Reading Philippians in light of its historical context: Rome

Embracing Shared Ministry: Power and Status in the Early Church and Why It Matters Today. By Joseph H. Hellerman. Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Publications. 2013. 320 pp. (List price $17.99)

---

Joseph Hellerman offers profound insight into power and authority in first-century Roman society and the early church. He also offers some obligatory thoughts on their use in the church today. By far, the most important parts of this book are the first two sections dealing with Roman culture and the historical context of Paul's letter to the Philippians, a full 200 pages' worth.

When it comes to biblical interpretation, context is king. Understanding a biblical passage in light of its textual, historical, and cultural context is vital to achieving a personal understanding of the passage and correctly applying it to oneself and one's congregation. Hellerman's meticulous survey of power and authority, and specifically the honor culture, of Roman society in the first third of the book is solid gold. It squarely places the letter to the Philippians in context and provides detailed descriptions of Roman society that will help shed light on other passages and books in the New Testament. His descriptions of Roman parties and clothing as status symbols, drawn directly from first-hand accounts, will certainly color my reading of Paul's admonition to put off the old self and put on the new as well as James's admonition to not show partiality in the gathering of the church.

Further, his exegesis of key passages in Philippians in light of this historical context indirectly teaches how to apply historical and cultural context to our Bible reading, and directly expounds the Scriptures.

His last section on the church today left me a little disappointed, so I am basing my four-star review on the first two thirds of the book. This section did not have enough positive examples of church leadership to counteract the plethora of negative ones he gave. Additionally, he does not build strong link between this section and the first two, which seems to be a common problem for those of us with teaching ministries. It is necessary to highlight these links so others can arrive at the same conclusions.

Overall, I was blessed by the book, and plan on referencing it again and again for the historical perspective on Roman society.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher for the purposes of review.

The Pa are Growing as a Church!

God has called us to be the church. That is so amazing to me. In the U.S. we live in a very individualistic culture, yet the kind of interdependence and “one another” love that God calls us to are best expressed in community. When I read this update on the Pa people, I was thrilled. The church is growing, and believers are coming together in commitment to God and to each other. Pray that this work would continue to bear fruit and that God would receive all the glory. Amen!

COLOMBIA, TEAM CAFÉ – The mature believers among the Pa people are growing and the church is truly in formation. The Sunday meetings are now being led by Pa believers. They are sharing the word and people are being edified by the word through these Pa believers. Other believers are visiting the sick in their communities and sharing the word through small groups and in moments when the believers need encouragement. God is answering prayers to raise up leaders. Pray that He continues to strengthen these Pa leaders and that they continue to grow in His word.

Book Review: The Life of God in the Soul of the Church

The Life of God in the Soul of the Church: The Root and Fruit of Spiritual Fellowship. By

Thabiti Anyabwile. Ross-shire, Scotland: Christian Focus Publications. pp. 256. 2012. ($14.99 Print)

---

4 Stars

This book was borne out of a real need in a church that was doing well at caring for each other and developing long-lasting friendships, but as Anyabwile described it, “The caring was rooted in friendship, not in Christ and His body as a whole.” I’m sure many believers would love for their church to have that problem. But whether your church is full of people who care deeply for one another or not, all church members would benefit from reading Anyabwile’s book on what he calls “spiritual fellowship.”

This book is great. Anyabwile’s examination and explanation of the various Bible passages for each chapter is both enlightening and encouraging. I never came to a point where I said, “Where is he getting this?” or “Why does this matter?” He takes his readers straight to the work of Christ as the foundation of our fellowship and then explores the various aspects of that fellowship and how it should play out in our churches. If more people were presented with the truths in this book when they first join a church, they’d know exactly what is expected of them as members of the church and how the church should function as a body. This kind of discussion is sorely lacking in many churches today.

