tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37202201191230100302024-03-11T22:51:42.132-06:00Joshua Valdez: Life, Theology, MinistryA Blog about Life, Theology and MinistryJosh Valdezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09859263750420231817noreply@blogger.comBlogger67125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3720220119123010030.post-89598443338399590682023-10-18T07:25:00.007-06:002023-10-18T07:39:46.272-06:00Ryle on Answering Critics <div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1ZqVg844PgBSUBaQ3vi4eFFuM45OjX8VOAJUrD9wnPmY_TscmnRhT1ZgrLrCAPF5bpY6QEF_rrzwVGQBE4deHlbYHeKeoML5muYesOGFQ7iRURy1iZ6wER7nT-79MG3t4dZZFvHof6r4EPjq3Is2pOn4d2VioQPqiF_Lhjur0PdHzu_PZ451lGtkLXs8/s3516/Ryle1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3516" data-original-width="2805" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1ZqVg844PgBSUBaQ3vi4eFFuM45OjX8VOAJUrD9wnPmY_TscmnRhT1ZgrLrCAPF5bpY6QEF_rrzwVGQBE4deHlbYHeKeoML5muYesOGFQ7iRURy1iZ6wER7nT-79MG3t4dZZFvHof6r4EPjq3Is2pOn4d2VioQPqiF_Lhjur0PdHzu_PZ451lGtkLXs8/s320/Ryle1.jpg" width="255" /></a></div><p></p><span style="font-family: Avenir;">In a culture submerged in the waters
of skepticism and agnosticism, many Christians feel helpless and
unequipped to respond to critics. Here, looking at the past and turning to the giants on whose shoulders we stand brings clarity and conviction. <br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"> </span><span style="font-family: Avenir;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;">It was Solomon who wrote, <span class="text Eccl-1-9" id="en-ESV-17325">"What has been is what will be,</span><span class="indent-1"> <span class="text Eccl-1-9">and what has been done is what will be done,</span></span><span class="indent-1"> <span class="text Eccl-1-9">and there is nothing new under the sun" (Ecclesiastes 1:9).</span></span> </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;">Apparent innovative judgments upon the Scriptures are revealed as mere refurbishments of old, tired schemes already answered by theological stalwarts.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;">One such granite giant, was J.C. Ryle (1816-1900), the reliable, evangelical Bishop of Liverpool. In Ryle's own time, romanism, secularism, and liberalism had already swept across the nation. By his peers, he was considered a religious relic of the past. Against the wave of modernism, Ryle stood firmly upon the solid rock of Scripture. He well understood how to answer critics of the faith. <br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: Avenir;">The following excerpt is from Ryle's Christian masterpiece, <i>Holiness</i>.<br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;">______________ <br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: Avenir;">Our lot is cast in an age of abounding unbelief, scepticism, and, I fear I must add, infidelity. <br />Never, perhaps, since the days of Celsus, Porphyry, and Julian, was the truth of revealed religion so openly and unblushingly assailed, and never was the assault so speciously and plausibly conducted. The words which Bishop Butler wrote in 1736 are curiously applicable to our own days:--"It is come to be taken for granted by many persons, that Christianity is not even a subject of inquiry; but that it is now at length discovered to be fictitious. And accordingly they treat it as if, in the present age, this was an agreed point among all people of discernment, and nothing remained but to set it up as a principal subject of mirth and ridicule, as it were by way of reprisals for its having so long interrupted the pleasures of the world." (Butter's<i> Analogy</i>, Introduction.) I often wonder what the good Bishop would have now said, if he had lived in the present day.</span></p></div><div style="text-align: left;"><p><span style="font-family: Avenir;">In reviews, magazines, newspapers, lectures, essays, and sometimes even in sermons, scores of clever writers are incessantly waging war against the very foundations of Christianity. Reason, science, geology, anthropology, modern discoveries, free thought, are all boldly asserted to be on their side. No educated person, we are constantly told nowadays, can really believe supernatural religion, or the plenary inspiration of the Bible, or the possibility of miracles. Such ancient doctrines as the Trinity, the deity of Christ, the personality of the Holy Spirit, the atonement, the obligation of the Sabbath, the necessity and efficacy of prayer, the existence of the devil, and the reality of future punishment, are quietly put on the shelf as useless old Almanacs, or contemptuously thrown overboard as lumber! And all this is done so cleverly, and with such an appearance of candour and liberality, and with such compliments to the capacity and nobility of human nature, that multitudes of unstable Christians are carried away as by a flood, and become partially unsettled, if they do not make complete shipwreck of faith.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Avenir;">The existence of this plague of unbelief must not surprise us for a moment. It is only an old enemy in a new dress, an old disease in a new form. Since the day when Adam and Eve fell, the devil has never ceased to tempt men not to believe God, and has said, directly or indirectly, "Ye shall not die even if you do not believe." In the latter days especially we have warrant of Scripture for expecting an abundant crop of unbelief:--"When the Son of man cometh, shall He find faith on the earth?"--"Evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse."--"There shall come in the last days scoffers." (Luke 18:8; 2 Tim. 3:13; 2 Pet. 3:3.) Here in England scepticism is that natural rebound from semi-popery and superstition, which many wise men have long predicted and expected. It is precisely that swing of the pendulum which far-sighted students of human nature looked for; and it has come.</span></p></div><div style="text-align: left;"><p><span style="font-family: Avenir;">But as I tell you not to be surprised at the widespread scepticism of the times, so also I must urge you not to be shaken in mind by it, or moved from your steadfastness. There is no real cause for alarm. The ark of God is not in danger, though the oxen seem to shake it. Christianity has survived the attacks of Hume and Hobbes and Tindal--of Collins and Woolston and Bolingbroke and Chubb--of Voltaire and Payne and Holyoak. These men made a great noise in their day, and frightened weak people; but they produced no more effect than idle travellers produce by scratching their names on the great pyramid of Egypt. Depend on it, Christianity in like manner will survive the attacks of the clever writers of these times. The startling novelty of many modern objections to Revelation, no doubt, makes them seem more weighty than they really are. It does not follow, however, that hard knots cannot be untied because our fingers cannot untie them, or formidable difficulties cannot be explained because our eyes cannot see through or explain them. When you cannot answer a sceptic, be content to wait for more light; but never forsake a great principle. In religion, as in many scientific questions, said Faraday, "the highest philosophy is often a judicious suspense of judgment." He that believeth shall not make haste: he can afford to wait.</span></p></div><div style="text-align: left;"><p><span style="font-family: Avenir;">When sceptics and infidels have said all they can, we must not forget that there are three great broad facts which they have never explained away; and I am convinced they never can, and never will. Let me tell you briefly what they are. They are very simple facts, and any plain man can understand them.</span></p></div><div style="text-align: left;"><p><span style="font-family: Avenir;">(a) The first fact is Jesus Christ Himself. If Christianity is a mere invention of man, and the Bible is not from God, how can infidels explain Jesus Christ? His existence in history, they cannot deny. How is it that without force or bribery, without arms or money, He has made such an immensely deep mark on the world, as He certainly has? Who was He? What was He? Where did He come from? How is it that there never has been one like Him, neither before nor after, since the beginning of historical times? They cannot explain it. Nothing can explain it but the great foundation principle of revealed religion, that Jesus Christ is God, and His Gospel is all true.</span></p></div><div style="text-align: left;"><p><span style="font-family: Avenir;">(b) The second fact is the Bible itself. If Christianity is a mere invention of man, and the Bible is of no more authority than any other uninspired volume, how is it that the Book is what it is? How is it that a Book written by a few Jews in a remote corner of the earth--written at distant periods without consort or collusion among the writers--written by members of a nation which, compared to Greeks and Romans, did nothing for literature--how is it that this Book stands entirely alone, and there is nothing that even approaches it, for high views of God, for true views of man, for solemnity of thought, for grandeur of doctrine, and for purity of morality? What account can the infidel give of this Book, so deep, so simple, so wise, so free from defects? He cannot explain its existence and nature on his principles. We only can do that who hold that the Book is Supernatural and of God.</span></p></div><div style="text-align: left;"><p><span style="font-family: Avenir;">(c) The third fact is the effect which Christianity has produced on the world. If Christianity is a mere invention of man, and not a supernatural, Divine revelation, how is it that it has wrought such a complete alteration in the state of mankind? Any well-read man knows that the moral difference between the condition of the world, before Christianity was planted and since Christianity took root, is the difference between night and day, the kingdom of heaven and the kingdom of the devil. At this very moment, I defy anyone to look at the map of the world, and compare the countries where men are Christians with those where men are not Christians, and to deny that these countries are as different as light and darkness, black and white. How can any infidel explain this on his principles? He cannot do it. We only can who believe that Christianity came down from God, and is the only Divine religion in the world.</span></p></div><div style="text-align: left;"><p><span style="font-family: Avenir;">Whenever you are tempted to be alarmed at the progress of infidelity, look at the three facts I have just mentioned, and cast your fears away. Take up your position boldly behind the ramparts of these three facts, and you may safely defy the utmost efforts of modern sceptics. They may often ask you a hundred questions you cannot answer, and start ingenious problems about various readings, or inspiration, or geology, or the origin of man, or the age of the world, which you cannot solve. They may vex and irritate you with wild speculations and theories, of which at the time you cannot prove the fallacy, though you feel it. But be calm and fear not. Remember the three great facts I have named, and boldly challenge sceptics to explain them. away. The difficulties of Christianity no doubt are great; but, depend on it, they are nothing compared to the difficulties of infidelity.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;">______________ </span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqBTP7y6fus9jDV1jTB1IhDrKoZ5WtlRZ_nDTWKrns0rxQ1Gj9Vw93R0b-RU8Sl9N0EzcveZ7iMI07Yr4f7JEgcYRZef6Wsc8sDZfr4aoWi_PaY6fWEK_pQKQvwB1wSlJPLIj9nUgQUy2PERCZ27M5sdUD1ryT0K2UxsqVsNfESMZ0ALLyzssyayJdTXg/s1280/Holiness__24542.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="815" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqBTP7y6fus9jDV1jTB1IhDrKoZ5WtlRZ_nDTWKrns0rxQ1Gj9Vw93R0b-RU8Sl9N0EzcveZ7iMI07Yr4f7JEgcYRZef6Wsc8sDZfr4aoWi_PaY6fWEK_pQKQvwB1wSlJPLIj9nUgQUy2PERCZ27M5sdUD1ryT0K2UxsqVsNfESMZ0ALLyzssyayJdTXg/s320/Holiness__24542.jpg" width="204" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;">______________ <br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;">Purchase a copy of <i>Holiness</i> <a href="https://www.heritagebooks.org/products/holiness-banner-of-truth-ryle.html?_ga=2.196868847.233907692.1697574110-1978945647.1697574109&_gac=1.261615871.1697574110.Cj0KCQjw4bipBhCyARIsAFsieCxObTwPxKR70Um1spCAKxKxiu-C5JvSUkP63Iu9tkK_B0xmQpkqlFYaAmQXEALw_wcB" target="_blank">here</a>.<i><br /></i></span></p><p><span style="font-family: Avenir;"><br /></span></p></div>Josh Valdezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09859263750420231817noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3720220119123010030.post-9541592981663704212023-04-18T09:04:00.001-06:002023-04-18T09:12:00.151-06:00Burroughs on Being Wronged<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX7JQxcrrNxCCb8_o8PkCTnzMIFWDEBzcn-U_Y2BeoCE0552Fa9gWWDh5vs6v8Ni6FaHTt0KvdZNo-x0GSFG1Qx_B6Ou_lyLYIxX4p_faXUFuG8OVN7HCU7TPFbxvAhNLPNtT5ee-njYl4Z_C2vVoETsMpTjovaihwYN8Em-1hBiupCqXxsrbem1FT/s1329/Jeremiah_Burroughs_by_Sintzenich.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1329" data-original-width="1200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX7JQxcrrNxCCb8_o8PkCTnzMIFWDEBzcn-U_Y2BeoCE0552Fa9gWWDh5vs6v8Ni6FaHTt0KvdZNo-x0GSFG1Qx_B6Ou_lyLYIxX4p_faXUFuG8OVN7HCU7TPFbxvAhNLPNtT5ee-njYl4Z_C2vVoETsMpTjovaihwYN8Em-1hBiupCqXxsrbem1FT/w181-h200/Jeremiah_Burroughs_by_Sintzenich.jpg" width="181" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;">C.S. Lewis wrote "to love at all is to be vulnerable." We could just as easily say, "to live at all is to be wronged by others." Family, friends, and foes alike wrong us and hurt us. As Christians, we know we cannot respond in kind. So how should we respond when people wrong us?<br /><br />Puritan pastor Jeremiah Burroughs (1600-1646) helps us in our thinking here. The following excerpt comes from Burroughs' masterpiece,<i> The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment. </i></span></span><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;">_______________ <br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;">If this is your trouble that men do so wrong you, you ought rather to turn your hearts to pity them, than to murmur or be discontented. For the truth is, if you are wronged by other men, you have the better of it, for it is better to bear wrong than to do wrong a great deal. If they wrong you, you are in a better condition than they, because it is better to bear, than to do wrong. I remember it is said of Socrates that, as he was very patient when wrong was done to him, they asked him how he came to be so. He said, 'If I meet a man in the street who is a diseased man, shall I be vexed and fretted with him because he is diseased? Those who wrong me I look upon as diseased men, and therefore pity them.'<br /><br />Though you meet with hard dealings from men, yet you meet with nothing but kind, good and righteous dealings from God. When you meet with unrighteous dealings from them, set one against the other.<br /></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;">______________</span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"> </span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmgAx4IKqLQnHh1gNDgk8D9FY3pQRxcVWWlIUw_zd4IzZD1ikQvL00LhWRB8XNZTpe-ime4m0XVROyvNLHzeFV2I_4_D2SAKK1-sc-lkzCMeveaBTEPVrrn8MuGEFYCJBPFyFslgsDd5R4o51zFS2vOYwk9PyABysWUVRuztyhdpCiO3laFIdXGZlV/s1024/rare-jewel-web-681x1024.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="681" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmgAx4IKqLQnHh1gNDgk8D9FY3pQRxcVWWlIUw_zd4IzZD1ikQvL00LhWRB8XNZTpe-ime4m0XVROyvNLHzeFV2I_4_D2SAKK1-sc-lkzCMeveaBTEPVrrn8MuGEFYCJBPFyFslgsDd5R4o51zFS2vOYwk9PyABysWUVRuztyhdpCiO3laFIdXGZlV/w266-h400/rare-jewel-web-681x1024.jpg" width="266" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;">You can purchase a copy of <i>The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment </i><a href="https://www.heritagebooks.org/products/the-rare-jewel-of-christian-contentment-puritan-paperbacks-burroughs.html">here</a>. </span></span><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"></span></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"><br /></span></span></p>Josh Valdezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09859263750420231817noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3720220119123010030.post-31667922161913086002022-11-04T07:27:00.030-06:002022-11-13T19:07:48.030-07:00Bob Jones University: Epicenter of Fundamentalism’s Future<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBLUV-LsFve8ThaNzYRgkiOqI2xhMG7T9QaUe1jGJNWpLe1tPiUE-c2tPdcgzqVjmNUph3MoNg0fMV-7xvcAgy5QJER1BtUt33JIqYAxhhtv9YVw-D2Yd6m35IByTUYPu2hY7J-536KEgVyV41cH8btsvE2ohl5oU-IRHw8bz4vuhrAkZkBiyBeYv9/s1618/Screenshot%202022-11-03%20at%2018-03-38%20Josh%20Valdez%20(@navajo_vulcan)%20%E2%80%A2%20Instagram%20photos%20and%20videos.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1618" data-original-width="1618" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBLUV-LsFve8ThaNzYRgkiOqI2xhMG7T9QaUe1jGJNWpLe1tPiUE-c2tPdcgzqVjmNUph3MoNg0fMV-7xvcAgy5QJER1BtUt33JIqYAxhhtv9YVw-D2Yd6m35IByTUYPu2hY7J-536KEgVyV41cH8btsvE2ohl5oU-IRHw8bz4vuhrAkZkBiyBeYv9/w200-h200/Screenshot%202022-11-03%20at%2018-03-38%20Josh%20Valdez%20(@navajo_vulcan)%20%E2%80%A2%20Instagram%20photos%20and%20videos.png" width="200" /></a><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"> For ninety five years, Bob Jones University has been the fortress of fundamentalism. Unlike many institutions that started strong and abandoned orthodoxy, BJU has stayed the course. During its storied history, it has weathered its share of storms and controversy (many self-inflicted). It has long been considered the chief fundamentalist institution, combining a broad liberal arts study with an all encompassing Christian worldview. Fundamentalist churches all across the world are pastored by Bob Jones graduates. As Bob Jones University goes, so goes fundamentalism. </span></span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"> </span></span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;">Right now, a controversy over the future of both Bob Jones University and fundamentalism is raging. That fight centers on the presidency of <a href="https://www.bju.edu/about/university-leadership/president/" target="_blank">Steve Pettit</a>. Will he stay or will he go? </span></span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;">Part of the fight centers on this basic question: what, exactly, is fundamentalism? <br /></span></span></span></span></div><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;">When can you accurately call diverse groups like Mormons, Muslims, and Christians, fundamentalist, you have a problem of terminology. To further complicate things Christian fundamentalism is fractured, having different streams that are best represented by their institutions: <a href="https://hylesanderson.edu/" target="_blank">Hyles-Anderson Fundamentalism</a>, <a href="https://wcbc.edu/" target="_blank">West Coast Fundamentalism</a>, <a href="https://www.pcci.edu/" target="_blank">Pensacola Christian College</a>, <a href="https://www.mbu.edu/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=search&utm_campaign=google_ads&utm_id=brand_general&utm_term=brand_name&utm_content=search" target="_blank">Maranatha Baptist University Fundamentalism</a>, and<a href="https://www.bju.edu/" target="_blank"> Bob Jones University Fundamentalism</a>. Those institutions--the churches, clergy, and laity they represent--while all claiming to be fundamentalist are different in convictions and practice. Clearly, Christian Fundamentalism is difficult to define. At its root, fundamentalism is taking the faith <i>seriously</i>—actually believing what you believe is <i>true</i>. </span></span></span></span></p><p></p><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;">Bob Jones University history professor, <a href="https://www.bju.edu/academics/faculty/facultymember.php?id=msidwell" target="_blank">Mark Sidwell </a>writes this simple, helpful definition of Christian fundamentalism:</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;">Fundamentalism is the belief that (1) there are certain truths so essential to Christianity that they cannot be denied without destroying Christianity and (2) these essentials are the basis of Christian fellowship.<a href="#1" name="top1"><sup>1</sup></a>
</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;">To be a fundamentalist, then, is holding fast to the essentials of the Christian faith, and fellowshipping with those who do. To not be a fundamentalist is to not hold to the essentials of the Christian faith or to fellowship with those who deny those essentials. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;">Examination of historic fundamentalism’s writing demonstrates this definition. The early 1900s essays <i>The Fundamentals</i> contain ninety essays defending Christian orthodoxy. Among those volumes of essays are articles on Christ’s deity, the incarnation, Biblical inerrancy, the truth of creation, criticisms of higher criticism, the truth of justification by faith, and the nature of regeneration. The Bob Jones University Creed (1927), which is still recited in chapel, is a glimpse into the ethos of historic fundamentalism:</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;">I believe in the inspiration of the Bible (both the Old and the New Testaments); the creation of man by the direct act of God; the incarnation and virgin birth of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ; His identification as the Son of God; His vicarious atonement for the sins of mankind by the shedding of His blood on the cross; the resurrection of His body from the tomb; His power to save men from sin; the new birth through the regeneration by the Holy Spirit; and the gift of eternal life by the grace of God. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXnhdaOL3q5iJqeEjL5yk98rub7QqFCmXM7mPqTyLDMVY6fRTbIMbCjYQIQHEJJFaDFKNPROMHPN18ckbE-7VWaMe7-og6IHZEVhrli_33rCptKR5g0RH8vy9UfXyS8YVsY3FjfgQ4x8wAItkjXOAz6sCOs6RAyEruHEZvSF4fk5WaurCZbQYr5vI2/s1000/BJU-primary-logo-ctr.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="1000" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXnhdaOL3q5iJqeEjL5yk98rub7QqFCmXM7mPqTyLDMVY6fRTbIMbCjYQIQHEJJFaDFKNPROMHPN18ckbE-7VWaMe7-og6IHZEVhrli_33rCptKR5g0RH8vy9UfXyS8YVsY3FjfgQ4x8wAItkjXOAz6sCOs6RAyEruHEZvSF4fk5WaurCZbQYr5vI2/w400-h200/BJU-primary-logo-ctr.png" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;">What is clear is that historic fundamentalism was concerned with preserving true Christianity against the onslaught of liberalism. Fundamentalism was about fighting for orthodox Christianity against the soul damning religion of liberalism. Written in the heat of the Fundamentalist Modernist Controversy, J. Gresham Machen in his classic work <i>Christianity and Liberalism</i> makes this helpful clarification:</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;">Liberalism is totally different from Christianity, for the foundation is different. Christianity is founded upon the Bible. It bases upon the Bible both its thinking and its life. Liberalism on the other hand is founded upon the shifting emotions of sinful men.<a href="#2" name="top2"><sup>2</sup></a>
