Second Wind

Sometimes it seems that the Christian faith is all about taking each day as it comes and trusting the Lord for whatever is needed in the moment.  One might get the impression from Matthew 6:29-34, for example, and many other Scriptures that this is what God has in mind for us.  Faith, in the minds of some, is winging it, believing that God will supply whatever is needed at the time.  Planning of any kind is seen as the enemy of faith, of taking life into one’s own hands.  Accordingly, faith is a spontaneous thing, not compatible with those who are always concerned with the future.

But is this really what the Bible teaches?  Or is there a place for good planning?  Could it be that faith is very much compatable with planning, even the expression of what faith really is all about?  More to the point of my kind of work, should a pastor strategize and plan, spending long hours at preparing messages, crafting ideas for Board Meetings, considering ways to solve relational problems in the church, and so on?  Well, maybe not — according to some.  He should be spontaneous in preaching and other church ministries.  He should go by “the leading of the Spirit,” which some understand as “winging it.”

Yet as I consider the matter of faith vs. planning, I have to say that there seems to be a good deal of support for the idea of thinking and planning ahead.  Did not Jesus imply the benefits of planning when he asked, Who would begin construction of a building without first getting estimates and checking to see if there is enough money to pay the bills?  … Or what king would ever dream of going to war without first  sitting down with his counselors and discussing whether his army of ten thousand is strong enough to defeat the twenty thousand soldiers who are marching against him? (Luke 14:28-33)?  Though Jesus is here teaching about counting the cost of what it means to become his disciple, is he not also illustrating that planning is natural and should also be applied to our spiritual lives?

It certainly is the case that planning and strategizing is basic to human existence, for who is there that does not live for the privilege of making plans in everyday living and creatively carrying them out?  Besides, it is evident that there are many other allusions to the biblical importance of planning.  Here are a few:

• Proverbs 12:5 — The plans of the righteous are just..
• Proverbs 21:5 — The plans of the diligent lead to profit…
• Isaiah 32:8 — But the noble man makes noble plans, and by noble deeds he stands.

There are many instances in the Bible of how people of faith made plans — Moses, Joshua, Samuel, Mordicai, Esther, Daniel, Jonah.  Even a casual reading of the Gospels will demonstrate that Jesus made plans.  And the same could be said of the Apostles in their work as is evident in the Acts and the letters.

But there is a problem with the planning philosophy especially from a Christian perspective, and it is this: too often our plans are more about us than they are about planning from God’s perspective.  And it is this which James draws attention to in James 4:13-16.  There we see that our planning can be very presumptuous.  We do need to plan, for that is what it means, I think, to live by faith.  But we need to be careful lest our planning is merely a reflection of our own ambition.  The best planning is very dependent upon God’s direction and approval.  And this can only come as we spend time in learning to know God’s will through His Word, and listening to His Spirit in prayer, in meditation upon the Word, and in seeking the counsel of wise people.

ed

This is a great Psalm as relates to life and ministry for the coming year.  Security, being relatively tentative at all times and even today (if we are honest), is always uppermost in our minds.  We long for assurance that all will be well for the long haul.  And in view of the myriad of threats in our day, some would encourage us to find our security in the mountains that surround us, since they look so strong and stable.  But the fact is that those strong looking mountains (I am in Canmore, Alberta Canada as I write this…) are not as secure as they look.  Neither are those things we commonly trust in, like our homes, our human relationships, our financial investments, and so on.  Our best security is in the Lord calling forth our trust in Him.  This Psalm is a confession with which I wish to identify — I trust in the Lord for protection.

The Psalm goes on to speak of the kind of world we live in — how the wicked are intent on “stringing their bows…shooting from the shadows at those who do right.”  It is evident throughout the Bible that there is this division between good and evil, between wicked people and righteous ones.  Though this idea of wicked people versus righteous people may be offensive to some who think any such reference smacks of bigotry and arrogance, even the hardest hearts would have to acknowledge that in the extreme such categories exist.  Yet the biblical difference is much more subtle than that in the sense that the wicked may actually appear righteous and some who are seemingly righteous are actually very wicked.  The Bible in fact states that we are all wicked, we are all unrighteous — there is none that does good, not even one (Psalm 14:1-3; Romans 3:10, 11).  Righteousness, we learn, comes by faith and is something conferred rather than deserved (Romans 3:22 – 26).  So when God looks on the world, He sees both wicked and righteous, the former constantly taking advantage of the latter.

