Book Review: Living in God's Two Kingdoms

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I was really excited when I saw this book on the new release list. I had been in recent conversations with friends about how they were personally engaging the culture, and I attend a church that seeks to “engage the city”, and used to attend a church (before I moved) that modeled engaging the city and culture very well. I was intrigued to see what David VanDrunen had to say about Living in God’s Two Kingdomws (btw, the cover design is really cool).
VanDrunen does a good job at laying out the outline of his book, telling you exactly where he is heading. He engages some of the opposing views and arguments that basically are the foundation of this new “area of theological discussion” (Neo-Calvinism, Emerging Churches, but this is not exhaustive).
I personally do not fully agree with either side. I think one side takes it too far, and one side doesn’t go far enough. Finally, though, the author basically states three ways that Christians are to engage the culture, how a Christian should live successfully as sojourners in this land we call “culture” .
1. “Christians should pursue cultural activities not with a spirit of triumph and conquest over their neighbors but with a spirit of love and service toward them.” (p 124). Wow – I think this is probably the toughest one of his three and I wholeheartedly agree. Even our redeemed status doesn’t make us perfect yet, and I personally often struggle with motive.
2. “The New Testament calls us to critical engagement with human culture.” (p 126) I almost wish his whole book would camp out on this point. This is where I try to engage the culture. I learned this well from a friend and professor at SEBTS, and I love reading through secular books, watching movies, and looking at art with this critical mind at work.
3. “The New Testament calls us to engage in cultural activities with a deep sense of detachment from this world and of longing for our true home in the world to come.” (p 126) This is probably the hardest for me to deal with on a personal level. As I get more into style, design, photography, clothing, I tend to step back into a materialistic mindset which the Lord has saved me from, but Satan likes to wedge his foot in my mind.
While the author does a good job at bringing in cultural examples and has a personable writing style (unlike some theological books on differing subjects), I think VanDrunen could have made this a shorter book and made his argument more simple for the non-theological to grasp.
A word for all Christians: you can’t engage the world by separating yourself from it. Home-schooling families who only allow their children to be friends with other Christians, people who will never go to movies, read secular books, watch television, own ipods, allow their teenagers on social networks…this is no way to engage the culture. Read more on VanDrunen’s point #2.
Wherever you land in this discussion: one thing is for sure: We are to be shining lights in a crooked and depraved generation (Philippians 2)

Much and Link Love (December 6 edition)

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Second week of December and it actually feels like it out there. Here we go:
1. O Holy Night is def my fave Christmas (sacred) song. More thoughts on it later this week.
2. Reilly Band (violin rock) and Barlow Girl were both awesome last night. Enjoyed the drive, blaring country music and Sojourn Advent, dinner with a friend, and then music and conversation.
3. Fave country songs right now: anything by Zac Brown, Put You in a Song by Keith Urban, Rain is a Good Thing, Why Wait by Rascal Flatts, Stuck on You by Sugarland.
4. Reading this week: Philippians, John, advent book by David Horner, Acts commentary by Sproul, God’s Two Kingdoms, Eat Pray Love, and Kitchen Confidential, and any missions book I can find while working on Quarter 2 and 2 resources on missions.
5. I miss the weekly communion at Sojourn.
6. I loved the snow on the ground this weekend. Beautiful driving down Duraleigh with snow topped trees that were just brilliant reds and yellows. It won’t get out of the 40s this week. Sad times this cold stuff! 🙂
7. Fun things on tap this week: Parker and Otis (cafe in Durham), Getty concert, planning day, research day, lunch with staff ladies, hanging with a friend, dinner at a pastor’s house with family, party on Thursday night and day off on Thursday (which is always good), Christmas programs, dinner out, photo shoots (definitely the busiest of the whole month!)
8. College football is almost over. Sad times. But, this was not a great football weekend, NFL or NCAA. Only Bob Stoops pulled it out for me! Florida got a good bowl game and the Carolina v UT will be a good game too!

Link Love:
1. My friend Lara wrote a great post on Hope. I love hope this season. Christ is His Name!
2. Anyone struggle with an eating disorder, or know someone who does?
3. These truffle brownies will be making an appearance at a Christmas party near you!
4. Love that this is written by one of my fave female authors and that we were talking about Ephesians yesterday in Life class and how Ephesians talks so much about what she said!
5. What a great Kevin Bacon find…do you like Bacon?
6. Kevin has always brought me good things before. Will be making these soon!
7. This candy may be making an appearance at a Christmas party near you, too!
8. I love Jane Eyre. Can’t wait to see this!
9. Check out this Charlotte designer giveaway featuring a Jess LC necklace!
10. Francis for Christmas. Good stuff.

