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Ministry

Does Preaching Make Disciples?

Feb 22nd, 2011
by Michael Krahn.
10 comments

Thabiti Anyabwile responding to the assertion that the traditional sermon is the culprit in “crippling discipleship.”

I think that assertion errs in at least two ways:

1. It assumes that the primary or perhaps exclusive way of making disciples is the Sunday morning sermon.
Wherever that’s being assumed, it seems to me to be wholly in error. Preaching is necessary to but not sufficient for making disciples. It takes the entire body with every member every day to make solid disciples.

The reason we have spiritually immature believers (which we’ll always have in some measure) and burned out pastors isn’t because the pastor preaches every Sunday (which most pastors enjoy doing). The reason we have immature believers and burned out disciples is because so many Christians are not opening their lives, inviting others in, and making spiritual deposits in intentional disciple-making relationships.

The problem isn’t that we have preachers; the problem is that every disciple is not themselves making disciples as our Lord commands.

2. The assertion errs because it makes preaching to believers unnecessary when the NT makes it necessary.
Paul explicitly commands Timothy to “preach the word” in the gathered assembly. What word is that? Likely the OT, which Paul says elsewhere was written for our instruction and example. Insofar as Timothy is to “preach the word,” he’s doing some form of exposition in the assembly. It doesn’t get much clearer than that.

That was found in the comments section of a post called “Who’s Doing the Talking in Our Church Gatherings?” The entire post and about 2/3 of the comments are worth reading here.

Trumping Up the Charges – A Parable

Feb 14th, 2011
by Michael Krahn.
No comments yet

So this guy named Paul gets arrested in a holy place. He gets arrested, ironically enough, because people who should be his allies are trying to kill him.

Why? Well, they had seen him with a second-class civilian earlier in the day, walking through the city. Now that same guy was in the holy place – not with Paul but… Unlawfully! – and they saw an opportunity to make an accusation.

Some dramatically inclined fellow puts on his acting hat and proclaims: “Help! You Israelites, help! This is the man who is going all over the world telling lies against us and our religion and this place. He’s even brought Greeks in here and defiled this holy place.” (Acts 21:28 MSG) A mob beating ensues…

A more likely scenario is that they dragged the Greek against his will into the temple just to frame Paul. As one commentator put it: “The possibility that Trophimus [the Greek] might have wandered of his own free will into the forbidden area is about as likely as that somebody should wander into the private rooms in the Kremlin for the purpose of sightseeing.”

Besides, they could have asked Paul directly if he’d brought him in but, shucks, he might say no, and then what? Paul was guilty of associating, no doubt, just like Jesus often was, but no proof existed that he had actually transgressed the law. But why let that spoil the fun?

“Never mind the facts – we say Paul brought him here! Let’s get him, boys!”

Part of their message to Paul was, “Be careful whom you are seen with in any place. It could come back to haunt you…” and you can imagine that being followed with an “if-you-know-what-I-mean” wink. In other words, they were seeking to control his actions with fear of repercussions – in this case, direct physical violence.

Like this was news to Paul. He already knew, since the Holy Spirit had notified him, that in every city he went to there would imprisonment, beatings, and persecution. (see Acts 20:23-18-23)

And So…
When people don’t like what you’re doing, they’ll use anything as a stone to throw. Good intentions? – We don’t care. Actual facts? – Maybe later.

When people don’t like what you’re doing, they watch you with an eye for any small mistake that can be leveraged into a full-scale assault.

When people don’t like what you’re doing, they’re willing to believe anything negative about you because they’ve already decided what they think about you.

When people like this don’t like what you’re doing, be blessed, because Jesus says you ARE blessed. Matthew 5:11-16 (ESV):

“Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you. (or, as Peterson puts it: “My prophets and witnesses have always gotten into this kind of trouble.”)

Be blessed.

Ark Aid Street Mission (London, ON)

Jan 20th, 2011
by Michael Krahn.
3 comments

I’m gathering some people to serve at Ark Aid Street Mission in London Ontario next Friday night, January 28th and I’m inviting you to join the crew.

We need to be there around 6:00pm and we’ll be done around 9:00pm. We’ll be serving hot food, clearing tables tables, doing dishes and interacting with the clients.

If this sounds like something you’re interested in doing, contact me via Facebook, Twitter, email, or blog comment.

