Saturday Ramblings 5.22.10

Thanks to Adam Palmer for filling in for me last week as I was away. But now I have returned from the wilderness … of the Colorado Rockies. Not the baseball team, but the actual mountains. It snowed more than a foot where I was. Do they understand the concept of springtime in Colorado? We know it well here at the Internet Monk. We are up for some spring cleaning, which means it is time for our weekly Saturday Ramblings …

Jonathan Falwell, pastor of Thomas Road Baptist Church in Lynchburg, Virginia, told other ministry leaders gathered at the Refuel Conference this week that pastors and ministries have the wrong view of success. This could be a major reason, he says, why so many pastors are looking to get out of their vocation. Personal word: Jonathan was a literary client of mine, and I know him well. He is genuine. I have been with him in his church and heard him talking to those he shepherds. He knows people by name, knows what is going on in their lives. He is one of the good ones–he gets it.

Perhaps in a related story, membership in the Southern Baptist Convention continues to decline, even though the number of baptisms has increased. Thom Rainer is concerned that it takes 46 Southern Baptists to lead one person to Christ. (Commence your “how many Baptists does it take to get one person saved” jokes now.) I wonder what the ratio is in other denominations? More than that, I wonder how they came up with this number? And what would happen if you had 46 Southern Baptists surround you and share the Gospel with you? I think I would get saved.

Continue reading “Saturday Ramblings 5.22.10”

MLJ and the Holy Spirit

By Chaplain Mike

On this week leading up to Pentecost, we are listening to some prominent evangelical voices about the ministry of the Holy Spirit. We are doing this in order to understand the variety of views within evangelicalism, and ways the church has dealt with these differences. We also want to give our IM readers the chance to discuss their experiences with these teachings.

One of the greatest preachers and teachers of the 20th century was Dr. David Martyn Lloyd-Jones (1899-1981). After training to be a medical doctor, Lloyd-Jones felt called into the ministry, and during his long career he became a prominent voice in the Reformed wing of the British evangelical movement. He ministered for 30 years at Westminster Chapel in London (1938-1968).

Known for his in-depth, expository style of teaching and preaching, Lloyd-Jones famously taught a Friday night study on Romans for 13 years. These lectures were published in a multi-volume set of commentaries.

As a young minister, I devoured those books. I was enlivened and inspired by his intellectual rigor, passionate love for Christ, and pastoral concern for the church. There was, however, one aspect of Lloyd-Jones that intrigued, confused, and stimulated me — his view of the baptism of the Holy Spirit.

Not charismatic or Pentecostal, MLJ nevertheless held a view of the Holy Spirit that allowed for a “baptism” or “sealing” of the Spirit that is a definite experience subsequent to salvation. In his volume on Romans 8:5-17, The Sons of God, he appeals to Scripture and church history to set forth his doctrine.

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Giving Away “The Gospel for Those Broken by the Church”

A word from friend of IM, Patrick Kyle

This past weekend I had a chance to hear Dr. Rosenbladt give his lecture entitled ‘The Gospel for Those Broken by the Church’ to a packed house. As Ted and I sat and watched the impact of Dr. R’s words on the audience, I knew it was past time to give it away for free. Both Rod and Ted agreed.  So we are giving it away.

Feel free to download, make copies, quote at length, link to, or print  and hand out.  The Mp3 and both PDF formats are available, and later this year we will be adding a video version filmed in front of a live audience, including a question and answer session.

This lecture was one of the reasons we created New Reformation Press, and it has been influential in the lives and ministries of many people.   It has given hope to literally hundreds of bruised reeds and smoldering wicks barely clinging to faith in churches that have lost their way and lost sight of Christ.  Others abandoned church long ago and considered themselves failed Christians. This is another word for them, not of cursing but of blessing.

This lecture was one of the main reasons our friend, the late Michael Spencer, wanted us to put our ad on his blog, and he recommended it to his readers a number of times. It speaks to many who find themselves in what Michael called the ‘Post-Evangelical Wilderness’ as some of you can attest.

Below is an excerpt from the lecture in which Dr. Rosenbladt describes the entry into Heaven by those who appeared to be failures as a Christian in this life.  This past weekend as he read these words with tears in his eyes, members of the audience openly wept.

FOR AUDIO SAMPLE CLICK HERE

You can see why we think this lecture is so important.

For a number of years we charged a small fee for the Mp3 and the PDF, in order to defray our costs and to give a small royalty to Dr. Rosenbladt for letting us put it on our site.  After some discussion with him we decided that it was time to give it away to whoever wanted it.