In general then, as the world proceeds, it seems that the wicked are overcoming the righteous.  As the writer of this Psalm puts it: the foundations of law and order have collapsed.  What can the righteous do? (Vs. 3).  As we turn the corner for another year, it does seem that evil is ever more blatant and ever more fierce.  This morning (Jan 4th), I heard that CEOs in our country are being paid phenomenal annual salaries that far exceed their actual worth — all at the expense of their companies’ share-holders, not to mention the poor of our country.  WHAT CAN THE RIGHTEOUS DO?

Not much, except to trust in the Lord, who still is in his holy Temple … [and] still rules from heaven … He watches everything closely, examining everyone on earth.  The Lord examines both the righteous and the wicked (Vss. 4-5).   It is a great comfort for the righteous to know that God is still the boss and will have the last word on all the wickedness that abounds.  His own attitude and promise of judgment is sure.  He will vindicate the truly righteous because the Lord is righteous and he loves justice (Vs. 7).

I think I am a realist when I say that we live in a very wicked world.   Though we can be thankful for a large measure of mercy and justice in Canada because of the strong Christian influence we have enjoyed historically, the righteousness that does exist is but a thin veneer that covers a raging sea of very self-centered living.  And we Christians need to be careful lest we be sucked in to all of it as well.

By God’s grace I want to be the kind of person this year who reflects the true righteousness with which I profess to be clothed– in anticipation of the fulfillment of His promise that those who do right will see his face (Vs. 7).  I want to experience the smile of His face in my daily life as well as at the end of my days.

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One of the most challenging aspects of pastoral ministry is the management of small discipleship groups.  There is a vast amount of material available on small group ministry because it is such a vital part of church life and ministry but finding a synopsis of what works well is difficult.   I know of no aspect of pastoral ministry that involves more challenges.  These include the matter of recruiting good leadership, keeping leaders accountable, providing encouragement, helping leaders find good material, ensuring that groups are really working in line with the vision of the church and so on.  As I have occasion to participate in groups in recent years I find myself asking how they could be more effective.

One issue is purpose.  Some groups cast themselves as Bible Study groups.  While this sounds good on the surface, the problem is that discussion often consists of no more than everyone sharing their opinion on what a particular verse or passage is all about.  At the other extreme are groups that consist largely of some kind of mystical experience without reference to the Bible.  I have heard of Christian groups that are little more than seances of one kind or another.  It seems to me the larger purpose of small groups is all about making disciples.

Making disciples requires the kind of leadership that knows how to be intentional about this critical issue.  It really is about a lot more than merely leading a Bible Study though that will inevitably be involved.  If a leader is committed to making disciples, that person will seek to use the Bible to help participants develop their understanding and practice of what it means to be a follower of Jesus.  By this objective the Scriptures form a base of operation but the Bible or knowledge of the Bible is not an end in itself.  In this process, the leader will guide participants to see how the truth of God’s Word can be integrated into daily life.

Ideally, the leader will take a book or passage of the Bible as a base for discussion about principles of what it means to follow Jesus.  Suppose the passage is Psalm 23.  The leader will ask the members of the group to focus their attention on this passage in one way or another for several minutes.  All in a context of worship and prayer, the leader will ask members to share what the passage is saying — what it means.  He or she may then ask group members to share what aspect of the passage stands out to them and why.  The leader may find it necessary to offer interpretive correction on comments that may not accurately reflect the meaning of the text.  Thus the leader has to be prepared to guide the participants in a proper theological understanding of the text taking into account the larger context of Scripture as a whole.  He or she may point to significant cross-references that shed light on the text.

At best, the leader is always looking for ways in which group members can creatively apply the principles of the biblical text.  These suggestions would lead into meaningful prayer, rather than simply listing the arbitrary need requests of individuals without reference to the text.  This is not to say that prayer can not also include particular individual needs that are unrelated to the text, but too often this is the extent of the prayer aspect of the group.

