Rethinking Biblical Application (pt. 1)

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One of the areas of Christian living that believers seem to prize the most is biblical application. Evangelicals hope whatever they are investing in, be it a Christian book, a sermon, or even a blog article is "applicable to their everyday lives." In other words, why am I in this Bible study, listening to this sermon, sitting in these counseling sessions, attending this small group Bible study, etc, etc ? What difference does this truth bear in relationship to the here and now? How is this going to impact my everyday life?  On one hand, these are important questions for preacher(s) and hearer(s) alike.

James 1:21-25 reminds us of the listener's responsibility in the process of biblical change. But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror; for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was. But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man will be blessed in what he does. (See also Martha Peace's put off/put on study of Ephesians 4).

 

When it comes to listening to sermons however one of the most common misconceptions is as follows.  When a believer feels convicted (or encouraged, or challenged) during the message they often wrongly equate this feeling with biblical "application." During sermons that are especially application orientated it is not uncommon for a church member/attendee to thank the preacher or Sunday School teacher on the way out the door. "Great study today pastor!"  In this context it's very tempting for everyone to go home assuming all is well; but is that what James 1:21-27 teaches?  Is feeling convicted over our sin during a message the same thing as repenting and putting on the graces of Christ?  Is feeling encouraged about the "peace of God which surpasses all understanding" as the preacher waxes eloquently on Philippians 4:6-7 the same thing as appropriating Christ's peace (John 14:27) in the midst of uncertain circumstances?  Is feeling strongly about biblical church discipline (Matt 18:15-17; 1 Corinthians 5), the same thing as applying these principles when doing so upsets the financial apple cart?  Is feeling especially challenged about the mandate to evangelize the lost the same thing as sharing the gospel with an unsaved neighbor?   No, it is not.

2 Disturbing Trends Within American Christianity (and a Solution)

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When I evaluate the contemporary church I notice many disturbing trends.  In the interest of time allow me to mention two:

1)  The Continued "Juvenilization" of American Christianity. 

Or to borrow the verbiage of another commentator, "When are we going to grow up?  We are all adolescents now."  This same writer goes on to describe a typical worship service in America, noting "The house lights go down. Spinning, multicolored lights sweep the auditorium. A rock band launches into a rousing opening song. 'Ignore everyone else, this time is just about you and Jesus,' proclaims the lead singer. The music changes to a slow dance tune, and the people sing about falling in love with Jesus. A guitarist sporting skinny jeans and a soul patch closes the worship set with a prayer, beginning, 'Hey God …' The spotlight then falls on the speaker, who tells entertaining stories, cracks a few jokes, and assures everyone that 'God is not mad at you. He loves you unconditionally.'

After 'worship', some members of the church sign up for the next mission trip, while others decide to join a small group where they can receive support on their faith journey. If you ask the people here why they go to church or what they value about their faith, they'll say something like, "Having faith helps me deal with my problems."

A few paragraphs later the author notes, "Juvenilization is the process by which the religious beliefs, practices, and developmental characteristics of adolescents become accepted as appropriate for adults. It began with the praiseworthy goal of adapting the faith to appeal to the young.... But it has sometimes ended with both youth and adults embracing immature versions of the faith. In any case, white evangelicals led the way."

IS Bigger ALWAYS Better? 5 Simple Steps To Maximize the Growth Potential of Your Church.

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If pastoring a large evangelical church was the main goal of my ministry what would I do differently? 

That's a very good question.  

My short answer is I'd heed the counsel of the "church growth" experts and marketing gurus as closely as I could.  In order to attract more people I would pay much closer attention to the trends of the culture, especially to the mainstream Christian subculture, and I would adapt my ministry practices accordingly (I'd become a Christian pragmatist).  That means my pulpit ministry would need to complement "the Juvenilization of the church." 

Here are a few things I would specifically do IF pastoring a large church was one of my chief goals (please view this as a pastoral parody):

1) I would Preach Shorter Sermons

We live and minister in a "sound bite" culture that is increasingly technology-orientated.  As such, people have shorter attention spans (or so we're told).  Did you know that on average people check their phones 110 times a day?  Many, if not most Americans, take their entertainment, their recreation, and their hobbies very seriously (our Daytimers and credit card statements often reveal what our heart treasures the most-per Jesus' words in Mt. 6:21).  Suffice it to say, lengthy expositions of Scripture are quite passé.    

Besides, modern churchgoers have busy schedules to maintain.  Worship services need to be crafted in such a way so as to not interfere too much with the activities listed above (which partially explains why some evangelicals offer Saturday & Monday night services and even "church online").  At the end of the day since "1 Peter 2:2-3 Christians" are often few and far between one should tailor their messages accordingly.  The shorter the better!

The Lord (Still) Provides

The way the Savior takes care of His own is worthy of many articles.  This past week our family was reminded afresh that the Lord (still) provides.   Please take a moment and read this brief testimony of thanks.