I do have a few minor quibbles with the book, not so much in content as in format. The book is more or less a cleaned up transcript of Anyabwile’s sermon series that he preached in 2008. The audio is even available to download on his church’s website. My quibble is that the book reads too much like a sermon transcript. There are a few instances where it reads like this: “We’re really glad you’re here this morning.” Also, although I appreciate that he tries to connect with the unbelievers in attendance at his church on Sunday, those pieces could have been taken out of the book or revised so as to better address the audience that will be reading the book, which is going to be different than the audience which was in attendance when these messages were first given.

Still, I would recommend this book to any believer. It clearly and biblically explains what it means to be a member of Christ’s body and gives very practical direction in how we are to live that out, embracing the “spiritual fellowship” that we should have, one with another.

I received this book from the publisher for the purpose of review.

---

Space does not permit me to include all my highlights from this book, but let me share a few below:

The reaction that comes so naturally when we are concerned about family or a close friend is the biblical reaction we should have when we hear about someone less familiar to us who is a part of the Lord’s body. We must crucify our pride in either not wanting others to know— or thinking that our problems can only be addressed by the pastors. We must let the body be the body by each member showing equal concern for every other member. One priority for us should be a much bigger benevolence budget to ensure the needs of the brothers and sisters of this family are supplied. It is not only a vision or goal but also a test of our love as a church. Something like correction may be seen as either a nuisance or worse, a judgmental, tyrannical invasion into other people’s lives. But if we are to enjoy authentic community, we must be a group of people committed to the sometimes painful and messy work of restoring others. Such commitment and restoration require a fellowship that embraces the grace of correction. Christians suffer because Christ suffered, and His life continues in us. Christians are comforted because Christ was comforted, and His life flows over into ours. Sometimes God comforts us directly, but that’s not His only strategy. Normally He comforts us through His people— so if our lives aren’t open to one another, they’re closed to the Father’s comfort. Let’s share our lives; let’s fellowship in suffering so that we can fellowship in His mercy. When we think of giving, do we think of Jesus? In the act of writing that check or sealing that envelope, do our thoughts go to the cross? Do our thoughts go to Him who was rich and became poor for our salvation? If we were to think of Jesus when we give, would our giving be evidence of sincere love? The Lord tests the sincerity of our love through our giving. When we judge other Christians in disputable matters, we are really saying that in our view they’re not in right standing with God. What we have seen is something of the vision God gives us in His Word for how we are to live together as one family of faith in Christ. We become God’s family through Christ. Our life together leads to a holy and joyful family life: of service to one another; of love that corrects and restores; of forgiveness, unity, and acceptance; and of singing and sharing. It’s a rich family life made possible and vibrant by the fact that Christ lives in us and His life leads to these realities. Fake love has no place among Christians. When our love is insincere it proves that it’s not really love at all. If we say, ‘Yes, we go to the same church,’ but we fail to greet the person in public, that’s fake love. If we say, ‘Yes, I’ll pray for you’ and never do, that’s fake love. ‘Far be it from me to sin against the LORD by failing to pray for you’ (1 Sam. 12: 23). If we see a brother or sister headed toward trouble or sin but do nothing about it, that’s fake love. If we see a sister or brother in need and refuse to give, that’s fake love. Sincere love honors others above itself (Rom. 12: 10). Those with sincere love attempt to ‘outdo one another in showing honor’ (Rom. 12: 10, ESV).

"We Need the #Gospel in #Church" @RefTrust #JohnCalvin

True, many are content to have the gospel preached, provided it does not touch them, or make them uncomfortable. But the moment one stirs a stick in their dung, or uncovers their mischief, they despise such a person. If at first, then, they applauded the gospel, once they perceive that God is about to hold them accountable for their sins, behold, they forsake it all. Thus we witness today such untold murmuring against God and God's Word.

John Calvin, Sermons on the Book of Micah, quoted in The Expository Genius of John Calvin by Steven J. Lawson. (pp. 109-110). Kindle Edition.

I picked up this book by Steven J. Lawson the other day because it was on sale for 99¢ (through July 20, 2012). I like finding good deals online, and I've been very much enjoying the read. This quote from John Calvin struck me because of how applicable it is to us today.