Over time, it should be evident that group members are growing in their experience of Christ rather than the mere accumulation of Bible knowledge.  Transformation in people’s lives will be evident in the quality of their relationships with family members and work associates.  It will also be evident in how well they are integrating their faith with the challenges of daily life and witness.  Fellowship is a bi-product of this kind of group experience; it need not be a focus.  It will inevitably happen as people are led together in a better understanding of what it means to live as a Christian.

It doesn’t seem reasonable that groups remain static in terms of make-up.  While there is some benefit from mutual commitment for the sake of Christian growth for a period of time, if the same members are together for more than a year or two, the group gets stale.  There should be an openness to new members being added to the group or for new groups to develop.  Small groups, by their very nature, should be prepared for growth in size or number.

Also for groups to be progressive and effective, leaders need to meet regularly under pastoral oversight for accountability, mutual encouragement, and the sharpening of leadership skills.  This takes a huge amount of pastoral effort.  But such an investment pays rich dividends over time.  Leaders need to learn how to manage difficult questions or participants, how to listen and draw people out, how to guide participants in becoming disciples.  Leaders should have freedom to develop their own style, but accountability for basic discipleship training is fundamental to effective small group ministry.

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I don’t know of any time of the year that brings home the meaning of what God has done for us like Christmas — unless it is Easter of course!  But this whole thing about the Creator of the universe, the I Am, the Son of God, coming down to us to be born as one of us — it’s incredible!  So much has been written, I have nothing to add, except to express my own wonder about the reality of this transaction, transition, transmission!  All of nature and history surrounds this happening.  For years the Jews waited and longed for the day of His appearance.  And then it happened — though not at all like they had imagined.  Now we look back and are amazed at the profoundness of such simplicity!  And we live and work in anticipation of His coming again — His final coming.

His coming has made such a difference in our world and in the lives of so many of us in a personal way.   The entire world is arrested by the beauty of this time of year — the grace, the friendship, the feasting and gift-giving.  Jesus’ coming has meant the introduction of grace into an otherwise dark and barren existence.  His coming has brought the beauty of truth back into the world.  It has meant grace on so many different levels, not the least of which is the gift of salvation through the sacrifice of His life.  And the personal effect of this for me has been absolutely huge.

Though the fact of Christmas is very much a miracle, it also makes such good sense.  And though the world seems so confusing at times because of all the crazy things that happen, the Christmas story assures us that there is an order, there is a plan, there is a purpose that will be realized.  And we can know that our lives are fitting in with that plan.

I am far away from home as I prepare for Christmas this year.  I am experiencing, in some very small way, what incarnation is all about.  I am seeking to identify myself with a people and a community that are entirely new to me.  I have known no one here before this time.  I am walking by faith taking each day as the Lord gives it to me, learning to understand and listen, learning to love and appreciate the lives of those who live in another world.  I am only here for a few weeks at a time, before going home in between.  But each time I come, I realize in a very small way, what it must have meant for Jesus to come to our world for 33 years of existence among us.

I love the blessing of being able to get to know people just like myself in another part of the world.  I do it by faith and the strength that God gives me.  For it isn’t always easy since so much of it is foreign to my own world and my own home.  But I do it because this community and these people too have an appeal by virtue of their creation and their redemption in Christ.  And as I extend myself to get to know each of them, and to listen, I am amazed by the beauty of their lives.  They invite me into their homes and their lives and as I listen I try to take in the uniqueness of how God has made each one and how He is seeking to work out His will in their lives.

At times I try to speak words of grace and wisdom, perhaps even correction.  And they respond.  It’s a wonderful dynamic that is patterned after what I think Jesus tried to do when He came down to us.