Entrusted with the Gospel: Book Review

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Crossway released a sermon series based on The Gospel Coalition’s 2009 national conference. Just in case you couldn’t attend, you can now read the sermons. Edited by D. A. Carson (who is brilliant and pastoral), this book features such preaching power-houses as John Piper, Philip Ryken, Mark Driscoll, Edward Copeland, Bryan Chappell, and Ligon Duncan (thankful to his years of ministry to/with CBMW). This book shows the reader that good sermons ought to serve as quality commentaries. These aren’t pithy sermons, or topical. They all are applicable to the listener and concerns the text by Paul to Timothy in his second pastoral epistle to him.
My two favorites were by Ryken then Driscoll. But, here are some of my favorite quotes:
“Some people say that doctrine kills, but this way of thinking is completely alien to the apostle, who believed that sound doctrine brings life and health to the people of God.” – Ryken
“It is the Word that the holy Spirit has unbound and unchained for the salvation and the sanctification of the people of God.” – Ryken
“The first is that if we have died with Christ, we ought to live with him, which means our community life, our speech, our interactions and relationships, and our attraction to spiritual things ought to reflect the life Christ gives, not the death that separation from Him reflects.” – Driscoll
“Failure to recognize the urgency of the hour will cause you to waste time on the inconsequential.” – Copeland

All pastors, especially young pastors, need to read this book. Thank you Crossway, Carson, and preachers.

On Being Neutral

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Reading Entrusted with the Gospel this morning, and came to the Mark Driscoll sermon. This quote is a good one. Whether in ministry, design, engaging the culture, reading, healthy living – whatever arena you find yourself: think through this quote:

“Neutrals are Christians (or anyone) at varying stages of their sanctification (or life) who are not leaders but rather easily influenced followers. These impressionable people are prone to being unsure, confused, and fearful, depending upon what information they are given and who they are in relationship with. Neutrals are often caught in the middle when there is a conflict between positives and negatives. A neutral becomes a positive or negative depending upon who their friends are, who they listen to, what information they have access to, what books they read, and which teachers they trust.” – Mark Driscoll, Entrusted with the Gospel, 61.

I don’t think I really started running into these (or can readily recall these) until I got to seminary in 2000. I found many _____-ites (people who followed certain people, fill in the blank). But, it happens in ministry and in blog world.

So…ask yourself: in what area of life are you a neutral? How can you change to be a positive?

Do Hard Things

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This post actually has nothing to do with the Harris brothers’ book by the same title. But, as I was thinking of titles for this blog, that is what came to mind. Others that came to mind: Things I Learned from Randy Stinson, Spiritual Laziness, What I Don’t Like To Do, but Need To. The Do Hard Things stuck and is shorter.
So…what am I talking about? One of the best part of my jobs while administrative assistant in Louisville was transcribing my boss’ talks or sermons. Sometimes I get to hear them live, but other talks I basically memorized because of the time I had to rewind, and rewind again to get the talks just right. It was a period of growth and memorization for me.
Mostly he spoke to men, but I learned a lot. He would tell the men that a lot of the younger generation is lazy. Not because they don’t like to do things, or they just sit around (which some of them do), but more than that he was talking about men who don’t do hard things. They may be really busy, but they don’t like doing things that are hard for them. They would rather live passively with their wives than bring up the issue that both of them know they need to deal with. They would rather let the slacker keep going at work than to confront him and call him on his laziness. They would rather play video games all day than prep for that test or sermon, or fix the toilet that is leaking in the guest bathroom. Do hard things. The boss would always say, do them first: write that note, send that email, fix that toilet, study for that test, ask that girl out, apply for that new position. Whatever is most hard for you to do – do it first, get it off the to-do this first and then you’ll have plenty of time to do the not so hard things.

So, I was thinking about this all day and really the past couple of days. There are two things in my life right now that are harder than the rest: and I haven’t done them because they wouldn’t be easy. I guess I should say I haven’t done either of them with sincere regularity, and my whole life reflects it.

Exercise/Healthy Eating. It is much easier to not exercise, to sleep in when the alarm goes off because it is cold outside, or to not run that extra 2 miles when you’ve already run 3. It is easier to eat brownies and roasted chicken than it is to eat carrots and roasted beets.