Here is an informational video about the mission:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GTt-rgm2D7c&feature=player_embedded

When Internal Focus Is External Love

Dec 17th, 2010
by Michael Krahn.
1 comment

Internal of External Focus?
For some churches, making an effort to be more “externally focused” means, “We’ve been too internally focused and we need balance.” This is probably an accurate diagnosis for most churches and, if followed with a balanced correction, a good way forward.

For other churches, making an effort to be more “externally focused” means, “We’ve been too internally focused so now we’re going to stop that and be externally focused.” Again, it’s probably an accurate diagnosis but it’s a bad way to make a correction. One end of the pendulum is not better than the other, no matter how long you’ve been stuck at one end.

It’s not about one or the other – it’s about both.

The Law of Christ
Everyone has burdens and in Galatians 6:2 Paul tells us that by helping each other along we “fulfill the law of Christ”. What is the “Law of Christ”? In John 13:34-35 Jesus says:

“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for each other!

Love As Evangelism
So when Paul later says that we are to do good to all, especially those in our community of faith he’s not saying, “Don’t worry about the people outside.” He’s saying that loving each other is one way to be a witness to a watching world. Loving each other can be an evangelistic act!

We need to be demonstrating our love for each other both within the community of faith and in more public places where it can be seen by the broader community.

The “How-To” Part
One way to do this is to reduce church-based activities in order to increase members’ involvement in the community outside the church. But this alone will not ensure loving activity.

Asking the following question might help: What activities are people encouraged to attend “at church” that could easily take place somewhere else and be just as – or more – effective?

- Could we do the 30-hr Famine event at the local high school and invite all students there to take part?

- Could the College and Career group meet in a public park to learn and discuss and pray?

- Could the new believer class be taught in town somewhere with an open invitation?

- Could the Cradle Roll team welcome new babies and provide support to single mothers who don’t attend our church?

- Could the Father-Son Camp and Mother-Daughter Camp integrate the Big Brothers/Big Sisters organization into it somehow?

- Could we have our hymn sing nights at a nursing home among the house-bound residents rather than require them to come to the church building?

- Could our marriage and parenting seminars be offered in a public space and opened to all?

- Could the baseball teams play in the city league rather than the church league?

What else can you add to the above list?

Tim Keller on “Doing Justice”

Dec 10th, 2010
by Michael Krahn.
3 comments

Highlights from an interview with Kevin DeYoung, the full text of which can be found here:

What is justice and what does it mean to do justice?

Doing justice means giving people their due. On the one hand that means restraining and punishing wrongdoers. On the other hand it means giving people what we owe them as beings in the image of God… Doing justice, then, includes everything from law enforcement to being generous to the poor.

Any cautions you would give to Christians who are eager to transform the world or make the shalom of the city their church’s mission?

I believe that making disciples and doing justice relate (not exactly) but somewhat in the same way that faith and works relate to one another.

We would say that faith alone is the basis for salvation, and yet true faith will always result in good works. We must not “load in” works as if they are an equal with faith as a salvation-base, but neither can we “detach” works and say that they are optional for a believer.

Similarly, I would say that the first thing I need to tell people when they come to church is “believe in Jesus,” not “do justice.” Why? Because first, believing in Jesus meets a more radical need and second, because if they don’t believe in Jesus they won’t have that gospel-motivation to do justice that I talk about in the book.

So there’s a priority there. On the other hand, for a church to not constantly disciple its people to “do justice” would be utterly wrong, because it is an important part of God’s will. I’m calling for an ‘asymmetrical balance’ here.

It seems to me that some churches try to “load in” doing justice as if it is equally important as believing in Jesus, but others, in fear of falling into the social gospel, do not preach or disciple their people to do justice at all. Both are wrong. A Biblical church should be highly evangelistic yet known for its commitment to the poor of the city.

“I’m not here to change you; I’m here to change WITH you.”

Dec 7th, 2010
by Michael Krahn.
7 comments

Before I was a pastor I wouldn’t have known where to purchase cocaine. Now, access is just a phone call away.

(For the record, there has been no accessing of this substance on my part.)

What I’ve discovered since becoming a pastor a couple of years ago is that there is more of a drug culture, even in our small towns, than we think. This has led me into some dark places to be with the kinds of people that it turns out Jesus was keen on reaching out to.

They’ve brought their friends to meet me too. These meetings – the initial ones and the subsequent ones – never have fairy tale endings. The friends I’ve met, even the ones who have decided to follow Jesus, still struggle with their addictions. They struggle with their addictions, with their ongoing social strife, with the poor start they were given in life, and with their inability to avoid a daily existence involving the worst kinds of drama.

You know, all of the stuff that most of the rest of us don’t need to worry about.