There's an underlying fear in many churches and church members that being serious about what we believe will scare people away. And it's true that some just might leave. We have a lot of people sitting in on our services and lining our offering plates who don't want to hear anything more than "God bless you" when it comes to our faith in Christ. But the gospel must be proclaimed, even if that means people leave because they can't sit comfortably on the fence anymore. The truth is, God doesn't need their superficial presence or their financial holdings to build up his church and advance his kingdom. His kingdom will advance as the gospel advances.


Let's be bold with the gospel; we are powerless without it.

House Hunting and House Churches

Now that my wife, Hannah, and I are in the process of closing on a house, we’ve talked a lot about our future plans, from making Smores in the backyard to purchasing furniture for the living room. Living in an apartment means less space, less privacy, and less maintenance. The first two are bad, but the last one means a lot of work is in store for us.

One thing we most want to do is to invite others into our home for Bible study, fellowship, and good, clean fun! Although we don’t have any current plans to start a house church, since we’re very happy to be involved in ministry with Enfoque, house churches have been one of the factors in church growth throughout the rest of the world.

Today’s report from Colombia highlights the exciting developments within the Pa community as more and more people are coming together to learn about the one true God.

PA OF COLOMBIA (pah) - In one year, three house churches have been formed and four other groups have been meeting regularly that will soon become house churches. Each time national missionaries H and D make a visit to new families, they leave, hearing these words: "Come and share the Bible with us. We want to learn more." This has led to a tremendous need for leaders. The ministry is growing faster than H and D can keep up with it. Doors are opening for youth and children's work as well. Pray that God will raise up leaders among the Pa people.

The Church: Praying for Colombia

We are called to be God’s gathering. That’s another way of saying we are called to be the church. If you primarily think of “church” as that place you go to on Sunday, you need to go back to your Bible and take a look at what the church is and what the church does. My goal today is not to explain what the church is or does, but to point out that our brothers and sisters in Colombia are learning just like we are what it means to live and act as God’s gathering.

Pray for the believers in Colombia as they work to grow in their faith and to share their hope with the people around them.

CAFE (ColombiA's Forgotten Ethnos) PEOPLES (cah-FAY). Team CAFE writes: "On March 1, we began a Bible study/fellowship group for those students within the student center who are believers. We will be looking at the concept of 'church' as we study the Book of Acts. Please pray with us that the Lord will give this group a deeper sense of community, a clear vision of what the church is, and a deeper urgency for His kingdom purpose: the sharing of the Gospel with others."

Talking about God at Work

At work this week I got into a conversation with quite a few of my coworkers about religion. I'm not sure how the conversation got started, but my coworkers were discussing praise dancers. I'm not quite sure what to think of the phenomenon myself, but I believe dance is an acceptable form of worship and that in the church we are to do everything "decently and in order." Since the majority of my coworkers thought it was odd and didn't like it, I thought I'd share what I don't like about some churches.

One person's version of church was waking up on Sunday morning, watching Joel Osteen speak on the television for a half hour, and falling back to sleep. I said, "What I don't like about Joel Osteen is that he doesn't get to the gospel. He doesn't get to the central message of the Bible. I get that we need to live contently with our life situation, but anybody can do that."

My coworker didn't quite follow what I was saying, so I asked her, "You watch Joel. Answer me this: What must I do to be saved?" She's grown up with enough of a Christian influence to say something about praying a prayer, and a "Catholic" coworker said, "Yeah, and they say it doesn't matter what you do so long as you pray that prayer." In general, the people didn't seem to like that idea, which I would agree is wrong, but probably for different reasons than they would.

I'm currently listening to an audio book from Mark Driscoll and Gerry Breshears that touches on this. I'm praying for more opportunities to talk about the gospel with my coworkers, and I hope to bring up Romans 10:9 in that conversation.

Being a Christian means that you “confess with your mouth, that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead” (Rom. 10:9). Ask yourself, “Am I trusting the truth of the gospel?”