Personal Quiet Time. I spend all day writing curriculum, in books, digging into Scripture for my job. I love it. But, what I’ve not done with regularity is sit down in the morning – pre-work – and dig into the Scriptures for myself, for my soul, for my walk with the Lord.
I need to set my alarm, get out of bed, put my feet on the floor (and not hop back in bed) and do the hard things.
What are your hard things?
Is it cleaning the house?
Is it carrying on a conversation with your husband or wife?
Is it asking for accountablity?
Is it reading the Bible?
Is it exercising?
Is it cooking healthy meals for your family?
Is it asking that girl out?
Is it losing weight?
Is it serving in your local church?
Is it giving some of your income away to missions or service projects?
Is it opening your home to strangers or friends?
Is it practicing the spiritual discipline of prayer, worship, giving, evangelism?
Is it not buying any more “toys” because you already have too many?

Whatever your “hard thing” is – DO IT.
1 Timothy 4:8 “Rather train yourself for godliness; for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.

Booksneeze Book Review: Angel Song (Sheila Walsh)

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I heard about Booksneeze through a friend of mine at church. My first book was Angel Song by Sheila Walsh. Sheila is a speaker/writer who tours mostly with Women of Faith.
Angel Song is a fiction novel based primarily in NYC and Charleston. The story of a women who loses everything and searches for something.
Here is what I love:
1. Description of Charleston. I love the south, the old south, the coast, all things historical, and the city of Charleston. It is great to hear her go into so much description of the city and some of the history of it. The scenery, the Battery, the houses, and the old charm.
2. The prologue. The back of the book doesn’t do the book justice. But, I was hooked with the prologue. I love it how a book can capture you in just 3 pages.

This book is all about angels. While I haven’t settled on my “how angels work in the world” theology…I do believe in the sovereignty of God. That is what is most important to be remembered. God works everything togeteher for our good.

If you need a good beach read this summer…pick this up. You won’t be disappointed.

Book Review: Come Ye Children (Spurgeon)

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I wonder what it would be like to watch a video of Charles Spurgeon preaching?  We will never know thanks to the delays of technology – but thankful for the preserving of his words and how he continually spurs us on with his grip and understanding of Scripture and the application of it to the Christian life and ministry.

Come Ye Children is a small book with excerpts from sermons and writings all dealing with leading children to Christ, being parents, or serving in ministry with children.  The three best uses of this book: 1.  Have your children’s ministry team go through it together.  There are 23 short chapters – the longest one may be 6 pages.

2.  Give it to parents who have children – maybe a child dedication present.

3.  Read it and apply it. 

This is where I’ll begin – with that last point.  The only children’s ministry I’ve ever done before taking this current ministry position is VBS or babysitting or childcare.  But, Spurgeon has spurred me on to be more diligent in my task at hand and helped me remember the importance and seriousness of teaching children the Word of God.

Only draw back to reading this: the language.  Of course Charles Spurgeon speaks more in KJV than in the Message…so just persevere.  Have to press on through our chronological snobbery

“Christian children mainly need to be taught the doctrine, precept, and life of the gospel: they require to have Diving truth put before them clearly and forcibly.  Why should the higher doctrines, the doctrines of grace, be kept back from them?  It is ours to make doctrine simple; this is to be a main part of our work.  Whether we teach young Christians truth or not, the devil will be sure to teach them error.” (p 10)

“You cannot feed lambs, or sheep either, unless you are fed yourself.  It is quite right for you to be teaching a great part of the Lord’s Day; but I think a teacher is very unwise who does not come to hear the gospel preached and get a meal for his own soul.  First be fed, and then feed.” (p 30)

“I commend to you the study of instructive books, but above all I commend the study of Christ.  Let Him be your library.  Get near to Jesus.  An hour’s communion with Jesus is the best preparation for teaching either the young or the old.” (p 31)

“We should view everything in this world by the light of redemption, and then we shall view it aright.” (p 69)

“Your Sunday schools are admirable; but what is their purpose if you do not teach the gospel in them?  you get children together and keep them quiet for an hour-and-a-half, and then send them home; but what is the good of it?  It may bring some quiet to their fathers and mothers, and that is, perhaps, why they send them to the school; but all the real good lies in what is taught the children.  The most fundamental truth should be made most prominent; and what is this but the cross.” (p 75)

“Oh, that we were more godly ourselves; that we talked more of godliness, and that we loved godliness better.  none of us ever knew what a Savior Christ was till we knew what an evil thing sin was.  If the Holy Ghost does not teach us the exceeding sinfulness of sin, we shall never know the blessedness of salvation.” (p 89)

I definitely have more favorite quotes from this book – but hopefully this will give you a taste of Spurgeon.

