By Garrett E. Wishall Tim Keller serves as senior pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in Manhattan, N.Y.
Originally found on Towers Online
Question: What do pastors need to be doing to lead their flock out of idolatry and into Christlikeness?
Tim Keller: The subject of idolatry is a lot more nuanced and complex than I could possibly get across in my talk at the Gospel Coalition conference. I made an allusion to the fact that idolatry sometimes is talked about in the Bible under the heading of spiritual adultery. It is also sometimes talked about under the heading of spiritual mastery and slavery. When Paul talks about those who are slaves to sin: all of those categories are actually talking about idolatry.
Most preachers feel like "If I'm going to preach about idols, I have to tell people what an idol is." What they don't have in mind is: idolatry is at the root of all of our psychological problems, moral problems, cultural issues, our political problems. It is such a pervasive category in the bible. For example, at the end of 1 John 5, even though idols have not been listed -- he has been saying, "Walk in holiness," "Walk in the light," "Walk in love," "Walk in truth," -- at the very end he says, "Keep yourself from idols." The word idolatry isn't anywhere in there before the last verse. What that means is, we don't think deeply enough. We just look at the behavioral level and say "Stop doing this, start doing this," and we don't realize that there is an idolatrous reason behind each behavioral issue. For example, behind the belief that women should be ordained is the need for power and a love for feeling in charge.
To get a grasp on the pervasiveness of idolatry, I would say the first thing you would need to do is that you need to get a better grip on the subject. Most of the Christian Counseling Education Foundation (CCEF) stuff on changing, talks about idolatry, particularly about psychological idols. You could read a politically liberal Christian or a political conservative to understand what's going on in culture. There are a whole lot of other books that are now being produced on the idea of idolatry in the church...and I think what a minister needs to do is get that into their bloodstream so they are always preaching with idolatry in mind. I think you have to understand the concept pretty deeply and then it will influence the way in which you preach and the way in which you pastor.
Q: What safeguards should 20-something pastors have in place to avoid the idolatry of ministry fame and the attitude of big numbers equals success?
TK: If you know it is a danger, that is a very important start. Additionally, when you find yourself unusually discouraged because things aren't growing or people aren't listening to you -- you have to catch yourself. You have to realize "This is an inordinate amount of discouragement, which reveals the idolatry of justification by ministry." Meaning, you say you believe in justification by grace, but you feel like and are acting like you believe in justification by ministry. You have to recognize you are making something of an idol out of ministry. When you do experience inordinate discouragement because things aren't going well, you need to say, "It's okay to be discouraged but not to be this discouraged. This is discouragement that leads to idolatry," and you repent.
Additionally, idols create a fantasy world. You may think that you are just thinking about ministry strategy, but it could be you're fantasizing about success. So be careful about doing too much daydreaming about success, what you would like to see happen. Because it's really a kind of pornography. You're actually thinking about a beautiful church and people acclaiming you: be careful about fantasizing too much about ministry success and dreaming about it and thinking about what it's going to look like.
Thursday, May 21, 2009
On Adoption and Orphan Care: A Proposed Resolution
Yesterday I submitted a resolution to the Resolutions Committee of the 2009 Southern Baptist Convention. The Resolutions Committee has full power to decline or rewrite any resolution so just because this is submitted doesn’t mean it will be voted on by the SBC. That’s entirely at the discretion of the committee. Nonetheless, below is the resolution I submitted for their consideration.