</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;">Machen’s entire point in the book is that liberalism is not a different expression of Christianity, but a different religion all together. Historic Fundamentalism was about fighting that fight against this alternative religion of liberalism. Historic fundamentalism was about contending for the faith. Historic fundamentalism was about preserving orthodoxy and separating from heretics. Historic fundamentalism was about protecting the sheep and fighting off the wolves. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"></span></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf8uGxMpC6G0KbF6jaFo__IQXrgbk3j9X2BV7kJoqZq-FB4Sl_AqN0WT7tJSN1rbcf9PjABXH2gwEDTaCdikmYazI2iy72I5yKRICgA1IzJNbK6V7WtI7vlMDsZTk5aDiwee3CTMybm-GWJRVMvY_o69-hYxvpsJpDfooTS65JmoJ4izlxamDO5nNF/s2000/Descent_of_the_Modernists,_E._J._Pace,_Christian_Cartoons,_1922.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1960" data-original-width="2000" height="314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf8uGxMpC6G0KbF6jaFo__IQXrgbk3j9X2BV7kJoqZq-FB4Sl_AqN0WT7tJSN1rbcf9PjABXH2gwEDTaCdikmYazI2iy72I5yKRICgA1IzJNbK6V7WtI7vlMDsZTk5aDiwee3CTMybm-GWJRVMvY_o69-hYxvpsJpDfooTS65JmoJ4izlxamDO5nNF/w320-h314/Descent_of_the_Modernists,_E._J._Pace,_Christian_Cartoons,_1922.png" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;">Somewhere along the way that changed. When fundamentalists lost churches, denominations, and institutions, the fundamentalist’s fight went from battling liberalism to battling each other. It was here that personal conviction was promoted to universal dogma. Second tier issues and individual matters of conscience became fundamental issues. <br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;">And this brings us to Bob Jones University, Steve Pettit and the controversy brewing at 1700 Wade Hampton Boulevard. As documented <a href="https://digioh.com/em/27627/189225/jtywgyt4d2?demail&fbclid=IwAR3ArTFiP85yrFe5fZR2Fz2Ht50tmZ3JfZJA9MyZ_F9IYI_lkunCrVfh69M" target="_blank">here</a> a minority (5/17) of the Board of Trustees are intent on removing Steve Pettit from serving as the president of the university. Because of some shady maneuvering, they have the power to do so. <br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;">In recent years, the <strike>Fundamental</strike> <a href="https://fbfi.org/" target="_blank">Foundations Baptist Fellowship International</a> has been increasingly critical of BJU (see <a href="https://www.proclaimanddefend.org/2018/10/31/gender-sexuality-the-church-core-conference-2019/" target="_blank">here</a>, <a href="https://www.proclaimanddefend.org/2020/03/07/a-note-from-the-president/" target="_blank">here</a> and <a href="https://www.proclaimanddefend.org/2021/11/07/college-consistency-context-and-the-condition-of-the-human-heart/" target="_blank">here</a>). And it would seem that the FBFI is at the center of the board’s desire to remove Pettit. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;">This year, a <a href="https://digioh.com/em/27627/189260/r23yq38v3z?demail&fbclid=IwAR2hcFyGU8rlZ7BAeJBdZDMJZzDirRa3Kmv3fP6ESDGaJBrl-i8ktPXWcj4" target="_blank">letter</a> from BJU Chancellor and FBFI Board Emeritus, Bob Jones III, described this last year with Pettit at the helm this way: "some embarrassing, antithetical things, historically uncharacteristic things, which would have never happened in the past have occurred." Near the end of the letter, Jones describes himself as deeply involved in protecting the university from "the seepage of religious or cultural compromises."</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;">Former BJU professor David Beale in recently published, C<i>hristian Fundamentalism in America: The Story of the Rest from 1857-2020</i> writes:</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;">After being the premier Fundamentalist academic institution for eighty-seven years, BJU elected Dr. Steve Pettit in 2014, as the president who steered the University out of separatist Fundamentalism into the inclusive, broad Evangelical movement.<a href="#3" name="top3"><sup>3</sup></a>
</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;">The broad Evangelical movement? Are we talking Harold Okenga and Billy Graham? Joyce Meyer and Joel Osteen? Bill Johnson and Steven Furtick? Is BJU now having Bethel Music come for Artist Series? </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;">Earlier, Beale defines broad evangelicalism as “an Evangelicalism committed to regaining respectability in the eyes of the religious world, even if that meant joining liberals in ecumenical campaigns.”<a href="#4" name="top4"><sup>4</sup></a>
</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;">Steve Pettit drove Bob Jones University to partner with theological liberals? No, those closer associations that Steve Pettit and Sam Horn steered BJU towards are participating with groups like the <a href="https://spcgreenville.org/gcrt/" target="_blank">PCA</a>, <a href="https://www.ifca.org/" target="_blank">IFCA</a> and the conservative evangelicalism typified by the likes of Albert Mohler and John MacArthur. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;">It would be disingenuous to label Mohler and MacArthur as broad evangelicals when for years they have exemplified doctrinal militancy and convictional separation far better than many fundamentalists. While fundamentalists argued about using translations other than the King James Version, Mohler battled and banned liberals from his seminary who denied biblical inerrancy. While fundamentalists bickered over alcohol, syncopated music, facial hair on men and pants on women, MacArthur fought against <i>real</i> <i>threats</i> against the Gospel: easy believism’s free grace theology, charismatic chaos, and social justice. Before Christianity Today made it <a href="https://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/podcasts/rise-and-fall-of-mars-hill/" target="_blank">cool</a>, MacArthur was publicly criticizing Mark Driscoll and separating from John Piper who at that time refused to separate from Driscoll. In recent years, distance has grown between Mohler and MacArthur over associations with woke social justice advocates. Far from being representative of New Evangelicalism or Broad Evangelicalism, or being liberals, men like John MacArthur are true heirs of historic fundamentalism.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;">Not only is Beale's description inaccurate, it is deeply problematic, revealing one of the dangerous dichotomies in fundamentalist thinking: there are fundamentalists and there are new evangelicals. The fundamentalists are faithful Christians and the new evangelicals are compromising liberals. You are one or you are the other. Almost no one outside (and many inside) the fundamentalist fold categorizes Christianity this way. The Christian landscape is far more complicated than that.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;">Unfortunately, this kind of thinking has long characterized Bob Jones University. From an asinine battle over interracial dating that led to national embarrassment, to attacking John MacArthur over the blood of Jesus, to a draconian rule book that led to the expulsion of many students who should have been discipled, not shipped; BJU has fought the wrong fights. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;">Over time, all this needless fighting caught up to them. I was there when enrollment, as well as morale, was on a steep decline. During my time at BJU (2007-2015), FMA went from being completely full, to the balcony being closed off and the entire student body and faculty sitting on the main floor. Things were not looking good for BJU. <br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;">Which is why, when Steve Pettit was announced as president in 2014, there was renewed hope and optimism for the future of our alma mater. The progress begun under Stephen Jones (I ♡ SJU) was furthered under Pettit. Regional Accreditation was achieved, rules were relaxed, inner-collegiate sports returned, political platforming ceased, community relationships commenced, financial and enrollment hemorrhaging stopped. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;">All seemed well until October of this year, when the FBFI’s coup through the BJU Board went public. Why does Pettit need to be removed? He has taken the university into a liberal drift. What is that liberal drift? Music and associations. That music is stuff like the <a href="https://www.gettymusic.com/" target="_blank">Gettys</a>, <a href="https://sovereigngracemusic.org/" target="_blank">Sovereign Grace</a>, and <a href="https://cityalight.com/" target="_blank">City Alight</a>. Those associations are with conservative evangelicals. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3Gjh0YKX9OBqNg6-bLuZkmiGeoAxlyU6tpdxRrrQ49f__r4NeBe3VzHLTGNlg333vYwVYPUiJ8svcYT0ROT0i2r_Pruig8piZ_LOvTs69hnK9XpZXfHaamyc9zIsUR_Qt5l1IShOu7_Guj4cqfJGFxQlvEjoTarJvWxcoEqPbky4ZeLDn7g98JVqk/s2048/152524898_10158969047396236_2165171024494229387_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3Gjh0YKX9OBqNg6-bLuZkmiGeoAxlyU6tpdxRrrQ49f__r4NeBe3VzHLTGNlg333vYwVYPUiJ8svcYT0ROT0i2r_Pruig8piZ_LOvTs69hnK9XpZXfHaamyc9zIsUR_Qt5l1IShOu7_Guj4cqfJGFxQlvEjoTarJvWxcoEqPbky4ZeLDn7g98JVqk/w400-h266/152524898_10158969047396236_2165171024494229387_n.jpg" title="Photo Credit: Bob Jones University Facebook" width="400" /></a></span></span></div><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;">Music and associations are not liberalism. Theologically sound music and associating with conservative Christians will not undermine the faith—which is what fundamentalism was all about. Historic fundamentalism was far more broad than the fundamentalism’s current landscape: loads of IFB’s sprinkled with occasional <a href="https://fpcna.org/" target="_blank">FPCNA</a>’s. Historic fundamentalists understood that liberalism was not a matter of personal convictions and preferences, but a matter of being a different religion altogether. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;">Liberalism is not drinking alcohol as a Christian. Liberalism is not using the NASB or ESV. Liberalism is not having drums and guitars in worship music. Liberalism is not partnering with other conservative evangelicals. All of those issues are personal preferences and convictions elevated to doctrinal dogma. Elevating secondary issues to primary and calling those who do not conform a liberal or a compromiser has characterized deformed fundamentalism for decades. It is this kind of thinking that very well may take down Bob Jones University. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;">BJU has a constituency problem. Fundamentalist churches all across the country are withering and the pool of prospective students is shrinking. There are simply not enough students to sustain the university. BJU’s survival is dependent upon broadening itself to orthodox, conservative, evangelical churches. If five people on the board remove Pettit and return to the school to 80s and 90s fundamentalism it will be the death knell. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;">Bob Jones University is the epicenter of fundamentalism’s future. Who will ultimately triumph will determine not only the future of a university but will be indicative of the broader, hundred year fundamentalist movement as well. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;">For years, Bob Jones University made the bed that fundamentalism’s fight is the battleground of personal conviction. Time will tell if the World’s Most Unusual University will have to sleep in that bed. <br /></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;">______________<br /></span></span></p><p>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"><a href="#1" name="top1"><sup>1</sup></a> Mark Sidwell,<i> Set Apart: The Nature & Importance of Biblical Separation</i> (Greenville, SC: Journeyforth Academic, 2016), 86. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"> <a href="#2" name="top2"><sup>2</sup></a> J. Gresham Machen,<i> Christianity and Liberalism, New Edition </i>(Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 2009), 67.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"><a href="#3" name="top3"><sup>3</sup></a>David Beale, <i>Christian Fundamentalism in America: The Story of the Rest from 1857-2020 </i>(Maitland, FL: Xulon Press, 2021), 530. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"><a href="#4" name="top4"><sup>4</sup></a>Ibid, 6.
</span></span></p>Josh Valdezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09859263750420231817noreply@blogger.com24tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3720220119123010030.post-35705576589913931172022-10-31T09:21:00.012-06:002022-10-31T20:07:23.774-06:00Devil's Day and Demonic Doctrine <p><span style="font-family: Avenir; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Avenir; font-size: medium;"></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir5gKP_1rfmNeMKlla85QWrza72qWDLclbuD5BZAwJITCNrR_Dv19mD-jNCiXGCfEf_nkIizCNHt4Uvm7goRqR1Y7d-cJKYbPaEyhUbAbNt6Dk5BbAWpCPOteXe2oKL_AJ_vqiZefUANue1khR2abioHmPLL0A45mymAHtMCqIv_ZqZEJbRG5tEdoR/s2064/Pumpkin.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1413" data-original-width="2064" height="219" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir5gKP_1rfmNeMKlla85QWrza72qWDLclbuD5BZAwJITCNrR_Dv19mD-jNCiXGCfEf_nkIizCNHt4Uvm7goRqR1Y7d-cJKYbPaEyhUbAbNt6Dk5BbAWpCPOteXe2oKL_AJ_vqiZefUANue1khR2abioHmPLL0A45mymAHtMCqIv_ZqZEJbRG5tEdoR/w320-h219/Pumpkin.png" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: Avenir; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;">Skeletons, witches, ghosts, blood and late night doorbells--it's that time again. Once more the annual Christian controversy of celebrating Halloween emerges. It is the time of year that see Chick tracts warning us that chainsaw-wielding Satan is around the corner, or that if we go trick or treating one time, we'll get hit by a car, die, and wake up in hell. Some Christians see Halloween as harmless fun, others see it as an insidious gateway to the realm of hell itself. Many Christians are somewhere in the middle, allowing their kids to dress up and attend the church's fall festival and knock on the doors of neighbors and family members, but not allowing them to sacrifice the family cat. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: Avenir; font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Avenir; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0pUdd2lW8EYXqCpZxDM34kis5E9fcKTRMsyAq_jlBIpvQbl6PsGcYbtAqXqxFjXeZE6OjddSgxAzq5U3knWAavi5MLlmaVywtymkaydmmehqyRiNmg1wx1bjbc-hiwaWEYIQ_B8KTDKiOi-aAWPDcPySwYcZ9HJmBlJbvECSoNFjEpZN1HAWIml-Y/s732/Carrie.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="732" data-original-width="693" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0pUdd2lW8EYXqCpZxDM34kis5E9fcKTRMsyAq_jlBIpvQbl6PsGcYbtAqXqxFjXeZE6OjddSgxAzq5U3knWAavi5MLlmaVywtymkaydmmehqyRiNmg1wx1bjbc-hiwaWEYIQ_B8KTDKiOi-aAWPDcPySwYcZ9HJmBlJbvECSoNFjEpZN1HAWIml-Y/s320/Carrie.png" width="303" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Avenir; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"></span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: Avenir; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;">Concerning spiritual darkness and the celebration of evil, Scripture is clear. Christians are not to dabble with witchcraft (Gal. 5:19-20) or participate in darkness, rather we are to expose it (Eph. 5:11). Interestingly enough, preceding this command in 11, Paul describes the darkness in verses 3 and 4: </span></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"><span class="text Eph-5-3" id="en-ESV-29291">sexual immorality, impurity, covetousness,</span><span class="text Eph-5-4" id="en-ESV-29292"> filthiness, foolish, crude joking. Darkness, then, is not confined to Halloween. It isn't most prominent on "the devil's day." From</span></span></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"><span class="text Eph-5-4" id="en-ESV-29292">
sexual debauchery to genital mutilation of children to the defense of
infanticide, our pagan culture is suffocating darkness. </span></span></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"><span class="text Eph-5-4" id="en-ESV-29292">Darkness is the world's condition (John 3:19-20). </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Avenir; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: Avenir; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;">It is a matter of personal conviction whether handing out candy to your neighbors, or allowing your kid to dress up as Spider Man is participating in darkness. </span>What is undeniably devilish, however, is asceticism. The Apostle Paul makes this clear in his first letter to Timothy:</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span class="text 1Tim-4-1"> <span style="font-family: Avenir;"> </span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span class="text 1Tim-4-1"><span style="font-family: Avenir;">Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons,</span></span><span style="font-family: Avenir;"> <span class="text 1Tim-4-2" id="en-ESV-29733">through the insincerity of liars whose consciences are seared,</span><sup> </sup><span class="text 1Tim-4-3" id="en-ESV-29734"><sup class="versenum"> </sup>who forbid marriage and require abstinence from foods that God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth (1 Timothy 4:1-2).</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"><span class="text 1Tim-4-3" id="en-ESV-29734"></span></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNg1mbfqYgx87iBO4ktooq_rOZ6ON9RP6T-CW--iQei382yb1yBVgN1G8Lb6mSxXV7fxJmh0cObo9r8JNlXyv1vuUH1fG28MDWsLax9EQxrCgcXu1kCFIO7Uz0fFeWGxh4zJKbtSCktpMfsJ7oE8NXT0m-hhtHSqAvw5XdL62dxMw4ISfSjoYHj9Ls/s732/Suprise.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="732" data-original-width="693" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNg1mbfqYgx87iBO4ktooq_rOZ6ON9RP6T-CW--iQei382yb1yBVgN1G8Lb6mSxXV7fxJmh0cObo9r8JNlXyv1vuUH1fG28MDWsLax9EQxrCgcXu1kCFIO7Uz0fFeWGxh4zJKbtSCktpMfsJ7oE8NXT0m-hhtHSqAvw5XdL62dxMw4ISfSjoYHj9Ls/w189-h200/Suprise.png" width="189" /></a></span></div><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"><span class="text 1Tim-4-3" id="en-ESV-29734">The teaching of demons is forbidding marriage and requiring abstinence from foods that God has approved. For many Christians, denying the good things that God has given us is tangible holiness. And that is what makes asceticism so dangerous--it <i>seems</i> spiritual, and it seems right. Who can argue with a disciplined Christianity? </span><span class="text 1Tim-4-3" id="en-ESV-29734">Platonic philosophy has plagued the church for millennia. </span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"><span class="text 1Tim-4-3" id="en-ESV-29734">It was an early Jewish Christian sect, the Judiazers, that demanded all believers follow the Mosiac Law (Gal. 3:1-3; 10-13), be circumcised (Gal. 6:12-13), and follow the Jewish liturgical calendar (Gal. 4:8-10). And it was to these Judiazers that Paul unloaded some shocking language (Gal. 1:6-9, 5:7-12). Shackling the conscience to asceticism is a seducing and serious danger, having ensnared even the apostles. <br /></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"><span class="text 1Tim-4-3" id="en-ESV-29734">In Acts, we see Peter's battle of conscience:</span></span></span><span class="text Acts-10-9"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"><span class="text Acts-10-9">Peter went up on the housetop about the sixth hour to pray.</span> <span class="text Acts-10-10" id="en-ESV-27257">And he became hungry and wanted something to eat, but while they were preparing it, he fell into a trance</span> <span class="text Acts-10-11" id="en-ESV-27258">and saw the heavens opened and something like a great sheet descending, being let down by its four corners upon the earth.</span> <span class="text Acts-10-12" id="en-ESV-27259">In it were all kinds of animals and reptiles and birds of the air.</span> <span class="text Acts-10-13" id="en-ESV-27260">And there came a voice to him: <span class="woj">“Rise, Peter; kill and eat.”</span></span> <span class="text Acts-10-14" id="en-ESV-27261">But Peter said, “By no means, Lord; for I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean.”</span> <span class="text Acts-10-15" id="en-ESV-27262">And the voice came to him again a second time, <span class="woj">“What God has made clean, do not call common.” (Acts 10:9-15)<br /></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"><span class="text 1Tim-4-3" id="en-ESV-29734">In Galatians, we see Peter's behavior of hypocrisy: </span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"><span class="text 1Tim-4-3" id="en-ESV-29734"></span></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span class="text Gal-2-11">But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned.</span> <span class="text Gal-2-12" id="en-ESV-29077">For before certain men came from James, he was eating with the Gentiles; but when they came he drew back and separated himself, fearing the circumcision party.</span> <span class="text Gal-2-13" id="en-ESV-29078">And the rest of the Jews acted hypocritically along with him, so that even Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy.