He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?" - Romans 8:32

Thursday, January 25, 2007 

A Seminary Divided WIll Not Stand

Over my Jan Term visit to SBTS to take Baptist History, I witnessed or overheard 4 different conversations of comparisons from School of Theology students who looked down or opposed Billy Graham School (BGS) students. Now, in my days of being a student up in Louisville I heard rumblings of superiority from Theology students. However, I never encountered anyone who actually said that they try to avoid the BGS or who question its proficiency & need like I did a few weeks ago.

The attitude goes a little like this: "BGS faculty & students are theologically inept and go for practicality and methodology over Biblical faithfulness & theology." This however, is simply not true.

The strength of SBTS, the reason it is THE seminary for Evanglelicals is because of the strong marriage between the School of Theology & the BGS. Now I have no understanding of the school of music & school of leadership & don't mean to leave them out, but I am ignorant. However, I believe because man is sinful, even and especially seminary students at times, pride manages to manifest itself and to sneak in, even into a place that exists for the truth, for the church, for the world, and for the glory of God. I do not know if the rift exists among the faculty at SBTS, but I would seriously doubt it - its the oh so wise students - you know, because we know everything.

One student remarked to my friend how he wasn't sure if Thom Rainer could "get it done" at Lifeway. Last time I looked, he had a Ph.D from SBTS, several years of pastoral and business experience, and was the founding dean of one of the most active and vibrant schools at SBTS & you question his ability. He has failed nowhere, which is the grace of God using his gifts. If he taught Hebrew & yet never shared his faith, let me guess, you'd be forgiving - not only that, but pumped up about his hiring, right? Don Whitney, who I admire and respect greatly, comes out with a book a few years ago called Simplify Your Spiritual Life and it is called timely & helpful. But of course, he is now in the SBTS school of theology. Thom Rainer writes a book called Simple Church and the same people disregard it as strategy alone, as though the Bible did not shape it at all. I have both and found them to be similar in message, one is for corporate use and one is for individual use in terms of redeeming the time and shaping your church or life to the glory of God. Now I'll grant you, I'm partial to this man. Maybe my Rainer blood keeps me from accurately looking at the facts.

Taking a personal evanglism class this semester, guess what our BGS professor has as the majority of the midterm - 40 passages of Scripture to memorize - that qualifies as theology. The only other class I've had to memorize several verses for has been other BGS courses. I have become friends with many of these men & I do not question the theological depth of anyone of them. In fact, they live OUT their theology as much as anyone I have ever met. They are Shepherds, & their reason for being so is because they are so shaped by their theology and the Word.

I simply want to say, for any students who may find this post through a search or randomly, FRIENDS DO NOT NEED RECONCILING. You cannot teach correct theology without teaching how to use it & you cannot teach the outworkings of missions, evangelism and church growth without teaching the theology that motivates and is foundational for it.

SBTS is a gift from God, evidence of the work of God in its miraculous turn around - students, don't ruin it, either by watered-down theology or scholarship that never translates into action, or by pride that leads to division that leads to a fall.

Tuesday, January 23, 2007 

IMB Podcasting

The International Mission Board is now podcasting. Subscribe here.

Thursday, January 11, 2007 

Joshua Harris on Psalm 90

PSALM 90

A Heart of Wisdom: In Awe of the Eternal God


A Heart of Wisdom: The Insignificance of Man

A Heart of Wisdom: Seeing God as Holy Judge


A Heart of Wisdom: Runs to God for Mercy


A Heart of Wisdom: Conclusion

Monday, January 08, 2007 

Playing With the Gospel

Why is it, that with no reason to speak of, I really, really like Greg Schiano, head coach of the Rutgers Scarlet Knights football team?

Why do I, to the point of almost idolatry, follow all sports of the UAB Blazers, who rarely have any success at all?

Why do I dislike men I do not know, like Larry Brown and Nick Saban?

Why am I compelled, with no attachment at all to either school, to pick a team to pull for in any championship event - yes, even when my respected teams are not in the title game?

Why will cities riot when championship games are won or lost? Why will grown men cry, and all their problems, no matter how large, fade into the distance, as they weep uncontrollably after an upset victory or title win?

I'm not sure what it is, but like all sin, and like all good things, there is a shadow of the divine at work. By saying all sin has shadows of the divine, I do not mean that sin is holy, but that the person who is looking at pornography is using an empty substitute for love for the real thing from God. Or perhaps they are looking for something to control, as opposed to putting their lack of control over people or things, into the hands of a sovereign God. Good things, like marriage, are a mere shadow of the divine when it comes to the relationship between Christ and the Church. A cob web shows the order and creativity of a divine God.