Book Review: Piper's Filling Up the Afflictions of Christ

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One of my favorite types of books are biographies.  John Piper does an excellent job in the Swans Are Not Silent series of combining autobiographical writings, biography, and application.  The 5th book in the series, Filling up the Afflictions of Christ, is no different.He he highlights William Tyndale, John Paton, and Adoniram Judson.  Judson was the one I was most familiar with because I did missions and college ministry at the Summit.  You can’t be at the Summit for any amount of time and not know of Adoniram Judson.  Tyndale and Paton were familiar – but didn’t know their story as much.

Here are some of the key things that I underlined:

I remember Bruce Ashford saying something like this in the first chapel message he preached (as a professor) at SEBTS: “What is lacking in the afflictions of Christ is not that they are deficient in worth, as though they could not sufficiently cover the sins of all who believe.  What is lacking is that the infinitie value of Christ’s afflictions is not known and trusted in the world.” (22)

(Tyndale)  “The key to spiritual achievement is to work hard, and to know and believe and be happy that God’s sovereign grace is the decisive cause of all the good that comes…  That is they both believed in hard work to say things clearly and creatively and compellingly when they spoke for Christ.”  (36-7).  I need to remember this in my writing projects. 

Most memorable John Paton quote: “I confess to you, that if I can but live and die serving and honoring the Lord Jesus, it will make no difference to me whether I am eaten by cannibals or by worms; and in the great day my resurrection body will rise as fair as yours in the likeness of our Risen Redeemer.” (58)

“Often since have I thought that the Lord stripped me thus bare of all these interests, that I might with undistracted mind devote my entire energy to the special work soon to be carved out for me, and of which at this moment neither I nor anyone had ever dreamed.”  (75)  May I live my life with this FOCUS.

How I need this: “(Paton’s Mother to her children) “Oh my children, love your Heavenly Father, tell Him in faith and prayer all your needs, and He will supply your wants so far as it shall be for your good and His glory.” This is what Paton trusted God for in claiming the promises: God would supply all his needs insofar as this would be for Paton’s good and for God’s glory.” (77)

When life is painful (Judson): “As with all events under God’s merficul providence, this painful circumstance had some remarkable positive effects.” (95)

Honestly, when I question, I always say this – because it is my firm foundation – the truth and character of God – whether I agree or understand it or not.  “Adoniram had been sustained with hope and with a spirit deeply submissive to the providence of God.” (99)

Book Review: Total Church (Timmis/Chester)

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I had a friend in the ministry tell me, “I wish every pastor would have to read Total Church.”  That should give this book on practical ecclesiology merit in its own right.  I don’t know if I would go as far as to say that – but I can definitely see its usefulness for ministry team discussions and personal wrestling with ecclesiology.

Timmis and Chester come from many years of pastoral and church planting ministry in the UK.  That is what gives them credibility to write a book such as this.  Their goal in writing is simple: how to be the church as a we – not an I – and how the gospel must shape that model.

The best part about this book is you almost have to engage it and think and process for this book to do  you any good.  They have designed it well that way; it is full of thought-provoking ideas. 

The thing that is most difficult in this book is the UK slant.  Yes, the church is the church is the church.  But, the church will look different in different cultures.  The examples from The Crowded House they use may not necessarily transfer to church in American culture – or in a non-Acts 29 church.

I think this book would best be read by 1) a ministry team in a local church.  We just read through it as a ministry team at my church and we had good conversation on many aspects of this book and how we could incorpate/improve in many areas.  2) by a ministry student who is studying and then preparing to do full-time ministry.  It is important to know and understand why you have the ecclesiology you hold to.  If you don’t like multi-site, cell group, family integrated, seeker friendly, traditional SS model, etc – you should know why.  You should definitely be able to articulute what is important to you in the life of a church.  This book will help you clarify that belief.

Where God’s Word is not heard, chaos and darkness close in again.  God rules as his word is trusted and obeyed.  God is rejected when his word is not trusted and not obeyed.” (p 25)  I am so grateful to be in a church where the Word of God is clearly and passionately taught at every event I go to (whether singles events, youth training events, and most definitely the worship service on Sunday). 

Few Christians are going to object to being gospel-centered, just as no one is against mothers or apple pie.  The problem is the gap between our rhetoric and the reality of our practice.  The continual challenge for us is to apply this principle to church life and ministry without compromise.” (33)

The UK (USA) will never be reached until we create open, authentic, learning and praying communities that are focused on making whole-life disciples who live and share the Gospel wherever they relate to people in their daily lives.  We need non-full-time leaders who can model whole-life, gospel-centered, missional living.  This means creating church cultures in which we see normal, celebrating day-to-day gospel living in the secular world and discussions of how we can use our daily routines for the gospel.” (37)

God is at the center of the gospel word.  Yet much evangelism tends to place people in that position.  The gospel becomes skewed toward me and how Jesus meets my needs.” (55)

We need to be communities of love.  And we need to be seen to be communities of love.  People need to encounter the church as a network of relationships rather than a meeting you attend or a place you enter.” (59)  Based on some recent conversations, perception is reality – for those people.  We need to always strive to be reaching out to people – whether they look like they have it all together or not.  People need people. 