If you have purchased the Mp3 or PDF from us in the past, let us know if you decide to purchase something else from our site and we will give you a credit equal to the amount you spent on the ‘Gospel for Those Broken by the Church.’

We know this presentation will be of immense help to many, and ask your help in getting it out there to those who need to hear it.

To get this outstanding message of grace, click on the New Ref Press banner in the sidebar, go their site, and click “Freebies” at the top.

Update From The Publisher

Occasionally I need to step out from behind the publisher’s desk and visit with those who matter the most: you all, our readers. Well, I don’t actually sit behind a desk, unless you count the table I often commandeer at Cafe Fusion in Tulsa my desk. But I think you know what I mean. I wanted to catch you up on a few things that are happening behind the scenes–and out in front–here at the Internet Monk.

Michael Spencer’s book, Mere Churchianity, is set to release in less than a month. I confirmed with Michael’s editor today that the eBook version will be available on June 1, with the printed book shipping on June 15. For those of you with eBook readers, you can read the complete book starting June 1. I have been involved with this book since word one, and it is fantastic. Ron Lee, the Waterbrook editor who has been with this project from the beginning, says he has never worked on a better or more important book. And as Ron is considered one of the best editors in the business, that really says a lot. Order your copy today.

Continue reading “Update From The Publisher”

Pursuit Of Happiness?

Editor’s note: Joe Spann will be contributing to our iMonk community from time to time. He previously wrote about our Dangerous God. Joe is not a “professional Christian,” simply a follower of Jesus learning as he goes. And for the record, I am the “friend” who asked the question that got this whole topic started–Jeff

By Joe Spann

Recently a friend asked me a simple question, “As followers of Christ, do we have a right to happiness?”

Hmmm…a right to happiness?   The question has dominated my thoughts since then.  And now finally it seems that sleep itself will elude me until I make at least a feeble attempt to explore my thoughts on the subject.

I suppose it would be good to start by defining and addressing the idea of a “right”.  After all, every social contract philosophy that has had any hand in shaping modern democratic or representative government is predicated on the existence of natural rights.  The idea of natural rights is that they are rights that exist in the logos.  They are part of the base principles which govern the universe.  It is this God-given quality of rights which makes them in fact natural.

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Gospel Definitions

By Chaplain Mike

UPDATE: I have added an additional sentence to point #2 in my definition.

Over at Rachel Held Evans’ blog, she is running a post with responses to the question, “What is the Gospel?” I encourage you to visit her site, read the entries, and enter the discussion.

She asked me to participate, but I wasn’t able to get her my entry in time. So, she encouraged me to put it in the comments, which I did. Here’s what I wrote:

1. The Gospel (Good News) is the divinely-authorized proclamation that the appointed time has arrived and God has come to restore his blessing to his broken creation.

2. It announces that the climactic act of God’s story has been accomplished in the birth, life, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus, his promised King. Christ’s finished work atoned for sin, defeated the powers of sin, evil, and death forever, and reconciled the lost and dying world to God.

3. It calls all people to turn from their own wisdom and ways that fight against God and his blessing, put their trust in Jesus for forgiveness and new life, and join his new community of faith, hope, and love.

4. It promises that God’s Kingdom inaugurated in Jesus will one day be consummated when Jesus returns to raise the dead, pronounce final judgment on all evil, and make a new creation in which heaven (God’s realm) and earth (the human realm) are one.

What do you think?

If someone asked you to define the Gospel concisely, what would you say?

The Appearances of the Risen Christ, 14

By Chaplain Mike

We are marking the Great Fifty Days of Easter with a series of devotional thoughts on the post-resurrection appearances of Jesus.

Today we look further at John’s story of Jesus’ resurrection appearance to the disciples on the shore of Lake Tiberias, with its special emphasis on Peter, from John 21:1-14 (Phillips).

Text

21:15 – When they had finished breakfast Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these others?” “Yes, Lord,” he replied, “you know that I am your friend.”

21:16 – “Then feed my lambs,” returned Jesus. Then he said for the second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” “Yes, Lord,” returned Peter. “You know that I am your friend.”

21:17 – “Then care for my sheep,” replied Jesus. Then for the third time, Jesus spoke to him and said, “Simon, son of John, are you my friend?” Peter was deeply hurt because Jesus’ third question to him was “Are you my friend?”, and he said, “Lord, you know everything. You know that I am your friend!”

21:18 – “Then feed my sheep,” Jesus said to him. “I tell you truly, Peter, that when you were younger, you used to dress yourself and go where you liked, but when you are an old man, you are going to stretch out your hands and someone else will dress you and take you where you do not want to go.”

