Congratulations to Phillip Howle, pastor of Antioch Baptist Church in Edgefield, SC for winning Freshman 15 by Travis Agnew.  I’m certain that Phillip will find this book to be an asset to his personal life and to his ministry.  Stay tuned, we have a very large book giveaway coming soon.

Thanks also to Travis for making this giveaway possible.  Be sure to support Travis’ blog at www.travisagnew.org.

I’ve just finished reading Mark Dever’s The Gospel and Personal Evangelism.  What a great book.  He has a chapter in that book that deals with closing the sale in evangelism.  Basically, he comes to the conclusion that it is not our responsibility to create converts, but rather to be obedient in evangelism and to call sinners to repentence and faith.

Sometimes, that which we consider evangelism falls far short by not calling for a response from the sinner.  As pastors, we can run the risk of preaching solid biblical sermons but never calling for the hearers of the message to respond to the gospel that has been preached.  I believe in strong biblical exposition.  I believe in preaching the word of God with passion and vigor, but I also beleive that proclamation demands an invitation to relationship with Christ.

To tell the good news without inviting your hearers into the family as co-heirs of that good news is something less than preaching and evangelism.  Sharing a testimony about God’s goodness is good, but it is not evangelism if it does not share the gospel message and invite the hearers of that message to respond.  That response doesn’t have to be a card with checkboxes or an alter call, but it does need to be a response. 

Jesus said, “come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28) Notice, there is the the proclamation that Christ will give rest, but there is also the invitation to come.  We need to heed Christ’s example and invite our hearers to respond to the proclamation of Christ.

Robin Routlege’s Old Testament Theology took me a while to finish and in that time i have weighed how it is that I should/would review this book.    First, I am not an OT Scholar, so I may not be qualified to give an ample review of Routledge’s book, but I will give it my best shot. 

The Good:

I found many quotable quotes in this book. In fact, until I thumbed back through it to write this review, I didn’t realize how much underlining and note-taking I had done in this book.  I was especially glad to see an OT Theology book that kept Christ in view as it sought to deal with the OT text.  If one thing is certain, Routledge does understand and informs the reader regularly that the OT finds its ultimate fulfillment in Christ, not in the literary masterpiece that it is by itself.

Further, Routledge covers a wide array of subjects and topics in this thematic approach to OT theology.  Themes include Approaches to OT theology (this section is exhaustive), God and teh ‘gods’, God and creation, God and the future, and my favorite section, God and the nations, which includes this quote:

A proper consideration of mission in the OT cannot limit discussion to its root meaning of ’sending’ or ‘being sent.’  Mission for God’s people, particularly in the OT, is participation in God’s mission, which, as we have seen, has as its goal the revelation of his holiness and glory throughout the whole created order.

The Bad:

As is often the case with OT scholars, Routledge seems to hold to the old documentary hyphothesis in much of his writing.  He holds to a late date with the book of Daniel, and seems to see no problem in suggesting that what the OT calls prophecy was merely a retelling of events that had already come to pass.  The documentary hypothesis does not square well with an understanding of God’s word as authoritative, inerrant, and infallible.

The Ugly:

Though the table of contents lays this book out in a fashion that appears to be systematic and easy to approach, I found the structure of the book to be jumbled and disjointed.  The author seemed to jump at times from discussions about particular books to particular authors, to roles and types of literature.  I found it difficult to follow.

Conclusion:

By and large, the book is good.  The first 79 pages are an historical overview of OT theology and will be found to be of little use to pastors.  However, the remainder of the book, is written absent of technical language and is filled with useful tidbits of knowledge about the OT.  If you need another OT resource on your shelf, this one may serve you well.

“Martin Luther once said that the Bible is like a lion.  If people criticize it, you don’t defend it–you let it out of its cage.  Even in these skeptical times, when the Bible is tossed into a pile of irrelevant books written by dead white males, the lion still roars and the cage still must be opened.”

-Randy Newman, Questioning Evangelism: Engaging People’s Hearts the Way Jesus Did (Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel, 2004), 142.

