It was recently brought to my attention the significant impact the reading of Christian biographies had the spiritual and ministerial development of C.H. Spurgeon and George Whitfield. Scripture itself places emphasis on our learning from others around us and from those who have gone before us. We must always recognize the saints on whose shoulders we stand in the work of building God's church!
With that in mind, allow me to ask a question. What good Christian biographies have you recently read... contemporary or from generations gone by? Please post in the comment section so we can all add to our "must read" lists.
I am currently reading The Biography of Robert Murray McCheyne by Andrew Bonar. I recently finished a more contemporay biography, The Hand of Providence: The Faith of Ronald Reagan.
What are you reading that you would recommend?
Grace to You!
Wednesday, May 18, 2005
There Are No Athiests!
EDITOR'S NOTE: This post is being republished. It was originally posted on Feb 23, 2005. In light of some recent study, I decided to repost it for your encouragement and interaction. Grace and Peace to you through our Lord Jesus Christ!
I teach a class at my church on Tuesday nights called Grace Evangelism. We meet at 6:00 PM for a time of study then go out on visitation. This week the topic of study was the evangelistic implications of Romans 1.18-20 and Romans 2.14-15.
Romans 1.18 "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. 19For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. 20For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse."
There are certain gospel truths that all humankind already know. God uniquely designed the entire universe to point to Himself. From creation, there are at least two attributes of God that all humanity have embedded on their minds. According to verse 20, all men clearly perceive God's eternal power and His divine nature.
God's eternal power is evidenced in His personal creation of all the world through the person of Jesus Christ and his moment by moment sustaining its very existence. Every man, woman and chiild who every lived or ever will live on this earth knwo that. Why do you think people instinctively call on God when an earthquake or a tsunami rattles their existence? Why do they call out to God when traumatic circumstance beset them? Because they instinctively know of the eternal power of God.
All humankind are also clearly aware of God's divine nature, that is His goodness and grace commonly spread to all humanity. To a limited degree, God's grace is made available to every person without regard to location, religion, gender, race, etc. He rains on the just and the unjust alike (cf Matt 5.45). This is why even the unsaved both plead for God to deliver rain and curse His name when they get too much of it. They know the divine nature of God.
Os, if the Bible is true, and I believe that it always is, there are no atheists! There may well be professing atheists, much as there are professing Christians who are not genuine. All men have the very existence of God already etched on their minds. According to verse 18, they "By their unrighteousness supress the truth." That means it is there, just pushed down under layers of disobedience, rebellion and denial. But it is there. I have a friend named John who claimed for many years to be an atheist. He is very intellectual, very sharp. The very beauty and order of the created world sent him on a religious search for the essence of reality and source of life. He eventually landed at the Gospel and God turned his life around. What was it in John that sent him searching for Truth? That's right, it was the very truth of God already inscribed on his heart.
What is the evangelistic implications of this truth? There are no atheists, so what of those who claim to be atheists? We do not argue for the existence of God or His authority. We rather confront the point of sinful rebellion by building on the foundation of truth God has already put in his heart. Evangelism is the work of God. We get to be His mouthpieces as He completes the work He began in creation!
Grace to You!
I teach a class at my church on Tuesday nights called Grace Evangelism. We meet at 6:00 PM for a time of study then go out on visitation. This week the topic of study was the evangelistic implications of Romans 1.18-20 and Romans 2.14-15.
Romans 1.18 "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. 19For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. 20For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse."
There are certain gospel truths that all humankind already know. God uniquely designed the entire universe to point to Himself. From creation, there are at least two attributes of God that all humanity have embedded on their minds. According to verse 20, all men clearly perceive God's eternal power and His divine nature.
God's eternal power is evidenced in His personal creation of all the world through the person of Jesus Christ and his moment by moment sustaining its very existence. Every man, woman and chiild who every lived or ever will live on this earth knwo that. Why do you think people instinctively call on God when an earthquake or a tsunami rattles their existence? Why do they call out to God when traumatic circumstance beset them? Because they instinctively know of the eternal power of God.