</span> </span><span class="text Gal-2-14" id="en-ESV-29079"><span style="font-size: medium;">But when I saw that their conduct was not in step with the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas before them all, “If you, though a Jew, live like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you force the Gentiles to live like Jews?” (Galatians 2:11-15)</span><br /></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"><span class="text 1Tim-4-3" id="en-ESV-29734">Demonic teaching is not just the prohibition of food, it is also the denial of marriage and marital sex. In our day, we don't have to look far to see the results of platonic philosophy and asceticism in sexual behavior. The widespread sexual abuse of boys and girls by Roman Catholic Church clergy is testament to the fallout of sinister asceticism. </span><span class="text 1Tim-4-3" id="en-ESV-29734">Rather than denying biological reality, we should follow Scripture's wisdom. "It is better to marry than to burn with passion," writes Paul (1 Cor. 7:9).<br /></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"><span class="text 1Tim-4-3" id="en-ESV-29734">God doesn't simply permit sex, he encourages it.</span><span class="text 1Tim-4-3" id="en-ESV-29734"> The Bible is unblushing in its celebration of marital love and the sheer pleasure of bodily enjoyment:</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"><span class="text Prov-5-15" id="en-ESV-16533">Drink water from your own cistern,</span><br /><span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Prov-5-15">flowing water from your own well.</span></span><br /><span class="text Prov-5-16" id="en-ESV-16534">Should your springs be scattered abroad,</span><br /><span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Prov-5-16">streams of water in the streets?</span></span><br /><span class="text Prov-5-17" id="en-ESV-16535">Let them be for yourself alone,</span><br /><span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Prov-5-17">and not for strangers with you.</span></span><br /><span class="text Prov-5-18" id="en-ESV-16536">Let your fountain be blessed,</span><br /><span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Prov-5-18">and rejoice in the wife of your youth,</span></span><br /><span class="indent-1"><span class="text Prov-5-19" id="en-ESV-16537"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span>a lovely deer, a graceful doe.</span></span><br /><span class="text Prov-5-19">Let her breasts fill you at all times with delight;</span><br /><span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Prov-5-19">be intoxicated always in her love.</span></span><span class="text 1Tim-4-3" id="en-ESV-29734"> </span><span class="text 1Tim-4-3" id="en-ESV-29734"> </span><span class="text 1Tim-4-3" id="en-ESV-29734">(Proverbs 5:15-19) <br /></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"><span class="text 1Tim-4-3" id="en-ESV-29734">There is nothing holy about abstaining from marital union, sex, and good food for the sake of abstaining. That's demonic. </span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"><span class="text 1Tim-4-3" id="en-ESV-29734">Solomon offers a much needed corrective to evangelical asceticism:</span><span class="text 1Tim-4-3" id="en-ESV-29734"> </span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"><span class="text 1Tim-4-3" id="en-ESV-29734">Go, eat your bread with joy, and drink your wine with a merry heart, for God has already approved what you do. Let your garments be always white. Let not oil be lacking on your head. Enjoy life with the wife whom you love, all the days of your vain life that he has given you under the sun, because that is your portion in life and in your toil at which you toil under the sun. Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might, for there is no work or thought or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol, to which you are going. (Ecclesiastes 9:7-10)</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"><span class="text 1Tim-4-3" id="en-ESV-29734"></span><span class="text 1Tim-4-3" id="en-ESV-29734">In food, drink, dress, and sex we enjoy God's good gifts. Instead of thinking that abstaining from them for the sake of abstinence is a mark of holiness, we must recognize it for what it is: demonic. Holiness, after all, is a matter of our hearts. <br /></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"><span class="text 1Tim-4-3" id="en-ESV-29734">J.C. Ryle gives us this insightful reminder:</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"><span class="text 1Tim-4-3" id="en-ESV-29734">Let it be a settled resolution with us, that<i> in all our religion the state of our hearts shall be the main thing</i>. Let it not content us to go to church, and observe the forms of religion. Let us look far deeper than this, and desire to have a "heart right in the sight of God." (Acts 8:21.) The right heart is a heart sprinkled with the blood of Christ, and renewed by the Holy Spirit, and purified by faith. Never let us rest until we find within the witness of the Spirit, that God has created in us a clean heart, and made all things new. (Psalm 51:10. 2 Cor. 5:17.) Finally, let it be a settled resolution with us to "keep our hearts with all diligence," all the days of our lives. (Prov. 4:23.) Even after renewal they are weak. Even after putting on the new man they are deceitful. Let us never forget that our <i>chief danger is from within</i>. The world and the devil combined, cannot do us so much harm as our own hearts will, if we do not watch and pray. Happy is he who remembers daily the words of Solomon, "One who trusts in himself is a fool." (Prov. 28:26.)</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"><span class="text 1Tim-4-3" id="en-ESV-29734">Worldliness is a condition of the heart--desires of the flesh, desires of the eyes, and the pride of life (1 John 2:16). Desires and pride--those are conditions of the heart. Worldliness is a condition of the heart that manifests itself in external behavior. What that means is we can be externally clean--saying the "right" things, dressing the "right" way, and even behaving "right"--all the while our hearts are dominated by worldliness; therein, is our chief danger. <br /></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"><span class="text 1Tim-4-3" id="en-ESV-29734">The question of the Christian's participation in Halloween is a matter of personal conviction. Scripture prohibits us from abstaining for the sake of abstinence. </span></span></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"><span class="text 1Tim-4-3" id="en-ESV-29734">More sinister than the Devil's day is the demonic doctrine of asceticism. Like Ryle warned us, "the world and the devil combined, cannot do us so much harm as our hearts will."</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"><span class="text 1Tim-4-3" id="en-ESV-29734">Eating good food, and having great sex with your spouse <i>is</i> holy Christian living. Let us not give way to deceitful spirits or submit to demonic teaching. </span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"><span class="text 1Tim-4-4" id="en-ESV-29735">For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving,</span> <span class="text 1Tim-4-5" id="en-ESV-29736">for it is made holy by the word of God and prayer.</span></span><span style="font-family: Avenir;"><span class="text 1Tim-4-3" id="en-ESV-29734"> (1 Timothy 4:4-5)</span><span class="text 1Tim-4-3" id="en-ESV-29734"> </span></span></span></p>Josh Valdezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09859263750420231817noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3720220119123010030.post-33123294303566102482022-10-18T06:00:00.001-06:002022-10-18T06:59:01.044-06:00Brooks on Rest from Religion <p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMKntscIVrTXDfvrDeHT5CVRbJ2eqhnKznSEqvUAy2N3dQaFl-xAsSDX16GBFJhcQupq29eJsiAgWGNwoUfnsQ8aQTHoa-LSqno3gjt9a7seZ4Wh8ZOEsJZVS41xccJfdqyZZ0HeGm4DVwxsFa3xewyDy7t5muOt_Jt_-v3Pky1_vDyqETSVBpKO2T/s2616/Brooks.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2616" data-original-width="2436" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMKntscIVrTXDfvrDeHT5CVRbJ2eqhnKznSEqvUAy2N3dQaFl-xAsSDX16GBFJhcQupq29eJsiAgWGNwoUfnsQ8aQTHoa-LSqno3gjt9a7seZ4Wh8ZOEsJZVS41xccJfdqyZZ0HeGm4DVwxsFa3xewyDy7t5muOt_Jt_-v3Pky1_vDyqETSVBpKO2T/s320/Brooks.png" width="298" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;">One danger every Christian faces is that of substituting relationship with God for <br />religious performance. If we're not careful, we may drift into resting not in Christ himself, but in our reading, prayers, duties, and church attendance.</span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;">The great Puritan minister Thomas Brooks (1608-1680) well understood this grave danger. In his devotional masterpiece, <i>Precious Remedies Against Satan's Devices</i>, Brooks addresses this subtle shift directly.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;">In Section three, "Satan's devices to keep souls from holy duties, to hinder souls in holy services, to keep them off from religious performances" Brooks identifies eight devices of Satan. Our device of interest is device eight, "By tempting Christians to rest in their performances." </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"> </span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;">____________</span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"></span><span style="font-family: Avenir;"><span dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="left: 128.32px; top: 300px; transform: scaleX(1.1998);">The eighth device that Satan hath to hinder souls from religious</span><span dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="left: 128.32px; top: 330px; transform: scaleX(1.08884);"> services, from holy performances, is,</span><span dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="left: 128.32px; top: 385px; transform: scaleX(1.11733);"> </span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"><span dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="left: 128.32px; top: 385px; transform: scaleX(1.11733);">Device (8). By working them to rest in their performances; to rest in</span><span dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="left: 128.32px; top: 415px; transform: scaleX(1.11979);"> prayer, and to rest in hearing, reading, and the communion of saints,</span><span dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="left: 128.32px; top: 445px; transform: scaleX(1.17556);"> &c. And when Satan hath drawn the soul to rest upon the service</span><span dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="left: 128.32px; top: 475px; transform: scaleX(1.16696);"> done, then he will help the soul to reason thus: Why, thou wert as</span><span dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="left: 128.32px; top: 505px; transform: scaleX(1.11345);"> good never pray, as to pray and rest in prayer; as good never hear, as</span><span dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="left: 128.32px; top: 535px; transform: scaleX(1.16009);"> to hear and rest in hearing; as good never be in the communion of</span><span dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="left: 128.32px; top: 565px; transform: scaleX(1.1426);"> saints, as to rest in the communion of saints. And by this device he</span><span dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="left: 128.32px; top: 595px; transform: scaleX(1.18497);"> stops many souls in their heavenly race, and takes off poor souls</span><span dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="left: 128.32px; top: 625px; transform: scaleX(1.13487);"> from those services that should be their joy and crown, Isa. 58:1–3,</span><span dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="left: 128.32px; top: 655px; transform: scaleX(1.07414);"> Zech. 7:4–6, Mat. 6:2, Rom. 1:7.</span><span dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="left: 128.32px; top: 710px; transform: scaleX(1.09823);"><br /></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"><span dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="left: 128.32px; top: 710px; transform: scaleX(1.09823);">Now the remedies against this device are these:</span><span dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="left: 128.32px; top: 765px; transform: scaleX(1.09082);"> </span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"><span dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="left: 128.32px; top: 765px; transform: scaleX(1.09082);">Remedy (1). The first remedy against this device of Satan is, To dwell</span><span dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="left: 128.32px; top: 795px; transform: scaleX(1.17068);"> much upon the imperfections and weaknesses that do attend your</span><span dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="left: 128.32px; top: 825px; transform: scaleX(1.10557);"> choicest services. Oh the spots, the blots, the blemishes that are to be</span><span dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="left: 128.32px; top: 855px; transform: scaleX(1.13752);"> seen on the face of our fairest duties! When thou hast done all thou</span><span dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="left: 128.32px; top: 885px; transform: scaleX(1.20184);"> canst, thou hast need to close up all with this, 'Oh enter not into</span><span dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="left: 128.32px; top: 915px; transform: scaleX(1.15856);"> judgment with thy servant, O Lord,' Ps. 143:2, for the weaknesses</span><span dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="left: 128.32px; top: 945px; transform: scaleX(1.11967);"> that cleave to my best services. We may all say with the church, 'All</span><span dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="left: 128.32px; top: 975px; transform: scaleX(1.19784);"> our righteousnesses are as a menstruous cloth.' Isa. 64:6. If God</span><span dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="left: 128.32px; top: 1005px; transform: scaleX(1.15132);"> should be strict to mark what is done amiss in our best actions, we</span><span dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="left: 128.32px; top: 1035px; transform: scaleX(1.16579);"> are undone. Oh the water that is mingled with our wine, the dross</span><span dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="left: 128.32px; top: 1065px; transform: scaleX(1.09646);"> that cleaves unto our gold!</span><span dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="left: 128.32px; top: 1120px; transform: scaleX(1.15195);"> </span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"><span dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="left: 128.32px; top: 1120px; transform: scaleX(1.15195);">Remedy (2). The second remedy against this device of Satan is, to</span><span dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="left: 128.32px; top: 1150px; transform: scaleX(1.15451);"> consider The impotence and inability of any of your best services,</span><span dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="left: 128.32px; top: 125px; transform: scaleX(1.1567);"> divinely to comfort, refresh, and bear your souls up from fainting,</span><span dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="left: 128.32px; top: 155px; transform: scaleX(1.18276);"> and sinking in the days of trouble, when darkness is round about</span><span dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="left: 128.32px; top: 185px; transform: scaleX(1.12663);"> you, when God shall say to you, as he did once to the Israelites, 'Go</span><span dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="left: 128.32px; top: 215px; transform: scaleX(1.11716);"> and cry unto the gods that you have chosen; let them save you in the</span><span dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="left: 128.32px; top: 245px; transform: scaleX(1.10179);"> time of your tribulation,' Judges 10:14. So, when God shall say in the</span><span dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="left: 128.32px; top: 275px; transform: scaleX(1.09928);"> day of your troubles, Go to your prayers, to your hearing, and to your</span><span dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="left: 128.32px; top: 305px; transform: scaleX(1.1214);"> fasting, &c., and see if they can help you, if they can support you, if</span><span dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="left: 128.32px; top: 335px; transform: scaleX(1.24086);"> they can deliver you. If God in that day doth but withhold the</span><span dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="left: 128.32px; top: 365px; transform: scaleX(1.09445);"> influence of his grace, thy former services will be but poor cordials to</span><span dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="left: 128.32px; top: 395px; transform: scaleX(1.1874);"> comfort thee; and then thou must and will cry out, Oh, 'none but</span><span dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="left: 128.32px; top: 425px; transform: scaleX(1.11445);"> Christ, none but Christ.' Oh my prayers are not Christ, my hearing is</span><span dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="left: 128.32px; top: 455px; transform: scaleX(1.1105);"> not Christ, my fasting is not Christ, &c. Oh! one smile of Christ, one</span><span dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="left: 128.32px; top: 485px; transform: scaleX(1.11783);"> glimpse of Christ, one good word from Christ, one nod of love from</span><span dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="left: 128.32px; top: 515px; transform: scaleX(1.21864);"> Christ in the day of trouble and darkness, will more revive and</span><span dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="left: 128.32px; top: 545px; transform: scaleX(1.1607);"> refresh the soul than all your former services, in which your souls</span><span dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="left: 128.32px; top: 575px; transform: scaleX(1.11034);"> rested, as if they were the bosom of Christ, which should be the only</span><span dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="left: 128.32px; top: 605px; transform: scaleX(1.08586);"> centre of our souls. Christ is the crown of crowns, the glory of glories,</span><span dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="left: 128.32px; top: 635px; transform: scaleX(1.10071);"> and the heaven of heavens.</span><span dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="left: 128.32px; top: 690px; transform: scaleX(1.08493);"> </span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"><span dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="left: 128.32px; top: 690px; transform: scaleX(1.08493);">Remedy</span><span dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="left: 218.713px; top: 690px;"> </span><span dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="left: 233.994px; top: 690px; transform: scaleX(1.10915);">(3).</span><span dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="left: 273.276px; top: 690px;"> </span><span dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="left: 288.556px; top: 690px; transform: scaleX(1.08324);">The</span><span dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="left: 330.658px; top: 690px;"> </span><span dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="left: 345.938px; top: 690px; transform: scaleX(1.1666);">third</span><span dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="left: 401.041px; top: 690px;"> </span><span dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="left: 416.321px; top: 690px; transform: scaleX(1.10816);">remedy</span><span dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="left: 499.415px; top: 690px;"> </span><span dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="left: 514.695px; top: 690px; transform: scaleX(1.12173);">against</span><span dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="left: 594.15px; top: 690px;"> </span><span dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="left: 609.431px; top: 690px; transform: scaleX(1.14323);">this</span><span dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="left: 650.739px; top: 690px;"> </span><span dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="left: 666.02px; top: 690px; transform: scaleX(1.06692);">device</span><span dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="left: 735.636px; top: 690px;"> </span><span dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="left: 750.916px; top: 690px; transform: scaleX(1.03711);">of</span><span dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="left: 772.523px; top: 690px;"> </span><span dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="left: 787.803px; top: 690px; transform: scaleX(1.12731);">Satan</span><span dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="left: 850.425px; top: 690px;"> </span><span dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="left: 865.706px; top: 690px; transform: scaleX(1.08426);">is,</span><span dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="left: 128.32px; top: 720px; transform: scaleX(1.12542);"> solemnly to consider, That good things rested upon will as certainly</span><span dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="left: 128.32px; top: 750px; transform: scaleX(1.11993);"> undo us, and everlastingly destroy us, as the greatest enormities that</span><span dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="left: 128.32px; top: 780px; transform: scaleX(1.10476);"> can be committed by us. Those souls that after they have done all, do</span><span dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="left: 128.32px; top: 810px; transform: scaleX(1.16594);"> not look up so high as Christ, and rest, and centre alone in Christ,</span><span dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="left: 128.32px; top: 840px; transform: scaleX(1.09966);"> laying down their services at the footstool of Christ, must lie down in</span><span dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="left: 128.32px; top: 870px; transform: scaleX(1.14044);"> sorrow; their bread is prepared for them in hell. 