Invitation from God: Click | View Series

Isaiah 1:18—"Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool."

The sinful condition of men is terrible in the extreme. This is set forth vividly in previous verses of the chapter. They are altogether alienated from their God.

God himself interposes to produce a change. The proposal of peace is always from his side.

He urges that a conference be held at once, "Come, and let us reason together."

That conference is to be held at once: "Come now" for the danger is too great to admit of a moment's delay. God is urgent; let us not procrastinate.

GOD INVITES YOU TO MEET

Sinful men do not care to think, consider, and look matters in the face; yet to this distasteful duty they are urged. If they reason, they rather reason against God than together with him; but here the proposal is not to discuss, but to treat with a view to reconciliation. Ungodly hearts also decline this.

1. They prefer to attend to ceremonial observances. Outward performances are easier, and do not require thought
2. Yet the matter is one which demands most serious discussion, and deserves it; for God, the soul, heaven, and hell are involved in it. Never was wise counsel more desirable.
3. No good can come of neglecting to consider it. It is one of those matters which will never drift the right way of itself.
4. It is most gracious on the Lord's part to suggest a conference. Kings do not often invite criminals to reason with them.
5. The invitation is a pledge that he desires peace, is willing to forgive, and anxious to set us right.
6. The appointment of the immediate present as the time for the reasoning together is a proof of generous wisdom. "Just as you are," come to God in Christ, just as he is. Love invites you in all your sin and misery.

Adapted from Charles Spurgeon's sermon notes, which are in the public domain.

Porn Again Christian

Pastor Mark Driscoll's frank discussion on pornography and masturbation is now available from Amazon. Find out more.



Not to be dramatic, but a little dramatic. This is the overwhelming feeling I have when I’ve been working all day, had a few hours to connect with my family in the evening, and am now sitting at my desk reading a 480-page pdf document (book) on the church, or slugging away at a 25-page paper till the wee hours. Amazing stuff, but the feeling is a bit overwhelming as the proverbial Re:Train is barreling down the tracks, and I’m stuck in the middle, staring at the oncoming lights and deafened by the blaring horn. How do I escape the wrath?



Re:Train has been a significant investment of time and energy, but it’s an investment that has been extremely beneficial and filled with the grace of God. This weekend was another testament to that as Dr. Gregg Allison lectured and answered questions for two days regarding ecclesiology and the missional church.  

An ecclesiological man among boys

His wisdom, humility and love for the church was inspiring. He is a seasoned pastor, well-studied theologian, faithful husband, father and grandfather, elder in an Acts 29 church, and his daughter and son-in-law attend Mars Hill Bellevue. After a few moments with the Allisons, my wife said, “Wow, that’s the type of couple everyone wants in their church. Godly, stable, wise, humble, and encouraging.” As Pastor Tim Smith put it on Twitter, “Gregg Allision is an ecclesiological man among boys.”  Here are a few takeaways that have left me pondering further.



These are a few reflections from Re:Train with Dr. Allison. The full impact of his teaching and friendship will have a long and sustained impact on the church planting taking place through Mars Hill and Acts 29.


1. Ask good questions before you leave your church.


Dr. Allison loves the local church, and he did a good job of distinguishing between true and false churches as well as less pure and more pure churches among those that are true. He had some good words and questions to ask yourself before moving from one true church to another:

1. Have I expended all of my opportunities to effect change in this church?
2. Will continued participation in this church exert a negative impact on my relationship with and worship of God, my ministry for Jesus Christ, the use of my spiritual gifts, etc.?
3. Do I have to compromise too much—essential doctrines and practices, a lifestyle in accordance with biblical values and principles—in order to remain in this church?
4. Do I have a legitimate reason for leaving?  In a culture where church-hopping and shopping is the norm, I felt these were timely words for Christians to ask themselves before leaving their church so that we don’t flippantly move on from a place God may want us to persevere in.

