Issues Facing Christians In Sudan Today (Salter)

I read this book that was in the GTC Library.  Its a book with 36 short chapters/essays written by various Christian leaders in Sudan.  The book was compiled and edited by Colin Salter.   The book was written in 2009 (prior to South Sudan's independence) so whenever the word "Sudan" is used its referring to Sudan and South Sudan (because at the time this book was written it was still one country).

I didn't underline a lot of quotes but I did appreciate learning about various customs.  I also enjoyed "getting to know" some of these godly Sudanese men who I've heard about but I've never met.  Through reading some of their writing I felt like I was able to get a glimpse into their lives.

The best chapter (in my opinion) was titled "Mission Work in Sudan Must Be Supported and Carried Out by the Sudanese".  In this chapter (written by Moses Angupale Kelili, a Pentecostal church leader) the author outlines the necessity of Sudanese people taking the gospel to their own people.  Here are some quotes:

Stats from the Global Status of Evangelical Christianity in April 2008 state that unreached people groups in Sudan are 234 with a population of 42,980,973. (pg 181)

There is a need for a paradigm shift of mission work in Sudan.  The best strategy is to involve the Sudanese themselves.  Sudanese must take the lead in the evangelisation of the whole country of Sudan. (pg 182)

The responsibility to run all the church programmes, including sending out missioners to the unreached people groups, should be given to and taken by indigenous Sudanese people. (pg 185)

Brothers We Are Not Professionals (Piper)

I read this book in early 2012 just around the time I received my "Professional Engineer" designation.  I thought it would be a good time to read about how pastors/elders are not "Professionals" at the same time I was receiving a professional license.

The book has 30 chapters which are each only 3-10 pages long.  There's a free eBook out called "Still Not Professionals" which adds 10 new chapters which I am planning to read sometime soon.  Check it out if you'd like here.

Quotes:

Insulated Western Christianity is waking from the dreamworld that being a Christian is normal or safe. (pg ix)

The aim of this book is the spread of radical pastoral passion for the supremacy and centrality of the crucified and risen God-Man, Jesus Christ, in every sphere of life and ministry and culture. (pg xi)

And to those who want me to write for "brothers and sisters," I say, let everyone be fully convinced in his own mind.  As for me, the Biblical teaching is clear: God calls spiritual, humble, Christlike men to lead the family as husbands and to lead the church as elders (Eph. 5:20-33; 1 Tim. 2:12-13).  I believe, and have experienced for twenty years, that godly, gifted, articulate, intelligent, ministering women flourish in such families and churches. (pg xiii)

The preacher... is not a professional man; his ministry is not a profession; it is a divine institution, a divine devotion. - E.M. Bounds (pg 1)

We pastors are being killed by the professionalizing of pastoral ministry. (pg 1)

The aims of our ministry are eternal and spiritual.  They are not shared by any of the professions... The world sets the agenda of the professional man; God sets the agenda of the spiritual man. (pg 3)

God, give us tears for our sins.  Forgive us for being so shallow in prayer, so content amid perishing neighbors, so empty of passion and earnestness in all our conversation. (pg 4)

I wrote this quote down but I wrote beside it "Do I believe this?"  I think I do but it just sounds a bit weird but I think it's true.

God loves His glory more than He loves us, and this is the foundation of His love for us. (pg 5)

Then Piper continues...