This winter our furnace stopped working.  For Midwesterners that is actually a very big deal.   The repairman said because of the age of the unit combined with how much money the parts/labor were that the best option would be to 'bite the bullet' and purchase a new HVAC unit.  Six thousand dollars later we had a warm house again.  This massive bill meant that our tax return was spent before we even received it.  We pastors count on those annual tax refunds.  This also meant that our savings account was almost completely depleted (which does not take much).  I am sure many of you can relate to this.  Living paycheck to paycheck is truly nothing to complain about.  It is hard enough to manifest total reliance on God when we have a week's worth of food in our pantries (which is true of most Americans).  This explains why we rarely, if ever, pray "give us THIS DAY our daily bread."

Anyways, just this week we had some more unexpected expenses involving automobiles, home repairs, and few other things.  Sometimes all the planets in life seem to collide, don't they?  I wrote the following text message to my brother in Christ and deacon chairman Dick Hunziker. Tires are apparently below legal driving limit.  Wash machine not working (again) and we're still recovering from the cost of replacing the furnace and air conditioner this winter.  Prayer welcomed.

Recovering a Biblical Theology of Worship

I was greatly blessed this summer to have a D. Min class with one of the most faithful Old Testament scholars in contemporary evangelicalism, Dr. Daniel Block.  I received so much helpful instruction from Dr. Block's lectures on Ruth and from his recent book on Worship (For the Glory of God), that I decided to highlight some of this material with my own congregation during our adult equipping hour.  The following is a review of Dr. Daniel I. Block's book on Recovering A Biblical Theology of Worship.  I encourage you to get a copy as a Christmas gift for your pastor(s) this year as well as read this book for yourself (Romans 11:36).

Daniel I. Block.  For the Glory of God:  Recovering A Biblical Theology of Worship.  Grand Rapids: Baker, 2014. Xix + 410 pp. (cloth) $34.99.

Over the past few decades “worship wars” have been fought in the American evangelical church.  Tragically, “Instead of worship uniting God's people, conflicts over worship have often divided them (2)." In response to this, much ink has been spilled in effort to help believers think biblically with regards to this important and sometimes explosive subject.  Into this crowded arena of ideas enters Daniel I. Block’s treatise on biblical worship. 

Over the course of seven decades, Block has witnessed God’s people at worship in many forms and styles around the world (xiii).  These experiences caused Block to ask a host of questions about the nature of true worship.  Such as, “what kinds of worship are appropriate?  More specifically what kinds of worship represent true worship of the one true and living God?” (xiii)  Block presents a scholarly work, inviting Christians of all stripes to recover a biblical theology of worship as we approach our Creator God with “reverential acts of submission and homage” (29).

A Plea for Biblical Preaching (Dr. Schreiner)

 A Plea for Biblical Preaching

Excerpts from Dr. Thomas Schreiner

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"It seems that almost everyone trumpets the importance of expositional preaching, and yet genuine and powerful expository preaching seems to be in short supply. Too often the text that is read before the sermon is abandoned or distorted when the preacher arises to proclaim the word. I am reminded of an exposition I read on Acts 27 where Paul’s shipwreck on Malta was used to say that we all need to take vacations. Paul would be rather surprised, to say the least, to discover that his trip to Malta was being likened to a Mediterranean cruise. Similarly, I heard a sermon on the many sufferings Paul experienced in his ministry on 2 Corinthians 11:23-29. One of the lessons drawn for the people was the need to eliminate busyness in our lives to reduce stress. I wondered what the preacher could be thinking. Paul catalogs his sufferings to show his devotion to Christ, and there is not a hint that he thought he was doing too much! Or, how many sermons contain striking alliteration, but the main points do not match what the biblical text actually says? 

One reason for the decline of expositional preaching is lack of faith.

The Greatest Single Need of the Church Today is __________

Over fifty years ago Merrill F. Unger made a plea for expository preaching: The greatest single need of the contemporary church is undoubtedly the strengthening of the local pulpit.  This fact is not difficult to realize in the light of distressing present-day conditions in this phase of the Christian ministry and in view of the key place pastoral preaching holds in the carrying out of the divine program.  The progress of God's work depends primarily on the local church, and the local pastor has the most strategic position for weal or woe in this important activity.  In no way can the individual pulpit be strengthened for its momentous task than by a diligent return to the Bible injunction: 'Preach the Word.' The benefits of such a ministry are incalculable."

L. Scott Kellum goes on to say, "The good news is that many people seem to have convinced conservative evangelicals of the primary place of such preaching in the pulpits.  Unfortunately, few do it well."  To which Dr. Thomas Schreiner adds, "It seems that almost everyone trumpets the importance of expository preaching, and yet genuine and powerful expository preaching seems to be in short supply."  "

I concur with both Unger and Schreiner, in this regard, Kellum  adds.  Sequential (verse-by-verse) expository preaching is best for the steady diet of the believer.  Tragically, "those who preach the Word with skill and power are few and far between."