The Shack - Again

One again the book The Shack seems to be on the minds of "Christians," or at least the minds of the Oprah-like spirituality seekers. P.J. Cockrell said this about it: "...its success proves not how much this country loves religion but how far from mainstream faith the nation’s aspirations have shifted."

I couldn't agree more. The sad part of this whole mess is how many I know of in my church who believe the book to be uplifting and good. Whatever happened to discernment?

Another Book to Read

Readers of this blog know I have been having problems with certain things I hear presented as the "gospel." I think the major problem with much of what I hear is that the speaker(s) assume our culture still shares an inherited belief in there being a god. Sadly to say, this is not so.

American schools have spent the better part of half a century "educating" their charges that the very idea of god is an illusion perpetrated by some men who have an agenda to control the masses of men. So some preachers pretend to preach "the Gospel" by beginning in the middle of the story, Christ died for sinners, with the assumption that the listeners have built-in knowledge to confirm what they are saying. It is a tragedy in the Americanized church and a slap in the face to the God of the Bible.

There is a new book out that I ordering, today, which, according to reviews is one that should be read by all preachers and everyone claiming to be a Christian. It is "What is the Gospel, by Greg Gilbert. You can read about it here.

Here are the main points:

• Who made us, and to whom are we accountable
• What is our problem? In other words, are we in trouble and why.
• What is God's solution to that problem? How has He acted to save us from it?
• How do I - myself, right here, right now - how do I come to be included in that salvation? What makes this good news for me and not just for someone else?

I'm going to order the book right now. I may give my copy to someone I know who needs it badly.

A New Book

I love to read and spend more on books than I should. Perhaps that is a curse. I don't know. I do know that the reading I've done over the years has opened World's to me I did not know existed. As a Christian I have been introduced to areas of worship that opened vistas of grandeur that my "Fundamentalist" upbringing was afraid to admit existed.

Books, Study, Knowledge

All men are different in some aspect of personality. That is a God-given axiomatic assertion. However, when it comes to enterprises all men should participate in, personalities must be set aside. For example we are commanded in Scripture to "put on this mind which is in Christ."

There is only one way for a human to do that and it is study: reading, thinking, contemplating, prayerful supplication for wisdom and more importantly the faith to believe that the Holy Spirit will "guide (us) into all knowledge."

I stole this entire post

I'm ordering another book today. The link for you to order is at the bottom of this post. I don't know if this is legal (probably not) but I'm posting an entire post I stole from The Discerning Reader. It is a review of the book I'm ordering. Tim Challies wrote the review, his blog is here. If the book is even close to what you will read below it will prove to be one of the best purchases I have made in a long time.

The Trellis and the Vine is a metaphor Colin Marshall and Tony Payne use to introduce a mind-shift in ministry that they insist will change everything. That is no small claim. A trellis, of course, is a structure that is used to support, to hold up, a vine. In this metaphor the trellis refers to the administrative work within a church, those tasks that, though important, are not actually directly related to discipling people. Vine work, on the other hand, is those tasks of working with the vine, drawing people into the kingdom through evangelism and then training them to grow in their knowledge of God and their obedience to him. As the authors say, "The basic work of any Christian ministry is to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ in the power of God’s Spirit, and to see people converted, changed and grow to maturity in that gospel."

The problem, though, is that trellis work tends to take over from vine work. Perhaps it’s because trellis work is easier and less threatening; perhaps the trellis work looks more impressive. But for one reason or another, many Christians, and pastors in particular, soon find themselves consumed with trellis work, leaving them little time and attention for the vine. "Whatever the reason, there is no doubt that in many churches, maintaining and improving the trellis constantly takes over from tending the vine."  

What Marshall and Payne suggest in this book is that most Christian churches need to undergo a radical re-evaluation of what Christian ministry really is. They need to go back to the very basics to understand the aims and goals of ministry, to learn how it proceeds and to see afresh the part we play in it. The authors argue that structures don’t grow ministry any more than trellises grow vines, and that most churches need to make a conscious shift—away from erecting and maintaining structures, and towards growing people who are disciple-making disciples of Christ.

They offer a list of eleven changes of mindset that may be necessary for churches: from running programs to building people; from running events to training people; from using people to growing people; from filling gaps to training new workers; from solving problems to helping people make progress; from clinging to ordained ministry to developing team leadership; from focusing on church polity to forging ministry partnerships; from relying on training institutions to establishing local training; from focusing on immediate pressures to aiming for long-term expansion; from engaging in management to engaging in ministry; from seeking church growth to desiring gospel growth.

Having done this, they show that every Christian is called to be a vine worker. This is not the exclusive domain of pastors or elders, but is the call of God upon all believers: At the most basic level, the Bible says that Jesus doesn’t have two classes of disciple: those who abandon their lives to his service and those who don’t. The call to discipleship is the same for all.

The basic agenda for all disciples is to be a disciple-maker. This does not point us simply to evangelism, but also to assisting other Christians grow in holiness. Whether evangelizing or discipling (or “training” as they prefer), the basic call of the Christian is to speak God’s Word to others. Therefore every Christian is an evangelist and every Christian is a minister. Marshall and Payne point to the concept of “gospel partnership” which they say is the normal Christian life. It means standing together united in the gospel, determined to live as citizens of heaven in the midst of our corrupt generation, longing and striving to see the gospel be defended and proclaimed, and bravely copping the conflict, struggle and persecution that inevitably follow.