For God to be righteous, He must devote Himself 100% with all His heart, soul, and strength, to loving and honoring His own holiness in the display of His glory. (pg 14)

Do you feel most loved by God because He makes much of you, or because He frees you to enjoy making much of Him forever? (pg 16)

This doctrine [of justification by faith] is the head and the cornerstone.  It alone begets, nourishes, builds, preserves, and defends the church of God; and without it the church of God cannot exist for one hour. - Martin Luther (pg 17)

Wherever the knowledge of [justification by faith] is taken away, the glory of Christ is extinguished, religion abolished, the Church destroyed, and the hope of salvation utterly overthrown. - John Calvin (pg 17)

Brothers, Tell Them Not To Serve God: We have all told our people to serve God (Ps. 100:2, Rom. 12:1).  But now it may be the time to tell them not to serve God (Mark 10:45, Acts 17:24-25)... What is God looking for in the world?  Assistants?  No.  The gospel is not a help-wanted ad.  It is a help-available ad.  Nor is the call to Christian service a help-wanted ad.  God is not looking for people to work for Him but people who let Him work mightily in and through them. (pg 40)

It is the giver who gets the glory (pg 44)

Brothers Let Us Pray: Oh, how we need to wake up to how much "nothing" (John 15:5) we spend our time doing.  Apart from prayer, all our scurrying about, all our talking, all our study amounts to "nothing"...Both our flesh and our culture scream against spending an hour on our knees beside a desk piled with papers (pg 55)

I know that the reason so few conversions are happening through my church is not because we lack a program or staff.  It is because do not love the lost and yearn for their salvation the way we should... And without those tears we may shuffle members from church to church, but few people will pass from darkness to light. (pg 56)

Brothers, Beware of Sacred Substitutes: The great threat to our prayer and our meditation on the Word of God is good ministry activity. (pg 59)

So anything that is to be done well ought to occupy the whole man with all his faculties and members... How much more must prayer possess the heart exclusively and completely if it is to be a good prayer!.. It is a good thing to let prayer be the first business in the morning and the last in the evening." - Martin Luther (pg 63)

Brothers, Fight for Your Life: The great pressure on us today is to be productive managers... For your own soul and for the life of your church, fight for time to feed your soul with rich reading... Read classics - pg 66-67

This was the one of many times where Piper encourages pastors to take time to rest, read and pray.  Below you'll find a few other quotes about the importance of reading classic books.

There is so much "devotional" material today that is too light and too shallow and too a-theological to be helpful.  It just doesn't carry a sense of the greatness of God. (pg 69)

"It is a good rule, after reading a new book, never to allow yourself another new one till you have read an old one in between.  If that is too much for you, you should at least read one old one to every three new ones" - C.S. Lewis (pg 69)

Brothers, Let Us Query The Text: We must train our people that it is not irreverent to see difficulties in the Biblical text and to think hard about how they can be resolved.  Preaching should model this for them week after week (see Phil. 4:6 + 2 Cor. 11:28; 1 Thess. 5:16 + Rom. 12:15; Eph. 5:20 + Rom. 9:2; Matt. 5:39 + Matt 10:23; Exo. 34:6 + Ps. 2:12). (pg 77)

Then there's a whole chapter on the importance of knowing and using the Hebrew and Greek languages. The chapter is titled "Brothers, Bitzer Was A Banker".

"Languages are the scabbard that contains the sword of the Spirit; they are the casket which contains the priceless jewels of antique though; they are the vessel that holds the wine; and as the gospel says, they are the baskets in which the loaves and fishes are kept to feed the multitude... As dear as the gospel is to us all, let us as hard contend with its language." - Martin Luther (pg 81)

"The original Scriptures well deserve your pains, and will richly repay them." - John Newton (pg 81)


In 1982, Baker Book House reissued a 1969 book of daily Scripture readings in Hebrew and Greek called "Light on the Path"...The aim of the editor, who died in 1980, was to help pastors preserve and improve their ability to interpret the Bible from the original languages.  His name was Heinrich Bitzer.  He was a banker.... He said "The more a theologian detaches himself from the basic Hebrew and Greek text of Holy Scripture, the more he detaches himself from the source of real theology!  And real theology is the foundation of a fruitful and blessed ministry." (pg 81-82)