“On Adoption and Orphan Care”
WHEREAS, in the gospel we have received the “Spirit of adoption” whereby we are no longer spiritual orphans but are now beloved children of God and joint heirs with Christ
(John 14:18; Rom. 8:12-25; Gal. 3:27-4:9; Eph. 1:5); and
WHEREAS, the God we now know as our Father reveals himself as a “father of the fatherless” (Ps. 68:5) who grants mercy to orphans (Deut. 10:18; Hos. 14:3); and
WHEREAS, our Lord Jesus welcomes the little ones (Luke 18:15-17), pleads for the lives of the innocent (Ps. 72:12-14), and shows us that we will be held accountable for our response to “the least of these my brethren” (Matt. 25:40); and
WHEREAS, the Scripture defines “pure and undefiled religion” as “to visit orphans and widows in their trouble” (Jas. 1:27); and
WHEREAS, the satanic powers have warred against infants and children from Pharaoh to Moloch to Herod and, now, through the horrors of a divorce culture, an abortion industry, and the global plagues of disease, starvation, and warfare; and
WHEREAS, Southern Baptists have articulated an unequivocal commitment to the sanctity of all human life, born and unborn; and
WHEREAS, a denomination of churches defined by the Great Commission must be concerned for the evangelism of children—including those who have no parents; and
WHEREAS, upward of 150 million orphans now languish without families in orphanages, group homes, and placement systems in North America and around the world; and
WHEREAS, our Father loves all of these children, and a great multitude of them will never otherwise hear the gospel of Jesus Christ; therefore, be it
RESOLVED, that the messengers to the Southern Baptist Convention meeting in Louisville, Kentucky, June 23-24, 2009, express our commitment as a denomination of churches to join our Father in seeking mercy for orphans; and be it further
RESOLVED, that we call on each Southern Baptist family to pray for guidance as to whether God is calling them to adopt or foster a child or children; and be it further
RESOLVED, that we encourage our pastors and church leaders to preach and teach on God’s concern for orphans; and be it further
RESOLVED, that we commend churches and ministries that are equipping families to provide financial and other resources to those called to adopt, through grants, matching funds, or loans; and be it further
RESOLVED, that we ask our International Mission Board and North American Mission Board to prioritize the evangelism of and ministry to orphans around the world, and to seek out ways to energize Southern Baptists behind this mission; and be it further
RESOLVED, that we encourage Southern Baptist churches to join with other evangelical Christians in recognizing November 8, 2009, as “Orphan Sunday,” focusing that day on our adoption in Christ and our common burden for the orphans of the world; and be it further
RESOLVED, that we hope what God is doing in creating an adoption culture in so many churches and families can point us to a gospel oneness that is defined not by “the flesh” racial, economic, or cultural sameness but by the Spirit unity and peace in Christ Jesus; and be it finally
RESOLVED, that we pray for an outpouring of God’s Spirit on Southern Baptist congregations so that our churches increasingly will announce and picture, in word and in deed, that “Jesus loves the little children, all the children of the world.”
John Piper’s Personal Tribute to the Late Ralph Winter
(Author: John Piper from Desiring God blog)
At 9:05 PM, May 20, 2009 Ralph Winter, the founder of the U. S. Center for World Missions died.
Nobody in the area of missions had a greater impact on me. Others had a greater impact on me in the area of missions, like Jonathan Edwards, but no one actually in missions affected me more than Ralph Winter.
First, he was a professor of mine at Fuller Seminary and introduced me to the stunning works of God in missions in the last two hundred years. His vision of the advance of the gospel was breathtaking.
He wore a bow tie in those days, iconoclast that he was, and was fined by the seminary for not returning our papers on time. None of us begrudged him his scattered approach to life. It was thrilling in those days.
Second, in 1974 at the Lausanne Missions Congress Winter reached up and pulled the unseen rope called "unreached peoples" that rang a bell that reverberates to this day.
This concept, and the subsequent emphasis on unreached peoples (as opposed to unreached "fields") has been globally seismic in the transformation of missions. It gripped me and shaped all we have done in missions at Bethlehem ever since the mid 1980s.
Third, in the 1980s he bought a 15 million dollar college campus with virtually nothing in his hand to start the U. S. Center for World Missions; and he paid for it by persuading enough of us (thousands) to give "the last thousand." Brilliant! I think I sent $2,000. Couldn't resist the vision.
The point of the U. S. Center was to trumpet the vision that there are unreached peoples in the world, and then equip the church to reach them.