'Behold, all ye that</span><span dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="left: 128.32px; top: 900px; transform: scaleX(1.16262);"> kindle a fire, compass yourselves with the sparks: and walk in the</span><span dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="left: 128.32px; top: 930px; transform: scaleX(1.17187);"> light of your fire, and in the sparks ye have kindled. This shall ye</span><span dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="left: 128.32px; top: 960px; transform: scaleX(1.09345);"> have at mine hands; ye shall lie down in sorrow,' Isa. 50:11. Is it good</span><span dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="left: 128.32px; top: 990px; transform: scaleX(1.15702);"> dwelling with everlasting burnings, with a devouring fire? If it be,</span><span dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="left: 128.32px; top: 1020px; transform: scaleX(1.20041);"> why then rest in your duties still; if otherwise, then see that you</span><span dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="left: 128.32px; top: 1050px; transform: scaleX(1.09256);"> centre only in the bosom of Christ.</span><span dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="left: 128.32px; top: 1105px; transform: scaleX(1.1562);"> </span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"><span dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="left: 128.32px; top: 1105px; transform: scaleX(1.1562);">Remedy (4). The fourth remedy against this device of Satan is, To</span><span dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="left: 128.32px; top: 1135px; transform: scaleX(1.13753);"> dwell much upon the necessity and excellency of that resting-place</span><span dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="left: 128.32px; top: 1165px; transform: scaleX(1.18424);"> that</span><span dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="left: 172.729px; top: 1165px;"> </span><span dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="left: 187.788px; top: 1165px; transform: scaleX(1.06758);">God</span><span dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="left: 233.747px; top: 1165px;"> </span><span dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="left: 248.805px; top: 1165px; transform: scaleX(1.1691);">hath</span><span dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="left: 299.135px; top: 1165px;"> </span><span dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="left: 314.193px; top: 1165px; transform: scaleX(1.10859);">provided</span><span dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="left: 412.728px; top: 1165px;"> </span><span dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="left: 427.786px; top: 1165px; transform: scaleX(1.09194);">for</span><span dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="left: 459.634px; top: 1165px;"> </span><span dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="left: 474.692px; top: 1165px; transform: scaleX(1.07199);">you.</span><span dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="left: 521.592px; top: 1165px;"> </span><span dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="left: 536.65px; top: 1165px; transform: scaleX(1.03151);">Above</span><span dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="left: 605.4px; top: 1165px;"> </span><span dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="left: 620.458px; top: 1165px; transform: scaleX(1.07617);">all</span><span dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="left: 647.362px; top: 1165px;"> </span><span dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="left: 662.42px; top: 1165px; transform: scaleX(1.14793);">other</span><span dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="left: 721.404px; top: 1165px;"> </span><span dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="left: 736.462px; top: 1165px; transform: scaleX(1.11037);">resting-places</span><span dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="left: 128.32px; top: 125px; transform: scaleX(1.10379);"> himself is your resting-place; his free mercy and love is your resting-</span><span dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="left: 128.32px; top: 155px; transform: scaleX(1.16167);"> place; the pure, glorious, matchless, and spotless righteousness of</span><span dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="left: 128.32px; top: 185px; transform: scaleX(1.18686);"> Christ is your resting-place. Ah! it is sad to think, that most men</span><span dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="left: 128.32px; top: 215px; transform: scaleX(1.10264);"> have forgotten their resting-place, as the Lord complains: 'My people</span><span dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="left: 128.32px; top: 245px; transform: scaleX(1.19455);"> have been as lost sheep, their shepherds have caused them to go</span><span dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="left: 128.32px; top: 275px; transform: scaleX(1.14555);"> astray, and have turned them away to the mountains: they are gone</span><span dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="left: 128.32px; top: 305px; transform: scaleX(1.16232);"> from mountain to hill, and forgotten their resting-place,' Jer. 50:6.</span><span dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="left: 128.32px; top: 335px; transform: scaleX(1.16235);"> So poor souls that see not the excellency of that resting-place that</span><span dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="left: 128.32px; top: 365px; transform: scaleX(1.12687);"> God hath appointed for their souls to lie down in, they wander from</span><span dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="left: 128.32px; top: 395px; transform: scaleX(1.16609);"> mountain to hill, from one duty to another, and here they will rest</span><span dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="left: 128.32px; top: 425px; transform: scaleX(1.20122);"> and there they will rest; but souls that see the excellency of that</span><span dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="left: 128.32px; top: 455px; transform: scaleX(1.1104);"> resting-place</span><span dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="left: 271.729px; top: 455px;"> </span><span dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="left: 288.87px; top: 455px; transform: scaleX(1.18424);">that</span><span dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="left: 333.279px; top: 455px;"> </span><span dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="left: 350.42px; top: 455px; transform: scaleX(1.06758);">God</span><span dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="left: 396.38px; top: 455px;"> </span><span dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="left: 413.521px; top: 455px; transform: scaleX(1.1691);">hath</span><span dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="left: 463.851px; top: 455px;"> </span><span dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="left: 480.992px; top: 455px; transform: scaleX(1.10859);">provided</span><span dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="left: 579.527px; top: 455px;"> </span><span dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="left: 596.669px; top: 455px; transform: scaleX(1.09194);">for</span><span dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="left: 628.517px; top: 455px;"> </span><span dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="left: 645.658px; top: 455px; transform: scaleX(1.13824);">them,</span><span dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="left: 709.684px; top: 455px;"> </span><span dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="left: 726.826px; top: 455px; transform: scaleX(1.10501);">they</span><span dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="left: 774.396px; top: 455px;"> </span><span dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="left: 791.538px; top: 455px; transform: scaleX(1.02991);">will</span><span dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="left: 831.601px; top: 455px;"> </span><span dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="left: 848.743px; top: 455px; transform: scaleX(1.11841);">say,</span><span dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="left: 128.32px; top: 485px; transform: scaleX(1.10627);"> Farewell prayer, farewell hearing, farewell fasting, &c., I will rest no</span><span dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="left: 128.32px; top: 515px; transform: scaleX(1.10597);"> more in you, but now I will rest only in the bosom of Christ, the love</span><span dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="left: 128.32px; top: 545px; transform: scaleX(1.09518);"> of Christ, the righteousness of Christ.</span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;">____________</span></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"><span dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="left: 128.32px; top: 545px; transform: scaleX(1.09518);"> </span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"><span dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="left: 128.32px; top: 545px; transform: scaleX(1.09518);"><br /></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"><span dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="left: 128.32px; top: 545px; transform: scaleX(1.09518);"></span></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6WFrjP41et8TAL-JW8_l844zfjEvr73Pkg6CFCBA71cmwl6jkDrhwqOGQSvr-2Cjg92K6usciix77yeVSlORNIjJ2SGQooT57k2NJ9BfdpXAbJf2CPl4S9TRXp4PfyENoQZwkIypgCzb8rJI_hgSiMjWueaeHdt_0PNHQME7fVp_i4PaEgFixT-YZ/s1200/PreciousRemedies.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="799" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6WFrjP41et8TAL-JW8_l844zfjEvr73Pkg6CFCBA71cmwl6jkDrhwqOGQSvr-2Cjg92K6usciix77yeVSlORNIjJ2SGQooT57k2NJ9BfdpXAbJf2CPl4S9TRXp4PfyENoQZwkIypgCzb8rJI_hgSiMjWueaeHdt_0PNHQME7fVp_i4PaEgFixT-YZ/w266-h400/PreciousRemedies.jpg" width="266" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"><span dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="left: 128.32px; top: 545px; transform: scaleX(1.09518);">You can purchase a copy of <i>Precious Remedies Against Satan's Devices</i> <a href="https://www.heritagebooks.org/products/precious-remedies-against-satans-devices-puritan-paperbacks-brooks.html" target="_blank">here</a>. <br /></span></span></span></p>Josh Valdezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09859263750420231817noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3720220119123010030.post-57705878341101803662022-10-04T11:14:00.007-06:002022-10-11T13:54:39.833-06:00Read the Puritans<div style="text-align: left;"><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"><span><span></span></span></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"><span><span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLHnZugnSwriIuv0z3gPCJg79V84dGeP7JKlGAQud0oPbLxGZyTqjv468k4iRrrJkCVIrHz-_SNQY1IUG9LAa4JUSHhK_5rnEfiPKUD4--plDHKCIsAzBIltbox3a3gy7sTd95xsDVk8dOS7niFOw4AF-KUEPUwvR1aaY1Kywb7OdpN4iVkBEGFMK2/s799/PuritanGallery.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="799" data-original-width="461" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLHnZugnSwriIuv0z3gPCJg79V84dGeP7JKlGAQud0oPbLxGZyTqjv468k4iRrrJkCVIrHz-_SNQY1IUG9LAa4JUSHhK_5rnEfiPKUD4--plDHKCIsAzBIltbox3a3gy7sTd95xsDVk8dOS7niFOw4AF-KUEPUwvR1aaY1Kywb7OdpN4iVkBEGFMK2/w231-h400/PuritanGallery.jpg" width="231" /></a></span></span></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"><span><span>This week is the first ever <a href="https://puritanconference.org/" target="_blank">Puritan Conference</a> at <a href="https://www.gracechurch.org/" target="_blank">Grace Community Church</a>. This conference was first announced a few years ago. To say I’m excited about it is an understatement. I love the Puritans. I found them to be faithful companions in the soul’s dark of night. They understood suffering, pain, and pastoral ministry. Again and again, they point us to Christ, wherein we draw living water for our soul’s nourishment. I cannot wait for this conference.
With my mind on a polluted skyline, endless In-N-Out Burgers, and John Flavel, I thought it an appropriate time to encourage you to read the Puritans. </span></span></span></span><p></p></div><div style="text-align: left;"><h2 style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"><span><span>Who Were They?</span></span></span></span></b></h2></div><div style="text-align: left;"><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"><span><span>The story of the Reformation in England is one of political intrigue, turbulence, triumph, defeat and bloodshed. Following the Protestant progress under Henry VIII and Edward VI, Catholicism returned when Lady Jane Gray’s nine day reign was cut short by Bloody Mary. With her return, Protestants were ushered to the stake to be burned alive. Many fled the country and found refuge in Calvin’s Geneva. Following her death, Elizabeth became queen, and those exiled in Switzerland came back to England with a protestant fury. Elizabeth, while Protestant, sought to unite a fractured country. Her Act of Settlement made the Anglican Church basically Catholic in polity and liturgy while retaining a Protestant theology. Thus, Puritanism was born. </span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"><span><span>Historian David D. Hall describes essential Puritanism, ”The authority of the word, or regulative principle, the gift of grace from a merciful God, the imperative of eliminating idolatry, and the special liberty Christians would enjoy within the fellowship of a purified church-these themes were shared by everyone who turned away from Catholicism and became Protestants…these same motifs defined the movement that became known as Puritanism<sup>"</sup></span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"><span><span><sup id="fn1">1</sup></span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"><span><span><sup id="fn1"> <br /></sup></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"><span><span>The Puritans desired to rid the church of anything that smacked of Catholicism. Pastors no longer wore vestments, churches were stripped of art and other religious adornments, and the sacramental table was moved to side so that the pulpit could be centralized. Puritan worship focused on the word of God read, sang, and preached. They were broadly Reformed, doctrinally devotional, centered on justification by faith alone in Christ alone through grace alone, and concerned with experiential, personal holiness. </span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"><span><span><br />Following Elizabeth, James VI took the crown. With a Scottish Presbyterian on the throne, the Puritans were eager about the prospect of finally reforming the church. What they wanted was reform, what they got was a new translation of the Bible. Additionally, James demanded conformity just as strongly as Elizabeth. This led some Puritans and Separatists to set sail to the New World to build a New England and a New Jerusalem. We know them as the Pilgrims. </span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"><span><span><br />Following James’ disappointing reign, the country broke into civil war with Charles I. During this chaotic period, one hundred Puritan theologian-pastors and leaders gathered together and produced the Westminster Confession along with the Larger and Shorter Catechisms--doctrinal standards for Puritan and Presbyterian theologies ever since. </span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"><span><span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"><span><span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"><span><span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"><span><span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"><span><span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"><span><span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"><span></span></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"><span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibpSbQnU0JRvS2AMtQkMl1XrToqm8dXXiANvk-b6KiepVel8WijobzMGwrhupDmMIl_5AQ6tV2zadqUt9sNu9TzMUHceYckZIVI-r-Kgh0U_WnGGIxkLz3sW2OM_gdH4lYBsvP2VivYXYVBcrTKe0GWephWB0_YqESQclqQtL-pnXHllgMQfvrnKHR/s1838/Assertion_of_Liberty_of_Conscience_by_the_Independents_of_the_Westminster_Assembly_of_Divines,_1644.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1177" data-original-width="1838" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibpSbQnU0JRvS2AMtQkMl1XrToqm8dXXiANvk-b6KiepVel8WijobzMGwrhupDmMIl_5AQ6tV2zadqUt9sNu9TzMUHceYckZIVI-r-Kgh0U_WnGGIxkLz3sW2OM_gdH4lYBsvP2VivYXYVBcrTKe0GWephWB0_YqESQclqQtL-pnXHllgMQfvrnKHR/w400-h256/Assertion_of_Liberty_of_Conscience_by_the_Independents_of_the_Westminster_Assembly_of_Divines,_1644.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"><span><span>Charles was beheaded and the monarchy ceased with the installation of Oliver Cromwell as Lord Protector. With Cromwell, the Puritans found a political ally and here they didn't navigate wisely. The English people wanted a return to the monarchy, so with Cromwell's death, Charles II ascended the throne. He went hard after the Puritans, reinstating an episcopal government, and forcing pastors to conform to the prayer book. Some two thousand of them refused and were ejected from their pulpits--forced to preach and teach illegally. Non-Anglican religious gatherings outside of five people were outlawed, and so over the next two decades many Puritans were persecuted and imprisoned.</span></span></span></span><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"><span><span><br />With this Great Ejection of 1662, Puritanism as a movement came to a close. The puritans failed to reform the church. The Anglican church would remain in this compromised state. </span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"><span><span><b>Why Read Them? </b><br /></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"><span><span>Puritanism was the reformation of the Reformation. The spirit of Puritanism carries on to the present day. The Puritan legacy was carried on through the likes of Jonathan Edwards in America, and J.C. Ryle, Charles Spurgeon, Martyn-Lloyd Jones in England. Contemporary "Puritans" would be Anglican J.I. Packer who valiantly, but tragically failed to reform his church, and John MacArthur who continues to fight for the Gospel clarity in a confused age. </span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"><span><span><br />If you are an American, you are what you are, in part, because the Pilgrims comprised of Puritans, Separatists crossed the sea in pursuit of ushering in the Kingdom of God. If you are Presbyterian, your theological convictions were articulated by Westminster Standards. If you’re a Baptist, you are a direct result of Puritanism that gave birth to separatism which gave us Baptist. The 1689 Baptist Confession of Faith is really just the Westminster, immersed. If you’re "non-denominational" you’re a Baptist and you just don’t know it. </span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"><span><span><br />More than country or denominational identity, however, the Puritans are useful for your own soul. Historically, the Puritans were reformers of the Reformation. Now, they serve as reformers of the heart. You will be hard pressed to find works more enjoyable, thoughtful, and spiritually rich than the puritans. J.I. Packer <sup><a href="#fn1" id="ref1">1</a></sup> has rightly described them:<br /></span></span></span></span></p><p style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"><span><span>The Puritans exemplified maturity; we don't. We are spiritual dwarfs. A much-travelled leader, a native American (be it said), has declared that he finds North American Protestantism, man-centered, manipulative, success-oriented, self-indulgent and sentimental, as it blatantly is, to be 3,000 miles wide and half an inch deep. The Puritans, by contrast, as a body were giants. They were great souls serving a great God. In them clear-headed passion and warmhearted compassion combined. Visionary and practical, idealistic and realistic too, goal-oriented and methodical, they were great believers, great hopers, great doers, and great sufferers. But their sufferings, both sides of the ocean (in old England from the authorities and in New England from the elements), seasoned and ripened them till they gained a stature that was nothing short of heroic. Ease and luxury, such as our affluence brings us today, do not make for maturity; hardship and struggle however do, and the Puritans' battles against the spiritual and climatic wildernesses in which God set them produced a virility of character, undaunted and unsinkable, rising above discouragement and fears, for which the true precedents and models are men like Moses, and Nehemiah, and Peter after Pentecost, and the apostle Paul.</span></span></span></span></p></div><div style="text-align: left;"><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"><span><span><b>Where Do I Begin? </b><br /></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"><span><span>If you’re wanting to know more about the Puritans, begin with Joel Beeke and Michael Reeves’ work,<i> <a href="https://www.heritagebooks.org/products/following-god-fully-an-introduction-to-the-puritans-beeke-reeves.html" target="_blank">Following God Fully: An Introduction to the Puritans</a></i><a href="https://www.heritagebooks.org/products/following-god-fully-an-introduction-to-the-puritans-beeke-reeves.html" target="_blank">.</a> Additionally, you’ll find Lewis Allen and Tim Chester’s <a href="https://www.heritagebooks.org/products/the-glory-of-grace-an-introduction-to-the-puritans-in-their-own-words-allen-chester.html" target="_blank"><i>The Glory of Grace: An Introduction to the Puritans</i></a> valuable combination of secondary and primary sources. Those wanting to place the Puritans in their historical context should grab <i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Unquenchable-Flame-Discovering-Heart-Reformation/dp/1433669315/ref=sr_1_1?crid=35G25TRL46FRP&keywords=unquenchable+flame+reeves&qid=1664902549&qu=eyJxc2MiOiIxLjU2IiwicXNhIjoiMS41MyIsInFzcCI6IjEuNDUifQ%3D%3D&sprefix=unquenchable+flame+reeves%2Caps%2C145&sr=8-1" target="_blank">The Unquenchable Flame</a> </i>by Michael Reeves.
