Are We Really Together For The Gospel? (pt 2)

In my previous article I mentioned how a local pastor actively encouraged his church family to recruit members from other local churches under the banner of biblical "missionary" activity.  Some of my friends had a hard time believing me when I told them this.  This post is for you. 

For the record, the "Reformed" minister who wrote this letter transitioned to another ministry context some time ago.  Even more encouraging, the current pastor of this local fellowship is a godly, like-minded, minister of the gospel.   

As a result of these experiences here are some questions that I have been asking myself recently:  Are we really together for the gospel?  What does it look like to be together for the gospel?  How can pastors and churches that really are T4G come alongside one another in more intentional ways?  How can I better demonstrate to our people that our local church is not the only ministry that is doing things "God's way?"  How do we fight against the kind of behavior that destroys relationships between like-minded churches and pastors? 

The following note is an actual letter:   "As you heard during my presentation, Grace is now entering an exciting stage in it’s early ministry—where the stakes are high! In this stage, we must all start seeing ourselves as “missionaries to Freeport—recruiting other missionaries to Freeport.” Large churches like Crossroads can survive for quite some time based on size, budget, different-ness, and momentum. Park Hills can survive based on size, multiple staff and a broad, mainstream evangelical culture, and migration from broad evangelical churches. 

How One Area Pastor Helped Revitalize Our Local Church

On June 8th, 2014 a small group from First Baptist traveled to Rockford to pay our respects to Pastor Bob Bixby and Morningstar Church.  The special service we were participating in was not a funeral rather it was a special "commissioning service" for Bob Bixby.  We were attending this service in large part to show our appreciation for a selfless servant of God.  Our group also wanted to thank Morningstar Church for what they have meant to our congregation over these past six years. 

For a long time I have wondered if conservative evangelicals are really "Together For the Gospel"?  Yes, I know more and more local churches now say they embrace the chief tenants of biblical Calvinism and I realize that pastors come together in droves today for mega conferences telling the world along the way that we are gloriously united in the truth (see the Gospel Coalition and Together For the Gospel for example).   However, I have witnessed and experienced first hand many actions that seem to tell a much different story.  I have found that professing evangelical churches often function as if we embraced religious Darwinism.  It's the survival of the fittest. It's lets grow my ministry even if it's at the expense of undermining yours brother-pastor.  It's your loss is our gain (praise the Lord). It's, can I say, a dog eat dog world out there!?! 

In one 'real world' situation a former lay leader left our local church, after trying to secretly run me out, only to be welcomed by another evangelical pastor the next Sunday.  No follow up phone call ever came even though this pastor knew me and was fully aware that this member use to joyfully serve at our church.  This whole situation saddened me but honestly it really did not surprise me because I have experienced similar situations like this many times before and I am guessing most of my pastor readers have too.   My favorite story is the (former) "missional" pastor in town who was actually teaching his local church that being a 'missionary' involved actively recruiting Christians from other local church congregations (including ours) to come and join the mission at ___ church.   In a previous ministry context I remember when our senior pastor received an email informing him that in a few weeks a new, like-minded, church plant was going to start up just a few blocks away from our location.  A few months later one of our pastor's fellow elders left to join the "Harvest team" down the street.  With interactions like this, are we really together for the gospel?

Thankfully I/we have also  had the joy of meeting some amazing pastors and local churches.  These shepherds truly care about the spiritual health of local churches that they don't even pastor!  They actually look out for one another and serve one another in the joy of the Lord.  They contact each other if a member from another local church starts attending their ministry just to make sure everything is above board.  Some of them even pray for one another's ministries by name on Sunday morning.  I have briefly written about this refreshing experience in a previous blog post. 

No pastor has modeled this spirit more than Pastor Bob Bixby (pictured above).  Bob was greatly blessed to have a plethora of gifted preachers at the church he "planted" many years ago.  Of course some of these men were the direct fruit of Bob's ministry labors.  Rather than hoard these gifts Pastor Bixby willingly shared these men with like-minded ministries that were in need of assistance.  He even commissioned two of his best men to go pastor other needy congregations.

Six Years Later

Six years ago the Lord brought our family to Freeport, Illinois to shepherd the flock at First Baptist Church.   The revitalization work here has never been dull.  Despite my mistakes as a Lead Pastor God has shown Himself to be faithful and good during this roller coaster journey (Joshua 1:8-9).

The following archived Journal Standard article by Hilary Matheson brings back a lot of memories. 
Posted Aug. 6, 2008 @ 12:01 am

Freeport, Ill.

The son of a pastor, Caleb Kolstad is now into his sixth week as senior pastor of First Baptist Church. Kolstad joined the church after serving First Baptist Church in Carmel, Ind., as an associate pastor for three years.  Witnessing the highs and lows, challenges and blessings, as a pastor’s son was a great learning experience, Kolstad said. “There’s a great group of people that make up the congregation and a great staff – Steve, associate pastor, Sandy, the children’s director – so it seemed like a perfect fit,” Kolstad said.