… Many people emphasize the moment when you prayed to accept Jesus. Some go so far as to declare that if you can’t remember the moment you prayed, then you cannot even be a Christian. But if you look in the Bible, that kind of statement is never made. Conversely, 1 John 5:13 says, “I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God that you may know that you have eternal life.” It is real belief and not a magical prayer that saves a Christian. In fact, many who grew up in Christian homes never remember a time when they prayed a prayer or made a decision for Jesus, but they lovingly confess Jesus all the same.

Vintage Church, pg. 31

Book Review: A Radical Idea

A Radical Idea: Unleashing the People of God for the Purpose of God. By David Platt. Multnomah Books, 2011. ($19.99, pack of 10)

 Radical and Radical Together were bestselling books that everyone was talking about. I wrote some pretty positive reviews of both books myself. The first book had a companion piece called The Radical Question. The sequel now has it's own companion piece: A Radical Idea.

««««« (five) 

A Radical Idea is mostly just chapter 4 of the book Radical Together. That's good to know for two reasons: 1) If you own the book Radical Together, you're not getting any new information, and 2) This little booklet gets to the main point of the book.

The radical idea is that church leaders' main work is not on building neat environments and great programs for the people who come on Sunday. Their main work is to mobilize those people to minister in their community and around the world all week long. This is not a new concept, although it is under-represented in a lot of what gets preached, published, and promoted these days. It comes right out of Ephesians 4.

Since I would rate Radical Together with five gold stars, I think I couldn't rate this booklet less. I would first and foremost recommend reading Radical Together, but this book would be helpful to introduce this "radical idea" from Ephesians to people at your church, especially the leadership. Since it comes in a packet of 10, I'm  handing them out to our church leadership team.

I received this book from the publisher for the purpose of review.

Sermon Notes (1 Cor. 1:1-3), part III

I recently preached a sermon in Spanish at my home church, Enfoque. I based my sermon on 1 Corinthians 1:1-3. Here are the verses and a few quotes (translated and lightly edited):

(1) Paul, called by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus, and our brother Sosthenes, (2) To the church of God that is in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints together with all those who in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours: (3) Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

---

The death of Jesus satisfied the holiness of God. And on the basis of that we can receive the benefits of his sacrifice. If we believe in Him, we will be sanctified as it says, “those who have been sanctified.” 

Not only does He take away our sin, but He gives us His holiness. It is the only way in which we can enter into the Church: those who are part of the church “have been sanctified.” 

The first step in entering the Church is to invoke the name of Jesus. That is how you enter. If you haven’t done that you are not part of the Church, including Enfoque. We can talk about Enfoque in a general sense that all who come here are part of Enfoque, but when we talk about Enfoque as a church, if you haven’t been saved you can’t be part of the church. You can come, we invite you to like we said at the beginning, “Your religion, your believes about God, don’t matter to us; we only want you to be able to experience a relationship with Christ.” If you haven’t experienced that, if you haven’t experienced the sanctification of Jesus, your religion doesn’t matter. What you believe about God doesn’t matter. The first, the most fundamental, the basic thing is to invoke Jesus, ask His forgiveness, trust in Him.

Sermon Notes (1 Cor. 1:1-3), part II

I recently preached a sermon in Spanish at my home church, Enfoque. I based my sermon on 1 Corinthians 1:1-3. Here are the verses and a few quotes (translated and lightly edited):

(1) Paul, called by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus, and our brother Sosthenes, (2) To the church of God that is in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints together with all those who in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours: (3) Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

---

In this church to join the membership you have to be baptized. And when I say baptized, I am speaking… of biblical baptism. Because baptism communicates a truth about the gospel that we cannot lose, we cannot forget. … Immersion in water shows that you have been buried and after, when you rise, that shows the resurrection of Christ, and we want to announce it. We do not want to hide the gospel.

“To those who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus.” That sounds like something that you can hear in a church. When you go to work you won't hear your boss say something about sanctification. When you go to a soccer game you won't hear someone say something about sanctification. It seems like one of those words that only exists in church, and in most instances, it is. Not because it is a religious word, but because it is a word that speaks of our relationship with God, and the world around us does not care about the things of God. That is why they won’t talk about sanctification.

