharaoh of Exodus, who chose to endure 10 plagues rather than let the Hebrew people go.

A pastor friend of mine, Chris Brauns, recently asked me a few questions about how to keep the centrality of the gospel at the forefront of a church’s search for a pastor. Chris has written a very helpful book called When the Word Leads Your Pastoral Search (Moody, 2011), and he has developed a Web site full of resources for churches looking for a pastor. Earlier this year, Chris and I had a blog conversation about his book.

Last week, Chris asked me some specific questions about the importance of a candidate’s view of the gospel. Our conversation is below:

Chris Brauns: Would you first give us a concise definition of the gospel?

Trevin Wax: People hear the question – “What is the gospel?” – in different ways, which may lead to different responses.

Some pastoral candidates will hear the question in terms of evangelism, How would I share the gospel with an unbeliever? Usually that will lead him to articulate a message that begins with God as Creator and Judge, articulates the reality of human sin and the brokenness of our world, climaxes with the announcement of Christ crucified and raised so that we might be justified before God, and then calls for the response of repentance (turning from sin) and faith (trusting in God’s mercy).

Other pastoral candidates will hear the question in terms of New Testament exegesis, How did the apostles define the word “gospel”? Usually that will lead to a Jesus-focused announcement: He fulfilled the Old Testament prophecies and promises through His perfect life, He died on the cross for our sins, conquered sin and Satan forever, and is now exalted as Lord over all.

I think it’s good to specify with a pastoral candidate what you mean by the question. If you ask, “What is the gospel?” and they answer exegetically, you might follow that up with a question about how they share the gospel with an unbeliever. If they answer evangelistically, you might follow up with a question about how the Scriptures define the word. Whichever direction you take, you’ll want to make sure that Christ’s death and resurrection is at the center of the candidate’s message.

CB: Do you think that it would be easy for churches looking for a pastor to assume his definition of the gospel?

TW: Absolutely. Too many times, pastoral search teams want to get to know a pastor on a superficial level, asking questions about ball teams or favorite foods rather than probing theological viewpoints to see how one’s methodology necessarily flows from one’s view of the gospel.

When listening to a pastor’s sermons, it’s important to see how Jesus is represented.

• Is He present in the sermon?
• Is He described as a helper or motivator?
• Or is He presented as the crucified King?

Churches often look to the superficial elements of a preacher (Was he funny? Did he keep me interested? Will our people like him?) rather than the core issues that flow from his view of the Bible’s storyline and the gospel announcement.

CB: I am very thankful for your book Counterfeit Gospels. It helped me think more clearly about a balanced view of the Gospel. How might it help churches looking for a pastor?

TW: Ideally, Counterfeit Gospels might alert pastoral search teams to ways in which we evangelicals can drift from the centrality of the gospel. The analysis of different counterfeits that are prevalent in society may help a search team distinguish between a candidate who proclaims the gospel clearly and biblically and a candidate whose thoughts on these matters are foggy and uncertain.

CB: Are there any interview questions you would suggest for pastoral search committees that would help them evaluate a candidate’s commitment to the gospel?

TW: The question of personal evangelism is a must. If everyone in your church was as committed to personal evangelism as is your pastoral candidate, what would that do to your church?

I don’t think commitment to the gospel can be measured only in one’s fidelity to ideas. Instead, we ought to measure one’s commitment to the gospel in terms of how prone we are to share this unbelievably good news that has transformed our lives.

Regardless of a pastor’s biblical knowledge, there is no such thing as “spiritual maturity” apart from living a Great Commission life.

CB: What in a candidate’s background might warn a church that a pastoral candidate does not really see the Gospel as of first importance?

TW: I’m not sure that background will determine this question. A better way forward is to look at the pastor’s preaching. Is he clearly relying on the gospel to bring about life change for his listeners? Or is he relying on something else to “deliver the goods” every Sunday? Does he see the power as residing in this message he’s been given? Or does he see the message as an add-on to his own skills, a more popular message, etc? These are issues that generally come out in public preaching and in personal conversations with the candidate.

CB: Do you have any other advice or suggestions for churches in the midst of a pastoral search?

TW: Don’t settle. Better to spend more time finding the right pastor than to settle for the wrong one. Keep the gospel in view as you search for a candidate. Look out for counterfeit messages that drift from biblical teaching. And pray, pray, pray for God’s direction.

This interview was first posted at PastorSearchResources.Com.

How to Read the Bible:

Partly due to the inadequacies of popular and scholarly readings of the Bible, an increasing number of scholars have been advocating a “theological interpretation of Scripture.” They encourage us to read the Bible as God’s instrument of self-revelation and saving fellowship. This school of interpretation includes a wide range of practices, but all of them move us toward knowing the triune God and being formed as Christ’s disciples through Scripture.

Why I Dumped My iPhone:

When I had an iPhone, the Internet was no longer a destination; it was on me every day, like a piece of clothing I put on first thing in the morning. When I get tempted to return to that life, I ask myself: Do I really want the Internet to be something I feel naked without?

Christianity Today has an interesting interview with Ron Paul about his religious background and libertarian views:

In his speech at the Values Voters Summit, Paul emphasized personal responsibility, using the example of Jesus’ response to prostitution. “He didn’t call for more laws. But he was very direct and thought that stoning was not the solution to the problem of prostitution,” he told the crowd. “So do laws take care of these things, or do we need a better understanding of our Christian values and our moral principles?” In an interview with Christianity Today following his speech, Paul explained why he doesn’t think the government can create morality.