In the same why, I am not sure how, but either in the idolatry of it or in the enjoyment of it, sports are a shadow of the divine. Perhaps its the human grasp of good and evil, rooting for the team you've deemed good, versus the other, evil empire. I'm not sure, but I'd love to find out.

Perhaps I like Schiano because he's a stayer. Asked by the mega-program & power-house Miami, to take over their team, everyone considered him gone from the proverbial peons of college football, Rutgers, but he's decided to stay and build the program from scratch instead of building on someone elses foundation. Maybe after seeing so many pastors use smaller churches to get to the bigger ones, as they always intended to do, I appreciate him.

Maybe my obsession of UAB is a shadow of my desire to, in the midst of all my insignificance, maybe, just possibly one day, be used of the Lord mightily.

Maybe I don't like Larry Brown & Nick Saban because they just jump around from job to job. Maybe I see a lot of what I don't like in myself with them - easily unhappy, never satisfied, always looking to the next thing, never content in the moment. Depending on circumstances for joy instead of God who gives it abundantly.

Maybe we rush the field or even cry or sometimes blow up cars over games & teams because of our innately given desire to worship, and with the pageantry and emotion and emphasis placed on sports these days, we finally find an outlet to express our God given nature to worship - it is simply misplaced.

One of our pastors just got back from the Asian Games. He used sports, since he used to be in coaching and has a physical education degree, as his platform. His report included how amazingly and easily sports transcended cultures between him - an American, and virtually the 10/40 window minus the African nations. One of the neatest parts about it all was the in-roads he was able to make, through the grace of God, meeting with Iran, Iraq, and the Maldives, just a short list, about coming to train their coaches.

Somehow, some reason, sports is a platform that erases cultural, political, and racial boundaries temporarily, and can be used by God to bring the Gospel, which will permanently erase the ultimate boundary between God and men.

Friday, January 05, 2007 

New Fun Feature

For all you bored brainiacs, on the right side of my blog, underneath the links section, you can now take a weekly Bible challenge of 10 questions. Each Sunday a new test will be ready for your regal reasoning. Be encouraged, be embarrassed, be edified!

Wednesday, January 03, 2007 

Key Bible Themes to Teach Children

Sally Michael of Children Desiring God & Bethlehem Baptist Church writes about key themes to teach your children. Even if you are like me, not yet a parent, these are good things to be thinking about, and if you are, it is helpful to keep in mind that children can soak in much more doctrine than we probably tend to think.

GOD IS THE ONE TRUE GOD
GOD MADE EVERYTHING
GOD IS THE MAKER AND OWNER OF ALL THINGS
GOD IS GREATER THAN ANYONE (God is the greatest there is!)
GOD IS IN CHARGE OF EVERYTHING ( He is the boss of everything)
GOD CAN DO ANYTHING (Nothing is too hard for God)
GOD DOESN'T NEED ANYTHING
GOD IS HOLY (God has never sinned and never will sin. not even one time)
GOD HATES SIN BECAUSE HE IS HOLY
GOD IS EVERYWHERE
GOD IS GOOD
GOD NEVER CHANGES
GOD IS FAITHFUL ( He always does what He says He will do; God always keeps His
promises)
GOD IS MERCIFUL ( He is kind and loving)
GOD KNOWS EVERYTHING
EVERY PERSON IS A SINNER
SIN MUST BE PUNISHED
THE PUNISHMENT FOR SIN IS DEATH
GOD IS JUST ( God is right in all He does; God is "fair")
FAITH PLEASES GOD
GOD COMMUNICATES WITH MAN (God speaks to us)
SATAN IS GOD'S ENEMY
SATAN HATES GOD AND FIGHTS AGAINST GOD
SATAN IS A LIAR
JESUS IS MY FRIEND
JESUS/GOD HEARS US WHEN WE PRAY

THE FOLLOWING THEMES MAY BE EASIER FOR OLDER PRESCHOOLERS TO
UNDERSTAND:

GOD IS A TRINITY (God is three persons in one person; God the Father is God, Jesus is
God, the Holy Spirit is God)
GOD IS ETERNAL (God has no beginning or ending)
GOD IS SPIRIT (God does not have a body like us)

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  • From Exiled
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