All humankind are also clearly aware of God's divine nature, that is His goodness and grace commonly spread to all humanity. To a limited degree, God's grace is made available to every person without regard to location, religion, gender, race, etc. He rains on the just and the unjust alike (cf Matt 5.45). This is why even the unsaved both plead for God to deliver rain and curse His name when they get too much of it. They know the divine nature of God.
Os, if the Bible is true, and I believe that it always is, there are no atheists! There may well be professing atheists, much as there are professing Christians who are not genuine. All men have the very existence of God already etched on their minds. According to verse 18, they "By their unrighteousness supress the truth." That means it is there, just pushed down under layers of disobedience, rebellion and denial. But it is there. I have a friend named John who claimed for many years to be an atheist. He is very intellectual, very sharp. The very beauty and order of the created world sent him on a religious search for the essence of reality and source of life. He eventually landed at the Gospel and God turned his life around. What was it in John that sent him searching for Truth? That's right, it was the very truth of God already inscribed on his heart.
What is the evangelistic implications of this truth? There are no atheists, so what of those who claim to be atheists? We do not argue for the existence of God or His authority. We rather confront the point of sinful rebellion by building on the foundation of truth God has already put in his heart. Evangelism is the work of God. We get to be His mouthpieces as He completes the work He began in creation!
Grace to You!
Wednesday, May 04, 2005
Blinded By Might
According the ever vocal John Gibson over at “Fair and Balanced” Fox News (http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,155422,00.html) “The very same team that was helping to get John Kerry elected, muttering the whole time that Bush lied to get the country into a war…” are now helping Prime Minister Tony Blair in his bid for a third term by insisting that he did not lie about the war. Interesting how Bush was a conniving liar and Blair was simply mislead. But hey, don’t let the facts get in the way of an agenda, by all means!
This really shouldn’t come as a surprise. Democrats, like most politicians (I almost said “all,” but I am still optimistic that there are a few honest ones out there) get blinded by their grab for power and influence that they readily compromise integrity. They simply assume most American won’t pay attention to what is happening on the other side of the big pond. They can say one thing here and another thing over there and be growing their power bases in both places. This is all par for the political course.
The concern I have this morning is the parallel that I see between modern politicians and many evangelical leaders. Power and influence are dangerous weapons that, when possessed, can be wielded to effect far reaching change. This is just as true for evangelicals as it is for politicians. This proven fact is demonstrated throughout recent evangelical history. For the most obvious example, look at the influence that Rev. Billy Graham has had on numerous American presidents. His son and assumed heir, Franklin Graham is already beginning to wield that political power that comes as a result of his status as an evangelical leader. Jerry Falwell, Pat Buchanan, Gary Bauer, Tony Perkins, James Dobson and more recently Al Mohler, are all examples of how evangelical influence translates to political influence. This can all be well and good, even helpful to the greater cause of evangelicalism, namely the spread the gospel of faith alone in Christ alone – the good news that Christ appeased the wrath of God and opens the narrow door of heaven for all who would believe in Him alone.
The rub comes when evangelical leaders, like their political counterparts, begin to compromise their integrity, or worse, the integrity of the gospel, to gain political clout. Democratic leaders like Bob Shrum and Stan Greenberg blatantly call Bush a liar and then rush to wrap their arms around Blair precisely because it seems apparent the Blair will glide to an easy victory and the Democrats want a bit of influence with Blair and other Europeans. So what if their integrity is a bit compromised? The political clout they will gain far outweighs any potentially negative press they will get here in the States. Evangelical leaders like Dobson are doing the same thing. They are sidling up with Roman Catholics, as well as many liberal evangelicals, that deny the very claims of the gospel in the hopes of gaining political clout to effect change. Those changes would be helpful and well received by most of us evangelicals, but not at the expense of throwing the gospel out the window.
As I have commented before, (as has Steve Camp and James White much more fluently – and boldly – as I) there is nothing helpful or loving about fixing the cultural and political climate while denying the claims of the gospel – the only means to fix the real issue of lost people’s hearts. Once the evangelicals have hijacked the political system and effected the desired changes, how will they be able to come back and preach the gospel of grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone that they have marginalized for the last decade?