It is one thing to read about the Puritans, it is another to read the Puritans—and read them you must! </span></span></span></span></p></div><div style="text-align: left;"><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"><span><span>The first Puritan work I read from cover to cover was John Owen’s<a href="https://www.heritagebooks.org/products/the-mortification-of-sin-puritan-paperbacks-owen.html" target="_blank"><i> The Mortification of Sin.</i></a> Here, you’ll find his exposition of Romans 8:13, “If ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live’. The Mortification of Sin has his famous line, “Be killing sin or sin will be killing you.” Owen is notoriously difficult to read. Be sure that you grab Banner of Truth’s Puritan Paperbacks edition where the language has been lightly updated, and punctuation added. Banner of Truth has also published an abridgment of Owen’s <a href="https://www.heritagebooks.org/products/communion-with-god-puritan-paperbacks-owen.html"><i>Communion with God </i></a>which you’ll also want to consult. </span></span></span></span></p></div><div style="text-align: left;"><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"><span><span>Another potential place to begin, is John Flavel’s <a href="https://www.heritagebooks.org/products/keeping-the-heart-how-to-maintain-your-love-for-god-flavel.html"><i>Keeping the Heart</i>.</a> Proverbs 4:23 is the starting place: “keep thy heart with all diligence for out of it are the issues of life.” Flavel unpacks all the ways to do just that. You may also look at Jeremiah Burrough’s <a href="https://www.heritagebooks.org/products/the-rare-jewel-of-christian-contentment-puritan-paperbacks-burroughs.html" target="_blank"><i>The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment </i></a>where you’ll see Christ more satisfying than life. Thomas Brooks’ <a href="https://www.heritagebooks.org/products/precious-remedies-against-satans-devices-puritan-paperbacks-brooks.html" target="_blank"><i>Precious Remedies Against Satan’s Devices</i></a> is a delightful and insightful read in understanding temptation. Richard Sibbes’ <i>The Bruised Reed </i>will balm your wounds, and Thomas Goodwin’s <a href="https://www.heritagebooks.org/products/the-heart-of-christ-puritan-paperbacks-goodwin.html" target="_blank"><i>The Heart of Christ</i> </a>will incite wonder at your savior’s love. </span></span></span></span></p></div><div style="text-align: left;"><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"><span><span>More theologically inclined readers would enjoy John Flavel’s <a href="https://www.heritagebooks.org/products/the-mystery-of-providence-puritan-paperbacks-flavel.html"><i>The</i> <i>Mystery of Providence </i></a>(the standard work in print on the subject), or Thomas Watson’s systematic theology, <a href="https://www.heritagebooks.org/products/a-body-of-divinity-hardcover-watson.html" target="_blank"><i>A Body of Divinity</i></a>. Stephen Charnock’s <i>T<a href="https://www.heritagebooks.org/products/the-existence-and-attributes-of-god-updated-and-unabridged-2-volume-set-charnock.html">he Existence and Attributes of God</a></i> will expand your head and heart as you ponder God’s nature and character. </span></span></span></span></p></div><div style="text-align: left;"><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"><span><span>For pastors, the best place to begin is Richard Baxter’s <a href="https://www.heritagebooks.org/products/the-reformed-pastor-puritan-paperbacks-baxter.html"><i>The Reformed Pastor</i></a>. I first read this work in the Mack Library at Bob Jones University as an undergraduate student. In the years of ministry, I returned to this work often, striving to watch over my own soul and those God has placed under my care. Congregants who want to be better church members should look to John Owen’s <a href="https://www.heritagebooks.org/products/duties-of-christian-fellowship-a-manual-for-church-members-owen.html" target="_blank"><i>Duties of Christian Fellowship</i></a>. </span></span></span></span></p></div><div style="text-align: left;"><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"><span><span>Lastly, <a href="https://www.heritagebooks.org/products/the-valley-of-vision-a-collection-of-puritan-prayers-and-devotions-bonded-leather-bennett-ed.html" target="_blank"><i>The Valley of Vision: A Collection of Puritan Prayers and Devotions</i></a>, is a valuable tool. I read and pray these prayers daily with my Bible reading. I’ve found them both stirring and shaping—warming my heart and modeling prayer. </span></span></span></span></p></div><div style="text-align: left;"><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"><span><span>If I were to pick three of the above works for you as a reader, I would start with <i>Precious Remedies Against Satan’s Devices</i>, <i>Keeping the Heart</i>, and <i>The Valley of Vision</i>. </span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"><span><span>Read the Puritans. In their writings, you will be challenged and comforted. Your heart will be stirred to love God more and to serve him more faithfully. These are treasures for us to mine! <br /></span></span></span></span></p></div>
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<span style="font-family: Avenir;"><sup id="fn1">1. David D. Hall, <i>The Puritans: A Transatlantic History </i>(Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2019), 16.<a href="#ref1" title="Jump back to footnote 1 in the text.">↩</a> </sup></span></p><p><span style="font-family: Avenir;"><sup id="fn2">2. J.I. Packer, <i>A Quest for Godliness</i> (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2010), 22. <a href="#ref2" title="Jump back to footnote 2 in the text.">↩</a></sup></span></p>Josh Valdezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09859263750420231817noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3720220119123010030.post-53082779347975925002022-07-21T08:18:00.003-06:002022-07-21T08:18:43.926-06:00When Men Have Miscarriages: A Recommendation<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoIovGrv8guOsHh_nhBSMh_JTghaS-jR2ZRobrKHVdH4CAk8UO64e_R33Cu-lFybq1ElbnyxC-X6Cs0yl7nYf6pvoMRztQT7I2A1N_8zfutkhOjaJJOkUP9Ee2HNqNvcVrgSeCPaR1bJ_xBzTiQbsu91Im-omx8oCm1LA_2-KlhNVJbvApzcO3RAGn/s1524/61gktvGyyxL.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1524" data-original-width="1000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoIovGrv8guOsHh_nhBSMh_JTghaS-jR2ZRobrKHVdH4CAk8UO64e_R33Cu-lFybq1ElbnyxC-X6Cs0yl7nYf6pvoMRztQT7I2A1N_8zfutkhOjaJJOkUP9Ee2HNqNvcVrgSeCPaR1bJ_xBzTiQbsu91Im-omx8oCm1LA_2-KlhNVJbvApzcO3RAGn/w263-h400/61gktvGyyxL.jpg" width="263" /></a></div><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"><span>Dave Deets, <i>When Men Have Miscarriages: Finding Hope Amidst Silent Pain. </i>Independently Published,</span><span> 2022. 100 Pages. </span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"><span>Miscarriage isn't talked about. While miscarriage is a common problem, resources to help couples process the loss are scarce. Even less than scarce, are books written specifically for how men deal with miscarriage. </span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"><span>How do men process miscarriage? How can a man comfort his wife as she grieves? What are some practical ways to communicate miscarriage to other children in the family? Dave Deets contributes a volume of theological, pastoral, and personal reflections on this overlooked topic. <br /></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"><span>Deets' book consists of an introduction, five chapters, a postlude, a "Frequently Wondered-About Questions," and an addendum for pastors. <br /></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"><span>1--It's Just a Miscarriage</span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"><span>2--It Happens to a lot of People</span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"><span>3--It's Different but the Same</span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"><span>4--"No Catcher?"</span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"><span>5--Finding Hope </span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"><span><span>Dave Deets is no stranger to the topic of miscarriage. He and his wife, Kimberly, have gone through four of them. </span>Chapter one is the story of their first miscarriage. Sprinkled within the narrative are reflections, advice, and pastoral assurances. </span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"><span>In the second chapter, Deets engages with four different perspectives people have on miscarriage: 1) God is Judging You, 2) You Are Better Off Not Having It, 3) It Happens to a lot of People, 4) You Just Need to Get Back on the Horse . Deets responds to each of these problematic perspectives with biblical remedies. </span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"><span>Chapter three offers practical things that husbands and wives can do to help each other through the miscarriage process. <br /></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"><span>How to navigate miscarriage with your other children is the topic addressed in the fourth chapter. </span><span>Some touching portions come in the
form of Deets' two sons, Caleb and Andrew, coping with the loss of an
unborn sister, Abby. Andrew's response, in particular, forced Deets to
face his losses, ultimately leading to the writing of this book. <br /></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"><span>The final chapter is about hope after miscarriage. Deets walks us through Colossians 1:1-3:17, explaining the text and making relevant application. We learn about life, hope, rejoicing, encouragement, identity and focus. Through it all, Christ is our all. Christ is our sufficiency. </span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"><span>In his "Frequently Wondered-About Questions," Deets addresses questions that he hasn't covered yet, like "What if they won't talk to me?"and "What about the Grandparents?" He also lists helpful biblical passages and recommends ministries. The addendum for pastors covers how the local church pastor and help families through miscarriage. <br /></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"><span>Don't be deterred by the title of this book. It is for everyone--man and woman, those who have experienced miscarriage and those who need to help those who have miscarried. The Gospel is central and hope in Christ is frequently offered to the reader. <i>When Men Have Miscarriages</i> is a timely, beneficial and pioneering work. Deets weaves practical steps, pertinent scripture, and personal story together for a superb treatment of a difficult and neglected topic. <br /></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"><span>While I am a newly-wed, and don't yet have children, I found this book informative and illuminating. The addendum for pastors, especially, was personally profitable. I feel more equipped to shepherd my people through miscarriage. </span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I wholeheartedly recommend <i>When Men Have Miscarriages</i> to you. </span><br /></span></p>Josh Valdezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09859263750420231817noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3720220119123010030.post-58815629429475991082019-08-23T13:56:00.005-06:002019-08-23T16:59:50.216-06:00After Three Decades<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Avenir; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRSrnEqDSjRhtNAMEr9F9GWALC2_V2tiG7mHkakP9Lk5istfoF8hBT_t4qLx2oFnnq9Oq19NSWy2NPNEUtGcv13PEiOEvfMagdnD4Lknp0kXbHD8YGeUkA_V8IK_hUh06uaZOox0NbeP0/s1600/ACA7E550-8026-425E-8AF4-E6CF34187E4D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1280" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRSrnEqDSjRhtNAMEr9F9GWALC2_V2tiG7mHkakP9Lk5istfoF8hBT_t4qLx2oFnnq9Oq19NSWy2NPNEUtGcv13PEiOEvfMagdnD4Lknp0kXbHD8YGeUkA_V8IK_hUh06uaZOox0NbeP0/s400/ACA7E550-8026-425E-8AF4-E6CF34187E4D.JPG" width="320" /></a><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><b>Twilight and Dawn</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">I closed out my twenties over Taco Bell with a Cheesy Gordita Crunch and a Mexican Pizza. When that was finished, I went with my life long friend, Kellen, to Sonic where we reminisced about high school, college, and seminary. We laughed about getting detention for ditching school to watch The Two Towers. We talked about our love for enig</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">matic Bob Jones University—its oddities and its stellar faculty. Then I went home and spent my final minutes being twenty nine watching Bob’s Burgers with Cherayah. Great night. </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "avenir";">This morning I drove to PVHS (Si Señor breakfast burrito in hand) listening to my new favorite song, “<a href="https://youtu.be/_UTznjanFpc">Don’t Take the Money</a>” by the Bleachers and an old favorite, Green Day’s “<a href="https://youtu.be/77xeMlN7ng4">When I Come Around.</a>” Taylor Swift, celebrating the beginning of my third decade, released her new album, “Lover.” That was very thoughtful of her. Thank you, Taylor! </span><span style="font-family: "avenir";"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">During second hour, my office filled </span>wall to wall <span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">with students who wished me a happy birthday. I was met with Al Hurricane’s </span></span><a href="https://youtu.be/XmpVykP07KM" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Avenir;">Feliz Cumpleaños</a><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "avenir";"> and students screaming "Happy birthday, Josh!" They were loud and the crowds in the hallway looked to see what all the commotion was about (super embarrassing). My office is always teeming with students. I wouldn’t have it any other way. My being at Piedra Vista High School was entirely unexpected. It was one of those joyful surprises along life’s path. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Three Decades</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">I’m thirty years old. That’s hard to believe. It got here faster that I thought possible. Thirty is one of those birthdays that makes you reflect.</span> Surprisingly, I'm not as depressed about it as I thought I would be. <span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"> Thirty is a milestone. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Sixteen. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Eighteen.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Twenty-one. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Thirty. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Each of these birthdays represent definitive stages in our life—teens, twenties, and thirties. Each has its own challenges, its own celebrations. Formative all. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">My teenage years were filled with confidence. I had direction, I knew the next step. It was always going to be <a href="https://www.bju.edu/">Bob Jones University</a>. It was training for the ministry. Everything mostly went according to plan. I look back at that time of life with fondness. Life revolved around <a href="https://www.gbcfarm.com/">Grace Baptist Church</a>—the academy, the youth group, the Sunday service, and the incredible people there. Most weeks, I was at Grace six out seven days, some weeks I was there every day. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">My twenties were filled with turbulence. I didn’t have direction. I didn’t know the next step. My twenties is where my idealism died. It was during this decade that I experienced pain and watched as aspirations and goals withered away. I expected to close out my twenties with a wife and maybe a few niños, but that didn’t happen. I lost my Grandpa, Juan Valdez, when I was 19. But his death still weighed heavily on me six months later when I turned 20, and even now when I think about him, I hurt. I miss him terribly. It didn’t stop with my Papa Juan, I would lose my Great Grandma, Marie and my Great Uncle Andy. Tragically, I would lose my older cousins Shane and Micah. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">There were many highs and lows during the twenties-- a decade of extremes, really. I survived getting an MDiv. I landed a job at a church where I ministered to people I loved with my whole heart. High. I was removed from that church and also lost many relationships. Low. In 2014, Tony Romo finally received the recognition he deserved as an elite NFL QB (and the greatest QB in Dallas Cowboys history). High. Then in 2016, an injury forced him into retirement and he was replaced by a scrub who wasn’t worthy to succeed him. Low. I’m still salty about it, so don’t bring it up. Ever. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Lest we give way to depression, we must pause and celebrate the twenties as well. Half of my twenties were spent at Bob Jones University. There, I received a robust education—classically refined, broadly humanitarian, and unflinchingly biblical. There, I forged friendships with quality people that will last a lifetime. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">In my twenties, I became a homeowner. For years, I dreamed of having a place for my theological library, and I finally have it. I’m enjoying having friends and family over. I love having Nacho Libre and Napoleon Dynamite showings. In my twenties, I finally attended <a href="https://t4g.org/">Together for the Gospel</a> and <a href="https://www.shepherdsconference.org/">Shepherds’ Conference</a>. For years, John MacArthur has shepherded me from afar— teaching me the Bible, and modeling faithful ministry for me. It was a joy to meet him and express to him my appreciation for his ministry. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Providence </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">As I reflect upon three decades of life, the only word I can use to describe the path thus far is providence. I’ve learned God’s providence, seen God’s providence, and experienced God’s providence. Providence is God’s governance of this world, it is his orchestration of all things to bring about his will. God, we read, “works all things according to the counsel of his will” (Eph. 1:11). All things, both good and bad, fall under his governance. Even evil is redeemed in providence. While Joseph’s brothers tried to murder him, and only intended him harm, God’s purpose in it was redemptive and preserved an entire nation. Joseph would confess, “you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><span style="font-kerning: none;">should be kept alive, as they are today” (Gen. 50:20). </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">And here, with facing pain, suffering, and unfulfilled expectation we wrestle with providence and doubt his goodness. What is going on in my life? What are you doing God? Do you care? Why? And as we wrestle and as we cling to God, we eventually come to affirm the truth of Romans 8:30, “we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, </span><span style="font-kerning: none;">for those who are called according to his purpose.” </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><i>“Providence is wiser than you, and you may be confident it has suited all things better to your eternal good than you could do had you been left to your own option.” ~ John Flavel</i></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmcO0Lf9yvrc-59qb8-MgEUJ0PCxzZnsdZ34X9eGgR1tno0F4fefMH72WizStMtuXpY6jOp5LLeQbHrc8FeauSnIkudaHoNmjd4gv7PQRW3942JYeI9H_h_ekYu3BpiatR19LOhpiWuEs/s1600/IMG_4608.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="838" data-original-width="1600" height="332" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmcO0Lf9yvrc-59qb8-MgEUJ0PCxzZnsdZ34X9eGgR1tno0F4fefMH72WizStMtuXpY6jOp5LLeQbHrc8FeauSnIkudaHoNmjd4gv7PQRW3942JYeI9H_h_ekYu3BpiatR19LOhpiWuEs/s640/IMG_4608.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Most recently and prominently in my life, I've seen providence in the church I pastor, <a href="https://highergroundnm.com/">Higher Ground Church</a>. I never expected to plant and pastor a church plant, but that was God’s plan. His direction was clear, and he singlehandedly brought about <i>everything</i> with Higher Ground. He brought me to <a href="https://gracehill.church/">Grace Hill Church</a>, a church that is passionate about Gospel spreading and Kingdom work. The elders at Grace Hill cared for me during a difficult time, and the church helped me in the process of planting, even sending over some of their people. God provided me with an incredibly supportive network for church planting<a href="https://www.namb.net/church-planting/"> (SEND Network)</a>. He provided a church building for us out of nowhere. Through SEND, he provided us with funding. He provided us with people who are theologically unified, who are passionate about the Gospel, and who are hungry for expository preaching. He gave us a full band. He gave us a children’s ministry director and another elder in training. He even supplied a specific community for us to invest our Gospel efforts in, and <i>they</i> sought us out! </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">It’s better than what I could have done. It’s better than even the desires I had. It's better than what I pictured for my life at this stage. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">God has guided my life along every step of this journey. Most of the time it didn’t seem clear, and nothing felt definitive. I’ve learned that this is God’s way of doing things. He leads us, we trust and follow, even when things don't make sense. Providence is appreciated in retrospect. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">The story of my thirties isn’t written yet. But I’m looking forward to what it holds for me. I’ve experienced God’s providential hand. I’ve learned to trust him, to hold his hand as I step out into the unknown. Psalm 16:11 changed my life as a freshman in college, and it is a verse I cling to now and think on every single day. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><i>You make known to me the path of life;</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><i> in your presence there is fullness of joy;</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><i> at your right hand are pleasures forevermore. </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><i>~ Psalm 16:11</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">After three decades, I look to God as he makes known to me life’s path. I experience joy in his presence and bask in the satisfying pleasure that relationship with him brings. For the past, I thank him. For the future, I trust him. </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><i>“There are better things ahead than any we leave behind.” ~ C.S. Lewis</i></span></div>
Josh Valdezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09859263750420231817noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3720220119123010030.post-51345667418623770882019-02-06T13:15:00.002-07:002022-11-15T13:23:09.982-07:00Exposing My Christian School<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: left;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Grace Baptist Academy Class of 2007</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"><b style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"><span>#ExposeChristianSchools</span></b></span></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;">
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<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">Recently, Vice President Pence’s wife resumed teaching at a Christian school. Immediately, a controversy ensued and we were told that this was completely inappropriate. It was inappropriate because of the school’s bigotry. For what bigotry was this Christian school guilty? It held to biblical teaching concerning marriage and sexual ethics. On Twitter, A New York Times reporter encouraged people to tell their stories using the above hashtag.</span></span></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;">
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<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"><span>The following is my reflection upon my Christian school. This is my exposure. </span></span></span></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;">
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<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"><span>From sixth grade through graduation, I attended a small Christian school in northwestern New Mexico. <a href="http://www.gbawarriors.org/">Grace Baptist Academy </a>is an accredited Christian school, offering education from kindergarten through high school. Following my graduation from GBA, I earned a bachelor's and master's degree. C</span></span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"><span>urrently, I </span></span><span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">serve as a pastor at a new church plant. I am also working a new, experimental job at a public school: Intervention Specialist. The basic objective for this position is to decrease drop outs with at-risk youth by building a mentoring </span>relationship<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"> with them. This is an exciting opportunity to help troubled youth succeed in school and mature as young adults. </span></span></span></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;">
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<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"><span>I learned much at Grace and was equipped to succeed. I look back very fondly on my time there. Here are a few reasons why:</span></span></span></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;">
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<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"><b><span>Friendships</span></b></span></span></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;">
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<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"><span>When you go to a small school, there is no flying under the radar. There is no laying low. You don’t go unnoticed. You know everybody, and everybody knows you. This is both annoying and amazing. When you are forced to be around the same people every single day you get to truly know them—their stories, dreams, drama, quirks, and buttons. It is fun to push those buttons. </span></span></span></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;">
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<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"><span>Close proximity means that other people’s high school drama becomes your drama—whether you’d like it to be or not. These can lead to some tense and hilarious encounters. Through it all, meaningful, deep friendships are formed. </span></span></span></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;">
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<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"><span>Some of my closest friendships were born—Kellen, Sean, Jonny, Tylor—these are guys I spent every day with at GBA. These are guys that I still talk to every day. I’ve been a groomsmen in two of their weddings and will be one in another wedding this summer. They’ve been reliable confidants and helpful encouragers. Jonny was a founding member of <a href="https://highergroundnm.com/">Higher Ground Church</a>—a church we planted a few months ago. </span></span></span></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;">
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<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"><span>Its messy and its magnificent. Solid, lasting friendships are formed in Christian schools. </span></span></span></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;">
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<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"><b><span>Caring Teachers</span></b></span></span></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;">
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<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">One of the things that impresses me now (that didn’t back then) is the immense sacrifice Christian school teachers make. Educators, in general, are sacrificial people. Even though they earn a pittance of a salary, teachers are some of the most giving people on the planet. They give their energy and their off contract time to students. They</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"> supply their classroom with their own money. They emotionally invest in their students. Teachers are constantly expected to do more work for the same, low pay. </span></span></span></span></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;">