But the Christian gospel is not a matter of mere self-help or even of a great example or a relationship to be cultivated.  There is a real past to be dealt with.  Real sins have been committed.  Real guilt has been incurred. 

-Mark Dever, The Gospel and Personal Evangelism

Surely, I’m not the first and won’t be the last to comment on my experience at this year’s SBC Annual meeting in Louisville, KY, but I will throw my thoughts into the fray this morning.  Last night I spoke with a friend who did not attend and told him that it was the most enjoyable SBC Annual Meeting I had ever attended and that it was encouraging.  He laughed and said that SBC Meetings and encouragement didn’t go together.  This year they did.  I will go ahead and say that I am planning now to attend the SBC in Orlando next year and am doing so, largely as a result of my experience this year, some of which I will expound upon below.

1. Not only was the business of the SBC conducted (which Mark Dever reminded us was very important and reason enough to attend), but I was edified by the tone and tenor of the meeting and the time spent by other men pouring into younger ministers at the SBC (thanks especially to Baptist21 and IX Marks).
2. As my wife reminded me, I have a responsibility to advocate for the concerns of the church I pastor at this meeting.  Much as in civil voting, if I choose not to participate, I relinquish my voice, and in my opinion, my right to complain when I disagree.
3. I got tons of free books (I know this is selfish, but it’s true).
4. I got tons of cheap books…(see sample of free and purchased books above).
5. I was reminded of the potential of the SBC and encouraged to know that it can be (or continue to be) a great tool for the expansion of God’s Kingdom and the spread of the gospel.  We were reminded that the SBC is not necessary for the expansion of the Kingdom, but if we are faithful, it can be used.
6. I believe in the Cooperative Program.  Certainly, nothing is perfect and the CP has flaws (many of which I hope to be remedied as a result of the Great Commission Resurgence), but cooperative mission funding is providing opportunities for the lost to hear the gospel around the world in ways that individual churches could never fund.
7. Because the preaching at the SBC is challenging and transformational.  Not only am I able to learn much about preaching by sitting under great preachers, the Holy Spirit stirs our hearts toward revival and renewal as we gather together under the ministry of God’s Word.
8. Because I saw Frank Page stand with Al Mohler and I saw Johnny Hunt continue his legacy of pouring into younger pastors.  I saw David Platt show incredible humility and I saw and heard Danny Akin lead well with integrity even when his character was wrongly attacked.
9. I saw the legacy of the SBC (older pastors) and the future of the SBC (younger pastors and students) come together united by the Great Commission–and that’s the way it should be.
10. I heard strong theology from the platform!  Further, I even heard those with differing theological perspectives agree to move forward in the gospel and to avoid divisive rhetoric.
11. There may not be a time between now and then when I can be so dependent upon Twitter (my dependency upon Twitter this week may or may not have been a good thing).
12. It is scheduled to be in Orlando…

Here are a few others’ comments on the 2009 SBC: Alvin Reid, Jay Hardwick, Ed Stetzer

A Minister’s Prayer

O My LORD,
Let not my ministry be approved only by men,
or merely win the esteem and affections of people;
But do the work of grace in their hearts,
call in thy elect,
seal and edify the regenerate ones,
and command eternal blessings on their souls.
Save me from self-opinion and self-seeking;
Water the hearts of those who hear thy Word.
that seed sown in weakness may be raised in power;
Cause me and those that hear me
to behold thee here in the light of special faith,
and hereafter in the blaze of endless glory;
Make every sermon a means of grace to myself,
and help me to experience the power of thy dying love,
for thy blood is balm,
thy presence bliss,
thy smile heaven,
thy cross the place where truth and mercy meet.
Look upon the doubts and discouragement of my ministry
and keep me from self-importance;
I beg pardon for my man sins, omissions, infirmities,
as a man, as a minister;
Command thy blessing on my weak, unworthy labors,
and on the message of salvation given;
Stay with thy people,
and may thy presence be their portion and mine.
When I preach to others, let not my words be merely elegant and
masterly,
my reasoning polished and refined,
my performance powerless and tasteless,
but may I exalt thee and humble sinners.
O Lord of power and grace,
all hearts are in thy hands, all events at thy disposal,
set the seal of thy almighty will upon my ministry.