2. Have something in your life you can finish.


Pastors and those in ministry need to have some outlet in their life that allows them to finish something.  Ministry is never finished, and the pile of work continually grows. Paul told Titus to “put what remained into order” (Titus 1:5).  Based on my experience, I don’t think Titus ever finished getting everything in order.  As he appointed elders, it meant more training and leadership; as new people met Jesus, it meant more teaching and discipleship; as the church grew, it meant new systems and structures.  The church is alive and therefore never finished.

This is why Dr. Allison recommended having something you can finish.  It might be writing a book, refinishing your basement, or some other outlet for bringing something to full completion so that you can enjoy the work and rest upon its completion.  He wasn’t legalistic about it, and didn’t attempt to prooftext any verses to support this position--it was just a piece of pastoral advice from a seasoned pastor.


3. Fight for unity.


The church begins at a place of unity.  In Ephesians 4:3, Paul says, “maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”  Wow, the church is unified because of the Spirit’s work, yet our sins of pride, envy, gossip, jealousy, dissention, and the like are actively working to destroy the unity of the Church.

Dr. Allison pointed out from Ephesians 4:2 that unity is maintained and achieved through the attitudes of gentleness, patience, and bearing with one another in love.  He challenged all of us to dig deep into the places where we and our churches are not unified and accurately diagnose the root issue, which is nearly always sin of some sort.  One of his closing lines on this topic was profound: “The will to maintain unity can overcome significant differences.”



For more from Dr. Allison, read his posts on Missional Ecclesiology on the Resurgence.



You can follow Pastor Jamie on Twitter at twitter.com/jamiemunson.

Total Church

Tim Chester and Steve Timmis present a vision for churches centered on gospel community. Find out more.

Gospel Incarnation Series [Part 1 of 3]: Click | View Series

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us and we beheld his glory of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and full of truth.
– John 1:14

Incarnation

In one sentence, John gives us a presentation of the incarnation embedded in this chapter that is largely poetic and very different from the rest of his narrative writings. John seems to be a simple man who writes out of that simplicity, but in this paragraph, he tries to say incredibly complex and large statements about creation and the incarnation in a more poetic and theological way.

I have drawn out Terra Nova’s system of living out the gospel from John 1:14. If the body of Christ is to live out the mission of Christ, it must be the things that John represents—present, full of truth, and full of grace. We have created three zones out of which that happens: Justice, Culture, and Mercy.

Culture

Culture is that place of presence where you stand with people and are part of them. It calls for you to be exactly who you are. In my case, being a guy who published a small press and independent recording label, who used to read poetry in clubs, whose friends were all sorts of oddball, semi-urban, hermit artists, being missionally present meant opening a gallery and reaching into a quickly changing downtown area of Troy that was becoming “artified.”

Culturally Present

The Terra Nova Gallery (www.terranovachurch.org) has become a popular destination for Troy Night Out, our city’s monthly attempt to draw people out and into its restaurant, music, and art scene. In fact, we’re one of the top two galleries in the city. When our church was averaging about 200 people, we were also averaging about 200 people at the monthly gallery event, only ten percent of whom were from Terra Nova. These twenty or so individuals were and continue to be given an opportunity to be missional culturally as they not only mingle with the many visitors to our gallery, but visit, support, and get to know the greater arts community at other galleries in the city.

We have encouraged everyone to identify a place where they need to be culturally present. Culture, most simply defined as a shared set of words, cues, and artifacts that are understood without translation, differs from person to person with plenty of overlap. I have challenged every person in our community to represent Christ within their culture, because it is on that singular level that the incarnation of the gospel happens.

To be continued.

Vintage Jesus

A theological journey chasing Jesus through Scripture and pop culture. Timeless answers to timely questions about the most important man who has ever lived. Find out more.

Spiritual Gifts Series: Click | View Series

Share with God's people who are in need. Practice hospitality. (Romans 12:13 NIV)

Spiritual Gift of Hospitality Defined

The spiritual gift of hospitality is the ability to welcome strangers and entertain guests, often in your home, with great joy and kindness so that they become friends. Hospitality is supposed to include one's family (1 Tim. 5:8), friends (Prov. 27:10), Christians (Gal. 6:10), and strangers who may not be Christians (Lev. 19:34).

