Matthew sent this for me to share with our CPN.
An essay called "A Word of Encouragement for Dejected Pastors" is a much needed shot in the arm for many of us planters. After describing how Puritan pastors in England were kicked out of their ministries when the King enforced a new episcopacy and how these kicked out pastors were the only ones willing to serve the ailing population when the Black Plague was killing thousands and the king and his newly installed pastors fled the scene. Many of these Puritan pastors died of the plague themselves and when the plague passed and the king and his pastors returned, the Puritans were not thanked, but kicked aside once again.
You need to read the story yourself.
And be encouraged as the author seeks to apply the lessons of that story for church planters. He describes how the going is tough and concludes:
But brothers, before we become dejected, let us look to the example of those faithful Puritan ministers who ministered to the victims of the plague and be reminded of several things:
1) Our burdens are much lighter than theirs: Unless you are currently ministering in a front-line church in the Sudan, your worst struggles in the ministry are nothing compared to the things that those Puritan ministers endured on a daily basis. Death and terrible misery and disease were a regular part of their daily ministry. They performed those ministries with only the most meager resources. They were enabled to do so because although they were weak, they served an almighty God and learned first-hand the truth of 2 Corinthians 12:9-10:
“And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”
Therefore let us remember that we serve the same God who equipped and strengthened them for the battle, and take heart especially given that the burdens we bear are much lighter.
2) Compassion for the Lord’s Sheep compels us to labor: If we love Christ’s sheep and truly desire to save men from an eternity in hell, how can we fail to minister to them with all our hearts no matter the difficult the task? Those Puritans ministered not only because they knew it was what their Lord would do, their changed hearts could not bear the thought of men going from misery to damnation without the benefit of being able to hear the gospel. Countless men and women in our own time are living miserable lives under the sentence of eternal death, and we hold the only key that will release them from their prison. Can we bear not to use it, especially when we know that doing so is so much easier for us?
3) Christ’s shepherds do not labor for the thanks and rewards of men: Christ promised his disciples that “In the world you will have tribulation” and it has ever been the case. In fact, with only a few exceptions, the more faithful the minister, the more he is hated by the world and the worldlings in the church. Remember that the world will only approve of you to the degree that you are “of the world” (John 15:19) and that the world only truly loves its own. Consider well that all the Apostles were imprisoned and all save one were eventually put to death, and that every faithful minister following them has had to walk a hard road in this world. Edwards was ejected by his own congregation, Calvin was forced out of Geneva, Knox had to row as a French galley slave and never owned his own house. But they were not laboring for the commendation of men, nor were they laying up their treasures here on earth, their hearts and treasures were in heaven and the only words of commendation they thought worth seeking were these: “Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.”
Brothers, take heart and follow their example! May you someday all hear those same words of commendation. The Lord bless you in your labors and be your strength when you are weak.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
On what we do in worship
Those of us who have paid any attention to church history and ecclesiology are familiar with the debate that existed concerning what is and what is not permitted in worship. Martin Luther's take on it was "whatever is not condemned by the Scriptures is permitted." On the other hand, John Calvin's view (none now as the "Regulative Principle") was that "whatever is not commanded by the Scripture is forbidden."
Although Calvin's view seems a bit extreme, I feel that his argument has much to commend it.
Calvin, recognizing that his view was the "tougher" of the two, wrote:
"I know how difficult it is to persuade the world that God disapproves of all modes of worship not expressly sanctioned by His Word. The opposite persuasion which cleaves to them, being seated, as it were, in their very bones and marrow, is, that whatever they do has in itself a sufficient sanction, provided it exhibits some kind of zeal for the honor of God. But since God not only regards as fruitless, but also plainly abominates, whatever we undertake from zeal to His worship, if at variance with His command, what do we gain by a contrary course? The words of God are clear and distinct:
“Obedience is better than sacrifice.” (1 Samuel 15:22)
“In vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men,” (Matthew. 15:9.)
Every addition to His word, especially in this matter, is a lie. Mere “will worship” (εθελοθρησκεια) is vanity. This is the decision, and when once the judge has decided, it is no longer time to debate." (Humble Exhortation—The Necessity of Reforming the Church)
I suggest that you who have a charge over a flock (both planters and pastors) not dismiss this without taking the time to consider it. I did not appreciate what Calvin's point was until I really mulled over the fact that God did not accept whatever it was that people offered him in the name of worship. We need only consider the "strange fire" offered by the sons of Korah or the sacrifices offered by Saul which were condemned by Samuel and led to God's removing Saul from being king. Read the passages. Wasn't Saul only doing what he thought God wanted him to do?
I'm not talking here of worship that is mere action without heart- such as that condemned in the first chapter of Isaiah. I'm talking worship that the offerer thinks God will be pleased with, yet which receives rejection instead.
Doesn't that give us cause for pause?
I have gained much from meditating on this and, in particular, a book called "Give Praise to God: A Vision for Reforming Worship." With contributors Baptist and Presbyterian alike, the book has been one of the most helpful to me in terms of forcing me to think through what it is that we should be about on Sunday mornings. Some conclusions that I came to, and have posted on our church website are:
We worship according to what the Scriptures command, not according to our own innovativeness because.... (It is actually stated that we "Preach the Bible, Pray the Bible, Sing the Bible, and See the Bible)
1) Because we believe the dictums that "we become like what we worship" and "we become like Who we worship." The way we worship contributes to our grasp of the one true God and how we approach Him in all of life.