Walking with someone through all of this is frustrating, draining, and difficult… but it’s not boring, I can tell you that, and it is ultimately rewarding.

Sick Physicians
It’s the sick, Jesus tells us that are in need of the physician. Unfortunately too many physicians are happy to gather together weekly for mutual affirmation while ignoring the sick.

Many of these physicians are just as sick in other ways, but it’s really hard to tell that when you’re surrounded by a bunch of other people with the same sickness. More mutual affirmation…

We Need Each Other
The sick and the healthy – we need each other. Those who are sick with addictions need those who are not and those who are sick with pride need those who have none.

I was in a meeting on Saturday night when a thought occurred to me. I was sitting with three very good friends talking about where the ideal place would be to plant a church amongst the homeless, drug addicted, and sex-trade workers.

What’s important at the outset, we all agreed, is to let people know that WE are not there to change THEM. We are there to change WITH them, since WE are not complete in our perfection.

When you meet someone who struggles with addiction, they are changed but you are too. Sometimes, you change more than they do!

Connections
Do you have the right connections to make a call right now and have the ability to purchase cocaine? If not, you probably don’t know enough of the types of people Jesus did.

I can help you find these people if you’re interested. Let me know.

(Of course there are a couple of cautions to throw in here. Don’t do this if you’ve struggled with this type of substance abuse in the past. Don’t walk into an area of weakness and tempt yourself beyond your limits, etc.)

But for most of the rest of you, you really need someone you can look in the face and say:

“I’m not here to change you; I’m here to change WITH you.”

Questions for Your Missions Budget

Nov 26th, 2010
by Michael Krahn.
3 comments

These questions are worth asking as you set your church’s missions budget for the coming year. From Kevin DeYoung:

1. Are we supporting 1 Timothy 4:16 kind of people?
The command to keep a close watch on your life and doctrine may have been first of all for Pastor Timothy, but it is important for all of us. We are all called to be examples of godliness. We are all called to believe what accords with sound doctrine. This is true for our missionaries as well. (more…)

2. Are we supporting ministry in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and the ends of the earth?
It would be pressing Acts 1:8 too far to think that we need to have our missions budget divided up exactly 25% into four different areas. But it makes sense that the priorities Jesus gave the disciples would be our priorities. (more…)

3. Are we striking the right balance of word and deed in the ministries we support?
Very few people are against wholistic missions in principle. Most agree that there is a place for social ministries (education, medicine, disaster relief, agricultural development). And hopefully every evangelical acknowledges that we must share the gospel. The tricky part is how to get the balance. (more…)

4. Are we giving priority to long-term missionaries?
It’s no secret that we’ve seen an explosion of short-term missions in the past generation. Almost every church sends out teams to build homes or do street evangelism or teach in the Bible school for a couple weeks. Thank God for the interest more and more Christians have in serving God in different places. But it’s easy for churches to spend too many resources on short-term missions. (more…)

Read the entire article here.

True Gospel Preaching

Nov 25th, 2010
by Michael Krahn.
2 comments

More often than not I find something quotable in the writings of Douglas Wilson… like these from a recent post entitled “Not the Clerk of Session“.

“The Reformation was a revival of true gospel preaching, and such gospel preaching always comes down to the point of decision. Good preaching is aimed at the will; all good preaching aims at conversion. If the people are not converted, they need to be. If they are, then a message aiming at true conversion will encourage them, not beat them up. As Luther put it, we are called to a lifetime of repentance.

Good preaching reminds every Christian soul that we live before the God who sees and knows the heart, and who will sift those hearts in the great day of judgment.”

And then this:

“A distinction should therefore be kept sharp between the preaching of the Word, and the shepherding of souls. The Word of God is sharper than any two-edged sword, but this does not mean that a minister can see hearts. When it comes to the division of soul and spirit, the Scriptures are sharper than a sword. But at the same point, fallible ministers can be as sharp as a pound of wet liver. But the fact that he cannot see this or that heart exhaustively should not prevent him from preaching the Word searchingly.”

Read the entire post here.

“Youth Groups Destroy Children’s Lives”

Nov 24th, 2010
by Michael Krahn.
10 comments

So says David Fitch. First, Fitch offers an admission (one that I could make myself):

I often use the pedagogical tactic that starts out by saying something provocative and then, after I’ve gotten myself into some trouble, and acquired some people’s attention,  I try to explain myself. It’s a bad rhetorical habit. Nonetheless, it works. This time it seems to have attracted some attention so let me take advantage of it and explain what I meant.