Fourth, Ralph Winter was probably the most creative thinker I have ever known. I mean, on any topic that you brought up, he would come at it in a way you have never dreamed of. He saw all things in relationship to other things that you would never think of relating them to.
This meant that stalemates often became fresh starting points. If you were struggling with a tension in your church, he might say: "Well, think about the Navy." Or if you were having a marriage problem, he might say, "Did you notice how that bridge was built?"
Fifth, Ralph Winter befriended me. He encouraged me. In my most restless early days, he would tell me to stay at Bethlehem because I could do more by sending than by going.
Finally, he did not waste his life, not even the last hours of it. He was busy dictating into the last days. He taught me long ago that the concept of "retirement" was not in the Bible.
What a gift he was to the church. To the world. Thank you, Father, for the legacy of this visionary, risk-taking, creative, encouraging lover of unreached peoples who lived unstoppably for the glory of God.
* * *
Watch Ralph Winter talk for four minutes about unreached peoples and what comes next:
At 9:05 PM, May 20, 2009 Ralph Winter, the founder of the U. S. Center for World Missions died.
Nobody in the area of missions had a greater impact on me. Others had a greater impact on me in the area of missions, like Jonathan Edwards, but no one actually in missions affected me more than Ralph Winter.
First, he was a professor of mine at Fuller Seminary and introduced me to the stunning works of God in missions in the last two hundred years. His vision of the advance of the gospel was breathtaking.
He wore a bow tie in those days, iconoclast that he was, and was fined by the seminary for not returning our papers on time. None of us begrudged him his scattered approach to life. It was thrilling in those days.
Second, in 1974 at the Lausanne Missions Congress Winter reached up and pulled the unseen rope called "unreached peoples" that rang a bell that reverberates to this day.
This concept, and the subsequent emphasis on unreached peoples (as opposed to unreached "fields") has been globally seismic in the transformation of missions. It gripped me and shaped all we have done in missions at Bethlehem ever since the mid 1980s.
Third, in the 1980s he bought a 15 million dollar college campus with virtually nothing in his hand to start the U. S. Center for World Missions; and he paid for it by persuading enough of us (thousands) to give "the last thousand." Brilliant! I think I sent $2,000. Couldn't resist the vision.
The point of the U. S. Center was to trumpet the vision that there are unreached peoples in the world, and then equip the church to reach them.
Fourth, Ralph Winter was probably the most creative thinker I have ever known. I mean, on any topic that you brought up, he would come at it in a way you have never dreamed of. He saw all things in relationship to other things that you would never think of relating them to.
This meant that stalemates often became fresh starting points. If you were struggling with a tension in your church, he might say: "Well, think about the Navy." Or if you were having a marriage problem, he might say, "Did you notice how that bridge was built?"
Fifth, Ralph Winter befriended me. He encouraged me. In my most restless early days, he would tell me to stay at Bethlehem because I could do more by sending than by going.
Finally, he did not waste his life, not even the last hours of it. He was busy dictating into the last days. He taught me long ago that the concept of "retirement" was not in the Bible.
What a gift he was to the church. To the world. Thank you, Father, for the legacy of this visionary, risk-taking, creative, encouraging lover of unreached peoples who lived unstoppably for the glory of God.
* * *
Watch Ralph Winter talk for four minutes about unreached peoples and what comes next:
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
The Baptist Catechism: Who is the first and best of beings?
The Baptist Catechism: A Study of Baptist Doctrine
Question 1: Who is the first and best of beings?
Answer: God is the first and best of beings.
Scripture: Isaiah 44:6; Psalm 8:1; 96:4; 97:9, 1 Samuel 2:2
1. Isaiah 44:6 - Thus says the LORD, the King of Israel and his Redeemer, the LORD of hosts: "I am the first and I am the last; besides me there is no god.”
2. Psalm 8:1 - O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens.
3. Psalm 96:4 - For great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; he is to be feared above all gods.
4. Psalm 97:9 - For you, O LORD, are most high over all the earth; you are exalted far above all gods.
5. 1 Samuel 2:2 - There is none holy like the LORD; there is none besides you; there is no rock like our God.