-Arthur Bennett, ed. The Valley of Vision: A Collection of Puritan Prayers & Devotion (Edinburgh, Banner of Truth, 1975), 186.

This Sunday I am preaching from Matthew 6:1-4.  In preparation for that sermon, I have been doing research on world-wide poverty and it is heart-breaking.  Pastors, preach the whole counsel of God’s Word.  Encourage you people to give to the world, for to whom much is given much is required.  We are a rich people and we should be channels of blessing for God’s resources.  Below I’ve listed just a few of the figures I will be using on Sunday.  I pray that it pricks your heart as it has mine.

1. 2.7 million children die each year of pneumonia.
2. 2 million children die each year of diarrhea.
3. 80 % of humanity lives on less than $10 per day.
4. 1.4 billion people live on less than 1.25 per day ($456.25 annually).
5. The GDP (Gross Domestic Product) of the 41 Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (567 million people) is less than the wealth of the world’s 7 richest people combined.
6. 1 billion children live in poverty (1 in 2 children in the world). 640 million live without adequate shelter, 400 million have no access to safe water, 270 million have no access to health services. 10.6 million died in 2003 before they reached the age of 5 (or roughly 29,000 children per day).

Jesus said, “That which you have done unto the least of these, you have done unto me.”  we need always to keep this in mind.  Yesterday’s book review of Crazy Love is worth your while on this issue to because Francis Chan is seriously committed to the task of impacting global poverty.

I have already written about Francis Chan’s book, Crazy Love, elsewhere, but it is worthy of a more thorough review.  I must admit that I was hesitant to pick up this book (though I had no good reason to be), but I am glad that I took the time to digest this relatively quick read from a passionate pastor.  This is not a book that you will find intellectually challenging, but it is spiritually stimulating.

Chan begins his book by extolling the beauty and sovereign majesty of our holy God and his extravagant love for himself and for his creatures.    He then moves to chapters that are written pointedly at Christians in our Western culture.

Chan’s humble and unassuming writing style make his rebukes aimed at Christians bearable while convicting.  He pulls no punches, however, in pointing out the problems with 21st Century Christians:

The core problem isn’t the fact that we’re lukewarm, halfhearted, or stagnant Christians.  The crux of it all is why we are this way, and it is because we have an inaccurate view of God.  We see Him as a benevolent Being who is satisfied when people manage to fit Him into their lives in some small way.  We forget that God never had an identity crisis.  He knows that He’s great and deserves to be the center of our lives.  Jesus came humbly as a servant, but he never begs us to give him some small part of ourselves.  He commands everything from His followers.

From that point, Chan spells out what this everything should look like.  He challenges Christians to examine their lives, not in light of our culture, but in light of the gospel which commands us to live counter-culturally, or, as he puts it, something is wrong when our lives make sense to unbelievers. 

This book is easily approachable by any and everyone in your church and will be convicting to your baby-Christians, and to your most mature and committed believers.  Read it for yourself and repent of your commercialized Christianity.  Then, reccommend it to your friends, family, and church so that you can all repent together.

Desiring God now has all of the messages from this past weekend’s Advance 09 conference online. Having attended the conference, I will say that all of the messages were edifying. However, if you can only listen to a few of these, don’t miss the following:

Mark Driscoll, Ministry Idolatry (Pastors Repent!)

Bryan Chapell, Communicating the Gospel Through Preaching (Chapell at his best)

Danny Akin, Marks of a Healthy Community of Faith (Great exposition of Hebrews 13)

Ed Stetzer, Keys to Understanding the Church and Kingdom (Extremely Insightful)

John Piper, Let the Nations Be Glad, Parts 1 & 2 (Vintage Piper)

Listen to these, and the rest of the Advance 09 messages here.

(Update: I just received an email that the videos of these messages will be made available soon. Look for these at the Advance the Church blog and/or the Desiring God blog)