Several things happen as the original languages fall into disuse among pastors.  First, the confidence of pastors to determine the precise meaning of the Biblical text diminishes... For example most of the modern English translations (RSV, NIC, NASB, NLT) do not enable the expositor to see that "have fruit" in Rom. 6:22 links with "bear fruit" five verses later in Rom. 7:4.  They all translate Rom 6:22 without the word "fruit". (pg 82-83)

Further when we fail to stress the use of Greek and Hebrew as valuable in the pastoral office, we create an eldership of professional academicians.  We surrender to the seminaries and universities essential dimensions of our responsibility as elders and overseers of the churches.  I am deeply grateful for seminaries and for Bible-believing, God-centered, Christ-exalting scholars.  But did God really intend that the people who interpret the Bible most carefully be one step removed from the weekly ministry of the Word in the church?... Is it healthy or biblical for the church to cultivate an eldership of pastors (weak in the Word) and an eldership of professors (strong in the Word)? (pg 84)

Why do seminaries not offer incentives and degrees to help pastors maintain the most important pastoral skill - exegesis of the original meaning of Scripture? (pg 85)

I agree with this quote above from page 85.  I've been trying to find a way to do an intensive course at Heritage or TBS or Tyndale or MacDiv but none of them have a Greek I class in the evening or on weekends.

Martin Luther said, "If the languages had not made me positive as to the true meaning of the word, I might have still remained a chained monk, engaged in quietly preaching Romish errors in the obsurity of a cloister; the pope, the sophists, and their anti-Christin empire would have remained unshaken." In other words, he attributes the breakthrough of the Reformation to the penetrating power of the original languages. (pg 86)

Brothers, Read Christian Biography: Hebrews 11 is a divine mandate to read Christian biography. (pg 89)

Good biography is history and guards us against chronological snobbery (as C.S. Lewis calls it) (pg 90)

“Brothers We Must Feel The Truth of Hell.  Is not our most painful failure in the pastorate the inability to weep over the unbelievers in our neighborhoods and the carnal members of our churches?” – pg 113

“Brothers Magnify the Meaning of Baptism. Most of my dead heroes baptized infants.  I do not elevate the time or mode of baptism to a primary doctrine.  The Westminster Confession of Faith states “Baptism is rightly administered by pouring, or sprinkling water upon the person” (28.3) and “the infants of one, or both, believing parents, are to be baptized” (28.4).

“The fact that no infant baptisms are recorded does not prove there weren’t any.” (pg 130)

Piper, like me, is a credo-baptist.  His respect for our paedo-baptist brothers and sisters is encouraging.

“The justification of infant baptism in the Reformed churches hangs on the fact that baptism is the New Testament counterpart of circumcision… I am a Baptist because I believe that on this score we honour both the continuity and discontinuity between Israel and the church and between their respect covenant signs…entry into the old covenant people of God was by physical birth, and entry into the new covenant people of God is by spiritual birth.  It would seem to follow then that the sign of the covenant would reflect this change and would be administered to those who give evidence of spiritual birth.” – pg 133-134

“Brothers Don’t Fight Flesh Tanks With Peashooter Regulations.” – pg 151

“Church membership covenants might be improved by being made more radical and less specific” – pg 152

“Exclusion of people from local church membership should never be taken lightly.  It is a serious matter” – pg 154

“Brothers Tell Them Copper Will Do. We will never persuade our people that the parable of the rich fool in Luke 12 applies to them unless we apply it to ourselves.” – pg 167

“The person who thinks the money he makes is meant mainly to increase his comforts on earth is a fool, Jesus says. Wise people know that all their money belongs to God and should be used to show that God, and not money, is their treasure, their comfort, their joy and their security” – pg 168

“God does not prosper a man’s business so that man can move from a Buick to a BMW.  God prospers a business so that hundreds of unreached peoples can be reached with the gospel.” – pg 169

“Brothers we are leaders, and the burden of change lies most heavily on us… Is your giving to the church pace-setting (not that your people will know what you give, but God does)? Does your burden for the unreached and the poor stab people’s love for luxury and comfort?” – pg 170

“Brothers, Give Them God’s Passion for Missions. I bear witness to the grace of God in my life for giving me a passion for world missions” – pg 187

“If we love God’s fame and are committed to magnifying His name above all things, we cannot be indifferent to world missions.” – pg 187

Then he lists of the 7 truths that were rediscovered at his church about missions 10-20 years ago.