Sermon Notes (1 Cor. 1:1-3)

I recently preached a sermon in Spanish at my home church, Enfoque. I based my sermon on 1 Corinthians 1:1-3. Here are the verses and a few quotes (translated and lightly edited):

(1) Paul, called by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus, and our brother Sosthenes, (2) To the church of God that is in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints together with all those who in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours: (3) Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

---

Even though the majority of us, I would say, grew up in an environment where we beleived that the Church was defined by four walls and a roof, the Church really is the people.

The church is a very big group. The Church is the people, and just as the church is not limited by these walls, neither is it limited by region. The Church consists of believers.

If you really want to be part of the Church you have to commit to a local church.

I believe that it is very difficult to join a church because it is very easy to be a stranger: enter, sing, listen to a sermon, chat a little, and then leave, and no one expects anything from you. No one says, “You have to go to this group,” or “You have to work on your love for your family.” We are not going to invade your privacy. But if you are part of this congregation and we involve ourselves with each other, we’re going to find that the church is not only a group, but a group committed to each other.

Concern for the Churches of God

And, apart from other things, there is the daily pressure on me of my anxiety for all the churches. 2 Cor. 11:28, ESV

This verse sticks out to me because of where it falls in the book of Second Corinthians. It’s the end of a list of trials and tribulations Paul has experienced on behalf of Christ. He’s been shipwrecked, whipped, beaten, stoned, in danger in all places, hungry, and cold. Then he basically says, “And, to top it all off, every day my concern for the churches of God weighs down on me.”

I haven’t experienced much of anything that Paul went through in his life. Compared to what he suffered, it’s been smooth sailing. The closest I come to experiencing any of Paul’s tribulations comes from this verse, and as such it has become very dear to me.

I’ve not been involved with multiple churches all at once, but I have experienced great anxiety for the well-being of the churches I’ve attended. This most often manifests itself through concern for individual members and families that worship alongside of me.

Recently I’ve been having trouble sleeping, and not just because of the new infant at home. Some very dear friends of Hannah and mine are going through some difficulties that, as of this writing, look to leave some permanent scars on them and others, quite possibly including Hannah and me. I can’t give any more details than that because of the sensitivity of the situation.

It has driven me almost to tears, and I know it has done the same to Hannah. I’m afraid that what the author of Hebrews warns against is happening here:

Watch out, brothers, so that there won't be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart that departs from the living God. (Hebrews 3:12, HCSB).

The seriousness of this warning cannot be overstated. The word here for "departs from" is also known in it's transliterated form: "apostatize". I pray that this will not happen because it would indicate that the person involved "was not of us" and we were deceived the whole time (cf. 1 John 2:19).

Yet this situation has also driven me to a firmer dependence on God. I’ve found comfort in 2 Timothy 2:11-13, which says,

…If we have died with him, we will also live with him; if we endure, we will also reign with him; if we deny him, he also will deny us; if we are faithless, he remains faithful—for he cannot deny himself. (ESV, emphasis mine).

Reading Together: When a Christian Sins

On Thursday our small group got together for our discussion of the book What Every Christian Ought to Know by Adrian Rogers. Here are a few highlights on chapter 4—Every Christian Ought to Know What Happens When a Christian Sins:

This chapter was a great follow up to the previous week’s chapter. After affirming that a Christian will not lose his salvation, the next logical question is “What happens when a Christian sins?”

Rogers doesn’t beat around the bush—if we are enjoying sin, getting into a habit of sinning, or excusing our sin, we need to reevaluate whether or not we’re really saved.

The chapter develops from a close inspection of Psalm 51, the psalm David wrote after he had sinned with Bathsheba, getting her pregnant and having her husband killed. He really committed a wicked act.

The book points out many of the consequences of sin in the life of a believer, giving a major emphasis to the disconnect that exists between the believer and God and a loss of joy and peace. Shame and disgrace follow, as well as a gnawing conviction from the Holy Spirit that won’t let us forget.