Soon I will be going home for the celebration of Christmas.  I look forward to spending a little time there with my dear wife, some family members, and friends.   It will be great to be back in my own environment, enjoying the blessings of home.  But right now, I am preparing for Christmas by seeking to identify with the One who came so many years ago.

ed

I am in the midst of a transition project with a church in Eastern British Columbia.  The transition is taking place because the former pastor has moved on to another pastoral responsibility.  His move, while led of the Spirit on one level, no doubt was prompted by some measure of unsettledness on another.  It is never easy for a pastor to know exactly when it is time to move on.  After all, there is always one more hill to climb and one more problem to solve.  Besides, if the pastor has been there for some time, a lot has already been invested that it is not easy to relinquish.   And there may be personal issues involved – how a move would affect one’s children, or other aspects of one’s career.  But inevitably the pastor (or the church) decides that a change would be expedient.  Of course it is always better if the pastor is able to determine this before the church comes to this conclusion.

But as things go, sooner or later churches find themselves facing a transition period between pastors.  At first this can be an unsettling time for the church since it inevitably has become very attached to a particular pastor’s ministry.  It usually takes a month or so for churches to come to terms with the reality of their loss in these circumstances.  Most churches belong to denominations whose leaders are quick to provide some kind of protocol on how to proceed.  But these days, more and more denominational leaders recognize the value of assigning someone with transition expertise to work with a church in such a time in order to maximize future effectiveness.

It has been my privilege to work in this kind of role for half-a-dozen churches in the region within the last several years.  A transition pastor is usually someone with a good deal of church ministry experience and knowledge who is committed to specializing in this kind of work.  Ideally this person has definite pastoral skills in public communication and pastoral care as well as organizational skills to help a church become more efficient in its operation.  No doubt the transition pastor will also have team-building skills and a knowledge of contemporary issues for effective ministry in these times.

I have found that a normal and effective transition will likely take at least eight months, perhaps longer depending on the circumstances surrounding the previous pastor’s departure.  This is a significant period of time, but it is important for the church to appreciate the value of taking time for a more fruitful ministry in the future.  The idea is to hire a pastor from a position of health if at all possible.  This means taking time the time to find out underlying issues in the life of the church that are best addressed during a transition time.  By experience and training, a transition pastor is able to identify issues of need quickly and how they might be remedied.  Hiring the wrong person or hiring without resolving critical issues for effective ministry can be very costly for a church.

In my experience when a church sees the value of a transition ministry of this nature it is best to set up a contract for the specified time which outlines the perameters of the transition ministry.  This will include the goals for the transition period, the specific pastoral role to be engaged, and the transition issues to be addressed.  Usually the latter will consist of helping the church with closure on the previous ministry, and with various kinds of renewal — relational, organizational, and visional.  Only after the deeper needs of the church are addressed will the transitional pastor prepare to guide the church through the search process for its next pastor.  To prepare for the search, my objective is to work with the lay leadership of the church to establish three significant descriptions: a community profile, a church profile, and a pastoral profile.

As a transition pastor, I like to work with the congregation to listen and provide hope and vision for the future on the basis of God’s Word.  I work with the Board to strengthen communication and ministry structure in the church.  And I also work with the Board and the congregation to provide new insight on issues for more effective ministry in the future.  My objective is to help the church hire a pastor with their eyes wide open about effective ministry in today’s world and the potential candidate’s ability to minister in that environment.

In my experience there are three stages in the transition period — 1) the listening and assessment stage, 2) the information and vision-casting stage, and 3) the pastoral search and hiring stage.  Sometimes these will over-lap to some degree.  Right now, in the present case, we are finishing the 1st stage and beginning the 2nd.  Somewhere by the end of January or the beginning of February the church should be ready to begin the search and hiring stage.  My goal in this case, is to see the transition period  finish around the end of April.

It was Pastor Bill Hybels of the Willow Creek of Chicago who said, there is nothing like the local church when the local church is working right.  The local church has been entrusted with carrying the life-giving message of Jesus Christ and it’s the only hope I see for this broken and hurting world.  There is nothing else like it. If this is true, and I believe it is, then doing church ministry well is very, very important.  Transition ministry is dedicated to ensuring this kind of outcome.  And it’s a delight to see it happen.

ed

The question of biblical authority these days is being challenged in a variety of ways by questions about biblical canonicity as well as the place of prophecy.  Interest in the experiential these days that also includes prophecy sometimes makes it seem that visions and dreams are more important than the study and understanding of God’s Word.  I have noticed in a number of instances recently that people are easily more taken up with their own supernatural experience than they are with the truths of the Bible.  In the minds of some the experience of the prophetic is somehow superior to what has been given in the Scriptures.  It is a subtle form of false teaching because there does seem, at least in the minds of many, a legitimate place for prophetic ministry in these times.