Becoming a pastor was a change in Kolstad’s plans of becoming a sports broadcaster. He gets different responses from friends who remembered him talking about being a sportscaster since junior high.

The responses vary from those who tell him he should use his intelligence in another job and those who give him a lot of  respect for his decision.  “It depends on really what the perspective of the Christian ministry is. For those who are Christians, they think, as do I, it’s the highest calling God can give to a man,” he said.

Young, Restless, Reformed

Much has been written lately about the Young, Restless, Reformed (YRR) movement.  This is only appropriate seeing that Time magazine (a secular publication) actually identified the New Calvinism as one of the 10 Ideas Changing the World Right Now.  This huge wave of interest in a more God-centered theology is a wonderful thing to behold and to participate in.  Having just attended the bi-annual Together for the Gospel conference for a second time I am happy to say that their is much to rejoice over concerning the work of God in the life of the Bible-believing (evangelical) Church. 

This Reformed resurgence has brought about many edifying things. Such as more praise songs/hymns with precise, doctrinal lyrics that have a more Christ-honoring, gospel-centered bent to them.  A renewed zeal for personal evangelism and global missions.  Thousands and thousands of new titles or republished old books that are theologically astute and Word-centered.  Dozens of helpful preaching conferences for pastors and lay people alike.  A Scriptural understanding of biblical manhood and womanhood (YRR is a complementarian movement).  More attention given to the "Five Solas" of the Reformation (which summarize the biblical gospel).  A healthy appreciation of the past (in the form of gospel creeds and the many saints who have come before us); A renewed affection for Christ and for the grace of God in our redemption; and the list could go on and on.

Having said that, the YRR movement has also tracked in some unhealthy dirt from under its sneakers.  As many have already observed the YRR movement have at times promoted unbiblical and/or imbalanced aspects of doctrine and practice.   Since this is not a monolithic movement and because redeemed sinners are involved in this movement we should not be entirely shocked by this.  With that being noted, if Reformed pastors and churches are unwilling to address the dirt from under our own camps shoes the entire house is going to get really dirty along the way.  Author, Greg Dutcher, recently wrote a book titled, "Killing Calvinism: How to Destroy a Perfectly Good Theology From the Inside." 

During the "Great Awakening" Jonathan Edwards was concerned about something similar in his own lifetime.  This godly concern for sound doctrine and holy living led him to write, Religious Affections.  In this helpful book Edwards points out the signs of true and false revival. 

In that vein, let me express my main concern for the Lord's Church as it relates to New Calvinism and the resurgence of Reformed theology among the YRR movement.  It appears to me that if someone preaches the gospel with a Reformed soteriology many in the Gospel Coalition circle seem to think that everything this pastor/author/leader writes and does must be ok (or at the very least should not be scrutinized). Recent examples of this include James MacDonald's "elephant room" debacle; Mark Driscoll's ongoing ministry issues, confusion surrounding 'free grace' sanctification, and Tim Keller's 400 page treatise on methodology and ecclesiology.  The cycle seems to go like this.  If you are a church leader who embraces the doctrines of grace (especially if you are a Calvinist pastor of a large church) you are one of us.  Since we are together for the gospel we must remain 'center bound' and not really critique one another ("after all, isn't that what killed the early Fundamentalist movement?").

Having recently read Pastor Jon Anderson's three part review  of Pastor Tim Keller's "Center Church" I kept saying to myself, "I cannot believe that (Calvinist) pastors and (Reformed) churches can read this book and conclude that Keller's methodology is apostolic/biblical." Yet the reality is that many pastors are trying to build the Lord's church using Keller's "Center Church" methodology (or something very similar). 

As I read Anderson's thorough review of Keller's very influential book and as I look around at the evangelical church in America I have drawn the following conclusion.  This is what happens when you take biblical, Calvinist soteriology and try and merge it with church growth (Hybels/Warren) methodology and then package your ecclesiology using a little bit of Emergent lingo. (I witnessed this strange merger of church growth methodology and Calvinistic soteriology first hand at a large church in Bothel, Washington).  Jon Anderson is right to sound the alarm (in love) here.  In short, Anderson suggests that Keller is trying to mix good oil with bad vinegar.  It is not only important that pastors get the central message right (per 1 Corinthians 1 and 2) we also need to build the Lord's Church with the right materials and build the right way (1 Corinthians 3-4).  Methodology and Ecclesiology are very important!

A Faithful Flock that Perseveres!

I originally began publishing this new blog in order to highlight the triumphs and tribulations of church revitalization ministry.  Along the way I have tried to magnify the unchanging character of God.  God is good and He does good.  To Him alone belongs the highest praise!