1)      We discovered that God is passionately committed to His fame.  God’s ultimate goal is that His name be known and praised and enjoyed by all the peoples of the earth.

2)      We discovered that God’s purpose to be known and praised and enjoyed among all nations cannot fail.  It is an absolutely certain promise.  It is going to happen.

3)      We discovered that the missionary task is focused on reaching, unreached peoples, not just people – people groups, not just individuals – and is therefore finishable.

4)      We discovered that the scarcity of Paul-type missionaries has been obscured by the quantity of Timothy-type missionaries.

5)      We discovered that domestic ministries are the goal of frontier missions, and frontier missions is the establishment of domestic ministries.

6)       We have come to see that God ordains suffering as the price and the means of finishing the Great Commission.

7)      We have discovered that God is most glorified in us when we are so satisfied in Him that we accept suffering and death for His sake in order to extend our joy to the unreached peoples of the earth.

I love this next quote.

“God's triumph is never in question, only our participation in it” – pg 190

“The great irony we found was that the people who ought to have the biggest heart for frontier missions are the people who have the biggest heart for domestic ministries.  The same love of Christ and the same sense of justice that burdens a person for evangelism and housing and unemployment and hunger in their own cities will also burden a person for these same needs in people groups where no Christian impulse for transformation exists at all.” – pg 194

This book was written in 2002 and Piper calls people to Radical Christianity.  Then in 2012 David Platt took up the same challenge when he wrote "Radical" and "Radical Together" (which I've reviewed here). :)

“So get radical with your people. Don’t let them settle down and be comfortable, middle-class Americans.  Call them to a wartime lifestyle and a world missions orientation.” – pg 196

“Brothers Blow the Trumpet for the Unborn.  Glorify adoption and fan the flames of its spread in your church. Support crisis pregnancy centers with your presence and money.” – pg 212

“Brothers Focus on the Essence of Worship, Not the Form…The essence of worship is not external, localized acts, but an inner, Godward experience that shows itself externally not primarily in church services (though they are important) but primarily in daily expressions of allegiance to God.” – pg 233

“Worship is all about consciously reflecting the worth or value of God.” – pg 233

“The Word will always be central.  The Lord’s Supper will remain a permanent ordinance for the worshiping community.  Singing will always be a part of Christian worship (whether in church or home or in the car).  But the details of how to put it all together in “worship services” is not laid down for us.” – pg 237

“Brothers, Love Your Wives. Oh how crucial it is that pastors love their wives.  It delights and encourages the church.  It models marriage for the other couples.  It upholds the honor of the office of elder.  It blesses the pastor’s children with a haven of love.  It displays the mystery of Christ’s love for the church.  It prevents our prayers from being hindered.  It eases the burdens of the ministry.  It protects the church from devastating scandal.  And it satisfies the soul as we find our joy in God by pursuing it in the joy of the beloved.  This is not marginal, brothers.  Loving our wives is essential for our ministry.  It is ministry!” – pg 246

“Brothers, Pray for the Seminaries…When I was choosing a seminary, someone gave me good advice. ‘A seminary is one thing – faculty. Do not choose a denomination or a library or a location.  Choose a great faculty. Everything else is incidental.’  I believe his advice was right: choose a seminary for its teachers.” – pg 262

“My memory is nearly gone; but I remember two things: that I am a great sinner and that Jesus is a great Saviour.” – John Newton

I also wanted to include for my own self reference these books that Piper recommends in this book as "recommended reading".