No doubt about it, there is much needed political change in America, starting right here in Toledo and going all the way to the Supreme Court and even the White House. I am working to effect that change in small, grass roots ways. I hope to help in some small way to get Rob Ludeman elected Mayor of Toledo. I hope to be a part of getting Kenneth Blackwell elected Governor of Ohio. But in this process, I must never compromise the heart of the Gospel or my own integrity to effect a temporal change.
May evangelicals everywhere be able to say as Paul, “I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation for all who believe.” (Rom 1.16)
Grace to You!
This really shouldn’t come as a surprise. Democrats, like most politicians (I almost said “all,” but I am still optimistic that there are a few honest ones out there) get blinded by their grab for power and influence that they readily compromise integrity. They simply assume most American won’t pay attention to what is happening on the other side of the big pond. They can say one thing here and another thing over there and be growing their power bases in both places. This is all par for the political course.
The concern I have this morning is the parallel that I see between modern politicians and many evangelical leaders. Power and influence are dangerous weapons that, when possessed, can be wielded to effect far reaching change. This is just as true for evangelicals as it is for politicians. This proven fact is demonstrated throughout recent evangelical history. For the most obvious example, look at the influence that Rev. Billy Graham has had on numerous American presidents. His son and assumed heir, Franklin Graham is already beginning to wield that political power that comes as a result of his status as an evangelical leader. Jerry Falwell, Pat Buchanan, Gary Bauer, Tony Perkins, James Dobson and more recently Al Mohler, are all examples of how evangelical influence translates to political influence. This can all be well and good, even helpful to the greater cause of evangelicalism, namely the spread the gospel of faith alone in Christ alone – the good news that Christ appeased the wrath of God and opens the narrow door of heaven for all who would believe in Him alone.
The rub comes when evangelical leaders, like their political counterparts, begin to compromise their integrity, or worse, the integrity of the gospel, to gain political clout. Democratic leaders like Bob Shrum and Stan Greenberg blatantly call Bush a liar and then rush to wrap their arms around Blair precisely because it seems apparent the Blair will glide to an easy victory and the Democrats want a bit of influence with Blair and other Europeans. So what if their integrity is a bit compromised? The political clout they will gain far outweighs any potentially negative press they will get here in the States. Evangelical leaders like Dobson are doing the same thing. They are sidling up with Roman Catholics, as well as many liberal evangelicals, that deny the very claims of the gospel in the hopes of gaining political clout to effect change. Those changes would be helpful and well received by most of us evangelicals, but not at the expense of throwing the gospel out the window.
As I have commented before, (as has Steve Camp and James White much more fluently – and boldly – as I) there is nothing helpful or loving about fixing the cultural and political climate while denying the claims of the gospel – the only means to fix the real issue of lost people’s hearts. Once the evangelicals have hijacked the political system and effected the desired changes, how will they be able to come back and preach the gospel of grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone that they have marginalized for the last decade?
No doubt about it, there is much needed political change in America, starting right here in Toledo and going all the way to the Supreme Court and even the White House. I am working to effect that change in small, grass roots ways. I hope to help in some small way to get Rob Ludeman elected Mayor of Toledo. I hope to be a part of getting Kenneth Blackwell elected Governor of Ohio. But in this process, I must never compromise the heart of the Gospel or my own integrity to effect a temporal change.
May evangelicals everywhere be able to say as Paul, “I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation for all who believe.” (Rom 1.16)
Grace to You!
Tuesday, May 03, 2005
The Runaway Bride
She may not be able to double as Julia Roberts, but Jennifer Wilbanks is going to be the butt of many jokes for a long time to come. Maybe rightfully so. Afterall, she sent local authorities on a very expensive and time consuming hunt for something that was never going to be found. She toyed with the emotions of a whole community (and thanks to the big media with nothing else to do, a whole country). There may be a legitimate price to pay for the taxpayer funded wild goose chase.