Because this blog is very much a work in progress there are still many important stories that need to be published.  Some of these chapters have not yet unfolded and many others are simply waiting to be told.  The following is one of many posts that is long overdue:  One of the major ingredients of every successful reformation story is a faithful flock that perseveres.  If the Spirit of God calls a man of God to come and faithfully preach the Word of God there must be an eager congregation that is willing to receive the inerrant Word and to do the work of ministry.  Effective ministry is always a team effort (see my exposition of Colossians 4:7-9).

God must raise up, add to, and/or preserve a faithful remnant that will continue to press on in the midst of various setbacks.  This is true of any local church but is especially true in reformation contexts.  Most revitalization efforts take many, many years before they begin to fully blossom (note for example the pre-reformation Reformers) and herein lies the problem.  Because we live in a "microwave society" it is not uncommon for church members to grow impatient and/or to become frustrated with what has not yet come to be.  Some of these friends eventually set sail for bluer waters.  This is no doubt one of the most discouraging realities of reformation ministry for leaders and laity alike.

Let's return our thoughts a final time upon the faithful flock that perseveres.  In one of my very first posts I wrote this, "It needs to be said at the onset that some of the believers who were apart of this ministry for many, many decades are true saints of the highest order.  These faithful believers had been praying for reformation and revival long before I ever arrived.  Their piety and prayers combined with the steadfast courage of a group of layman is the human reason why this local church now stands strong in the Lord."

During the past many years of ministry trials and God-sent triumphs our entire church has been purged in the Lord's holy fire.  I have been honest about the dross that has been removed and the gold that has been refined along the way.  What I have not emphasized enough are the faithful believers who have patiently endured this season of gospel maturation.  In the Lord's kindness He has preserved a number of long time FBC members (Christian servants) and has added a number of crucial like-minded saints along the way.  This faithful flock has chosen to patiently endure trials of various kinds in order to become the kind of church the Lord loves to bless (see Revelation 2-3; Acts 2:42).

Despite our many wrinkles and warts I humbly believe that FBC Freeport has become the most Bible-driven, grace-exalting, Christ-focused local church in Stephenson County.  I write all of this to the praise of His glorious grace!!!  Ephesians 3:20-21; Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

"Show Me a Sign For Good"

Psalm 86:15-17; Thou, O Lord, art a God merciful and gracious, Slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness and truth.  Turn to me, and be gracious to me; Oh grant Thy strength to Thy servant, And save the son of Thy handmaid.  Show me a sign for good, That those who hate me may see it, and be ashamed, Because Thou, O LORD, hast helped me and comforted me. 

When it comes to government bailouts Americans are pretty divided.  When it comes to Divine intervention and Supernatural provision  however Christians are totally united.  Philippians 4:19-20; And my God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.  Now to our God and Father be the glory forever and ever. Amen.    Or we simply pray, Jehovah Jireh (God our Provider).  In the mount of the Lord it will be provided.  

In this light, a friend recently encouraged me to post more articles that highlight the "LUX" of ministry lest God's people get lost in the darkness along the way.  That was very helpful counsel.  One of the great blessings of dark trials is that these seasons help us better appreciate answered prayers!

In the last six years of revitalization ministry First Baptist Church has gone through two seasons of somewhat intense spiritual pruning.  I have briefly summarized our first season of pruning here and here.  The second season of refining has been summarized here.  Suffice it to say, as we entered into the final quarter of 2013 our ministry was down (numerically and financially).  During one of the low points I candidly remember one of our financial guys saying, "Only God can save us now!"  Collectively we wondered, "How are we going to maintain this massive four million dollar church facility long term?"  "How will we continue to do X, Y, and Z?"

The Lord had already shown us His abundant provision a few years earlier in the unexpected provision of a massive estate gift from a very unlikely source.  The Lord certainly did not owe us that grace gift nor did He owe us anything else.  Nonetheless, in our better moments we poured out our hearts to Jesus knowing that Thou, O Lord, art a God merciful and gracious, Slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness and truth!  

During this season of waiting on the Lord I received the following letter (see picture above).  

Post Tenebras Lux

The title of this blog, Post Tenebras Lux, highlights a famous Protestant Reformation saying.  "After Darkness Light" is a wonderful summary of what God accomplished in Europe during the years 1517 to 1648.  I choose this blog title because I believe that is what every revitalization ministry prays for (lux). I also selected this title because that is exactly what the Holy Spirit has begun to accomplish here in Freeport (on a much smaller stage of course); hence the subtitle: How God Revitalized a Local Church to the Praise of His Glorious Grace.

Having said that, one does not go from Egypt to Canaan overnight.  Many of the articles so far have talked about the trials and tribulations of reformation ministry.  You may call these "wilderness" articles.  Every church revitalization resource that I have examined includes much blood, sweat, and tears.  This "cross" is what Dr. Trueman talks about in his book, "Reformation: Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow" (see in particular his fine chapter on a Theology of the Cross).