BIOGRAPHY

"Portrait of Calvin" by T.H.L. Parker from 1954

“Listening to the Giants"  by W.Wiersbe from 1980

“Walking with the Giants" by W.Wiersbe from 1976

"Autobiography of George Mueller" by George Mueller from 1906

“The Legacy of Sovereign Joy: God’s Triumphant Grace in the Lives of Augustine, Luther, and Calvin" by Piper from 2000

“The Hidden Smile of God: The Fruit of Afflication in the Lives of John Bunyan, William Cowper, and David Brainerd" by Piper from 2001

“The Roots of Endurance: Invincible Perseverance in the Lives of John Newton, Charles Simeon, and William Wilberforce" by Piper from 2002

“Let The Trumpet Sound - Biography of Martin Luther King Jr" by Stephen Oates

CLASSICS
"Institutes" by John Calvin
"The City of God" by Augustine
"Inspiration and Authority of the Bible" by Warfield
"Religious Affections" by Jonathan Edwards
"Pilgrim's Progress" by Bunyan
"Bruised Reed" by Sibbes
"Saints' Everlasting Rest" by Baxter
"Fourfold State" by Boston
"Christian Contentment" by Burrough
"Holiness" by Ryle
"Christian Ministry" by Bridges
"Precious Remedies" by Brook
"Method of Grace" by Flavel

Bringing Up Girls (Dobson)

2 years ago as a new dad I was given this book for Christmas.  As the founder of Focus on the Family I knew that there would be many things that I agreed with Dr. James Dobson on, but I also knew there’d be a few things I’d disagree with.  In fact I skimmed parts of the book on adolescent, puberty, and a few of his 2-3 page sections about how bad western culture has become.  Overall I’m happy to be able to take these few quotes and lessons from the book.  God help me be a good dad!!

“It used to be that girls from 6-10 were the prime market for Barbie and other dress-up dolls.  Nowadays, Barbie is targeted to 3-5 year olds.” – pg 10

“[God has] placed within girls a winsome and caring nature that should be recognized and cultivated.” – pg 14

“Tell your daughter she is pretty every chance you get.  Hug her.  Compliment her admirable traits.  Build her confidence by giving her your time and attention.  Defend her when she is struggling.  And let her know that she has a place in your heart that is reserved only for her.  She will never forget it.” – pg 21

I’ve been trying to do this here in South Sudan taking her out for tea and to the market, or in Kenya going out for milkshakes. 

“Girls are likely to be more expressive and emotional than most boys almost from birth…She will also cry more often…” – pg 29

“Girls have innate skills of observation, including the ability to hear human vocal tones in a broader range of frequencies. A study at Harvard Medical School found that newborn females less than 24 hours old are able to distinguish the cries of another baby from various sounds in the room.” – pg 30

“Parents must always remember that perceptive little people, especially their girls, are watching their every move.” – pg 31

Sometimes Rachel says to Karen “Daddy’s frustrated” when I’m visibly upset with something.  She knows!

“At the dinner table and before bedtime there are intimate moments” – pg 34

Help me God be there for these moments!

“I firmly believe that you should require your kids to say thank you and please… Require them to excuse themselves when leaving the table, and explain how to make friends, how to take turns talking in a group, and how to make eye contact.” – pg 40

“Kids thrive in an environment of order, vigilance, and close supervision, which is very difficult to provide by those who come home every night exhausted, distracted and frazzled.  The question that every family raising small children must answer is one of priorities: where is the best place for a mom to invest her time?  All things being equal, I recommend that mothers who do have the option consider the welfare of their children first, especially when they are young. Attachment won’t wait.” – pg 67

Ask questions like “Do you know how proud I am of you? Do you know how much I love you?” – pg 81

“None of the callers to the Father's Day radio program said, ‘Thanks Dad for earning a lot of money’ or ‘Thanks for the big house you provided for us’ or ‘Thanks for the Mercedes or BMW’. No one mentioned living in an upscale neighbourhood.  Instead caller after caller said, ‘Thanks, Dad, for loving me and for being there for me.’” – pg 91