So, is there some hyperbole in the statement? Yes, but it did get your attention, didn’t it? Fitch explains:

Prototype youth groups are built on the worst of modernist assumptions concerning the way human beings develop as cultural beings. [Parents] think the answer is to somehow get their children to a place where the youth culture attracts them and somehow makes Christianity attractive to their age group. All these things, I argue, work against the child growing up into a vital and real relationship with the living God and what He has done in Christ for the world.

He then lists as least three ways that prototype youth programs are destructive:

1.) YOUTH GROUPS FOSTER PEER ORIENTATION.

Youth groups segregate the youth from the adults creating programing geered towards them as a separate culture. This creates a gap between the youth and the adults culturally. This then leads the youth to look to their peers for orientation into life. This I contend works against the discipleship of youth into Christ. I contend this peer orientation is disasterous for the lives of our children.

2.) YOUTH GROUPS UNDERCUT WHOLISTIC COMMUNITY from which a child can learn faith in Chirst as a way of life/relationship, not just information slickly delivered… children learn about the living God by being in living relationships within a community where God is present. Once Jesus becomes infotainment, once it becomes a program, detached from real relationships, it loses its reality. It takes on the character of a learning experience in competition with other learning experiences.

3.) YOUTH GROUPS TOO OFTEN TRY TO ATTRACT YOUTH PLAYING TO THEIR WORST INTERESTS.

It’s a mistake to try to “attract” youth to discipleship with either social occasions that play on their sexual insecurities or music entertainment that plays on their desire to be “cool.” There will be times I am sure to attend the occasional rock concert or have the occasional social time together. But what the church should do for its youth most of all is foster spaces for meeting God where they can be trained to listen for God and commune with Him in silence, in prayer.

These are just the highlights. Read the whole thing here. If you have time, take in some the content in the comments section as well.

Your Virtual Pastor Is Not Your Pastor

Nov 18th, 2010
by Michael Krahn.
2 comments

There was an excellent post at Desiring God a few days ago called “Embracing the Ordinary“. The posts consists of a quote by Carl Trueman in Republocrat followed by six implications – three for churches and three for pastors. First, Carl Trueman:

[The] Lord has blessed the church of today with some remarkably talented individuals who have been used to do remarkable things. The danger is that, in focusing on such men, we create unrealistic expectations. The evidence that the church models developed by these men can be transplanted with success elsewhere is highly equivocal; more likely, their success is rooted in God’s using their own remarkable gifts and contexts—the right men in the right place at the right time for something great, if you like. The life of Don Carson’s father, outlined so movingly in his Memoirs of an Ordinary Pastor, is more likely to be closer to the norm for most churches and pastors than that of Redeemer in New York (38-39).

Bingo! This, as I have pointed out ad nauseum, is the major failing of Willow Creek’s “Leadership Summit” event. The “leaders” they present as authorities bear little to no resemblance to the average attendee of the event. Unless you are trying to build an empire with the same look and size (which is actually the goal of many), it makes no sense to idolize these leaders.

They are the exception, not the rule and by defining leadership success by their accomplishments implies that a majority of pastors and other leaders are losers and failures.

The post at DG then considers these six implications (Shortened here. Read the full post for the expanded points):

Three Implications for Churches

  1. Listen (attentively and expectantly) primarily to your pastor’s sermons
  2. Listen to extraordinary preachers (unless he’s your pastor) sparingly
  3. Lower your (likely unrealistic) expectations of your pastor. While he may not be (and likely isn’t) extraordinary, he is (for you and your church) likely the right man in the right place at the right time.

Three Implications for Pastors

  1. Broaden your diet of your favorite preachers
  2. Be content being an ordinary pastor and preacher
  3. To give you proper perspective (and deep encouragement) as you aspire and cope with your newly embraced “ordinariness,” read Carson’s Memoirs annually

Posts like this is one of the reasons I continue to read content at Desiring God written by John Piper and others. Piper’s church is  mega-church size without mega-church BS. Theologically, you may have a few bones to pick with him, but you have to admit that there’s a refreshing lack of mega-church thinking.

There is far too much free-lance pastoring going on, and that’s where this post hits a bit of a paradox. Desiring God and other large ministries put out so much content, with increased influence being the primary goal. Still, I like the “proceed with caution” attitude displayed in the post.

Sometimes people need to be told “That’s a nice thing to say, but that guy’s not your pastor,” and also “If you want him to be your pastor, here’s the address of his church and a membership transfer form.”

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