21:19 – (He said this to show the kind of death – by crucifixion – by which Peter was going to honour God.) Then Jesus said to him, “You must follow me.”

21:20-21 – Then Peter turned round and noticed the disciple whom Jesus loved following behind them. (He was the one who had his head on Jesus’ shoulder at supper and had asked, “Lord, who is the one who is going to betray you?”) So he said, “Yes, Lord, but what about him?

21:22 – “If it is my wish,” returned Jesus, “for him to stay until I come, is that your business, Peter? You must follow me.”

21:23 – This gave rise to the saying among the brothers that this disciple would not die. Yet, of course, Jesus did not say, “He will not die,”, but simply, “If it is my wish for him to stay until I come, is that your business?”

21:24-25 – Now it is this same disciple who is hereby giving his testimony to these things and has written them down. We know that his witness is reliable. Of course, there are many other things which Jesus did, and I suppose that if each one were written down in detail, there would not be room in the whole world for all the books that would have to be written.

Continue reading “The Appearances of the Risen Christ, 14”

First Place? You Bet…

Update: I just found out that I will have advance copies of Michael Spencer’s Mere Churchianity to give to each one who attends this fun event. You will get a free book two days before its official release date. How cool is that? Be sure to email me by June 1 if you are planning on being with us on June 13 in Cincinnati!

Let’s say it together, shall we?

The first place Cincinnati Reds.

Let it sink in a bit. Then say it again.

The first place Cincinnati Reds.

Kind of has a nice ring to it, doesn’t it? (For you Cubs fans, I will have to explain the concept of “first place” at another time.)

There is still time to sign up for our first annual Day at the Reds on Sunday, June 13. Yours truly, Chaplain Mike and First Lady Denise Spencer will all be there, as well as Ryan and Noel Cordle and (hopefully) some of our other writers. You will also get to meet face-to-face those who have made comments that amaze and astound, and maybe even anger, you.

We start the day in worship at the Oaks church in Middletown. Then it’s baseball as the Reds take on the Kansas City Royals at Great American Ballpark. We wrap up the day at Montgomery Inn Boathouse, serving the best ribs anywhere. (Yes, you can have something other than ribs, but why would you?) The cost for the day is just $99!

I need to know if you are coming by June 1. Please email me to let me know that you are coming and how many will be in your party. I will be getting back to all who have emailed so far by next week. Let’s make this a fun day by showing up en masse to cheer on the Reds and bless one another.

Say it with me one more time.

First place Cincinnati Reds.

Yep, that sounds real good.

D. L. Moody and the Holy Spirit

By Chaplain Mike

Over the years, I have had intermittent contact with teachers, staff, students, and alumni from Moody Bible Institute in Chicago. MBI has been known as a conservative evangelical/fundamentalist school, with dispensational theology and an emphasis on missions. The school, of course, is named after the great American evangelist D.L. Moody (1837-1899).

Moody’s school shied away from the charismatic renewal and its teachings in the years when it was going strong. But in my view, they always had a problem, a “dirty little secret” as it were. For D. L. Moody himself testified to having a personal “baptism of the Holy Spirit” that changed his life and ministry.

In his small book, Why God Used D.L. Moody, (which you can read in its entirety online here), R.A. Torrey writes about “the definite enduement from on high” that empowered Moody’s preaching.

We present that portion from Torrey’s book today for your consideration and discussion on this week of Pentecost.

BTW, I’d love to hear from anyone who has attended or been part of Moody Bible Institute to get their insights about how the school has handled this teaching over the years.Continue reading “D. L. Moody and the Holy Spirit”

Tozer on the Holy Spirit

By Chaplain Mike

Today, as we look forward to Pentecost Sunday, I present one of last century’s great advocates for the Holy Spirit in the evangelical church: Dr. A.W. Tozer.

In this excerpt, with characteristically potent and plain talk, Tozer simultaneously rebukes the church and stimulates our hunger to know more of the Holy Spirit’s power in our lives.

A doctrine has practical value only as far as it is prominent in our thoughts and makes a difference in our lives. By this test the doctrine of the Holy Spirit as held by evangelical Christians today has almost no practical value at all. In most Christian churches the Spirit is quite entirely overlooked. Whether He is present or absent makes no real difference to anyone. Brief reference is made to Him in the Doxology and the Benediction. Further than that He might well as not exist. So completely do we ignore Him that it is only by courtesy that we can be called Trinitarian….Continue reading “Tozer on the Holy Spirit”