“Dad’s who want to connect with their little girls… need to spend one-on-one time with them…. Put these activities on the calendar, and do not let the dates get canceled or postponed.” – pg 96

Short proverbs from another book “Father to Daguther: Life Lessons on Raising a Girl”

• Her mom will show her how to bake chocolate chip cookies.  You show her how to dunk them in milk.
• Never lose the wonder of watching her and her mother together
• Read to her often.  Very soon, she’ll be reading to you.
• Ask her about her day, every day.  Share her wonder.
• Never argue with her mom in front of her.  As hard as it may be, walk away
• Let her see, by the way you treat your wife, the way a man is supposed to treat a woman

“It is obvious that the individual attention and verbal interaction between parents and children is clearly superior to that provided by paid employees handling large numbers of children” – pg 139

“According to one estimate published by the American Academy of Family Physicians, children in daycare are 18 times more likely to become ill than other children” – pg 140

“Distinguish between willful defiance and childish irresponsibility… As we know, children will regularly spill things, lose things, break things, forget things and mess up things… but when they say “I will not” or “You can’t make me” it’s different.” – pg 149

“Some misbehaviour should be overlooked and taken no notice of [referring to childish irresponsibility], and others mildly reproved.  But no willful transgressions ought ever to be forgiven children without chastisement, more or less as the nature and circumstances of the offense shall require” – Susanna Wesley (250 years ago, mother of 19 children)

“And for the Christian family, it is extremely important to pray with the child (at the time of discipline) admitting to God that we have all sinned and no one is perfect.” – pg 150

“Take your family on vacation at least a week at a time.  Long weekends don’t qualify because it just isn’t long enough to break the daily routine or reconnect the relationship.  You need a week without texting, emailing, and everyone’s cell phones.  Switching your devices to vibrate is not enough.  Turn them completely off” – pg 194

Church Planting (Keller)

I listened to an mp3 by Tim Keller on "Church Planting".  In it he said the following:

The vigorous, continual planting of new congregations is the single most crucial strategy for the numerical growth of the body of Christ in the city, the continual corporate renewal and revival of all the existing churches.  Nothing else, not crusades, not outreach programs, not parachurch ministries, not growing big old fashion mega churches.

Then he listed 4 basic reasons why vigorous church planting is important:

1) want to be true to Biblical mandate
2) true to Great Commission
3) we are committed to renewing existing church of the city
4) church planting is an exercise of Kingdom-mindedness

"Every local church should have a church planting ministry and/or be involved in church planting" - Tim Keller

An Evening of Eschatology (Piper, Hamilton, Storms, Wilson)

At church this past year we finished going through a series titled "40 Days of Hope for Hamilton - Thy Kingdom Come, Thy Will Be Done on Earth as it is in Heaven"

There was a special two night course that Lane and Mike organized on "end times" and they referred to this discussion titled "An Evening of Eschatology".  For me it was a great introduction to the following 3 views:

Premillennialism (represented by Jim Hamilton): The return of Christ happens before (pre-) the thousand-year reign of Christ, which is a reign of the risen Christ on the earth.

Photo below of "Dispensational Premillennialism":

Photo below of "Historic Premillennialism":

Amillennialism (represented by Sam Storms): The return of Christ happens after the thousand-year reign, a reign that occurs in heaven, in the intermediate state, and not upon the earth. Those who have died in faith and entered into the presence of Christ share his rule and reign during the current church age in which we now live.

Postmillennialism (represented by Doug Wilson): The return of Christ happens after (post-) the thousand-year reign, which corresponds to the Christian age, and the reign of Christ from heaven leads the church to triumph by and through the gospel to such an extent that the Great Commission will be successfully fulfilled, and the Christian faith will pervade all the cultures of all the nations of men. All Christ's enemies will be subdued in this way, with the exception of death, which he will destroy by his coming.