The best thing we can do for the poor is offer them a place of welcome and community.  People are often unaware of how much the culture of their church is shaped by their social class.  Someone at the door of a church, for example, may hand a newcomer a hymnbook, a Bible, service guide, or bulletin with a small and greeting without realizing how intimidating these can be to someone from a nonliterate culture.  The social activities to which the poor are invited, the decision-making processes of teh church, the unwritten dress codes, the style of teaching can all be alien to the marginalized.” (81).   We take the culture of our church for granted.  Would the poor feel welcome in a upper-class church?  Would a traditional person feel welcome in a Acts 29/modern church?  It goes both ways.  And we always need to be aware of people who may not look like us – to make them feel just as welcome and to care for them.

We have a simple rule of thumb in our church: if we do this as a family, we can do it as a church; if we would not do this as a family, why do it as a church?” (190).  Baptism and Lord’s Supper – two ordinances Scripture gives the church – not the family.  Acts 2 – clearly evidenced in both.  Children and Youth Ministry – how most churches operate – is there a place for those ministries in Total Church churches?

This book is thought-provoking.  Read through it critically.

Radical Womanhood: Carolyn McCulley

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Carolyn McCulley has been a blessing to me through her writing, speaking, and the few times I have been blessed to hang out with her.  She cares deeply about Christ, the church, missions, and women.  She cares about the gospel being lived out well by the women she is in contact with.  That is why you can hear and feel her heartbeat in her latest book, Radical Womanhood. 

I love hearing Carolyn’s story of God’s grace on her life.  Saved much later than most, in her 30s, she saw great evidences of God’s grace in her life as He shaped, and continually shapes, her to be a Radical Woman.  This book was written to help others who find themselves in the culture that displays very different standards for men and women when compared to God’s Word. 

As a friend and I have read this book together over the past 2 months, we both said that it was very helpful to us.  This would not be a book we would give to new Christians though, especially young women because of its depth.  More so, I see this book as a crucial tool to give to women in our churches to see how their ideologies and performance-based theories of worth are not founded in Scripture – yet they are founded in the lies of Satan.  If you did want to walk through it as a new believer, or even one who doesn’t know Christ, this would be excellent to go through with a friend.  My friend and I were able to discuss it over sushi or pizza and salads.  Made for interesting dinner conversation and I was thankful for the push!

This book has enough history in it to give one an overview of the three movements within Feminism.  McCulley shows you the depth of which these movements have permeated every part of our society: our home, the work place, and the church.  When reading through some of the tougher chapters, such as “The Mommy Wars” – one almost reads in defeat because of the overwhelming sin and destructive thoughts that permeate the area of birth control, Planned Parenthood, etc.

At the end of the chapters, Carolyn brings each of the matters a little closer to home with real life snippets of women who have been molded and shaped in these areas by the grace of God and for His glory.

Just some thoughts that I underlined:

“Sin also separates us from one another.  We need to be redeemed from the consequences of sin – God’s righteous judgment and wrath – to experience true freedom.” (p 45)

“Every time my married friends spoke to me about their trials and temptations, I had the choice to influence them with the Bible’s perspective or with the latest self-help theories.  We do not need the authority of personal experience to counsel one another because the Bible is sufficient for this task.  But, we do need to know the Word.” (p 75)

“However, even among a large number of Christians today, the home is not as important as it once was, nor it is viewed as a place of ministry and outreach.” (p 104).  Carolyn goes into this concept more in depth, especially for single women, in her book Did I Kiss Marriage Goodbye?.

Thoughts on Margaret Sanger (founder of modern-day birth control movement) – THINK about this – whether you are married or not: “Margaret Sanger was the founder of the modern birth control movement and a vocal proponent of eugenics – the theory of race improvement that was the cornerstone of Nazi Germany.  Sanger believed that all evils stemmed from large families, especially large families of those she deemed as unfit.  As she wrote in her 1920 book Woman and the New Race, “The most merciful thing that a large family does to one of its infant members is to kill it.” (p 128)   This will and should make you weep for the gospel and the coming of Christ.

“Without the cross, we are doomed.  There is no hope for mercy to triumph over judgment unless it be at the foot of the cross.” (p 131)

Read, learn, engage the culture around you with the Truth of the Cross and the Word.