Horton Interview on Christless Christianity

I know I haven't posted in a while. I'm working up to it. In the meantime, check out this interview with Dr. Michael Horton on his latest book Christless Christianity from CBN.

Snakes.......Why Did It Have To Be Snakes??

Last Sunday my quest to find a church home took me to another church in the greater Columbus area. As with the last visit, this church also had a "The Church at....." type of name, but it was sort of the nick name of a local campus of a larger Lutheran church. This church has three campuses and they all seem to be doing very well. The service I attended had two options in two different areas of the building. They had a traditional contemporary service (circa early 90's style) in the main sanctuary, and then they had a more contemporary service in their family life center. I was very impressed with the way they administratively pulled this off. So in short here is my assessment......its a candidate.

The worship band was good, but the service wasn't just about the music. Being Lutheran in denomination it was impressive how they combined the traditions of the lutheran liturgy with new musical styles. They used technology, but it wasn't flashy or in your face. It was a tool. Then the sermon was preached. I was very happy so far.

Now to explain the title of this post. My blog is syndicated to a few other places on the web, and on one of those sites a friend of mine made a joke about the title. He knows that I HATE snakes and he knows that I have a certain disdain for churches where things like snake handling happen. He made this joke on my last post the day before I visited this Lutheran church. How funny when the sermon I received on this visit was preached on Numbers 21:4-9. For those of you who don't have a bible handy....

The Bronze Snake
4 They traveled from Mount Hor along the route to the Red Sea, [a] to go around Edom. But the people grew impatient on the way; 5 they spoke against God and against Moses, and said, "Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the desert? There is no bread! There is no water! And we detest this miserable food!"

6 Then the LORD sent venomous snakes among them; they bit the people and many Israelites died. 7 The people came to Moses and said, "We sinned when we spoke against the LORD and against you. Pray that the LORD will take the snakes away from us." So Moses prayed for the people.

8 The LORD said to Moses, "Make a snake and put it up on a pole; anyone who is bitten can look at it and live." 9 So Moses made a bronze snake and put it up on a pole. Then when anyone was bitten by a snake and looked at the bronze snake, he lived.

I really didn't think back to my friends joke until the pastor threw a picture of Indiana Jones in the snake pit from Raiders of the Lost Ark up on the screen. I almost laughed out loud. It was awesome. The best part was that the pastor actually presented the gospel. I was so happy. So this church is on my list as a possible place to hang my hat, or at least to visit more frequently. This week I wasn't really feeling well and so I watched my old church online and got a little homesick.

This is the actual picture he used.

Some Churches Just Stink

So this past Sunday I visited another church in the area. It had one of those "The Church at ...." names. Very nice building with a coffee shop setup in the lobby. All the goodies were free, it was comfortable and they focused on making it feel very welcoming. The building is completely decorated to look like it is THE place to be. I entered the worship center (aka sanctuary) and took a seat in the back (see picture below for my view).

When worship started the band was awesome. They reminded me of the Reach band, but more trendy and good looking (sorry guys). For those of you who don't know, the Reach Band is the band that leads worship for our young people back in Delaware. I was in the band and we rocked.......but let me get back to the story.

The worship was great both in talent, participation and song selection. I was getting very excited that this may be the place for me even though I had reservations about what I had seen outside the service. Then the pastor come onto the stage and stunk the joint up. His sermon was awful. I suddenly realized why the pretty girl at the welcome counter hurried me into the sanctuary so I didn't miss the worship time. Her quote was, " worship is the best part of the service". Boy was she right.

The pastor didn't just stroll on the stage area. He came down and roamed around the crowd like a crazy homeless man wandering the streets and hassling people for money. It was like a bad motivational seminar about finances in these troubled times. At the end he made a "gospel" presentation. It consisted of the declaration that God loves us, and that he desires a relationship with us, and that if we want one with him that we just need to do it. That was it. Jesus name was not mentioned, nor the cross, nor our sinfulness, nor our need for a savior. The good news was...get right with God. So, this church was a dud. I will not return.

In other news, I have to say that my friends back home are great. On Monday I arrived home to discover that I had a package. This package contained a photo album that was put together of pictures of them with notes to me. I have to say it made me cry..... I was doing pretty good with homesickness until that point. Now I am really thinking I need to get back home for a visit. I don't know when/if I can make it happen, but I may be back in Delaware before my planned visit in May. Maybe this is their twisted plan to get me to move back home. Pretty clever.

Decisions Decisions Decisions

A funny thing happened. I checked my email today and in my inbox was my latest traffic report for my blog. I don't normally check it since I have been so inconsistent in updating the blog. I decided to take a glance, and wonder of wonders there was a spike in traffic after my recent update. I guess if I write something new, people will visit. So.........

As my adventures in worship continue in the great state of Ohio, I am searching for a church. The body of believers I left back in Delaware were truly family. When the Bible talks about us being brothers and sisters in the Lord, there is a real tangible connection. Even though I am away, I am still connected. The notes, and letters, and facebook posts, text messages, and phone calls all keep me connected. I am a big proponent of electronic communication as a means of staying connected, but I am no dummy. I know that it can not replace the true gathering together of the saints. I miss the saints in Delaware. I miss them a lot, but when I left I was confident that I had brothers and sisters where I was heading. I just had to meet them and be grafted into that particular branch of the tree of life. I am searching for that branch.

In that search I have visited two different churches. One is a mid sized PCA church that reminds me of my home church in several ways. I could see myself grafting in nicely there, but in a different way than "back home". The music program is less mature than what I am used to, but I am not sure that this makes a difference to me.