There are two issues in this discussion: one is the matter of the canonicity of the Bible and the other is the relationship that prophecy may have to Scriptures if we assume that in them God has given us all that is needed for “…training in righteousness so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16).

With regard to canonicity, it is important to recognize that the Holy Spirit guided the early church to come to a definite conclusion about which writings should be included and excluded in the Bible.  Some may wonder about this because they might consider that the conclusion reached regarding the canon was somewhat subjective.  However, this is far from the case.  “Canon” means “reed” and refers to a means of measurement.  The measuring standard for the Old Testament books of the Bible was the extent to which they came to be accepted and used by the Jewish community.  The books of the Old Testament were accepted on the basis of authorship, consistency of content, historical accuracy, and a sense of their divine authority. By this means the canon of the Old Testament was pretty much established by the time of the writing of the last prophet, Malachi.  The Septuagint was a Greek translation produced by 72 scholars around 280 b.c. that also included 12 apocryphal books.  Their ”hidden” contents were never accepted as being divinely inspired by orthodox Jews.  They were rejected by the Protestant church and rendered secondary by Vatican II of the Roman Catholic church.

The canonicity of the New Testament is based on several important criteria including: a) widespread acceptance among the early churches, b) a connection to apostolic authorship, c) a sense of divine authority, and d) that they were suitable for public reading in the churches.  Paul’s letters passed this test during the 1st half of the 2nd century.  Most of the New Testament passed the test of canonicity by the end of the 2nd century.  For a variety of reasons it took a little longer to come to conclusions about the books of Hebrews, James, 2 Peter, 2nd and 3rd John, and Jude, as well as Revelation.  Though the canon of New Testament Scripture was in general use before the Council of Carthage in 397, it was there and then that the church “closed the book” so to speak on the canonicity of the New Testament.

There are different views as to how the gift of prophecy relates to Scripture.  One view is that this gift was limited to use during the apostolic age.  At the other extreme is the view that prophetic gifts are as real and authentic today as they were in the time of the apostles, even though it is acknowledged that all prophecy is subject to alignment with the Holy Scriptures.  Strong biblical interpretations exist for the legitimacy of each position.  One of the best books that I have read recently on this matter consists of a debate between four scholars representing four distinct views.  The book, edited by Wayne Grudem, is entitled, Are Miraculous Gifts for Today.

Without going into detail at this point, my own view is that God may use Christians today to speak prophetically to the larger church or a local church in the sense that He has a more immediate word for them based on the larger biblical revelation.  Such a word, in my view, would be authoritative rather than predictive.  There may be instances in which people are given a more specific (predictive) revelation based on a vision or dream, but I do not think this is normative.  Such instances would need to be tested to see if the content aligned with Scripture and the proper exaltation of Christ (1 John 4:1-3).  Such prophecies would also need to be tested regarding their predictive accuracy (Deuteronomy 18:21, 22).  There are other instances in which prophecy may also be reflected in musical worship in a fashion similar to the nature of the Psalms.

While the idea of prophecy sounds exciting and may be legitimate in some instances, we should exercise great care that it is authentic.  We should consider the spiritual authenticity of the “prophet.”  We should consider the prophecy’s relationship to God’s revelation in the Scriptures.  We should consider the reason or purpose of a prophetic word.  (Is it merely an attempt for someone to try and gain spiritual credibility and authority, for example?)  This is not to “scoff at prophecies” (1 Thessalonians 5:20).  It is only to ensure that we are not let astray by “false prophecies” in these last days (Matthew 24:11, 2 Timothy 4:1 – 5, 1 John 4:1).

