Churches Helping Churches

Some additional videos:

Pastor Mark and Pastor James for Churches Helping Churches
Pastor Mark leaving a riot situation

The need for aid in Haiti is going to be long-term. The devastation in the capitol and surrounding regions is so complete, I cannot imagine that much of anything will be left standing when cleanup begins.

The immediate need, however, is for food, water, and medical supplies. There are a number of ministries with work already underway in Haiti that are now reorganizing to respond to this crisis.

It is far too easy for us to feel disconnected from tragedies of this sort, but do not let distance stop your compassion. Give generously to the Haiti relief efforts. I recommend Compassion International though many other good ministries also exist. Below is a list of charities that have begun disaster relief.

Put off that next DVD purchase, this weekend’s movie, the new gadget you thought about purchasing, and spend your money where it will literally save lives.

1. Compassion International
2. IMB Baptist Global Response
3. Feed My Starving Children
4. Food for the Hungry
5. World Vision
6. World Relief
7. Samaritan’s Purse
8. Love a Child
9. Northwest Haiti Christian Mission
10. Compassion Weavers

There are also various blogs and twitter streams from people in Haiti. Below are three places I am following:

• The Livesay Weblog
• Troy Livesay twitter stream
• RHFH Rescue Center

The Boston Globe has also put together a number of pictures from Haiti, showing the extent of the devastation and providing a glimpse of the people caught up in this tragedy.

The New York Times has put together a Twitter list of Twitter streams reporting from/about Haiti.

I had originally left this out of the previous post. Added it back in when I realized my mistake, but wanted to go ahead and give it its own post as well.

Reasons for Divorce

I want to say a little more on why a husband or wife might decide to divorce his or her spouse.

Scripture does not offer many specific examples. We know in the case of adultery divorce is permitted. And we know from Deuteronomy 24:1-4 that there might be other situations that make divorce permissible. How might a husband or wife decide if a divorce should take place?

First, we recognize that divorce is never mandated in Scripture. Even in the case of adultery, divorce does not have to occur. In the case of adultery, the decision rests with the offended spouse.

But we noted from Deuteronomy that a spouse might divorce for various kinds of indecent behavior, actions that are repugnant to the married life. We also said that abuse is one example. If a man is abusing his wife and/or children, his wife would be justified in divorcing her husband and getting herself and her children to safety. Or if a wife is a drug addict and refuses to give up her addiction, her husband is justified to divorce in order to protect himself and his children from the consequences of drug use. Many other examples of this sort could be given.

The thing to remember is that the offense cannot be casual. The Jews found ways to justify divorce if the wife burned her husband’s breakfast or other similar nonsense. Today a husband might divorce if he wants to marry someone he finds more attractive or appealing. None of these cases involve justified divorce. Similarly, one cannot divorce with the claims of incompatibility. I believe it is sin to divorce for any reasons involving selfish motive or ambition or how one feels about the quality of a marriage.

Divorce is justified if one spouse is chronically engaged in sinful activity that is harmful to the spouse or the children and he or she refuses to repent and turn from his or her sinful actions. A husband or wife may find divorce the last resort, the only way to be protected from spousal sin. Even after divorce reconciliation should be sought, working to lead the sinning spouse to repentance.

Download as PDF: Christians And Divorce

Introduction

In this post I do not intend to give a comprehensive discussion of divorce, though I will cover a lot of ground. On Sunday nights I have been preaching through the Sermon on the Mount and this week we tackle Matthew 5:31-32 where Jesus discusses divorce. Since I will need to preach on divorce, it is a good time to solidify my own understanding of divorce. This post is a sort of dumping ground for my thoughts.

Let me say that I recognize the seriousness and sensitivity of this issue. I do not approach the issue lightly. Many people have experienced a great deal of pain because of divorce. But because it is so serious in society today we must strive all the more to understand what the Bible teaches us about divorce.

Summary

For the 98% of you that will not want to wade through my five seven pages of discussion (Nathan, you have to read it), here is a summary:

Read the rest of this entry »

I really like Andrew Peterson’s music. And here is one of his great songs set to art:

“Family Man” from Trevor Little on Vimeo.

From The Resurgence, this was being filmed for a Sunday morning service when a homeless man showed up and started singing with them. Amazing. May we be willing to worship on the streets with all who come into our path.

This was originally written as a letter but I’ve modified it slightly to post on here.

I first affirm the equal worth and value of all people. Men and women stand as equals before God. He does not favor one gender over another but has called all people to himself and he loves all of his children the same. We are equally precious in his sight.

But equality in terms of our value and worth as individuals does not mean we are equal in every way. In mathematics we can say that 5 = 5 and we mean these numbers are the same thing. Among humanity, however, we cannot say that man = woman. It is a simple biological fact that we are not the same and I believe our differences extend beyond biology.

God created men and women to be different and our differences are intended to work together. Men have strengths women do not have, women have strengths men do not have. The only way we can function well as a society is to recognize our differences and seek to use our strengths in ways that compensate for the other’s weaknesses.

One of the great tragedies of modern society is that we attempt to cover up the differences between men and women. The modern feminist movement claims to work for the advancement of women but what often ends up happening is women are made to act like men, thus obliterating the strengths uniquely given to women. There are many reasons why this distortion has taken place and much of the blame falls on men who have failed to live up to their responsibility. Men have ignored what God has called them to do, leaving a vacuum in society that women have sought to fill. The end result is a society turned upside down.