The other church I visited is a larger Brethren church, and it also has many good qualities. I could see myself really enjoying being involved in what they have going on. They have a large singles group and a mature music program. The problem is that they aren't reformed. Now I think it important to point out that I don't feel that they are apostate, but reformed doctrine is what I believe to be the most correct form of doctrine in the visible church. So at this point I am praying and pondering my decision. I am also looking around to visit a few more churches before I make a final call. One thing I do know is that I want to choose and commit to a place very soon. I feel that body life is important, and I need to get to the grafting part. I don't want to spend the entire adventure here alone in my apartment.

Hello From Ohio

I live in Ohio now. Thats right, I haven't posted in a while, and a lot has happened in my life since then. Short story = I moved for work, and leaving everyone and everything back home was painful. I'll probably share more on this in future posts.

So here are some initial thoughts on Ohio........Its nice. Its not super, and not the greatest, but it is nice. I think I could learn to really like it here. I live in a two bedroom apartment that overlooks a pond with a water fountain in its middle. Very peaceful and calm. I can't wait until the weather warms up and I can sit on my second floor deck and sip tea and read at the end of the day.

Two things I already miss about the east coast (besides family and friends) are hoagies and pizza. They have them here, but it just isn't the same. I think that the mid-atlantic region has these culinary delights down pat. The versions here just don't compare. This is probably for the best anyway, because I absolutely need to eat less of these treats. One of the things I want to focus on while I am here is my fitness. Since I don't really have a social circle yet, I have lots of time to work on me. I don't know if that is selfish or not, but I think that one of the reasons God has provided this opportunity is for this very purpose. I intend to return to DE some day as a resident, and I want to look very different when that happens. Goals.....I must have goals....and I need to accomplish them.

Well, there are some thoughts today. I am really going to try to post more frequent. Please hold me to it if you don't see anything for a while. If this moving experience is anything, it is an opportunity to really have an adventure, and I want to strive to make it an adventure in worship.
RAV

An Interesting Read

I read this today and felt it was worth sharing with you.

http://www.firstthings.com/blog/2008/08/26/back-to-saddleback/

Thoughts? Comments?

A Pilgrims Progress - Some Thoughts on Talkative

As I have shared before, I am reading A Pilgrims Progress. It is skillfully and wonderfully written and has caused me to see some things in new light. Below is a piece of the story.

At this point, Christian and Faithful have come upon a man named Talkative. Talkative desired conversation about edifying things about God and Salvation. During the conversation Faithful was convinced that they had come across a brother and fellow pilgrim on the journey to Zion. That is until Christian advised him that he knew the man from his days in the town of destruction and that he was not what he seemed. Faithful decides to steer the conversation in the direction of what saving faith is really all about. Here is part of Talkative's answer and then Faithfull’s response.

TALKATIVE. Great knowledge of gospel mysteries.

FAITHFUL. This sign should have been first; but first or last, it isalso false; for knowledge, great knowledge, may be obtained in themysteries of the gospel, and yet no work of grace in the soul. [1Cor. 13] Yea, if a man have all knowledge, he may yet be nothing, and so consequently be no child of God. When Christ said, "Do youknow all these things?" and the disciples had answered, Yes; headdeth, "Blessed are ye if ye do them." He doth not lay the blessingin the knowing of them, but in the doing of them. For there isa knowledge that is not attended with doing: He that knoweth hismasters will, and doeth it not. A man may know like an angel, andyet be no Christian, therefore your sign of it is not true. Indeed,to know is a thing that pleaseth talkers and boasters, but to do isthat which pleaseth God. Not that the heart can be good ithoutknowledge; for without that, the heart is naught. There is,therefore, knowledge and knowledge. Knowledge that resteth in the bare speculation of things; and knowledge that is accompanied withthe grace of faith and love; which puts a man upon doing even thewill of God from the heart: the first of these will serve thetalker; but without the other the true Christian is not content."Give me understanding, and I shall keep thy law; yea, I shallobserve it with my whole heart." [Ps. 119:34]

TALKATIVE. You lie at the catch again; this is not for edification.

FAITHFUL. Well, if you please, propound another sign how this work of grace discovereth itself where it is.

TALKATIVE. Not I, for I see we shall not agree.

This exchange has reminded me that although there are those in the visible church who have great knowledge of the gospel message, they are not actually Christians. I work with the teens in my church. Many of them have been raised in the church and they know more about the Bible than some pastors of other churches (the liberal ones….ha ha). Anyway, when you strip it all away it is just what knowledge. To paraphrase John MacArthur, hey haven’t made Jesus Lord. They aren’t living out there faith in fear and trembling and that leads me to believe that they have no faith……just knowledge.

This goes way beyond the teens I know. I feel that there are adults in my life where this may be the same thing. Is this judgmental….a little I guess, but the passage above reminds me that these conversations need to be had. We need to talk to those in our lives about such things to either help them strengthen their faith or to understand where they are so we know how to best interact (read: evangelize) with them. Of course all of this should be wrapped in respect and love, and we are not to walk around quizzing everyone like some crazed all knowing super spiritual Christian. We are to look for the opportunity and enter the conversation wisely.

Interestingly, the answer Talkative gives is very familiar. Is this what we are afraid of? To disagree? Something to think about.

Again, I highly recommend reading Pilgrims Progress. It looks daunting, but I read it in small chunks. There is a site called dailylit.com. You can go there and sign up for free and every day (or every other day) or once a week they will send you an email with part of the book. It usually takes me 5 minutes to really read and digest what they have sent. These books are all out of copyright so it is perfectly legal to read them for free this way. Check it out.