People with the Gift of Hospitality

These people tend to have an "open home" where others are welcome to visit. This gift is often combined with the natural talents of interior design, cooking, and event planning. Importantly, hospitality is NOT to be extended to false teachers and the like, who are a danger (2 John 10-11).

Hospitality in Scripture

Jesus spent time befriending social outcasts (Matt. 11:19), often ate with His disciples, and has welcomed us into the family of God, which includes an eternal home (John 14:2) and an eternal party (Isa. 25:6-9; Rev. 19:6-9). Elders and pastors are commanded to exercise hospitality (1 Tim. 3:2; Titus 1:8). Peter enjoyed the hospitality of Simon (Acts 9:43) and Cornelius (Acts 10:48). Paul enjoyed the hospitality of Lydia (Acts 16:15) and the Philippian jailer (Acts 16:34).

Do You Have This Gift?

• Do you enjoy having people in your home?
• Do you enjoy watching people meet and have fun at parties and events you helped to plan and host?
• Is your home the kind that most people feel comfortable in and drop by to visit unannounced?
• Do you feel that something is really missing in your life when you cannot have guests into your home?
• When you think of your home do you view it from the perspective of guests who will visit?
• Do you consider your home as a place of ministry?

A Book You'll Actually Read:

Clear, biblical answers to some of the most common questions—all in concise books you'll actually read! Mark Driscoll boils down the big ideas into little books. Find out more.

Spiritual Gifts Series: Click | View Series

We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man's gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously... (Romans 12:6-8 NIV)

Spiritual Gift of Giving Defined

The gift of giving is the ability to give money and other forms of wealth joyfully, wisely, and generously to meet the needs of others and help support ministries.

People with the Gift of Giving

Regardless of the amount, people with this gift genuinely view their treasures, talents, and time as on loan from God and not their own. They are often moved to meet the physical needs of others. They enjoy giving of themselves and what they have. Even if they do not possess the resources to help, they earnestly pray for those needs to be met.

Giving in Scripture

Roughly 25 percent of Jesus' words in the Gospels are related to our resources and stewardship of them. Though he was poor, Jesus not only fed thousands (Mark 6:41) but also gave us his life as a gift (John 15:13). Elsewhere in the Bible, the widow (Mark 12:42-43), Tabitha (Acts 9:36), Barnabas (Acts 4:34-37), and the Macedonian church (2 Cor. 8:1-2) all had this gift.

Do You Have This Gift?

• Do you tend to see the needs of others more than other people do?
• Do you enjoy giving your time, talent, and treasure to others?
• Do you see giving to a worthwhile project as an exciting honor and privilege?
• Do you give to the church regularly, cheerfully, and sacrificially?
• Do you often hear people commenting that you are a generous person?
• Do you find yourself looking for opportunities to give your money—even when no one asks?

Pastor Mark:

Get the latest content from Mark Driscoll, the
preaching pastor at Mars Hill Church. See More.

Charlotte Elliott (1789-1871) was an English poet and hymn writer. Around the age of 30, she became an invalid and remained so for the rest of her life, suffering from inexplicable pain and weakness. Convicted by a minister’s words about her bitterness and anger towards God because of her illness, Elliott turned to Jesus Christ for peace. She penned around 150 hymns, including Just as I Am.

Horatio Spafford (1828-1888)

Horatio Spafford was a prominent lawyer in Chicago. After losing his 4-year-old son to scarlet fever, he sustained a great financial loss in the Great Chicago Fire of 1871. Horatio and his wife Anna worked tirelessly for two years helping the other victims of the fire put their lives back together. Then the Spafford family decided to travel to England for a holiday. Delayed by business, Horatio sent his wife and daughters ahead of him. On the way to England, their ship collided with an iron sailing vessel, and all four of their daughters drowned in the wreck. Through his great grief, Spafford held fast his trust in Jesus, writing the lyrics to the well-known hymn It Is Well with My Soul.

William Cowper (1731-1800) was one of the most popular English poets and hymnodists of his time. However, he suffered from periods of insanity and severe depression throughout his life, attempting suicide multiple times. Despite his suffering, he found refuge in Jesus Christ during his stay in an asylum, and as a result of his faith, he produced many well-loved hymns for believers.