The question that kept arising was what does "this age" refer to and what's "the age to come" (Matt 12:32, Mark 10:30, Eph 1:21).

Post millennials would generally say that in 30-70 AD there was an overlap and "the age to come" started in 70A.  Premillennials would generally say that the "Millennial Kingdom" is part of this age and then there is "the age to come"

One of the panelists said this:
"Jesus dies not so we might live.  Jesus died so we might die.  Jesus lives so that we might live!"

Note that Isaiah 65 says that people die in new heavens and new earth (this is a problem text for Post Mill people)



Sam Storms believes Satan is currently bound from deceiving the nations but he can tempt and persecute.
Post Millennial (Doug Wilson) agrees.


Sam Storms - doesn't like the "amill" title but that's what he believes.  He believes the "thousand year reign" is real and in heaven right now.  Those are the saints in Rev 20:4-6 reigning.  Sam Storms is post-millennial in that Christ returns after the thousand year reign, but he thinks the thousand year reign is in heaven right now.

Sam Storms (amill) agrees with Jim Hamilton (premill) that there will be intense suffering in the end, which Post Millennials can't explain.

Another big question that is debated is "When does physical death die?"
Sam Storms says that it dies at the second coming of Jesus (see 1 Cor 15:50-58 and Romans 8 where the curse is lifted from earth simultaneously with when curse is lifted from man).


Storms says the second coming of Christ is the resurrection of good and evil, and also the final judgement of good and evil.  The second coming terminates all possibility of being saved.

Other passages to consider:
Rev 12:7-12, 13-17. (Jim Hamilton believes this is the cosmic destruction of Satan whereas Sam Storms thinks this is different symbolism and 2 aspects of Christ's victory).
Rev 12-13 Satan makes war on the church
2 Cor 4:4
1 Peter 5
1 John 5:19
Rev 20:1-3
Rev 6 and 20, 2:11 Sam Storms believes this is physical martyrs come to life in intermediate state and 2nd death has no authority over them.

Other important notes:
- time references in Revelation include 42 months, 1000 yrs, etc (note Nero literally reigned 42 months).
- the Post Millennial view requires that Revelation was written before 70 AD which is debated.


The biggest problems for each position are:

for Amill = meaning of anostraphis in Rev 20:6
for Premill = getting natural bodies and unbelievers into Millennial kingdom
for Post Mill = harmonizing 1 Thessalonians 4:13 and 2 Thessalonians.

Evangelism in a Post Modern World (Keller)

I listened to a message by Tim Keller titled "Evangelism in a Post Modern World".  He gave a good reminder that there is no "magic bullet".  He also stated that the 4 Spiritual Laws are good in systematic theology but are individualistic.  Keller stated that the emerging church emphasizes more the Creation-Fall-Redemption-Restoration story (which is good biblical theology). But he said this can leave out the "my chains fell off, I rose went forth and followed Thee" aspect.  Keller didn't really have a "solution" or "best practice".  He did provide this quote from

"Thou art coming to a King.
Large petitions with Thee bring.
For His grace and power are such.
None can ever ask too much."
- John Newton

Foundations - Scriptural Principles Undergirding SIM (Hay)

Karen had this book written by Ian Hay in 1988 when he was the General Director of SIM International. So I decided to read it. On the opening page he dedicates the book... 

"To the missionaries of SIM International past and present, whose devotion to Christ and His commission have laid a sound base for SIM ministries"

Then he begins

"There are no unreachable people, only the unreached.  The task is not impossible, but it requires total obedience on our part...It is imperative that a fresh group of totally committed missionaries be found to meet today's challenges" (pg 19)

When I read the first line about no unreachable people I said "AMEN"!  Then I read about a "fresh group of totally committed missionaries" and said "am I supposed to be one of them"?

One aspect of SIM that I appreciate is their focus on metting spiritual AND physical needs while understanding the balance outlined in this next quote.