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<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"><span>This is especially true for Christian school teachers. They earn far less than their public school counterparts. At Grace, I knew deep down that my teachers cared about me. They loved me. Genuinely. There were times when this obnoxious teenager named Josh Valdez may have gotten on their nerves—but they loved me. They chose to continue to serve me. They taught, explained, offered time after class, checked in on me, and reached out to my parents. They made it their objective to not let me fall behind. They wanted me to succeed academically and personally. Heroes all. </span></span></span></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;">
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<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"><b><span>Christ Centered Education</span></b></span></span></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;">
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<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">One of the convictions of the Christian worldview is that all truth is God’s truth. In our study of the humanities, the sciences, and the arts we learn more about God—his nature, his ways, and his creation. This theological foundation and drive for Christ centered education fuels interest and advance in all of these fields. The world does not need Christian “alternatives” in humanities, the sciences, or the arts. What the world needs is Christians to excel in these respective fields. Diverse Christians thriving in the humanities, curiously minded Christians advancing in scientific fields, and creative Christians writing, singing, recording, and performing beautiful pieces—integration, not isolation, is key for Christian witness. We’re </span>to be<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"> in the world, but not of it. Present but not defined by its values or its behaviors. We’re to be a light (Matt. 14:13-16), and set apart in truth (John 17:14-19).</span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">At Grace, I received a classical, diverse education that prepared me to succeed both in college, </span>graduate<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"> school, and in the workforce. I don't </span>think I'm alone in that. <span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">In standardized testing, the students at GBA regularly outperform their public school peers.</span></span></span></span></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;">
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<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"><span>In addition to taking standard classes (science, math, history, language, public speaking, and technology), I was required to take choir, theater, Bible and theology. Every year, we participated in a fine arts festival where students competed with other Christian schools in art, music, public speech, and acting. Grace Baptist Academy being apart of Grace Baptist Church allowed us, at times, to serve others in ministry. What resulted was the education of whole person—head (academics), heart (spirituality), and hands (service). </span></span></span></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;">
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<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"><span>While I greatly value the education I received at Grace, its most significant contribution to me was spiritual growth. B</span></span><span>y taking classes in the Old and New Testament, </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">I learned major story arcs of the Bible. I was exposed to the beliefs of cults and other expressions of counterfeit Christianity in a class on world religions. My knowledge of God dramatically increased when I took courses in systematic theology. Christianity became to me a substantive faith, one that feeds the mind as much as it stirs the heart. Through the study of Christian doctrine, my devotional life took off—I was compelled to study my Bible to discover more about this glorious God. What started in high school has continued to drive me to the Scripture.</span></span></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;">
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<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"><span>Paired with an academic Bible curriculum was chapel. At GBA, we had chapel a couple of times a week. During this time, we would sing hymns and then the school administrator or one of the pastors on staff would preach. Sometimes, we had guest preachers or missionaries. These chapel sessions were formative times for me. They pointed us to Christ, fed us with the word, and exposed us to global missions. After graduation, it was a real honor for me to be asked preach at GBA’s chapel service. Christian school helped me to grow in Christlikeness. </span></span></span></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;">
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<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"><span>Christian schools aren’t for everyone. Many Christian young people belong in public schools. They will have far more opportunities to build Gospel relationships with their peers and serve as lights in darkness. Christian schools should never be used to foster isolationism from the world. That’s antithetical to the Great Commission (Matt. 28:18-20). Nor should Christians schools be seen as the primary means for spiritual development. That responsibility falls upon fathers (Eph. 6:4). If, however, Christian parents want their children to receive an education from a Christian worldview, gain deep biblical knowledge, and supplement their family discipleship with spiritual development, then a Christian school is a viable option. </span></span></span></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;">
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<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"><span>At Grace Baptist Academy, I received an education that was in the classical tradition, academically robust, and spiritually sensitive. It was the education of the whole person—head, heart, and hands. I was instilled with academic knowledge, biblical morality, discipline and a work ethic. </span></span></span></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;">
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<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><span>We’ve been summoned to expose Christian schools. </span></span><br /></span></span>
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<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><span>This is my exposure.</span></span><br /></span></span>
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<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><span>Far from being bastions of bigotry, Christian schools are places to receive a classical education, grow socially, learn under caring teachers, have service opportunity, and be challenged to grow in Christian maturity. We need more of them. </span></span></span></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;">
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Josh Valdezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09859263750420231817noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3720220119123010030.post-36217232201047166432018-11-09T14:46:00.004-07:002022-11-15T13:24:25.883-07:00Introducing Higher Ground Church<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"><b><span>Beginnings</span></b></span></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;">
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<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"><span>Higher Ground Church covenanted together on August 28th, 2018. Our first service was September 9th, 2018. The entire process of planting Higher Ground has been a remarkable display of God's providence. He provided a sending church, a gifted core group, funding, several supporting networks, and even a building. It's been an exciting journey. Higher Ground is reformed in theology, committed to expository preaching, elder led, practicing church membership and discipline, and is intentionally missional. What exactly do all of those components mean? Keep reading to find out! </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"><b><span>Name</span></b><br />
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span>Picking a name for a church is difficult. We considered several names: Totah Church, Credo Church, Westgate Church, and Zia Bible Church. Someone even jokingly suggested Tumbleweed Church. My pick was Doulos Church. <i>Doulos</i>, Greek for slave, is a New Testament description for the Christian (Acts 2:18; Rom. 6:15-23; 1 Cor. 7:22). Doulos Church had it all. Not only was it cool and edgy, it perfectly captured the Christian’s relationship to Christ: Jesus is <i>kurios</i>— lord and master. There were a few baristas at Durango Joe’s that I would run the names by for feedback. I was excited to share with them Doulos Church. When one of them heard the name, she thought for moment, and then said, “That reminds me of Shrek. I think there is a Duloc or something in it.” Sure enough, Duloc is a city in Shrek ruled by Lord Farquaad. And with that revelation, Doulos Church would not be the name!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span>Ten years ago, my sister and I were dreaming of a church plant. I had just returned from my freshman year at <a href="http://bju.edu/">Bob Jones University </a>and church planting was on my mind. We were listening to an album of Irish hymns and tossing around what this church plant would be called. She threw out the name Higher Ground Church. The name would stick. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span>While </span></span><span>planning for the plant this year, we kept coming back to the name Higher Ground. God providentially brought us a building located on Harper Hill. Harper Hill overlooks the San Juan River, the border of the Navajo reservation, and the city of Farmington. Higher Ground Church, as it turns out, is the perfect name for this new church plant.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"><b><span>Three Words</span></b></span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgom_i-Wtw5NpxM8YRFjIWOoi6n71ucp8jnycDJOTwtdmoQ5tK1xx_gXjwnlhFiSMrKcUyq6bTSaRzHScm24Hc-5J6oDMA1eNVsTPXOflVcCfZo-d4EE1PhGntt7XGO9Spjt8iatFFzBSA/s1600/IMG_4252.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1107" data-original-width="1600" height="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgom_i-Wtw5NpxM8YRFjIWOoi6n71ucp8jnycDJOTwtdmoQ5tK1xx_gXjwnlhFiSMrKcUyq6bTSaRzHScm24Hc-5J6oDMA1eNVsTPXOflVcCfZo-d4EE1PhGntt7XGO9Spjt8iatFFzBSA/s320/IMG_4252.JPG" width="320" /></a><span style="font-kerning: none;"><span>Glorify. Edify. Testify.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span>These three words sum up the mission and identity of Higher Ground Church. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span>Higher Ground Church exists to glorify God, edify his people, and testify his Gospel. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span><b><i>Glorify</i></b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span>The church exists to glorify God. This is the foundational principle for Christ’s church. Church <i>(ekklesia) </i>means a called out assembly or congregation. Members of Christ’s church are called out from the world to bring God glory (Eph. 1:5-6). God desires to be glorified in his church (Eph. 3:20-21). The church exists as a living portrait of God’s counter-cultural, self-glorifying wisdom (Eph. 3:10-11). Glorifying God is accomplished at Higher Ground by principally driven ministry (not pragmatism); unashamed proclamation of and centering upon the Gospel; God exalting worship (singing <i>and</i> preaching); and faithfulness to God’s word. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span><b><i>Edify</i></b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span>The church exists for the edification of the saints (Eph. 4:11-13). Edification of the saints consists of discipleship, community and service:</span></span><br />
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span><br /></span></span><span style="font-kerning: none;"><span><i>Discipleship</i>. Every Christian is to be a disciple maker (Matt. 28:19). To be a disciple is to be a follower, learner, and pupil of Christ. To believe in Jesus is to be a disciple of Jesus (Acts 4:32; 6:2). Disciples are to be like Jesus (Luke 6:40) and to serve others (Phil. 2:1-8). </span></span><br />
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<span><span style="font-kerning: none;"><i>Community</i></span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">. </span><span style="font-kerning: none;">God, being triune, exists in community (Gen. 1:26; John 17:20-26). Man is made in God’s image (Gen. 1:16-17), after his likeness (Gen. 5:8). He is made for community. The Church is a relational and interwoven body of believers. The Church is called the Bride of Christ (Rev. 21:9), the Flock of God (1 Pet. 5:2-3), the Fold of Christ (John 10:16), the House of God (Heb. 10:21), the Temple of the living God (2 Cor. 6:16) and the Body of Christ (Eph. 1:22). It is mandatory that Christians be joined to a local church (Heb. 10:23-25). </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><span style="font-kerning: none;">Discipleship and community for the entire family will be accomplished through Bible teaching and relationship building. </span></span><br />
<span><br /></span><span style="font-kerning: none;"><span><i>Service</i>. Jesus is the ultimate model for every disciple to follow. He taught that his followers must be servants because he was a servant (Matt. 20:20-28). He had a mindset of service (Phil. 2:1-8). He modeled humble service through the washing of the disciples' feet (John 13:3-17). Christians serve other Christians by their meeting their needs and building them up (Gal. 5:13). Christians serve non Christians by their lives of holiness (Matt. 5:13-16; John 13:34-35) and their faithful gospel proclamation (Matt. 28:18-20). </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span><b><i>Testify</i></b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span>It is the responsibility of every Christian to make disciples (Matt. 28:18-20). Christians must be preaching the Gospel. The Gospel is the power of God for salvation (Rom. 1:16). This is done through verbal proclamation of the Gospel and by distinctive living. When Christians love one another as they ought, they show to the world that they are God’s true followers (John 13:34-35). </span></span><br />
<span><br /></span><b><span style="font-kerning: none;"><span>Reformed</span></span></b><br />
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span>Our identity as a church finds its roots in the Protestant Reformation. Being Baptist, we trace our church lineage back to the Puritans. The historic confession we most identify with is <a href="http://www.reformedreader.org/ccc/1689lbc/english/1689econtents.htm">The Baptist Confession of 1689</a>.</span></span><br />
<span><br /></span><span style="font-kerning: none;"><span>Being Reformed, we believe in primacy of Christ above all. We believe that God initiates and guarantees salvation. We believe in the sufficiency of Scripture. We believe in the lordship of Christ in salvation. We unashamedly hold to the Five Solas of the Reformation: The final authority for the Christian is Scripture alone. Salvation is through faith alone by grace alone in Christ alone. The Christian life is to be lived to God’s glory alone. </span></span><br />
<span><br /></span><span style="font-kerning: none;"><span>We strive to magnify Christ not only by our beliefs, but also in our practice. Our guiding worship philosophy is semi-regulative. Regulative worship means that everything done in the Christian gathering must have Biblical precedent. We’re semi-regulative because we have kid's classes, and sing more than just the Psalter. When selecting songs we intentionally pass songs through three filters: is the song biblical, congregationally singable, and is it beautiful? Additionally, we match the songs with the specific Biblical text being preached that week. As a result, the songs we sing are not the popular worship anthems on the radio. Instead, we sing a beautiful diversity of the best of hymns and the best of worship songs. Our hymns come from the <i><a href="https://hymnsofgrace.com/">Hymns of Grace</a></i> hymnal, and we select many of our worship songs from <a href="https://sovereigngracemusic.org/">Sovereign Grace Music</a>, <a href="https://www.gettymusic.com/">Keith and Kristyn Getty</a>, <a href="https://wearecitizens.net/">Citizen’s and Saints</a>, and <a href="http://www.gospelsongunion.com/the-modern-post-1/">The Modern Post</a>. </span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"><b><span style="font-kerning: none;"><span>Expository Preaching</span></span></b><br />
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span>There are two main types of preaching: topical and expository. Topical preaching is when a preacher selects a topic and then uses Bible verses to make his case. Expository preaching, however, starts with the Biblical text. The point of the message is the point of the text. This usually takes the form of verse by verse preaching. </span></span><br />
<span><br /></span><span style="font-kerning: none;"><span>At Higher Ground, we are firmly committed to expository preaching. To exposit means to explain. The preacher’s job is to explain the biblical passage. If the point of the sermon is not the point of the passage, it isn't biblical preaching. At Higher Ground, we work through entire books verse by verse. Our current study is "Light and Life: The Gospel According to John."</span></span><br />
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<b><span style="font-kerning: none;"><span>Elder Led</span></span></b><br />
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span>Elders are men (1 Cor. 14:33-35; 1 Tim. 2:11-15) who shepherd God’s people (1 Pet. 5:1-2) and rule his church (Acts 20:28; 1 Tim. 5:17). The biblical norm for church leadership is a plurality of elders (Acts 20:17; 1 Tim. 4:14). </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span>In this structure, which we believe is most biblical, there is no single pastor who does it all. Instead, elders as a group, collectively preach, teach, shepherd, and make decisions. There are currently a few men praying about occupying the elder’s chair at Higher Ground. Please pray that God would direct this process and ensure that the right men would join as pastors.</span></span><br />
<span><br /></span><b><span style="font-kerning: none;"><span>Church Membership and Discipline</span></span></b><br />
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span>Church Membership has largely fallen by the wayside in contemporary Christianity. We’re told its insignificant, that it amounts to just being a list of names and that it isn't even in the Bible. If church membership is seen as joining a club, being listed on a roster, or having authority to vote in the church, that's a correct observation.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span>That is not, however, how the Bible presents church membership. Biblical church membership is the submission of a Christian to the eldership (1 Tim. 5:17; Heb. 13:17) and to other Christians at a specific, local church (Eph. 5:20-21). Along with church membership, church discipline is largely not practiced in churches. Yet, the Bible commands it (1 Cor. 5:1-11) and instructs us how to practice it (Matt. 18:15-17). </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span>At Higher Ground, we aren’t satisfied with church attendance or huge numbers. Our desire is personal holiness and Christlikeness in the lives of believers. Church membership and discipline are two means to accomplish this goal. Our hope is that Christians who attend on Sundays would covenant together with this group of elders and believers called Higher Ground Church. </span></span><br />
<span><br /></span><span style="font-kerning: none;"><b><span>Missional </span></b></span><br />
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span>God has providentially placed us in a populated area, surrounded by new, developing neighborhoods, in a location where there are not any Bible preaching churches. The communities surrounding our church and the bordering Navajo reservation are our mission field. We must be sharing the Gospel (Mark 16:15; 2 Cor. 5:19-20). We must be making disciples (Matt. 28:18-20). If Higher Ground Church grows from other church transfer growth alone, we are failing in our mission. A new church plant demands new converts. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span>The proclamation of the Gospel, isn’t just for our local area but should be regional and global in scope as well (Acts 1:8).</span></span><span> Ten percent of our annual budget helps contribute towards global missions. We are currently pursuing membership with Acts 29. We are church planted by another church, and we want to be a church that plants other churches.</span><br />
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<span>Locally, we are partnered with <a href="https://gracehill.church/">Grace Hill Church</a>, our sister church, and the <a href="http://sanjuanbaptistassociation.com/">San Juan Baptist Association</a>. Regionally, we are apart of the<a href="https://bcnm.com/"> Baptist Convention of New Mexico</a> and the Gospel Collective (A coalition of reformed, missional churches in the Four Corners). Globally, we are partners with the <a href="https://www.namb.net/">North American Mission Board</a>, the <a href="http://www.sbc.net/">Southern Baptist Convention</a>, and will one day be apart of <a href="https://www.acts29.com/">Acts 29</a>. </span><br />
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<span>God has greatly blessed us. He has made Higher Ground Church a reality. His providential hand has orchestrated this entire process. We are humbled to be apart of his kingdom building in Northwestern New Mexico. We're fully relying upon him. He will build his church. We're excited about all that he will accomplish in this new church plant!</span></span></span>Josh Valdezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09859263750420231817noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3720220119123010030.post-35756600995827692762018-10-12T13:09:00.003-06:002022-11-15T13:25:12.495-07:00The Season of the New: An Update on Life<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWn4AK1WQ-CAQCX14xplpdzEYZEwzWhgXGTc2RY7uvPRNNdU7qe1rEnxhhRyW2LPXsPCcKV6Mju_bun5k1FqwKBvVywbeps_Cn-2Cv_uznKDT068WwtPXrH-_F9POY9gzs075hvn-Xq90/s1600/IMG_3069.JPG" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1281" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWn4AK1WQ-CAQCX14xplpdzEYZEwzWhgXGTc2RY7uvPRNNdU7qe1rEnxhhRyW2LPXsPCcKV6Mju_bun5k1FqwKBvVywbeps_Cn-2Cv_uznKDT068WwtPXrH-_F9POY9gzs075hvn-Xq90/s320/IMG_3069.JPG" width="256" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Acts 29 US-West Conference in Reno, NV</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"><b>The Season of New</b><br />
<span><span>The past ten months have been a season of profound lows and highs. I lost the pastorate—a vocation I treasured and a church I planned on giving my life to. But, I gained new jobs and met new people which in a mysteriously providential way, came together in new opportunities. I lost my church family, whom I loved serving, and then entered into a new congregation. I made new friendships and gained a new faith family, which made me wonder anew at the glories of Christ’s church.<br /><br />I was forced to look at my own personal deficiencies and lost a lot of self-pride. But through it, I gained renewed perspective—seeing my identity not in my being a pastor but in my being united to Christ. I gained a new appreciation for those pastors who have suffered in ministry. They are unsung heroes, quietly serving, remaining faithful under affliction. In pastoral ministry, men of conviction rarely sail through smooth waters. In many ways, the Puritans of old, particularly Jeremiah Burroughs and John Flavel, have been my companions in the dark of night. <br /><br />If I were to characterize these past months, the word that defines my experiences has been new. There have been a lot of new things that I have experienced. Being an INFP-T, I don’t particularly care for the new. I love and thrive in the familiar. But, I have been thrown into the new. In every area of life, I am wearing the aura of new-ness. I am living in the season of the new. <br /><br /><b>New House (to Me)</b><br />One of the benefits of unemployment was suddenly having a lot of free time. Last August, I bought a house which needed some work done on it. When I was employed full time, I would work on the house on the weekends or nights that I had free. Being unemployed gave me the opportunity to finally finish my house. After repairing dry wall, texturing the entire interior, installing ceiling lights, fans, and painting the interior, I finally moved in. Thus far, I’ve enjoyed living in a new to me house. There have been a few showings of Nacho Libre, and many more to come!<br /><br /><b>New Opportunities </b><br />I spent last spring working as a long term sub at Kirtland Middle School. Because I was there every day, I was moved from classroom to classroom, hung out in ISS, walked halls, and played football with some rough 7th graders (where I severely sprained my thumb)! I got to know many of the students. We jammed to Journey, Coldplay, T.Swift, and some of my EDM favorites, watched Nacho Libre, and they enthusiastically listened to my sad stories. (Someone has to teach these young people culture). It was a blast! Middle school students are a lot of fun.<br /><br />Being at KMS exposed me in a raw way to many of the issues these young people are facing. I was surprised to see widespread nihilism and despair at such a young age. These young people are in darkness and need hope—the hope that only the Gospel can give. During this time, I felt a real, new, burden for these teens, for West Farmington, and for Kirtland. I prayed to God for opportunity to do ministry there (more on this later). </span></span><br />
<span><span><br />For work now, I’ve been given an exciting opportunity. I am employed as an Intervention Specialist at Piedra Vista High School. This position is brand new. Farmington is one of two school districts in the country that was selected as a testing ground for this position. I get the opportunity to contribute to its formation and to serve as its guinea pig! In essence, the job is to befriend students, mentor them, and help them. The goal is that students won't fall through the cracks unnoticed and uncared for. I’m looking looking forward to building and fostering these meaningful relationships with the broader Farmington community. </span></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;">Grace Hill Church</span></span></td></tr>
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<span><span><b>New Church (to Me)</b><br />I cannot put into words how grateful I am for Grace Hill Church and for its elders. Going from vocational ministry as a pastor to being a congregant is an awkward and humbling experience. Grace Hill kept me sane, and kept me from going too far into the depths of depression. The members of Grace Hill were very welcoming and encouraging. They opened their homes to me, fed me, and let me know they were praying for me. The elders of Grace Hill gave me opportunities to do ministry. They requested that I join them at their weekly elder's meeting, asked me to frequently preach and to teach, and entrusted me with a T_C Group. They even sent me to the Acts 29 US West Conference in Reno, Nevada. <br /><br />Grace Hill has kingdom vision. They aren’t concerned with Grace Hill as much as they are concerned with spreading the Gospel to the world. This is a rarity for churches, as many churches are only concerned about growing their own church. In January, the elders of Grace Hill asked me to consider partnering with them in a church plant endeavor, which leads to the next new, huge, and unforeseen event in my life. </span></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;">Higher Ground Church</span></span></td></tr>