Isaiah 44:6-20
6Thus says the LORD, the King of Israel and his Redeemer, the LORD of hosts: "I am the first and I am the last; besides me there is no god. 7 Who is like me? Let him proclaim it. Let him declare and set it before me, since I appointed an ancient people. Let them declare what is to come, and what will happen. 8Fear not, nor be afraid; have I not told you from of old and declared it? And you are my witnesses! Is there a God besides me? There is no Rock; I know not any."
9 All who fashion idols are nothing, and the things they delight in do not profit. Their witnesses neither see nor know, that they may be put to shame. 10 Who fashions a god or casts an idol that is profitable for nothing? 11 Behold, all his companions shall be put to shame, and the craftsmen are only human. Let them all assemble, let them stand forth. They shall be terrified; they shall be put to shame together.
12 The ironsmith takes a cutting tool and works it over the coals. He fashions it with hammers and works it with his strong arm. He becomes hungry, and his strength fails; he drinks no water and is faint. 13The carpenter stretches a line; he marks it out with a pencil. He shapes it with planes and marks it with a compass. He shapes it into the figure of a man, with the beauty of a man, to dwell in a house. 14 He cuts down cedars, or he chooses a cypress tree or an oak and lets it grow strong among the trees of the forest. He plants a cedar and the rain nourishes it. 15Then it becomes fuel for a man. He takes a part of it and warms himself; he kindles a fire and bakes bread. Also he makes a god and worships it; he makes it an idol and falls down before it. 16Half of it he burns in the fire. Over the half he eats meat; he roasts it and is satisfied. Also he warms himself and says, "Aha, I am warm, I have seen the fire!" 17And the rest of it he makes into a god, his idol, and falls down to it and worships it. He prays to it and says, "Deliver me, for you are my god!"
18They know not, nor do they discern, for he has shut their eyes, so that they cannot see, and their hearts, so that they cannot understand. 19No one considers, nor is there knowledge or discernment to say, "Half of it I burned in the fire; I also baked bread on its coals; I roasted meat and have eaten. And shall I make the rest of it an abomination? Shall I fall down before a block of wood?" 20 He feeds on ashes; a deluded heart has led him astray, and he cannot deliver himself or say, "Is there not a lie in my right hand?"
THERE IS NONE LIKE THE LORD AND THERE IS GREAT FOLLY IN idolatry
I. Who is like the Lord? No one (6-8)
a. He is the first and the last, there is no other god beside Him.
b. He is the King and Redeemer of Israel.
i. Who is Israel?
1. Israel is the historic people of God. The people God called out of Egypt.
2. Israel is the people of God who by faith have been grafted in and called sons of God (Romans 9-11).
c. He is a Rock, He does not change (Malachi 3:6).
d. This section is a call to faith in the one true and living God.
II. Idolatry is great folly [stupid] (9-20)
a. Those who make idols are nothing. This would include those who worship them as well. (9-11)
i. The idols they make to not profit.
1. In fact, they cause loss, because our worship is supposed to be for God only (Exodus 20:3).
2. Also, we become like what we worship (Jeremiah 2:5-11).
a. When we worship God we reflect His glory (Genesis 1:26).
b. When we worship worthless things we become worthless (Jeremiah 2:5)
ii. Those who commit idolatry will be put to shame (Jeremiah 10:14).
1. Who were the first people to feel shame? Adam and Eve
a. When were they not ashamed? Before the fall (Genesis 2:25)
b. But after the fall they hid themselves out of shame (Genesis 3:10).
c. When should we feel shame? When we sin
iii. In idolatry, it is a man who makes god. Should not a god making man?
iv. Those who worship idols should be terrified (Exodus 20:4).
b. Worshipping idols is hard work (12)
i. The ironsmith uses a strong arm. This implies that he uses all his strength.
ii. He becomes hungry and weak, but drinks no water and becomes faint.