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Recently I’ve been struck by the significance of eschatology with regard to biblical interpretation.  Some years ago while studying eschatology in greater depth I concluded that the interpretation of eschatological biblical material became the modus operandi for biblical interpretation in general.  If, for example, you viewed the millennium of Revelation 20 in more literal terms you were inclined to take a more literal approach to interpretation.  If, on the other hand, you considered the millennium to be a figure of speech you would probably be more inclined to spiritualize other texts.

Amillennialists who disregard the idea of a literal millennial reign of Christ upon earth believe that the millennial reign of Christ is already happening through the church and something to be more fully realized when Christ actually returns for the final restoration of all things.  Amillennialists do not think in terms of a specific future for Israel as a nation.  Prophecies concerning Israel in their view are already being fulfilled in the church.  Post-millenialists likewise reject the idea of a literal millennial period and take this as a reference to the effect of the church’s Christianizing influence in the world over time.  In this view also, Christ returns at the end of this period for the final restoration of all things.

In my pastoral journey of almost 40 years, I have noticed a significant shift in eschatological views.  This shift in itself seems to be the result of socio-political events in the world.  Besides being a common view in the early history of the church, pre-millenialism with its emphasis on Christ’s return before a literal millennial period, became more popular again in the late 19th and 20th centuries amidst the large missionary work of the church as well as in the on-slot of major world conflict.   In recent decades, however, it appears that this literal view of Christ’s personal reign on earth for 1000 years has given way to more amillennialist and post-millennialist ideas.

One implication of this shift is to view the entire Book of Revelation as something descriptive of the turmoil that afflicts the church throughout its history rather than a picture of future events.  It also has meant a greater emphasis on the kingdom reign of Christ in the world at the present time with the view that we should expect to see many of the same things happening in the world now through the church that we saw when Jesus literally walked in Galilee and Judea in His time.  Especially recently, I have noticed a huge emphasis, for these reasons, on dominion theology as well as reconstructionism.

Besides spiritualizing texts to mean whatever the proponents of these views may want them to say for their own purposes, it seems to me that they have also given less attention to systematic theology in general and soteriology in particular.  While this approach also fits with the relativism of our post-modern times, one can’t help but be concerned about poorer definitions of the nature of the Gospel, evangelism, and disciple-making whose importance so characterized the ministry of St. Paul and the apostles.

In the end I think it speaks to us of the importance of the biblical texts and of a consistent historical-gramatical interpretation in order to get at the proper and best meaning of what the original Author and inspired writers had in mind.  While there have been many distortions from the kind of biblical literalism that has been over-simplistic there is a lot to be said for reading and interpreting Scripture in its studied but most natural form, comparing one text with another within the context of the whole Bible.

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It seems to be more common these days that in pastoring the church we find ourselves having to process questions or ministries related to prophecy.  I don’t recall this kind of interest and expression very much 15 – 20 years ago or more.  No one was coming forward and declaring themselves to be a prophet.  In fact, in my experience, it was preachers who were thought to have prophetic gifts of ministry as they stood before their people to declare the truth of God’s Word to them.  But these days it’s not uncommon for people to think they have a prophetic gift.  This interest represents a special challenge to pastors as they seek to discern what the Spirit is saying and as they try to pastor this particular manifestation.

Typically, someone will think they have this gift if they think God is using them to speak personal words of special exhortation into someone else’s life or perhaps even to the entire church.  I’ve known of people who feel they have this gift who think they should have liberty to exercise it in the midst of a large church gathering on a Sunday morning.  How is a pastor supposed to handle the assertion from someone that they have a “word from the Lord” for the congregation?  How can the pastor give credence to the idea of the gift of prophecy while also seeking to discern expressions that may need censoring?  And why is it that there is such interest in the use of this kind of gift today?

A consistent use of the idea of prophecy in Scripture seems to demonstrate that prophecy is the anointed declaration of God’s word in regard to a particular people and place.  So it is that the Old Testament prophets from Moses to Malachi were called to speak God’s word to God’s people concerning their particular need at a certain time in their lives.  Often it was a word of warning or judgement.  Sometimes it included an invitation as in the case of Isaiah who prophesied: “Come now and let us reason together, says the Lord.  Though your sins be as scarlet they shall be white as snow.  Though they be red like crimson, they shall be like wool” (Isaiah 1:18 KJV).  This demonstrates that the prophecy is often in a very beautiful poetic form.  Prophecy is a speech art form.