From the beginning of creation God has intended for men and women to augment one another. We see this in the garden of Eden where in Genesis 2:19-25 we read that something was lacking in man and God created woman to fill the need. We were created to work together.

In the creation of men and women God also reveals a certain hierarchy. When he created Adam and placed him in the garden he gave Adam dominion over all creation. He then created Eve as a helper to Adam in the garden. She was no beast, put under man’s authority like the rest of creation, for she was part of Adam, created from his rib, and given all the worth and dignity he had been given. Nonetheless, she was not given his authority. She was put in the garden as his helper. That is, as Adam ruled over the garden, Eve assisted him.

One of the great tragedies of history is that so many men have mangled what God established. Men have declared themselves lords of their own domains while women have been seen as little more than servants to serve the whims of men. Men who act in this way have committed a grave sin as they distort what God has done and deny the unique value of women.

Nonetheless, there is a right way to maintain the distinction between men and women with men serving as leaders and women serving under their leadership. Even in the New Testament we find this expectation that men and women will work together in complementary ways. Men and women continue to be shown to be equal in terms of worth and value and Christ’s work for men and women is the same, but we continue to have distinct strengths and weaknesses that should be used for the glory of Christ and the good of the church.

The New Testament also shows us something that was not revealed in the Old Testament: this relationship between men and women, particularly between husband and wife, has been given to paint a picture for the world of the relationship between Christ and the church. In Ephesians 5:22-33 we see that the husband stands as an image of Christ, leading his family in faithfulness and righteousness. The wife stands as an image of the church, submitting to her husband’s leadership even as the church is to submit to Christ.

This complementary relationship extends to our work within the church. Several times in the New Testament we find the writer addressing men and women in the church. It is always affirmed that just as leadership in the home is to be held by men, so too leadership in the church is to be held by men. Perhaps the clearest text on this is 1 Timothy 2:8-15 which contains some perplexing words but is fairly clear in verse 12 where Paul writes, I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to remain quiet. Paul shows that the work of preaching and serving as spiritual leader over the people of God is to be carried out by men in the church. But within the church men and women alike continue to serve in various ministries and tasks. It is simply a fact that in the history of the church women have quite often been more obedient than men to spread the gospel and serve the needy.

Much more can be said – indeed, many books have been written on both sides of this issue! – but this letter will be enough to show you my feelings on the subject. I respect and appreciate women who desire to serve God and feel their service should be through pastoral work. In seminary I had several lady friends who were preparing for pastoral ministry. They knew where I stood and I knew where they stood and somehow we managed to remain friends. But I believe that these women are misusing the gifts and abilities uniquely given to them as women and in the process are harming the church by distorting what God has intended.

In our egalitarian society my beliefs on this matter are not popular. But in all things we do not judge truth on the basis of popularity but on the basis of the timeless, unchanging revelation given to us by God in his Word.

We don’t do Santa Claus. Here is one of the many reasons:

I recently listened to two pastors discuss the problem of having Sunday school members who want to teach biblical doctrine. “Sunday school is not the place for doctrine!” said the pastors “it is the place where new believers and non-Christians can learn the basics of the faith!”

I wanted to ask these pastors to give me the people that wanted doctrine in Sunday school.

Sunday school ought to be a great training ground for all in the church, not just new believers. It is where new believers can receive milk and those old in the faith can receive meat. My great frustration with Sunday school, particularly Southern Baptist Sunday school, is that so much of what we do is watered down to insubstantial blandness.

Our people need anchors that run deep in the Word, but few are trained to do more than splash the surface. Our people need training in doctrine and theology, but to many these are foul words.

Spurgeon’s view on the subject is revealed by a comment in his book Lectures to my Students:

We have occasionally had applications at which, perhaps, you would be amazed, from men who are evidently fluent enough, and who answer all our questions very well, except those upon their doctrinal views, to which repeatedly we have had this answer: ‘Mr. So-and-so is prepared to receive the doctrines of the College whatever they may be!’ In all such cases we never deliberate a moment; the instantaneous negative is given. I mention it, because it illustrates our conviction that men are not called to the ministry who have no knowledge and no definite belief. When young fellows say that they have not made up their minds upon theology, they ought to go back to the Sunday-school until they have.

Note the last line. Spurgeon expects men to be trained in theology through Sunday school. Theology is not for those advanced in the faith; theology is not just for theologians and pastors; theology is for everyone in the church. We believe God to be the author of truth. Once we begin to explore God’s truth we begin to form our theology. To hold no theology is to hold no knowledge of God’s truth. The better our theology, the better our knowledge of God and the truth he has revealed.

Sunday school teachers, give your people theology! Let the rivers run deep and the food be rich and substantial. Dive into the Word of God and emerge with precious jewels of truth to spread among those given to your care.

Apparently, the North American Mission Board has too much time on its hands.

I know nothing about the Catalyst conference. But I do know that NAMB has some folks there, recognizing that attendees are “inspired to make your mark in this world”. NAMB wants to join with that and “encourage you to touch the world through missions and minstry [sic]“. How they intend to encourage you is highly bizarre: “That’s why we’re giving away to [sic] iPod Touchs before the end of this year’s event.”

Somehow “missions and ministry” goes along with “make your mark in this world” and is powered by giving away an iPod touch.

I have no problem with gadgets and rather enjoy my iPhone 3g S, I’m just not sure how this will in any way help people be more devoted to glorifying God rather than self-interest. And mixing “missions and ministry” with “make your mark in this world” just does not seem to work.