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<span><span><b>New Church (to San Juan County)</b><br />When I was in my undergraduate studies, thanks largely to Dr. Bruce McAllister’s class, I began to really think about church planting in San Juan County. One night, during Christmas break, while driving around in my Jeep, Cherayah and I were dreaming about the possibilities of a church plant in Farmington. This church wouldn’t be defined by pragmatism, but would intentionally oriented to be God glorifying. This church wouldn’t be caught up with the old vs. new worship wars. Instead, it would use the best of contemporary worship songs, while not neglecting the millennia of rich hymnody that has defined generations of Christians. This church would be unflinchingly biblical, firmly committed to expository preaching. It would be intentionally missional, reaching out to the diverse ethnic groups of San Juan County. <br /><br />That night, Cherayah and I went back and for on what this church would be called. Eventually, Cherayah threw out the name Higher Ground Church. Ten years later, this dream of a church plant in Farmington has come to fruition. And the name surprisingly stuck!<br /><br />The founding members of Higher Ground covenanted together as a church on August 28th, 2018. We had our first public service on September 9th, 2018. Higher Ground Church exists to glorify God, edify his people, and testify his gospel. It is broadly reformed in theology, elder-led in polity, and expositional in homily. <br /><br />I didn’t make this church plant happen. I was invited into the process. In God’s providence, he provided a sending church, a building, funding, a big, strong, supporting network, and the core team needed to plant. I have been amazed to see his clear hand in the orchestration of all of this. </span></span><br />
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<span><span>I am thankful that God placed me at Kirtland Middle School for a season, as some of the teens I taught, have already expressed interest in the new church! With my being an mix of Hispanic and Navajo, these are my people. I’m stunned at God’s orchestration of all things to make this church plant possible in a place where one is desperately needed. Truly, he works through our bad situations to accomplish his grand plan. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;"><span><span><i>"As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good."</i> ~ Genesis 50:20</span></span></span></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Avenir;">
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<span><span><b>ReNEWed Affections</b><br />While this topic merits an entire post on its own, I would be remiss not to at least mention God’s working in my own heart over these months. I have been forced to examine myself--and it wasn't a pretty process. I have relearned to rely upon Christ as my strength. I have learned not to place my identity in being a pastor, but as one united to Christ. I have learned that suffering is God’s gracious tool to refine us and to bring us closer to him. I have learned and experienced God’s providence and it has led me to worship. </span></span><br />
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<span><span>There has been a lot of new things in my life these past months. I’ve learned much. I've grown much. Through it all, the season of the new, God has remained faithful and good. And I am thankful. </span></span></span></span>Josh Valdezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09859263750420231817noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3720220119123010030.post-11969540787115668502017-10-31T14:33:00.000-06:002017-11-02T09:32:00.601-06:00The Reformation: What it Was and Why it Matters <b><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Reformation 500</span></span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">On October 31st, 1517, Martin Luther nailed his Ninety-Five Thesis on the door of the Castle Church in Wittenburg, Germany. This date is commonly held to be beginning of the Protestant Reformation. Luther’s act ignited a fire that burned across Europe, the heat of which we still feel today. Five hundred years later, the Reformation is just as significant now as it was in Luther’s day. In order to see why the Reformation matters, we must learn its story.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>The Story of the Reformation</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The Catholic Church was in a dismal state, plagued by corruption and marked with doctrinal error. For a season, there were three popes claiming to be Christ’s representative on earth. The question arose, who has authority? The popes, or the church councils that appointed the popes? The authority of papacy was laughable, its morality sorrowful. One of the most notorious papal degenerates was Alexander VI. He became pope by buying his position, had children by mistresses, and held drunken orgies at the Vatican. The Pope of Luther’s day, Leo X, was agnostic. In Catholic teaching, one had to make penance for sin, and what sin remained that wasn’t covered by penance would have to be paid for in purgatory. Some extraordinary saints had achieved so much merit through righteous living, there was a storehouse, a treasury of merit. The church taught that individuals could purchase this merit for their own sins or the sins of their loved ones in purgatory. These were called indulgences. The church blended sanctification with justification and added works to faith as necessary for salvation. Church services were in Latin so that both the clergy conducting the service and the laity attending the service were ignorant of what was actually being said. The Bible of the day was the Latin Vulgate which isolated people from having the living, powerful, word of God in their own language. The church was ready for reform, and some heroes would rise to the occasion.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Years before Luther were the Morning Stars of the Reformation: British theologian <a href="https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/the-morning-star-of-the-reformation">John Wycliffe (1320-1384) </a>and Bohemian professor <a href="https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/the-goosefather">John Huss (1374-1415)</a>. Wycliffe argued that spiritual authority was not the papacy, but Scripture. He rejected the Catholic doctrine that the elements of communion were transformed into the actual body and blood of Christ. His greatest achievement and contribution was his translation of the Latin Vulgate Bible into English. Wycliffe died a natural death, John Huss did not. Like Wycliffe, Huss fought for the authority of the Bible over the papacy and denied their right for the issuing of indulgences. In 1414, the Council of Constance condemned Wycliffe and Huss as heretics. Wycliffe’s body was dug up, burned, and his ashes thrown into the river. Huss was stripped of his priestly clothes, bound to the stake and burned. As he was swallowed by flames he recited some Psalms. Before his execution, Huss had said to his captors, “You may roast this goose, but a hundred years from now a swan will arise whose singing you will not be able to silence.”</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Huss’s words proved to be prophetic. One hundred and two years after the burning of Huss, <a href="https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/here-he-stood">Martin Luther (1483-1546)</a> took a mallet to the church at Wittenburg. Luther had been a monk tormented with his inability to live righteously. He visited Rome and was bothered by what he saw there— licentious sin and gross immorality. He was plagued by his conscience and disaffected with the church. His spiritual discontent was slowly building. It was Johann Tetzel who brought Luther to a full on boil. In Rome, Pope Leo X was reconstructing St. Peter’s Basilica and needed money. To achieve this, Johann Tetzel became a salesman of indulgences. “When the coin in the coffer rings, the soul from purgatory springs,” Tetzel would proclaim. He would play on his hearer's emotions and ask them if they heard the voices of their loved ones crying out from the torment of Purgatory. He brazenly announced that indulgences could free you from Purgatory even if you raped the Mother of God. Luther was disgusted, and formulated his Ninety Five Thesis which were problems he saw in the church that needed reform. At this stage, Luther was a good catholic, and only wanted to see the church made pure. While we look to the the nailing of the Thesis to the church door as an epic moment, it was extraordinarily ordinary. Church doors functioned like community bulletin boards, and Luther was simply calling for an academic discussion. He had no idea what his action would set into motion. Teztel called out for Luther to be burned, and Luther soon found himself in debate with Catholic theologian John Eck. Their debate quickly turned to the question of authority, where Luther identified authority as being in Scripture alone as opposed to the Catholic understanding of authority being in Scripture plus tradition. Eck accused Luther of being a heretic like Wycliffe and Huss, and to Luther’s surprise he discovered that he was indeed teaching what the Morning Stars of the Reformation had taught one hundred years before him. During this time, Luther became truly born again. It was in his reading of the book of Romans, that Luther finally understood the beauty of the Gospel. We could not ourselves become righteous—that was Luther’s agony. In salvation, God declares us righteous and we are covered by Christ’s blood. This was sheer joy to a troubled Luther. He began to write profusely, spreading evangelical theology. In 1520, he was excommunicated by the pope. In 1521, Luther appeared at the Diet of Worms before Emperor Charles V to defend himself. There, Luther was told to recant. It was here, that he uttered these triumphant words</span></span><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">“Since then Your Majesty and your lordships desire a simple reply, I will answer without horns and without teeth. Unless I am convicted by Scripture and plain reason—I do not accept the authority of popes and councils, for they have contradicted each other—my conscience is captive to the Word of God. I cannot and I will not recant anything, for to go against conscience is neither right nor safe. Here I stand; I cannot do otherwise. God help me. Amen.”</span></span></blockquote>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Following Worms, Luther lived daily under the shadow of possible martyrdom. On his return to Wittenburg, he was kidnapped by Frederick the Wise so that way he could be protected. In God’s providence this proved a fruitful time for Luther’s writing. He translated the Bible from the original languages into German. This translation was a masterpiece and with it, Luther became the father of the modern German language. His translation of Scripture would be as influential on the German language as the King James Version would on the English speaking world. Like Wycliffe before him, Luther gave the people the Bible in their own language. He unleashed the power of the word. Mercifully, Luther would die a natural death in 1546.</span></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">John Calvin</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The Reformation was not contained to Germany, it spread across Europe. In Switzerland</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/the-swiss-giant">Ulrich Zwingli (1484-1531)</a> and <a href="https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/the-genius-of-geneva">John Calvin (1509-1564) </a>were instrumental. In Zurich, Zwingli attacked indulgences, ended the Mass, and was committed to expository preaching. He would meet his end on the battlefield as a chaplain defending Zurich against an invading Catholic army. In Geneva, Calvin was the great pastor theologian. Like Zwingli, Calvin was committed to expository preaching. He was a master exegete of Scripture. His commentaries are still as helpful today as they were when he published them. He gifted the church with one of the first systematic theologies ever written, <i>Institutes of the Christian Religion</i>. He died a natural death in 1564.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">In England, the Reformation found its origin in King Henry VIII's desire for a male heir. When he was not granted a divorce he broke from the Church of Rome and founded the Church of England. Though separated from Rome, Henry did not permit the Bible to be read in the common language. <a href="https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/the-underground-translator">William Tyndale (1494-1536) </a>defied Henry and translated the Bible from its original languages into English. He once said to a Catholic cleric, "If God spare my life, ere many years pass, I will cause the boy that driveth the plough in England to know more the Scriptures than thou dost." For his crime of putting the Bible into the hands of the people, Tyndale was burned at the stake.</span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> All English readers owe a great debt to Tyndale. He was a translation
pioneer, being the first person to translate the Bible into English from
Hebrew and Greek. Additionally, most of our English
translations of the Bible still use some of Tyndale’s renderings. This
is especially true for the English Standard Version as the ESV is
Tyndale’s heir in the classic mainstream of English translations.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">While Henry was a devout Catholic, the man he put in charge of the Church of England <a href="https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/the-gospel-lobbyist">Thomas Cranmer (1489-1556)</a>, was not. During Henry's life, the reformation in England was turbulent and Cranmer was reserved in his reform. With Henry's death and the installation of his Protestant son Edward VI, Cranmer's restraint ended and he got to work reforming the church. During these golden years of English Reformation, churches were purged of Catholic symbolism, preaching was done in English, the Forty-two Articles of Religion and <i>The Book of Common Prayer</i> were published. In England, the priest performing the Mass was replaced by evangelical preachers boldly proclaiming the Gospel. Things would take a dramatic turn for the worse, however, with the death of Edward. A plan was made to install Protestant teenager <a href="https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/the-teenage-martyr">Lady Jane Grey</a> as queen. She held the throne for nine days before Mary I took the throne and had Lady Jane Grey beheaded. Following a failed effort to keep England Protestant, Bloody Mary reversed course and made England Catholic. Many Protestant heroes died under her reign, among them Thomas Bilney, <a href="https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/the-british-candle">Hugh Latimer, Nicholas Ridley</a>, and Thomas Cranmer. Tied to the stake with Ridley, Latimer said these triumphant words, "Be of good comfort, and play the man, Master Ridley; we shall this day light such a candle, by God's grace, in England, as I trust shall never be put out." After being forced to watch his friends Ridley and Latimer burn to death, an elderly Cranmer would in a moment of weakness sign a recantation. At his own burning, though, Cranmer would redeem himself. Tied to the stake, he proclaimed, " for as much as my hand offended, writing contrary to my heart, my hand shall first be punished there-for." With that, Cranmer plunged his hand into the flames and allowed it to be burned first, before he succumbed to a martyr's death. Some three hundred protestants met their end under Bloody Mary. In God's good providence, Mary's reign was short and she was succeeded by her Protestant sister, Elizabeth I. Elizabeth maintained Protestant theology in the churches, but allowed for Catholic ceremonies and practices to return. It was this "Elizabethan Settlement" that gave birth to the Puritan movement.</span></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The burning of Ridley and Latimer </td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span></span><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Why the Reformation Matters</span></span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The Reformation is a story filled with larger than life personalities, but it would be a mistake to make our celebration of the Reformation be centered upon personality. The Protestant Reformation is the story of the gospel being restored. This took the form of five major points: God's Word Alone, Faith Alone, Grace Alone, Christ Alone, God's Glory Alone.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Our authority is God's Word Alone:</span></span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Galatians 1:6-9</b> <span class="text Gal-1-6">I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel—</span> <span class="text Gal-1-7" id="en-ESV-29048"><sup class="versenum">7 </sup>not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ.</span> <span class="text Gal-1-8" id="en-ESV-29049"><sup class="versenum">8 </sup>But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed.</span> <span class="text Gal-1-9" id="en-ESV-29050"><sup class="versenum">9 </sup>As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed.</span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>2 Timothy 3:16-17</b> <span class="text 2Tim-3-16" id="en-ESV-29853">All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,</span> <span class="text 2Tim-3-17" id="en-ESV-29854"><sup class="versenum">17 </sup>that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.</span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Jude 3</b> <span class="text Jude-1-3"><sup class="versenum"> </sup>Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints.</span></span></span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Salvation is by grace alone,</span></span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Romans 3:23-25</b> <span class="text Rom-3-23" id="en-ESV-27999">for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,</span> <span class="text Rom-3-24" id="en-ESV-28000"><sup class="versenum">24 </sup>and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,</span> <span class="text Rom-3-25" id="en-ESV-28001"><sup class="versenum">25 </sup>whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins.</span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Ephesians 2:4-10</b> <span class="text Eph-2-4" id="en-ESV-29217">But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us,</span> <span class="text Eph-2-5" id="en-ESV-29218"><sup class="versenum">5 </sup>even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—</span> <span class="text Eph-2-6" id="en-ESV-29219"><sup class="versenum">6 </sup>and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,</span> <span class="text Eph-2-7" id="en-ESV-29220"><sup class="versenum">7 </sup>so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.</span> <span class="text Eph-2-8" id="en-ESV-29221"><sup class="versenum">8 </sup>For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,</span> <span class="text Eph-2-9" id="en-ESV-29222"><sup class="versenum">9 </sup>not a result of works, so that no one may boast.</span> <span class="text Eph-2-10" id="en-ESV-29223"><sup class="versenum">10 </sup>For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.</span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Titus 3:5</b> he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit,<span class="p"><br /> </span></span></span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">through faith alone,</span></span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Romans 4:4-5</b> <span class="text Rom-4-4" id="en-ESV-28011">Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due.</span> <span class="text Rom-4-5" id="en-ESV-28012"><sup class="versenum">5 </sup>And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness,</span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Galatians 2:16</b> <span class="text Gal-2-16" id="en-ESV-29081"><sup class="versenum"> </sup>yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.</span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Ephesians 2:8-10</b> <span class="text Eph-2-8" id="en-ESV-29221">For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,</span> <span class="text Eph-2-9" id="en-ESV-29222"><sup class="versenum">9 </sup>not a result of works, so that no one may boast.</span> <span class="text Eph-2-10" id="en-ESV-29223"><sup class="versenum">10 </sup>For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.</span></span></span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">in Christ alone,</span></span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>John 14:6</b> <span class="text John-14-6" id="en-ESV-26663">Jesus said to him, <span class="woj">“I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.</span></span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>2 Corinthians 5:21</b> <span class="text 2Cor-5-21" id="en-ESV-28882">For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.</span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>1 Timothy 2:5</b> For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,<span class="p"><br /> </span></span></span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">to God's glory alone.</span></span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Romans 11:33-36 </b><span class="text Rom-11-33" id="en-ESV-28227">Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! </span><span class="text Rom-11-34" id="en-ESV-28228"><sup class="versenum">34 </sup>“For who has known the mind of the Lord,</span><span class="indent-1"> <span class="text Rom-11-34">or who has been his counselor?” </span></span><span class="text Rom-11-35" id="en-ESV-28229"><sup class="versenum">35 </sup>“Or who has given a gift to him</span><span class="indent-1"> <span class="text Rom-11-35">that he might be repaid?”</span></span><span class="text Rom-11-36" id="en-ESV-28230"><sup class="versenum">36 </sup>For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.</span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Ephesians 1:4-6</b> <span class="text Eph-1-4" id="en-ESV-29194">even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love</span> <span class="text Eph-1-5" id="en-ESV-29195"><sup class="versenum">5 </sup>he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will,</span> <span class="text Eph-1-6" id="en-ESV-29196"><sup class="versenum">6 </sup>to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved.</span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Ephesians 1:11-12 </b><span class="text Eph-1-11" id="en-ESV-29201">In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will,</span> <span class="text Eph-1-12" id="en-ESV-29202"><sup class="versenum">12 </sup>so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory.</span></span></span><br />
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</ul>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The Reformation matters because the Five Solas are non-negotiable. They are not light statements. They are not trivial. They are essential. Belief in the authority of the Bible alone and salvation by faith alone, in Christ alone, to God's glory alone is the marrow of genuine Christianity.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The Reformation matters because it isn't disconnected history that doesn't impact us. It greatly impacts us because it is <i>our</i> history. Lutherans, Presbyterians, Anglicans, Baptists Brethren, Congregationalists, Mennonites, Methodists, and Independent Churches can all trace their roots to the Reformation.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The Reformation matters because the chasm between Catholicism and Evangelicalism remains. The Catholic church still affirms the Council of Trent, where Protestant theology was damned, indulgences upheld, transubstantiation maintained, and salvation by faith alone denied. Catholics and Protestants who see unity, only see unity because of ignorance--the Catholic is ignorant of his own church's teachings and traditions, and the Protestant is ignorant of Scripture<i>.</i></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The Reformation matters because the evangelical church today desperately needs reformed. The Bible is not treated as the ultimate authority. For some, feelings, impressions, and folk wisdom are placed on the same level as Scripture. Biblical illiteracy, lack of discretion, and belief in continued revelation demand the need for the teaching of the ultimate authority of the Bible alone. Anxiety about standing before God, and confusion about the place of works in the Christian life proves the need for the instruction of salvation by faith alone and grace alone. Cowardice in a pluralistic world that is too afraid to affirm exclusivity of salvation in Christ show cases the need for the teaching of Christ alone. Personal fixation that borders on self worship in songs we sing, and the pragmatic organization of ministries around the felt needs of individuals begs for the renewed teaching of God's glory alone.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The Reformation matters because it shows us the way forward. The Reformation is most significant because it is the story of the unleashing of God’s Word. Wycliffe, Tyndale, and Luther all gave the common man the opportunity to read the Bible in his own language. As majestic as the story of these big personalities taking on a corrupt church is, the power of the Reformation was not personality. The power all along was the Bible. If the church today would be reformed, God’s Word must again be unleashed. By looking to the past we get direction for our future.</span></span><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">"Take me, for example. I opposed indulgences and all papists, but never by force. I simply taught, preached, wrote God's Word: otherwise I did nothing. And then, while I slept or drank Wittenberg beer with my Philip of Amsdorf the Word so greatly weakened the papacy that never a prince or emperor did such damage to it. I did nothing: the Word did it all. Had I wanted to start trouble.... I could have started such a little game at Worms that even the emperor wouldn't have been safe. But what would it have been? A mug's game. I did nothing: I left it to the Word." ~ Martin Luther<span class="text Heb-4-12" id="en-ESV-30010"></span></span></span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span class="text Heb-4-12" id="en-ESV-30010">"For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart." ~ Hebrews 4:12<br /> </span></span></span></blockquote>
<b><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Further Reading</span></span></b><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>The Unquenchable Flame: Discovering the Heart of the Reformation</i> by Michael Reeves</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>The Reformation: How a Monk and Mallet Changed the World</i> by Stephen J. Nichols</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Why the Reformation Still Matters </i>by Michael Reeves and Tim Chester</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Theology of the Reformers </i>by Timothy George</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The Five Solas Series</span></span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>God's Word Alone: The Authority of Scripture</i> by Matthew Barrett</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Faith Alone: The Doctrine of Justification</i> by Thomas Schreiner</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Grace Alone: Salvation as a Gift of God</i> by Carl Trueman</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Christ Alone: The Uniqueness of Jesus as Savior</i> by Stephen Wellum</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>God's Glory Alone: The Majestic Heart of the Christian Faith and Life</i> by David VanDrunen</span></span></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
Josh Valdezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09859263750420231817noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3720220119123010030.post-46269657231173519152017-10-03T18:16:00.000-06:002017-10-05T15:52:28.552-06:00Why Theology Matters <span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">When we speak of theology, some Christians instinctively recoil. It
doesn’t have any practical significance in day to day life. It is
inherently divisive.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Those statements are false. Theology is imminently practical, in fact
it effects every aspect of your life. Christian unity isn’t an
undefined embrace of all voices and all teachings. True Christian unity
is unity in the truth (John 17:17). Theology matters. Below are five
reasons why theology matters.</span></span><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Theology is Universal</span></span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">You are a theologian. You may not have known that, but it’s true.