Of course there are some Bible teachers who have concluded that with the close of the canon of Scripture, prophecy is no longer a relevant gift of ministry.  They feel that God used prophets to give us His Word, but that this gift is no longer necessary.   However, if that were so, one would have to discount Paul’s references to the importance of this gift to the Corinthians in chapters 12 – 14, as well as Peter’s words in Acts of the Spirit’s anointing for prophecy in the last days (Acts 2:18).  It is true that it is a serious thing to add to the words of biblical prophecy according to Revelation 22:18, but could there be a legitimate place for prophecy in a lesser sense today?  Many of us think so, but it needs to be carefully taught and guided/pastored.

It’s possible the interest in prophecy may be somewhat of a social phenomenon consistent with post-modern expressions characterized by a special interest in deconstruction and sensationalism.  However, if it is true that God intends prophetic ministry in the church of our day then we need to be open to how He wants to use it.  But its use does call for a keen sense of discernment.  After all John warns that we should test the spirits because there are many false prophets in the world.  And the test is whether proper recognition is given to Jesus as the manifestation of God in the flesh (1 John 4:2).  In other words, a good test of prophecy is whether it gives Jesus the honour that He deserves which also means that any ministry should be in the best interests of His body, the church.  The New Testament has strong words for any who would try to be divisive in the body of Christ (Titus 3:10, 11).

So then, we should not look down upon genuine expressions of prophecy but welcome them.  However those who would prophesy or give a word of exhortation in a more personal word as from God for the occasion or the person or people should not do so with a superior aire of spirituality as is often the case.  They should not use it simply as a means to manipulate people around their own agenda.  And they should not use it in a way that disregards the unity of the body or of acting in true love (1 Corinthians 13).  Rather they should exercise this gift under the pastoral leadership of the church, paying attention to what is being taught in Scripture and in the pulpit.   People should be encouraged to prophesy in the sense that they use the gift to encourage and strengthen other believers in what has already been revealed in God’s Word.

I believe prophecy is exercised in the inspiration of new songs that God gives to the church.  I believe He often uses prophecy in the context of musical worship in the church — in the rendition of a song as well as in its creation.  I believe God uses prophecy in the preached word of God on Sunday morning.  But I also believe that He can use prophecy through the lives of those who live and work in the world as Christians, and in how they exhort one another to love and good works.   And I am a bit wary of people who claim to have received various visions and dreams that often appear more bizarre and surreal than being truly grounded in the truth of God’s Word.

© ed

It seems inevitable in the work of the church and the preaching of the Gospel that someone will ask why it is that there are so many denominations within Christianity and the church.  My usual tongue-in-cheek answer is that God likes the variety.  And in some measure that is true.  But people who ask this question, I think, are somewhat naive concerning the nature of unity.  They feel that since one of Jesus’ primary prayers for the church was that it might be united, this means that Christians should all march by the same drum and worship in the same way, possibly even in the same place in any particular town or city.  They may even say that church denominations are of diabolical origin.

Whenever this question comes up I can’t help but ask on whose terms unity is being sought.  Because usually those who are most interested in unity are thinking of it in their own terms of reference — often without regard or appreciation for other points of view.  In fact, perhaps quite unconsciously, they would like everyone else to come to their particular way of thinking.  They are often blind to their own biases.

Having said that some are naive and blind with regard to their interest in unity does not mean that there isn’t such a thing as an authentic desire for unity in the way that Jesus prayed for it in John 17.  I agree that Christians should seek to live out the unity that is implied in their common faith in Jesus Christ.  Too often the church in general, and in various communities in particular is characterized by sniping and slander towards Christians of another church.  I am reminded of the disciple John’s statement in which he said, “Teacher, we saw a man driving out demons in your name and we told him to stop, because he was not one of us.”  Jesus’ answer was classic.  “Do not stop him.  No one who does a miracle in my name can in the next moment say anything bad about me”  (Mark 9:38 – 41).