"Relieving hunger, attacking social evils, providing fine education, and other such efforts, although they are important and valid aspects of our church planting efforts, can not by themselves achieve God's purposes for mankind." (pg 26)

Plus SIM realizes more than just evangelism is required...

"The Mission quickly learned that Christ's total commission demands more than evangelism.  To bring people to new birth through evangelism and to stop at that point is to follow a truncated commission.  Discipling - teaching "them to obey everything I have commanded you" (Matthew 28:20) - is crucial." (pg 29)

I'm curious to hear your thoughts on this quote:

"God's basic pattern for missionary responsibility has not changed.  It resides in the church, which has the authority for missionary outreach.  The responsibility and authority, however, is delegated by the local church tot he mission society, which becomes the agency for missionary outreach.  The mission society, in turn, is accountable to the sending church.  Thus the full cycle of true delegation is maintained. There are those who question the validity of mission societies such as SIM.  They state that such organizations are an accident of history, existing only because the church failed, and as a result God raised up societies to get the task done.  SIM does not agree with this line of reasoning." (pg 43)

I'm still not sure about this, because I've heard the saying "if the local church had been doing its job we wouldn't need mission agencies" and I partially agree.  I realize they are very important and valuable nonetheless.

Here's a good Rowland Bingham quote:

"It is not my 'mighty faith' but my little faith in a mighty God.  God, and God alone is my confidence today" (pg 50)

And finally a quote on money:

"We inform God's people of the Mission's needs...  Some people question the element of faith in this principle... There is no questions in my mind that god led such giants of the faith as Hudson Taylor and George Mueller in their decisions that He alone should be informed of their needs.  Certainly that is not inconsistent with Scripture, but clearly it is not the only Biblical way of exercising faith as it relates to financial stewardship. The apostle Paul was explicit in what he had to say about giving.  One one occasion he sent Titus and another brother to Corinth to collect funds for the needy in Jerusalem.  Nothing could be more forthright that the appeal he made and the instructions he gave in 2 Corinthians 8 and 9." (pg 53)

Threads - The Gospel and Personal Evangelism (Platt)

In July 2008 David Platt did a series called "Threads - The Gospel and Personal Evangelism" at his church.  In the summer of 2012 I listened to these 4 mp3 sermons (linked here) and was challenged.  Here are my notes.

In Romans 1 the word "apostles" is a broader term used elsewhere.

Platt defines the Gospel as "The good news that the just and gracious God of the universe looked upon hopelessly sinful people and sent His Son, Jesus Christ, God in the flesh, to bear His wrath against sin on the cross to show His power over sin in the resurrection so that all who have faith in Him will be reconciled to God forever."

"unhindered" = the last word in Acts in the Greek

You are not calling people to embrace truths you are calling them to embrace a person - Christ!  You are not calling them to adopt your religion, you are calling people to be adopted into a relationship... The goal is disciples not decisions.

There are 5 major points he makes: God, Sinful Man, Christ, Necessity of Faith, Urgency of Eternity

Practical Applications re God 

- Creator and Judge

- acknowledge to others that God has made all (ie sunset, baby, stars, etc)

- acknowledge ways God is gracious to you

Practical Applications re Sinful Man

- acknowledge you want justice in a sinful world

- acknowledge you are sinful (ie "Daddy is prone to sin too")

Practical Applications re Christ

- speak with hope

- speak about death with joy

- when's the last time you told someone of Jesus' death and resurrection

- tell others of Jesus' work in your life

Practical Applications re Necessity of Faith

- tell your story of faith

- don't say "Good luck"

- point people to the Lordship of Christ, but tell people to "make" Christ Lord of their lives (He already is Lord over all)

- urge and call people to trust Christ

Practical Applications re Urgency of Eternity

- minimize talk of temporal matters

- talk about hell with humility

- talk about being with God with hope

- remind others that dying is gain