Fortunately, there’s healing. God will cleanse His children who humbly come to Him asking for grace and forgiveness. The promise of 1 John 1:9 stands true: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

Our group conversation took us into entirely different territory as we discussed what to do with sin in the church and whether or not it is biblical to differentiate between sins. The old adage “All sins are equal before God” is a true statement, but are we saying it to minimize a sin or to amplify a sin? We all agreed that most of the time it is an attempt to minimize or trivialize sin.

Some time in Matthew 18:15-17 would benefit anyone with questions about what this means in the church, as well as 1 Corinthians 5.

For additional resources that will help you recognize the severity of our sin and the wonderful grace of God, check out R.C. Sproul’s The Holiness of God (in Spanish) or John Piper’s Desiring God (in Spanish).

To join us in our readings, get the book in English or Spanish and download the reader guide (in English or Spanish) to fill out for each chapter. Then stop by next week Saturday when we discuss chapter 5—Every Christian Ought to Know How to Handle Temptation.

Why do Some Say that Women Shouldn't be Pastors?

Today it is very easy to find a woman who is charged with the leadership and teaching of a church. They write books and have ministries on the television and the internet. There are thousands of people—men and women—who affirm that they have been blessed through the ministry of a “woman pastor”.

Opinions about this topic can’t be based on our experiences. There are people who have had good and bad experiences with women pastors—who can say that one experience is more or less valid than another?

The basis of our belief must be the Bible, whatever it teaches.

I believe that the Scriptures are clear: the pastorate is reserved for men. I am going to give you some reasons why I think so and some implications of this interpretation.

Reasons why

1) Paul did not permit it. First Timothy 2:11-12 says, “Let a woman learn quietly with all submissiveness. I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to remain quiet.” (ESV).

Some misinterpret this verse to repress women and not let them say even one word in the church. But if Paul didn’t permit women to speak at all, why does he speak of women praying and prophesying in 1 Corinthians 11:5? It isn’t that women can’t speak, but that they can’t teach or exercise authority over a man.

The pastor not only teaches the congregation, but exercises authority. The act of teaching is exercising authority. The pastor is responsible for the congregation—he has to care for it like a flock of sheep and one day will appear before God to give account for his flock (see 1 Peter 5:2; James 3:1).

If you continue reading verses 13 through 15 in the 1 Timothy passage, you will find Paul’s reasoning: it was God’s order. He chose the man to be the leader of the family and also the church.

2) There are no women pastors in the New Testament. Read it. You won’t find any woman who is a pastor. In our day we have women pastors so we have to distinguish between men and women. In that day the women didn’t even receive an education. If Jesus and his disciples weren’t afraid of doing things against the culture like teaching women as disciples (Luke 10:39), why is it that they didn’t ordain women as pastors if they thought that the pastorate was for women just as it is for men?

In two passages (1 Timothy 3; Titus 1) Paul gives us the requirements for pastors. En both he says that he must be “husband of one wife”. Even though it is possible that this is an idiom that means “faithful to his wife,” the supposition is the same: Paul assumes that the pastor is a man.

It is interesting that Paul calls Phoebe a “deacon[ess]” in Romans 16:1 because in 1 Timothy 3 he gives us the requirements for the deacons and “the women”. If he is referring to deaconesses and not the wives of deacons, it is very curious that he doesn’t refer to women pastors here.
The woman pastor is a very recent phenomenon in the history of the church. I don’t believe that it is a good development that the apostles and the first Christians overlooked. I believe that it is a deviation from the biblical norm.

What it doesn’t mean…

There are some important implications if being a woman pastor is against the Bible, but I want to start with what it doesn’t mean:

1) Above all, it doesn’t mean anything about the character, value, understanding, or importance of women. Many women are more noble, intelligent, and wise than I. God chose the man to be the leader of the home and leader of the church. Women shouldn’t focus so much on what God denies them, but rather on all the ministries in which they can serve.