This teaches us that we need to be careful about censoring other Christians who are seeking to also do their work in the Name of Christ.  It also demonstrates that there will be people within the church of many different stripes.  I have no difficulty with the variety of denominations within the Christian church.  I believe God has used differences of theological perspective to create a variety of denominations to emphasize different aspects of His truth.  They also exist, I believe, to balance each other’s tendency to extremes.  Just as there is one body of believers but many gifts of service, so there is just one church but many different cultural expressions or “personalities” within the church.

We should not be dismayed by the variety of different denominations within Christ’s universal church.  Each has a vital contribution to make.  Brothers and sisters of various denominations are ultimately united by their common confession of faith in Jesus Christ as Saviour and Lord.  As we have opportunity we should seek to affirm one another’s heritage and unique contribution to the church and the work of the Gospel.  But within that fellowship it seems to me that it is also legitimate from time to time to question one another’s theological positions on various matters.

I am sure that Jesus’ prayer for unity did not mean that we all need to think or express our faith in exactly the same way.  But at the least it does mean that we should recognize and affirm one another’s faith, and when possible, work together in unity to proclaim the Gospel in our civic communities.

© ed

Within a few hours, one of my favourite weekend’s of the year will be history.  I have never had a Thanksgiving weekend like this.  For the first time that I can remember, I did not have a traditional Thanksgiving — not at home, no turkey and timmings, no large family gathering.  The reason for this is that I left for assignment just before the Thanksgiving weekend.  Enroute, I spent some time with children and grand-children and to share in a special ceremony in Calgary in which my new son-in-law was sworn in to be an official lawyer within Alberta.  So I planned to be in the church where I am doing some pastoral transition work for Sunday.

Thanksgiving this year was an occasion to think about Thanksgiving in a whole other way.  Instead of family coming to see us, I was able to go and see them and count the blessings of their lives and relationship.  I so enjoyed playing with three of our grand-children on Thursday and then of being with three others for a few hours on Friday.  I loved the Bar Call ceremony and the great things that were said about Josh Fraese, our son-in-law.  I especially liked the way the presiding judge explained the seriousness of this call and the responsibility that Josh and all lawyers had to uphold the law impartially.  It brought to mind the words of God to Moses in Deuteronomy 16:18-20 or of Jehosophat in 2 Chronicles 19:4-7 not to pervert justice and to do this work faithfully and on behalf of the Lord God of Israel.

It was a strenuous weekend because after the ceremony I had to rise early the next day to travel to my place of service to spend the day making final preparations for the Thanksgiving Service.  The Service was well-attended and a high-point in my Thanksgiving weekend as together we gave thanks for God’s goodness in a variety of ways and reminded ourselves of how thanksgiving is really a defining element of what it means to be a follower of Jesus. After that meaningful Service I made my way back to Calgary to spend a little more time with my daughter and her husband, since they were also alone this Thanksgiving.  Since they pursue a vegan diet, we did not have a traditional turkey, but they did graciously accommodate me with a special dish of lamb in the context of an East Indian meal.  It was wonderful to share these important moments and goodies together.

Somewhere in the midst of all the activities of the weekend I managed to acquire a cold and so I so appreciated the extended rest I was able to have on Thanksgiving Monday morning.  It was a blessing to be able to discuss and solve some problems together before enjoying a Vietnamese lunch at a restaurant and then heading back for three hours of travel to Golden.  Here, as usual, I was well-recieved by my hosts who also entertained a couple who dropped in for a visit just after supper.  What a wonderful experience to share Christ together with these new acquaintances as we talked about the wonder of God’s creation and His plan in the Gospel.  The icing on the cake for the weekend was to visit with my wife on the phone for a short time.

This Thanksgiving, I realized anew that I don’t have to have a traditional Canadian Thanksgiving weekend in order to be reminded of the wonder of all that God has done for me.  Sometimes, I came to see, that God has other means of reminding us of how important Thanksgiving is.  I think I have a new appreciation of the need to be thankful in the midst of unknowns and difficulties because as we experience this grace in our lives, God is able to turn challenges into blessings.

© ed