Eastern Healing: Click | View Series

Reject: Now that you have carefully evaluated what parts of a practice or teaching may or may not be accepted, you will understand the reasons why you are rejecting it. Your decision will not be based on opinion but on fact and understanding. It is important to articulate why you reject a teaching or practice, as you may have the opportunity to share this with someone who has the same questions you once did. Rejecting a teaching and practice that God rejects is simply obedience. You will have no regrets because you have obeyed God rather than man.

Some important reasons for this rejection could be summed up as follows:

1. It is anti-God and violates biblical teaching.
2. It compromises faith and obedience to Christ.
3. It offers the deception that there is total healing from all disease completely and permanently.
4. It advocates self-empowerment and the metaphysical belief that all sickness is evil, and that it is not God's design for any to be sick.

Relate: There may be times during the redeeming process in which there continues to be some gray areas. Some of these teachings or practices are not in direct conflict with the Bible or God's guidelines, but they just do not seem to align with you very well, and there is still a question whether it is right for you. During this final step of evaluation two important questions should be answered:

1. Is the teaching or practice theologically acceptable? In other words, will this heighten my expression of worship towards God?
2. Does it build my faith in God's power and ability to heal?

It becomes necessary for the Christian to know the Bible and basic theology at this important step. As Christians we are to search the Bible for answers, "rightly dividing truth" (King James Version) as the Bible instructs us. If you have never attempted to understand Christian theology, then here is your opportunity to dig in. Your faith will become richer and your walk in Christ deeper.

"Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth. But avoid irreverent babble, for it will lead people into more and more ungodliness, and their walk will spread like gangrene." (2 Timothy 2:15-17)

"All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that  the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work." (2 Timothy 3:16-17)

A Book You'll Actually Read:

Clear, biblical answers to some of the most common questions—all in concise books you'll actually read! Mark Driscoll boils down the big ideas into little books. Find out more.

Defending Your Title: Click | View Series

So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God (Eph. 2:19).

At the Border

In the summer 2002, I was traveling on a bus from Budapest, Hungary into Romania. As we stopped at the border, security checked our passports. Although I'd traveled this route a dozen times before, this time was different.

Apparently, my current appearance did not match that of my passport photo. I was ushered off the bus into an office with a few Hungarian officials. The room was filled with broken English, Romanian, and Hungarian phrases. After a few phone calls and 20 minutes of sweating, my American citizenship was confirmed, and I was graciously allowed to pass through the border.

As a stranger in another land, I experienced several cultural and linguistic differences. I realized, however, that my citizenship carries certain expectations that are assumed in my identity.

Citizens of the Kingdom

Although the church and the kingdom are distinct from each other, they are interrelated. Believers in the church are a part of the kingdom. George Ladd writes, "We may say that the kingdom of God creates the church. The redemptive rule of God brings into being a new people who receive the blessings of the divine reign." (Evangelical Dictionary of Theology, 2nd Ed.)

The bottom line is that the kingdom came to the world in Christ. The kingdom works through the church, and Christ will return to fully establish his kingdom. In the meantime, believers live in the already/not-yet tension as citizens of this kingdom. With this identity comes a great responsibility to conduct ourselves as citizens of this kingdom.

Defending Your Title

A biblical understanding of core gospel identities will drastically reshape the corporate church. These identities include:

• God calls us both in designation and direction.
• God is our Father; we are his sons and daughters.
• Christ is the bridegroom; we are his bride.
• Christ is the head; we are the body.
• Christ is our king; we are citizens of his kingdom.

These identities are a declaration of the person and work of Christ. Living in these gospel identities is both a present and future reality.

In the film The Dark Knight, Batman stated, "It's not who I am, but what I do that defines me." As believers, however, we are not defined by who we are and what we do. We are defined by who Christ is and what He's done. The significance of operating within these identities will shape the corporate understanding of who we are as a community of believers—the Church.

Death By Love:

Mark Driscoll and Gerry Breshears tackle some of the most serious redemptive aspects of Jesus' work in these twelve letters of counsel to individuals. Find out more.