Like most good things in life and ministry where there is no pain there is no gain.  As such I have tried my best not to completely sugar coat this revitalization record.  The past six years has included both highs and lows.  Half of these years have included more low lows than high highs.  Nonetheless, I embrace the plan and purpose of God for my life and for this local church!  God's timing is not always our timing but His timing is always best!

Be Encouraged and Press On!

Most believers realize that the Apostle Paul was a Christian lion.  He was one of the strongest and bravest men of God to ever serve King Jesus.  In comparison with Paul, and those like him, I am an absolute zero!   Having said that, 1 and 2 Corinthians include many, many, many humble expressions of weakness, sadness, and various admissions of pastoral discouragement.  In that vein, do passages of inspired Scripture like 2 Corinthians 1:3-11; 2:4; 7:6 11:28-30; 12:7-10 make the great apostle Paul any less of a faithful Christian role model?   Do these honest confessions make you less inclined to listen to him?

If the great Apostle Paul had "low lows" in Christian ministry should we expect lesser men to go through life valleys without grief, sadness, and their own seasons of discouragement?  As a Christian who greatly looks up to this eminent Apostle (per 1 Corinthians 11:1) I am most grateful for Paul's humble admissions of weakness throughout his many letters.  Paul was a man of great faith but he was also a man of clay.   Just like you and I, the Apostle Paul battled through life (Romans 7) and struggled in the ministry trenches (1 & 2 Corinthians, 2 Timothy).   Yet he is clearly one of the great heroes of the faith!

Lest you assume I am making too much out of one isolated example let me provide you with two more biblical examples.  I) The Psalms are universally loved by all of God's people, in part, because they are so raw and honest.   Many of the Psalms express despair, hurt, fear, betrayal, and lament all in the context of WORSHIP.   Are we greater soldiers of the LORD than David the giant killer?

Applying What We Read to Life and Ministry (Church Revitalization and Spiritual Discouragement)

Applying What You Read to Life and Ministry 

Church Revitalization and Spiritual Discouragement

Charles Spurgeon is not only "the Prince of Preachers" he is also the Pastor's Pastor.  Very few men excel at both preaching and shepherding.  For example, Dr. John MacArthur is one of the greatest expository preachers of our generation.  John readily admits however that he is not the best counselor.  Surely this is one of the reasons why Mr. Spurgeon is still so popular today.

This new series of blog posts is built upon Spurgeon's masterpiece lecture, The Minister's Fainting Fits, which I have summarized for you here and here.  If you have never read this lecture in its entirety I would implore you to do so.  For church members this lecture will help you understand how to better pray for your pastor (Eph. 6:19-20) and will show you how you can better encourage him in the Lord (1 Thess. 5:12-14).  For counselors this lesson will help you appreciate the inner-workings of those you counsel (especially pastors).  For pastors these articles should encourage your inner man while reminding you that you are certainly not alone (1 Peter 4:12).

As I recently listened to Spurgeon's lecture on The Minister's Fainting Fits it felt as if Spurgeon had spent time reading my ministry journal.  Please allow me to draw some parallels between lecture and life and I would encourage you to try and do so yourself as you read these articles.  As always I pray that these blog posts will benefit the larger body of Christ.

As Spurgeon begins this lecture he notes, "There maybe here and there men of iron, to whom wear and tear work no perceptible detriment, but surely the rust frets even these; and as for ordinary men, the Lord knows, and makes them to know, that they are but dust."  When listening to a recent Question and Answer session by Dr. John MacArthur (who was my faithful pastor for twelve years) I realized that Pastor John is one of those unique "men of iron" that Spurgeon refers to here.  I believe Dr. John Piper made this same observation when Dr. MacArthur spoke at one of his pastors conferences (note 39.15 in audio).  For the record, there is no one in the world I respect more, or have learned more from, than John MacArthur.  For most of us, we are but ordinary men to whom our Sovereign Lord regularly reminds us that we are but dust.  One of the chief means God uses to keep His Pastor-teachers humble and dependent on Him are ministry trials and thorns (2 Corinthians 12:7-10).

Spurgeon drives home this very truth at the end of his lecture when he says, "The lesson of wisdom is, be not dismayed by soul-trouble. Count it no strange thing, but a part of ordinary ministerial experience. Should the power of depression be more than ordinary, think not that all is over with your usefulness. Cast not away your confidence, for it hath great recompense of reward. Even if the enemy's foot be on your neck, expect to rise amid overthrow him. Cast the burden of the present, along with the sin of the past and the fear of the future, upon the Lord, who forsaketh not his saints. Live by the day—ay, by the hour."  

TO BE CONTINUED