The Mall-ificiation of the American Church:

Even when they become shells of their former selves, malls’ pasts never completely disappear, as Summer Grove’s recycled mall Christmas decorations suggest. Whether you fasten on a steeple or add a glass facade, Americans remember malls as childhood fantasy lands, where they could meet Santa Claus and play with any toy. Perhaps it’s not a bad bet, then, that as adults, they might come back to meet Jesus.

When President James Garfield was shot in a train station in the summer of 1881, Americans held their breath for 79 days, hoping against hope their president would survive. As the president’s condition worsened and the political process came to a grinding halt, many began to dread the thought of vice-president Chester Arthur becoming president.

What was wrong with Chester Arthur? For one, Arthur was perceived to be a loyal parrot in the political pocket of one of Garfield’s fiercest critics, senator Roscoe Conkling. Arthur was perceived as a man without his own beliefs and convictions. He simply parroted the views of his political hero.

Secondly, many thought Arthur had no depth of insight. Harriet Blaine, wife of Garfield’s Secretary of State, described him this way:

“I do not think he knows anything… He can quote a verse of poetry or a page from Dickens or Thackery, but these are only leaves springing from a root out of dry ground. His vital forces are not fed, and very soon he has given out his all.” (Source)

Chester Arthur did become president, and he eventually exceeded the low expectations that Americans had of him. But those of us who preach and teach can learn a couple of lessons from Arthur.

Hero-Worship

The first concerns hero-worship. Do we simply parrot the views of our pastor-heroes? Or do we dig into the Scriptures to find treasure on our own?

A couple years ago, an elderly woman in our church asked me a theological question I hadn’t considered before. Rather than going to the Bible, I went straight to the Internet, where I began searching for a respected pastor’s views on the subject. Before I found his answer, I was struck by how wrongheaded and dangerous my approach was. I had rushed to hear the preacher before I had slowed down to hear the text. How backwards! I should have approached it the other way around: search the Scriptures first and then look for verification from respected pastors and commentaries. Had the Holy Spirit not convicted me, I would have gone back to my sister in Christ and parroted an answer from another pastor who had studied the issue more intently. And I would have missed the joy of carefully handling the Word myself.

Good Soil

The second lesson we can learn from Arthur is the importance of heart-cultivation. Harriet Blaine’s disdain for Chester Arthur did not concern his speaking abilities. She admitted that he could quote poetry. But notice how she described his speech: These are only leaves springing from a root out of dry ground. His vital forces are not fed, and very soon he has given out his all. In other words, once you got past the flowery leaf, you were left with dry ground. He had nothing else to offer.

I wonder how many of us would fit that description. We can keep the attention of a crowd. We can throw in some rhetorical flourishes here and there, and we can quote famous pastors and commentators. But all the while, our hearts are dry. Our lips are parched. “Our vital forces are not fed.” We go to the Scriptures looking for a three-point outline, not for life and sustenance.

It’s easy to repeat a few one-liners and rile up a crowd. But the best preaching contains depth of insight that only comes from lengthy meditation upon the Word. There are no shortcuts.

It’s no wonder we sometimes feel burned out. The only possible way that a pastor could say, “I don’t have anything left to preach,” is if the ground of his heart is dry and the leaves of his Bible study from years past have withered.

Ezra

I don’t want to parrot the views of the pastors I respect. I also don’t want my preaching to be “leaves springing from a root out of dry ground.” Instead, I want to be like Ezra, who determined in his heart to study the law of the Lord, obey it, and teach its statutes and ordinances in Israel (Ezra 7:10).

Too many of us settle for the “teaching” aspect of ministry without having passed through the “study” and “obey” parts. So our theology becomes incoherent, and our exhortations no longer originate in a heartfelt passion that mirrors God’s passion for His people. Others jump from “studying” to “teaching” without the “obedience” part. So our intellectual muscle may be robust and admirable, but our feet of obedience are shriveled and useless.

Here is a great quote from Charles Spurgeon, who challenged his ministerial students to always be “full to overflowing,” to the point that they should be able to preach spontaneously:

If a man would speak without any present study, he must usually study much. This is a paradox perhaps, but its explanation lies upon the surface.

If I am a miller, and I have a sack brought to my door, and am asked to fill that sack with good fine flour within the next five minutes, the only way in which I can do it, is by keeping the flour-bin of my mill always full, so that I can at once open the mouth of the sack, fill it, and deliver it. I do not happen to be grinding at that time, and so far the delivery is extemporary; but I have been grinding before, and so have the flour to serve out to the customer. So, brethren, you must have been grinding, or you will not have the flour.

You will not be able to extemporize good thinking unless you have been in the habit of thinking and feeding your mind with abundant and nourishing food. Work hard at every available moment. Store your minds very richly, and then, like merchants with crowded warehouses, you will have goods ready for your customers, and having arranged your good things upon the shelves of your mind, you will be able to hand them down at any time without the laborious process of going to market, sorting, folding, and preparing…  Take it as a rule without exception, that to be able to overflow spontaneously you must be full.