2) It doesn’t mean that women can’t teach or have authority over a man outside of the church. These rules are for the church. There are many women who are managers, police officers, teachers, and even presidents. I can’t deny them the respect they deserve from their position and must submit to them if necessary.

3) It doesn’t mean that women pastors aren’t Christians. It is very easy to judge the motivations and the character of a person just because of a false teaching. The truth is that all of us, including me, make mistakes in our interpretation. No one should support an interpretation they know to be false, but we will always be blind to certain things.

Certainly there are women pastors who aren’t Christians, who intentionally obscure the truth and are intentionally in rebellion against the Word of God. The only thing that we can do is show them the truth, let the Holy Spirit work in their lives, and help others to know the truth so they can attend a more biblical church.

4) It doesn’t mean that women pastors don’t understand the Scriptures. Like I said before, everyone makes mistakes, we just don’t see it. One person can have a mistaken interpretation about one passage but the correct interpretation about another. There are many people who have been blessed by women pastors. But we need to be biblical and the end (the blessing) does not justify the means (women in the pastorate).

5) It doesn’t mean that a woman can never teach a man. My wife has taught me much about God and the Word. The Bible also records an instance when Pricilla and her husband (together) taught Apollos about the Word of God (Acts 18:24-26).

What it does mean…

1) The women who “felt a call” to the pastorate are mistaken. The basis of our beliefs has to be the Bible, not feelings or experiences. I don’t believe that all women who are pastors are sinning intentionally. I believe that they have let the values of this world (independence from men, disdain for submission, and dishonor of being a mother) transcend their process of interpreting the Bible.

2) A believer should not attend a church that is pastored by a woman. God is not capricious—He has a reason for giving us the roles He did. The faithfulness of a church with a qualified pastor is worth more than the popularity of a church with a woman pastor.

3) We must think a lot about the positions of authority and teaching in the church. Can women teach a class with men? Teenage males? Young boys? In my opinion, a woman should not be charged with a class if there are men in it. But there is a difference between a man and a child. So the difficulty for most people will be deciding if the youth leader should be a man or if women can do it also.

4) Men have to develop the desire to be spiritual leaders in church as at home. If all of us studied the Word, prayed to God, and sought to reach the requirements of being a pastor, no woman would be able to take up that position.

May God help you submit to His Word, guided by the Spirit, and to play your role in the church and in your home.

Women and the Church

I have a new post on sbcIMPACT! called Typology: Women and the Church. Don't worry, you don't need to know much about typology to follow along. If you've ever wondered about why Paul says, "I do not permit a woman to teach or exercise authority over a man," this is definitely an article you'll want to read.

Book Review: Vintage Church

I just finished listening to the audiobook version of Vintage Church: Timeless Truths and Timely Methods by Mark Driscoll and Gerry Breshears. The book is easy to understand, relevant, and more-or-less a thorough treatment of the subject. The authors operate from a framework that desires to remain faithful to the biblical text, a refreshing and trustworthy method that appreciates the authority of Scripture.

The book could be split into two or three parts, with the first section covering a basic theological and doctrinal assessment of the church: its functions, goals, mandate, and structure. Though I am more cautious on the woman's role in teaching, I found this section to be encouraging and biblical. If you seek to operate your church biblically (or go to one that does), this piece will definitely aid you in knowing what's important.

The second section addresses modern expressions of the church. It somewhat blends the purpose statement in the book's subtitle, so it's somewhat doctrinal and somewhat practical. The last section covers the use of technology and the church's role in effecting cultural change. The whole book was quite practical, though most methods are admittedly a bit extra-biblical and are more or less subject to individual church preference.

The narration is well-done and the voice seems almost like a more mature Mark Driscoll, so it definitely retains the distinctive character of the author.

To buy the audiobook, visit ChristianAudio.com
To buy the print edition, visit Amazon.com
For a sample chapter, check out Crossway.com


Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from ChristianAudio as part of their Blogger Review Program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Daniel and the Lion's Den

Last night our Hispanic men’s Bible Study covered Daniel 6. That is the famous “Daniel and the Lion’s Den” chapter, and one that many people have heard since they were kids. It can be easy to skim over familiar passages without pausing to think and digest what is really being said.