Meanwhile, the heart of training “is not to impart a skill, but to impart sound doctrine.” We are to train one another to reject false doctrine, and to conform hearts and lives to sound doctrine. "Good biblical training results in a godly life based on sound, health-giving teaching."

Such shifts in mindset will necessary impact just about every other aspect of church life, extending even to the preaching of the Word and the call of some Christians into full-time service for the gospel. The authors cover such topics within the book, even going so far as to (dangerously and maybe a little mischievously) title a chapter “Why Sunday sermons are necessary but not sufficient.”

The Trellis and the Vine, a book I am sure I will read again very soon, helped me to see, more clearly than ever I think, how much of what passes for ministry within a church is really “mere” trellis work. Of course such work is important but it can so easily taken on undue prominence and become the heart of the church’s work. Meanwhile, the vine, the people, suffer neglect. In the past I have been involved in “trellis” churches and can attest to the grave danger they pose. This book has given me so much to think about, so much to reflect upon.

Mark Dever declared The Trellis and the Vine “the best book I’ve read on the nature of church ministry.” That is no small praise from a man who has dedicated much of his life’s work to that very subject. I am inclined to agree with Dever (who is infinitely more qualified than I am to make such an assessment). This is a very good book and one that offers vast amounts of godly, biblical wisdom. I give it my highest recommendation and would be thrilled to see it in the hands of every pastor and church leader.

Please click to buy it new from WTSBooks.

An 'R' Rated Book

I'm reading through a book this year that most people never really read. It could be rated 'R' for 'raw', or 'real.' Many people own a copy, but I think it probably sits unread in most homes. It's a fascinating book. It tells stories about people that really good imaginative novels can barely deal with. Here are some examples:

• A man and woman standing in nakedness and shame, blaming each other for what they did wrong.
• An angry and envious man, lures his brother into a field, brutally murders him, and then tries to cover it up.
• The world becomes so corrupt and violent that God decides to virtually wipe out the human population and start over.
• Noah gets drunk, and one of his son dishonors him by committing an immoral act in his father’s bedroom.
• Abraham twice tries to pass his wife off to another man to save his own skin. Later, his son Isaac does the same thing.
• Abraham sleeps with one of the household servants so he can have an heir. This was his wife’s idea, but she becomes so jealous after it happens, that she angrily throws the woman and her son out of house to live in poverty and shame.
• Lot offers to let a violent mob gang rape his daughters. Lot’s daughters later get their own father drunk and sleep with him so that they can have children.
• Jacob, Isaac’s son, is a deceitful mama’s boy who tricks his father and brother out of important family legal rights. He has to run away from home so his brother won’t kill him. He goes to work for his ruthless uncle, who keeps him in virtual slavery for decades.
• Jacob escapes by tricking him and running away. Jacob’s wives live in constant jealousy and competition, continually tricking Jacob and each other in an ongoing battle for supremacy in the family.
• Jacob’s sons loathe one of their brothers, sell him into slavery, then lie to their father and tell him he died.
• Jacob’s daughter Leah is raped. Her brothers exact revenge by deceiving and then murdering the perpetrator, destroying and looting his city, and taking all his family members captive.
• Judah refuses to find a husband for his widowed daughter-in-law, Tamar. So she disguises herself as a prostitute, tricks her father-in-law into sleeping with her, and becomes pregnant.

The Internet Monk has an excellent post about this book (here). You should read it, it might awaken an interest in really reading the Bible.

A.W. Towzer had this to say about these kinds of things, "Our woes began when God was forced out of His central shrine and `things' were allowed to enter. Within the human heart `things' have taken over. Men have now by nature no peace within their hearts, for God is crowned there no longer, but there in the moral dusk stubborn and aggressive usurpers fight among themselves for first place on the throne. "

The more things change the more they stay the same. Turn on the nightly news and you hear about the same kinds of 'R' for raw happenings.

The Bible still presents us with the story of the One who can get us out of all this chaos. If only we would read it.

Books 'n' Stuff

I love books. I haven't read this one, but the title sure is intriguing. From what I gather this book is a compilation of stories about life from people like me. It's about old people and their experiences. One of my favorite experiences is to be in a Borders Book store, with a Cappuccino, at a table perusing books I want and just might buy. I always buy one; Borders isn't a library.

Another Day another Book

The Guinness family is famous for beer. In Great Britain, I’m told, that’s the only kind to drink.


However, that family also produced one of the greatest Christians alive today, at least that’s my opinion. Dr. Os Guinness is a member of that family. As a Christian speaker, author, apologist, debater, and spokesman for Christianity, I don’t think there are too many men better than he in that capacity.

I bought his book “The Call,” a while back, and am just now starting to read it. The blurb on the back says, “Os Guinness invites you to explore the ultimate answer to identity, meaning, and purpose. ‘The Call’ speaks to the longing in every human heart and answers – You were created with a purpose.’”
On page 30 he says, “(Calling) is almost a synonym for salvation. In this context, calling is overwhelmingly God’s calling people to himself as followers of Christ.”

If that’s any indication, this should be a great book.