2) Because it keeps the focus on God and not on worship itself. Too often, the way in which a church worships takes precedence over the Who a church worships. And when that happenes, teh worship can actually change the message. The purpose of worship is not to draw attention to itself, but to aid the congregation in their communion with God.
3) Because it protects the congregation. God is the One who created us to worship Him as He has revealed. It is not the church's job to create new ways to approach Him. To require the congregation, during corporate worship, to do something God has not commanded them to do, could possibly force them to sin against their own conscience as they engage in acts which they do not believe the Bible requires of them.
4) Because it helps to keep us from idolatry. John Wesley, John Calvin, and Martin Luther all warned of our tendency to create God in our own image and end up worshipping ourselves rather than God. The only way to ensure that we worship the right One is to worship accordin to His wishes. As J. Ligon Duncan observes: "The whom of worship is, of course, central to true worship (John 4:22, 24). It is what the first commandment is all about. We aim to worship the God of the Bible, God as he reveals himself, for we cannot worship him as we ought unless we know him as he is- and we cannot know him as he is except insofar as he has revealed himself to us in his word. There is a god we want and the God who is, and the two are not the same. The only way to be sure that we have the whom of worship right is to worship according to God's written self-revelation."
- Doug
Although Calvin's view seems a bit extreme, I feel that his argument has much to commend it.
Calvin, recognizing that his view was the "tougher" of the two, wrote:
"I know how difficult it is to persuade the world that God disapproves of all modes of worship not expressly sanctioned by His Word. The opposite persuasion which cleaves to them, being seated, as it were, in their very bones and marrow, is, that whatever they do has in itself a sufficient sanction, provided it exhibits some kind of zeal for the honor of God. But since God not only regards as fruitless, but also plainly abominates, whatever we undertake from zeal to His worship, if at variance with His command, what do we gain by a contrary course? The words of God are clear and distinct:
“Obedience is better than sacrifice.” (1 Samuel 15:22)
“In vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men,” (Matthew. 15:9.)
Every addition to His word, especially in this matter, is a lie. Mere “will worship” (εθελοθρησκεια) is vanity. This is the decision, and when once the judge has decided, it is no longer time to debate." (Humble Exhortation—The Necessity of Reforming the Church)
I suggest that you who have a charge over a flock (both planters and pastors) not dismiss this without taking the time to consider it. I did not appreciate what Calvin's point was until I really mulled over the fact that God did not accept whatever it was that people offered him in the name of worship. We need only consider the "strange fire" offered by the sons of Korah or the sacrifices offered by Saul which were condemned by Samuel and led to God's removing Saul from being king. Read the passages. Wasn't Saul only doing what he thought God wanted him to do?
I'm not talking here of worship that is mere action without heart- such as that condemned in the first chapter of Isaiah. I'm talking worship that the offerer thinks God will be pleased with, yet which receives rejection instead.
Doesn't that give us cause for pause?
I have gained much from meditating on this and, in particular, a book called "Give Praise to God: A Vision for Reforming Worship." With contributors Baptist and Presbyterian alike, the book has been one of the most helpful to me in terms of forcing me to think through what it is that we should be about on Sunday mornings. Some conclusions that I came to, and have posted on our church website are:
We worship according to what the Scriptures command, not according to our own innovativeness because.... (It is actually stated that we "Preach the Bible, Pray the Bible, Sing the Bible, and See the Bible)
1) Because we believe the dictums that "we become like what we worship" and "we become like Who we worship." The way we worship contributes to our grasp of the one true God and how we approach Him in all of life.
2) Because it keeps the focus on God and not on worship itself. Too often, the way in which a church worships takes precedence over the Who a church worships. And when that happenes, teh worship can actually change the message. The purpose of worship is not to draw attention to itself, but to aid the congregation in their communion with God.
3) Because it protects the congregation. God is the One who created us to worship Him as He has revealed. It is not the church's job to create new ways to approach Him. To require the congregation, during corporate worship, to do something God has not commanded them to do, could possibly force them to sin against their own conscience as they engage in acts which they do not believe the Bible requires of them.
4) Because it helps to keep us from idolatry. John Wesley, John Calvin, and Martin Luther all warned of our tendency to create God in our own image and end up worshipping ourselves rather than God. The only way to ensure that we worship the right One is to worship accordin to His wishes. As J. Ligon Duncan observes: "The whom of worship is, of course, central to true worship (John 4:22, 24). It is what the first commandment is all about. We aim to worship the God of the Bible, God as he reveals himself, for we cannot worship him as we ought unless we know him as he is- and we cannot know him as he is except insofar as he has revealed himself to us in his word. There is a god we want and the God who is, and the two are not the same. The only way to be sure that we have the whom of worship right is to worship according to God's written self-revelation."
- Doug
Considering the Pastor
Mark Dever returned to the pulpit after a sabbatical this past Sunday and preached on the job description of pastors. Give it a listen- we can use all the help we can get.
You can hear it here.
You can hear it here.
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