But let's slow down for a minute. My friend, Fritz Wenzel, a political and media consultant, made a striking observation on his blog (www.heartlandpolitics.com) regarding Ms. Wilbanks. Surely good can be found and grace can be given to this woman who got cold feet and had her second thoughts BEFORE she said her "I do." Now I am rarely one to suspend due process and release someone of the just consequences of breaking the law, but if ever there was a time to be very slow and cautious before pressing charges, this would be it. Think of how much heartache and trauma could be avoided if more people gave serious consideration to the deeply profound implications of saying "I do."
Marriages are a dime a dozen and finding so-called "clergy" that will "perform" them is easier than finding wasted taxpayer money at the local public school board. Americans have such a consumer driven idea of marriage that it will only be a matter of time until you will be able to get your marriage license signed at a drive through window.
This all throws out the Biblical imagery of marriage being the imperfect picture of how Christ perfectly loves His bride, the Church. God has called out for His own glory a people that He will present to Christ as His Bride. Christ endlessly, sacrificially, intentionally loves that Bride, for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and health. And we, His church, are very often, worse, poorer, and sick and yet Christ continues to love us. Even when we cheat on Him with our gods of self, pleasure, dreams, ambitions, etc... He loves us always.
Mr. John Mason, the would-be groom, has modeled a bit this kind of unconditional love. He has insisted that his love for her has in no way diminished. He wants to give her time to work through her problems and proceed with the relational commitment he has made. How many men you know would jump ship even AFTER the wedding if his partner did something like this? Mr. Mason understands the commitment he made and is sticking by it.
I pray that more people will give series consideration to the ramification of marriage before they go to the altar. I make it my goal, in the first counseling session I do with a couple leading up to marrying them, to convince them not to get married. If i can talk them out marriage in a one hour session, they shouldn't be getting married in the first place.
I hope we all learn something from this, regardless of what legal ramifications this might have on Ms. Wilbanks, they are far better than the far reaching devastation that would have resulted from her running a few days after then wedding instead of a few days before.
Grace to You!
But let's slow down for a minute. My friend, Fritz Wenzel, a political and media consultant, made a striking observation on his blog (www.heartlandpolitics.com) regarding Ms. Wilbanks. Surely good can be found and grace can be given to this woman who got cold feet and had her second thoughts BEFORE she said her "I do." Now I am rarely one to suspend due process and release someone of the just consequences of breaking the law, but if ever there was a time to be very slow and cautious before pressing charges, this would be it. Think of how much heartache and trauma could be avoided if more people gave serious consideration to the deeply profound implications of saying "I do."
Marriages are a dime a dozen and finding so-called "clergy" that will "perform" them is easier than finding wasted taxpayer money at the local public school board. Americans have such a consumer driven idea of marriage that it will only be a matter of time until you will be able to get your marriage license signed at a drive through window.
This all throws out the Biblical imagery of marriage being the imperfect picture of how Christ perfectly loves His bride, the Church. God has called out for His own glory a people that He will present to Christ as His Bride. Christ endlessly, sacrificially, intentionally loves that Bride, for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and health. And we, His church, are very often, worse, poorer, and sick and yet Christ continues to love us. Even when we cheat on Him with our gods of self, pleasure, dreams, ambitions, etc... He loves us always.
Mr. John Mason, the would-be groom, has modeled a bit this kind of unconditional love. He has insisted that his love for her has in no way diminished. He wants to give her time to work through her problems and proceed with the relational commitment he has made. How many men you know would jump ship even AFTER the wedding if his partner did something like this? Mr. Mason understands the commitment he made and is sticking by it.
I pray that more people will give series consideration to the ramification of marriage before they go to the altar. I make it my goal, in the first counseling session I do with a couple leading up to marrying them, to convince them not to get married. If i can talk them out marriage in a one hour session, they shouldn't be getting married in the first place.
I hope we all learn something from this, regardless of what legal ramifications this might have on Ms. Wilbanks, they are far better than the far reaching devastation that would have resulted from her running a few days after then wedding instead of a few days before.
Grace to You!
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