1. The labor of worshiping idols is hard – it is not easy!
a. What are some examples of idol worshiping that we do that is hard?
i. _________________________________
ii. _________________________________
b. But the Lord calls all to him who are weary for His burden is light (Matthew 11:25-30).
c. Why is worshiping idols hard and worshiping God easy?
i. Idols do not have any power to give (Jeremiah 51:17).
ii. Christ gives strength to those who trust in Him (Philippians 4:13).
c. Worshipping idols does not make since (13-17)
i. Half of the wood he uses for fire and half for an idol.
1. The fire satisfies him
a. When we use God’s creation properly it makes us happy
b. When we use God’s creation improperly is makes us fools
2. The other half he makes his god
a. He ask the piece of wood to deliver him
i. God is the one who delivers us from calamity (Psalm 51:14).
ii. But to idolaters he delivers them to calamity (Leviticus 26:25).
d. We should be a people who discern what is right (18-20)
i. Who is the he in verse 18? God (Romans 1:28)
1. Why did God close their eyes and hearts? Because they chose to worship idols
ii. Who realizes that half of the wood is used for fire and half for an idol? No one
iii. Who cannot deliver him? He cannot deliver himself for God alone is Deliver.
1. That is why we need the Gospel – it alone is the power of God for salvation (Romans 1:16).
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
The Bible Metanarrative: Understanding the Bible as a Story of God's Kingdom Process
The Bible Metanarrative: Understanding the Bible as a Story of God's Kingdom Process
God's Big Picture: Vaughn Roberts
1) Why did God create the world? For His Glory
a) How was God to bring this about? He decreed that His Son should be made Savior & Ruler of a chosen people.
i) What are the decrees of God? (Baptist Catechism)
(1) The decrees of God are his eternal purpose, according to the counsel of His will, whereby for his own glory, he has foreordained whatsoever comes to pass (Ephesians 1:11; Romans 11:36; Daniel 4:35; Isaiah 46:10; Psalm 115:3).
ii) What does it mean that He is Savior?
(1) It means that man, having sinned against God, is now a rebel against the kingdom of God and in need of a saving from the wrath of God (Ephesians 2:11-16).
(a) Who is in need of saving because of sin? alll (Romans 3:23)
iii) What does it mean that He is a Ruler?
(1) It means that God has made Him king over all creation and there is nothing that is not subjected to Him (Hebrews 1:2-3; Psalm 8:5-6).
2) Understanding the Metanarrative of History: Part 1
a) Creation – The Pattern of the Kingdom: Genesis 1-2
b) Fall – The Perished Kingdom: Genesis 3
c) Abrahamic Covenant – The Promised Kingdom: Genesis 12
d) Exodus, Conquest, and Monarchy – The Partial Kingdom: Genesis 12 - 2 Chronicles
e) Division of the Kingdom, Exile, and the 2nd Temple – The Prophesied Kingdom: Ezra - Malachi
f) Incarnation & Redemption – The Present Kingdom: Matthew – John
g) Last Days – The Proclaimed Kingdom: Acts – Revelation 18
h) New Creation – The Perfected Kingdom: Revelation 19-22
3) Understanding the Metanarrative of History: Part 2 – The Cycle of History
a) Creation – God creates man as rulers over the world to procreate and subdue it
b) Fall – Man rejects God's demands and seeks to elevate Himself above God
c) Redemption – God provides a way for man to have acceptance with God again
d) Recreation – God gives to man a kingdom in His presence where He can live happily
4) Understanding Sovereignty and Sufferings
a) God created a world in which there is suffering, but He did not sin Himself and is not responsible
b) Man suffers because of the cataclysmic effect of sin on creation:
i) Death was caused by man's sin: his own and animals (Genesis 2:17, 3:21)
c) God decreed for sin to happen because it would eventually bring about a greater creation
d) All suffering is for our good, even if we do not understand, and thus we should wait on God to reveal to us why it is good (Romans 8:28).
e) God is still active with His creation and desires its good which is seen in His revealing Himself to it, His redeeming it from despair, and eventually creating it anew in the end (better than it was before).
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