As we went over the passage we had some very insightful questions and answers, ones that I hadn’t considered much when reading through the passage. Perhaps the best comment I heard was from Anibal, who said, “Daniel left that lion’s den the same way he went in.”

This is profound. When Daniel heard about a law that denied him the right to pray to God for thirty days, he didn’t change his habits or pattern of living. He remained faithful and steadfast. He was humble before his God. The next day, when he should have been long gone, devoured by the lions, he was alive. He was still humble and proclaimed his innocence of wrongdoing to the king.

There are going to be times in our lives when we will face many diverse trials. This year is no exception. There will be pain, suffering, loss, and death. But when these times come, I want my relationship with God to be strong so that I can say, when the trouble is past, I left that storm the same way I went in.

New sbcIMPACT! Article

Interested in church growth? Want a biblical foundation for determining your church practices? Then check out my new post on sbcIMPACT! called "Church Growth Strategy." Don't forget to leave a comment.

Church Growth Strategy (sneak preview)

Have you visited sbcIMPACT! lately? I am a regular contributor to the blog along with other guys from the Southern Baptist world. That doesn’t mean that if you don’t go to a Southern Baptist church the site isn’t for you. Actually, with the exception of some posts around the time of the annual convention meeting, little of what we have to say applies just to Southern Baptists.

Tomorrow I have a new post appearing that will be of great interest to many Christians, especially those involved in church leadership. The title of my post is “Church Growth Strategy.” Be sure to check it out and leave a comment.

Here’s a sneak preview:

Many of today’s popular Christian leaders and conferences will talk about church growth. … But there is a passage dealing with church growth that you won’t hear about on the church growth conference tour. If you made a good portion of your living by advising others on strategies to grow their churches, you’d probably want to study and learn from one of the greatest growth periods in the early church. Yet for all the conferences, books, and websites, this passage is never even mentioned…

Book Review: Untamed

As a part of the ChristianAudio Reviewer's Program, I get to download some audiobooks, listen to them, and write a short review. Here are my thoughts on Alan & Debra Hirsch's new book, Untamed.

Untamed, by Alan and Debra Hirsch, had some positive moments, but nothing that redeems their worldly spin on discipleship. Instead, Untamed offers a new, seemingly mystical label (Shema Spirituality) for the same old worn-out message. This worn-out message basically follows the “if it works for me, it must be of God and good for His church” approach, spending a good deal of time praising the Hirsch’s “ministry” experiences (such as rolling joints in order to witness to an addict or starting a “stitch ‘n b*tch” club to make sexy scarves for prostitutes working in the cold), as well as bashing the Lord’s bride (women are repressed, ministers create and foster the clergy/laity distinction to keep people from serving). They are so critical, no wonder they bash the church for being judgmental—they’re part of the problem!


Their section on theology didn’t set me off, but throughout the rest of the book some bad ideas and practices came out. They don’t hide their disdain for Calvinism because, in their view, sinning doesn’t make us bad people. They don’t address some key Pauline passages, but they agree women should be allowed to serve as pastors. Worse though, they are proud of their open communion, recounting how a non-believer shared communion as though the fact that he was gay and Jewish was even better because he was connecting with Jesus.


They also seemed to be bent on offending Christians and being as inoffensive to non-believers as possible, thinking that the use of foul language and using both “God” and “orgasm” in the same sentence makes them more mature (the way they did the latter made them a big hit with non-Christians at a wedding, but bothered the believers there).


I was really excited when I saw the book and the subject matter, and I had no intention of giving a bad review when I began, but I can’t recommend the book. I disciple people one-on-one and in small groups, and I don’t have to become like the world to do that.


To buy the audiobook (despite my warning), visit ChristianAudio.com (direct link to book information).
To buy the hardcover book (despite my warning), visit Amazon.com.