Theology is the study of God. Everyone is a theologian because everyone
has thoughts about God. The question is not whether or not you are a
theologian. The question is, are you a good theologian? A.W. Tozer
majestically articulates this in his masterpiece, <i>The Knowledge of the Holy</i> [1]:</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>What comes into our minds when we think about God is
the most important thing about us. The history of mankind will probably
show that no people has ever risen above its religion, and man’s
spiritual history will positively demonstrate that no religion has ever
been greater than its idea of God. Worship is pure or base as the
worshiper entertains high or low thoughts of God. For this reason the
gravest question before the Church is always God Himself, and the most
portentous fact about any man is not what he at a given time may say or
do, but what he in his deep heart conceives God to be like. We tend by a
secret law of the soul to move toward our mental image of God. This is
true not only of the individual Christian, but of the company of
Christians that composes the Church. Always the most revealing thing
about the Church is her idea of God.<br />
</i></span></span></blockquote>
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<b><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Theology Determines Behavior</span></span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">
</span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">In 1 Timothy 1:18-19, Paul links theology and behavior</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span class="text 1Tim-1-18" id="en-ESV-29698">This
charge I entrust to you, Timothy, my child, in accordance with the
prophecies previously made about you, that by them you may wage the good
warfare,</span> <span class="text 1Tim-1-19" id="en-ESV-29699"><sup class="versenum">19 </sup>holding faith and a good conscience. </span></span></span></blockquote>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">
</span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">If we, as Christians, are going to wage the good warfare—if we’re
going to succeed in our spiritual lives then we must have right belief
and right behavior. In other words, we must have right theology because
our theology will determine our behavior. In Romans 1:21-27 we see the
destruction that ensues when people think wrongly about God:</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span class="text Rom-1-21" id="en-ESV-27936"><sup class="versenum">21 </sup>For
although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to
him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts
were darkened.</span> <span class="text Rom-1-22" id="en-ESV-27937"><sup class="versenum">22 </sup>Claiming to be wise, they became fools,</span> <span class="text Rom-1-23" id="en-ESV-27938"><sup class="versenum">23 </sup>and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span class="text Rom-1-24" id="en-ESV-27939"><sup class="versenum">24 </sup>Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves,</span> <span class="text Rom-1-25" id="en-ESV-27940"><sup class="versenum">25 </sup>because
they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served
the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span class="text Rom-1-26" id="en-ESV-27941"><sup class="versenum">26 </sup>For
this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women
exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature;</span> <span class="text Rom-1-27" id="en-ESV-27942"><sup class="versenum">27 </sup>and
the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed
with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men
and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error.</span></span></span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">What we believe about God will determine everything about us. It will
determine how we live. If we lessen or dismiss God’s taking of sin
seriously, we will not value holiness in our lives, nor will we strive
to live godly. If we don’t take God’s teaching about his church
seriously, then our ministry philosophy will devolve to human
pragmatism. If we don’t understand that it takes the Holy Spirit’s
regeneration of heart in conversion, we may be tempted to manipulate
emotions. In every aspect of life, our theology will determine our
behavior.</span></span><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Theology Equips for Witness</span></span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">
</span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">In Matthew 28:18-20, Jesus gives what has been rightly called the Great Commission:</span></span><br />
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</span></span>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span class="text Matt-28-18" id="en-ESV-24210"><sup class="versenum"> </sup>And Jesus came and said to them, <span class="woj">“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.</span></span> <span class="text Matt-28-19" id="en-ESV-24211"><span class="woj"><sup class="versenum">19 </sup>Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,</span></span> <span class="text Matt-28-20" id="en-ESV-24212"><span class="woj"><sup class="versenum">20 </sup>teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”</span></span></span></span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">As Christians, our purpose is to make disciples of others. When we
preach the Gospel we are preaching theology. God has given us the law to
convict us of sin (Rom. 3:9; Gal. 3:24). Every person is born with a
sin nature and will sin (Rom. 3:23; 5:12). Jesus lived a perfect life,
earning righteousness for his people (Matt. 5:17-20). Jesus died in the
place of sinners (John 3:16; 1 John 2:2). Through the death of Christ,
the sin of the elect is placed upon him and his righteousness covers his
people (2 Cor. 5:21). These benefits are applied to individuals as they
repent from their sin and believe (Mark 1:14-15; Rom. 10:9).</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">All of these statements are theological statements because they are
making statements about God, the nature of humanity, Christ’s work, and
our salvation. Christian witness is a theological endeavor.</span></span><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Theology Protects from Error</span></span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">In 1 Timothy 4:16, Paul says something truly remarkable. He writes, “<span class="text 1Tim-4-16" id="en-ESV-29747">Keep
a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this, for by
so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers.” What Paul is
telling Timothy in this verse is that if he wants to succeed in
ministry, then he must keep a close watch on himself and the teaching.
Paul tells Timothy that his well being and his congregation’s well being
are determined by Timothy’s personal holiness and his theology.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span class="text 1Tim-4-16" id="en-ESV-29747"><br />
</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">False doctrine has always plagued the church. It is a constant threat
(2 Tim. 4:3). Often in Paul’s letters, he is responding to false
doctrine.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Christians are told to identify and separate from false doctrine and false teachers:</span></span><br />
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<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Romans 16:17-19</b> <span class="text Rom-16-17">I
appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and
create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught;
avoid them.</span> <span class="text Rom-16-18" id="en-ESV-28339"><sup class="versenum">18 </sup>For
such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites, and
by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive.</span> <span class="text Rom-16-19" id="en-ESV-28340"><sup class="versenum">19 </sup>For
your obedience is known to all, so that I rejoice over you, but I want
you to be wise as to what is good and innocent as to what is evil.</span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>2 Thessalonians 3:6 </b><span class="text 2Thess-3-6"><b><sup class="versenum"> </sup></b>Now
we command you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that
you keep away from any brother who is walking in idleness and not in
accord with the tradition that you received from us</span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b> 2 John 1:10</b> <span class="text 2John-1-10" id="en-ESV-30639">If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house or give him any greeting</span></span></span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Additionally, Christians are called to fight against false teaching and false teachers.</span></span><br />
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<ul>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>2 Timothy 4:2</b> <span class="text 2Tim-4-2" id="en-ESV-29856">preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.</span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Titus 1:9</b> <span class="text Titus-1-9" id="en-ESV-29885">He
must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be
able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who
contradict it.</span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Titus 1:13</b> This testimony is true. Therefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith,</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Jude 3</b> <span class="text Jude-1-3">Beloved,
although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I
found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith
that was once for all delivered to the saints.</span></span></span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Sometimes Christians are even called to rebuke other Christians for
behaving in a way that confirms false teaching. In Galatians, Paul
recounts his rebuking of Peter. Peter was not teaching false doctrine,
but he was behaving in a way that affirmed false doctrine.</span></span><br />
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<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Galatians 2:11-16</b><span class="text Gal-2-11"> But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned.</span> <span class="text Gal-2-12" id="en-ESV-29077"><sup class="versenum">12 </sup>For
before certain men came from James, he was eating with the Gentiles;
but when they came he drew back and separated himself, fearing the
circumcision party.</span> <span class="text Gal-2-13" id="en-ESV-29078"><sup class="versenum">13 </sup>And the rest of the Jews acted hypocritically along with him, so that even Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy.</span> <span class="text Gal-2-14" id="en-ESV-29079"><sup class="versenum">14 </sup>But
when I saw that their conduct was not in step with the truth of the
gospel, I said to Cephas before them all, “If you, though a Jew, live
like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you force the Gentiles to
live like Jews?” </span><span class="text Gal-2-15"><sup class="versenum">15 </sup>We ourselves are Jews by birth and not Gentile sinners;</span> <span class="text Gal-2-16" id="en-ESV-29081"><sup class="versenum">16 </sup>yet
we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through
faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in
order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law,
because by works of the law no one will be justified.</span><span class="text Gal-2-14" id="en-ESV-29079"></span></span></span></li>
</ul>
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</span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Identifying, separating from, and confronting false teaching and
false teachers requires our knowing right teaching. If we are going to
be obedient to God, then we must take theology seriously.</span></span><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Theology Leads to Worship</span></span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">
</span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">When we speak of worship, many Christians have in mind the part of
the Sunday morning service where we sing songs to God. Sunday morning
singing is part of worship, but it is not all of worship. For the
Christian, all of life is worship. Paul makes this clear in Romans
12:1-2</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">
</span></span>
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<blockquote>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span class="text Rom-12-1">I appeal to you therefore,
brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living
sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.</span> <span class="text Rom-12-2" id="en-ESV-28232"><sup class="versenum">2 </sup>Do
not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of
your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what
is good and acceptable and perfect.</span></span></span></blockquote>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Worship is a lifestyle. Not conforming to the world is worship.
Renewing our mind through through the Bible is worship. Discerning what
God deems good, acceptable, and perfect is worship.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">
</span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Theology helps us in all of these areas. Theology helps us worship
God. Good theology always leads to worship because it teaches us about
God and his ways. Consider Paul’s doxological outbreak in Romans
11:33-36:</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">
</span></span>
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<blockquote>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span class="text Rom-11-33" id="en-ESV-28227"><sup class="versenum">33 </sup>Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!</span></span></span></div>
<div class="line">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span class="text Rom-11-34" id="en-ESV-28228"><sup class="versenum">34 </sup>“For who has known the mind of the Lord,</span><br />
<span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Rom-11-34">or who has been his counselor?”</span></span></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span class="text Rom-11-35" id="en-ESV-28229"><sup class="versenum">35 </sup>“Or who has given a gift to him</span><br />
<span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Rom-11-35">that he might be repaid?”</span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="first-line-none top-1">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span class="text Rom-11-36" id="en-ESV-28230"><sup class="versenum">36 </sup>For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.</span></span></span></div>
</blockquote>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">
</span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Paul has just finished teaching deep theology. Romans 9-11 is all
about God’s incredible program of salvation. At the conclusion of this
weighty teaching, Paul’s heart has been so uplifted he cannot help but
worship!</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">
</span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">If you desire for your affections to burn for God, then you must fill
your mind with him. Theology is an excellent tool to help us understand
who God is and what he does. Proper theology will always lead to
praise.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">
</span></span>
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<b><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Conclusion</span></span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Theology matters. Theology matters because it is universal, everyone
is a theologian. Theology matters because what we believe about God will
determine our behavior. Theology matters because it enables us to be
effectively share the Gospel. Theology matters because it protects from
error and equips us to confront false teaching. Theology matters because
it leads to worship.</span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">
</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">
</span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">_______________</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">
</span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">[1] A.W. Tozer, <i>The Knowledge of the Holy</i> (New York: HarperOne, 1961), 1.</span></span>Josh Valdezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09859263750420231817noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3720220119123010030.post-62345118926724344332017-09-11T15:43:00.003-06:002017-09-11T15:49:20.184-06:00Book Recommendation: Katharina and Martin Luther<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVk4EnC8fJ3nsetZtN1C2IQdGi-TcxfXN7kyjdFp8wSfIgoBKp1xMiMI0HZv1AC8KTOV4-29dkO1bcXM5YQvsw2QdjpBGN9vgSNSLrPw97a78o6MzwMNxBP7_XskE5XPBEwK4-pJj8eZI/s1600/9780801019104.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1052" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVk4EnC8fJ3nsetZtN1C2IQdGi-TcxfXN7kyjdFp8wSfIgoBKp1xMiMI0HZv1AC8KTOV4-29dkO1bcXM5YQvsw2QdjpBGN9vgSNSLrPw97a78o6MzwMNxBP7_XskE5XPBEwK4-pJj8eZI/s400/9780801019104.jpg" width="262" /></a><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Michelle DeRusha, <i>Katharina and Martin Luther: The Radical Marriage of a Runaway Nun and a Renegade Monk</i>. Baker Books, 2017. 315 pages. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">2017 marks the 500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation. The major Christian publishers have released several strong titles commemorating this monumental anniversary. Michelle DeRusha's <i>Katharina and Martin Luther</i> is one of these works. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Katharina and Martin Luthe</i>r consists of eighteen chapters and an appendix:</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">1--To the Cloister School</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">2--A Nun without a Choice</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">3--A Family Rift</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">4--The Good Monk</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">5--The Road to Damascus and Nail in the Door</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">6--Hear This, O Pope!</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">7--The Risks of Freedom</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">8--Escape</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">9--Marriage Makeover</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">10--Tying the Knot</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">11--Backlash</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">12--Hausfrau Extraordinaire</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">13--Two Pigtails on the Pillow</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">14--A Family Affair</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">15--The Noblest, Most Precious Work</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">16--In the Valley of the Shadow of Death</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">17--'Til Death Did Them Part</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">18--A Chancy Thing</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Appendix </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Much has been written about the thunderous reformer, Martin Luther. Some has been written about his wife Katharina. There have been almost no books written about their radical marriage. Michelle DeRusha's purpose in writing <i>Katharina and Martin Luther</i> is to fill this void. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">This book is an excellent resource to learn more about the Luthers, especially Katharina. The book begins by tracing her origins and story. How she was raised and some of her personality is seen in these chapters. What becomes clear is just how perfect of a fit she was for Martin Luther. Next, Martin Luther's well known journey from the monastery to the church door in Wittenburg, to his mantle of reformer is rehashed. Finally, DeRusha gives us a portrait of their marriage. Along the way we are instructed on broader historical developments and given cultural insights. The book concludes with an appendix that is a collection of three letters from the Luthers. The finished product is a great, one volume resource on the Luthers and their marriage. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">DeRusha's purpose was to write about Katharina Luther and Luther's marriage. She has succeeded. This is a well written history of a marriage against the backdrop of the monumental Protestant Reformation. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I
received this book free from Baker Books through the Baker Books
Bloggers Program. The opinions I
have expressed are my own, and I was not required to write a positive
review.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span></span><br />
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<br /></span></span>Josh Valdezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09859263750420231817noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3720220119123010030.post-65360552150487687262017-07-03T11:04:00.001-06:002017-07-03T11:04:56.179-06:00God Among Sages: A Recommendation <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu4CSHC06UwICWd1rbPwfkJikPnjA1g9zsAqBtPURyqbvaVH0LpipvssBx9PSOAJggs1utSDNddSP82ltx_bnZ1lR7B10pMFgiTJ_WZnJZPGsC5q24HH6Knl5f5hNC3RQrgBD0hIpuacA/s1600/9780801016905.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1068" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu4CSHC06UwICWd1rbPwfkJikPnjA1g9zsAqBtPURyqbvaVH0LpipvssBx9PSOAJggs1utSDNddSP82ltx_bnZ1lR7B10pMFgiTJ_WZnJZPGsC5q24HH6Knl5f5hNC3RQrgBD0hIpuacA/s400/9780801016905.jpeg" width="266" /></a><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Kenneth Richard Samples, <i>God Among Sages: Why Jesus is Not Just Another Religious Leader.</i> Baker Books, 2017. 262 Pages. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">"Who is Jesus Christ?" That is the most important question that anyone can ask. How we answer that question will literally determine our destiny. Kenneth Samples has written <i>God Among Sages </i>to be "a primer for Christians who want to deepen their understanding of Christ's identity, especially in light of the competing spiritual sages" (xviii).</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>God Among Sages</i> consists of ten chapters and a conclusion. It is divided into three main sections.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Part 1: The Historic Christian Portrait of Jesus Christ</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> 1. Jesus's Stunning Self-Understanding</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> 2. The Matchless Life of Jesus</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> 3. A Historic Christology</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> 4. Answering Challenges to Jesus's Historic Identity</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Part 2: Four Major Leaders of World Religions and Jesus</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> 5. The Prince (Krishna) and the Lord</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> 6. The Buddha (Gautama) and the Christ</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> 7. The Teacher (Confucius) and the Savior</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> 8. The Prophet (Muhammed) and the Son of God</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Part 3: Christianity and the World's Religions</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> 9. Truth, Tolerance, and the Plurality of Religious Claims</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> 10. Biblical Perspective on the World's Religions </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Conclusion </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>God Among Sages</i> begins with a basic Christology. Samples opens the Bible and demonstrates that Jesus considered himself God. Further his moral uprightness, authoritative teaching, and miraculous abilities vindicated Jesus self understanding. Samples does an excellent job surveying the church's historic understanding of Jesus and provides answers for skeptics. This first part of the book is comprised of systematic theology, historical theology, and apologetics.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Part 2 is the comparison and contrast of Jesus and Christianity with four religious leaders and religions. Four religions are examined in this second section: Bhaki Hinduism, Buddihism, Confucianism and Islam. The same format is used in each chapter. First, Samples compares the religious founder with Christ on eight points: history, nature, character, mission, role, state, life, future. Next, Samples compares the religion with Christianity on six worldview points: cosmos, ultimate reality, history, human beings, human predicament, solution. The last category of comparison is the religion and Christianity on five points: problem, need, solution, goal, assurance. Samples closes each chapter with suggestions for evangelistic encounters with the discussed religion.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Part 3 is comprised of two chapters and a conclusion. These chapters deal with Christianity's relationship with competing religions. The discussion of pluralism, inclusivism and Christian exclusivism serves as a natural close to this helpful volume. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Ken Samples has authored an excellent, one volume resource contrasting Jesus Christ with competing religious founders and ideologies. I would recommend this book to any Christian needing to bolster his understanding of Christ. Additionally, this resource makes for a great volume to pass along to skeptics of Christ and Christian exclusivism. With a comparison/contrast model, readers get to see the similarities and real differences between major religions and Christianity. What becomes very clear in this study is that Jesus is vastly superior to human sages. Unlike these mere human founders, Jesus was morally perfect and his life is grounded in the reality of history. Additionally, with this comparison Christianity shines as light in darkness, truth in a world of error. With a Christianity that is growing increasingly ignorant of the exclusivity of Christ's teachings, Kenneth Samples' <i>God Among Sages</i> is a most welcome book and worthy of recommendation. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I
received this book free from Baker Books through the Baker Books
Bloggers www.bakerbooks.com/bakerbooksbloggers program. The opinions I
have expressed are my own, and I was not required to write a positive
review.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span>Josh Valdezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09859263750420231817noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3720220119123010030.post-63214466109512003312017-06-01T14:22:00.010-06:002017-06-01T17:36:56.288-06:00Reflections After Two Years<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLLMEVDVJlcgLeZzSRDCM7EfrFOaSdMGq0wodau_Ppcyx_FNzPMMl9cl9llGHrxXEpuKn_3HdUGXiKKtnREq8a7NfYVlwB-XL3h8iq8mAhh5EyWv8g6ULKFDU7RaGOhHzx1rnEGFJ9Djk/s1600/Building+Exterior+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLLMEVDVJlcgLeZzSRDCM7EfrFOaSdMGq0wodau_Ppcyx_FNzPMMl9cl9llGHrxXEpuKn_3HdUGXiKKtnREq8a7NfYVlwB-XL3h8iq8mAhh5EyWv8g6ULKFDU7RaGOhHzx1rnEGFJ9Djk/s400/Building+Exterior+2.jpg" width="400" /></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Two years ago I started in ministry at Desert Heights Church. It has been a fast and fulfilling couple of years. After what seemed like an eternity of schooling, I am finally getting to do what I love at a place I love. Desert Heights Church is the church I’ve always longed for. It’s a church that is serious about the Bible. The weekly diet of preaching is an expository feast. In my two years at DHC, we’ve worked through 1-2 Timothy, Hosea, Joel, Amos, and we just started 1 Thessalonians. Verse by verse preaching creates an appetite within people for substantive, authoritative preaching. Many of our people are regularly reading and journaling through the Bible. Desert Heights is a healthy and growing church. As a pastor, I am growing along with it. Below are some reflections on my two year anniversary of ministry at DHC. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /><b>Equipping Classes</b><br />At Desert Heights, we don’t have a traditional Sunday school program. Our heart is to equip our people to serve knowledgeably and effectively. We do this by developing and offering college-level Bible courses we call <a href="http://desertheightschurch.com/ministries">Equipping Classes.</a> Over the past two years, we’ve offered classes in ministerial philosophy, Bible overviews, Old and New Testament surveys, and several classes of systematic theology: the Bible, The Kingdom, God, Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit, and Man and Sin. I’m looking forward to teaching the doctrine of salvation, and the doctrine of the church later this year. Interest is growing in our Equipping Classes and it excites me to see people interested in enriching their walk with God through the study of doctrine. <br /><br /><b>Life Groups</b><br />Throughout the week several people from DHC meet together in homes for a time of building one another up, praying together, and sharing what God has been teaching them through his word. Because as a church we are all on the same Bible reading and journaling plan (<a href="http://desertheightschurch.com/soap">SOAP</a>), we come to <a href="http://desertheightschurch.com/life-groups">Life Group </a>having read the same chapters of the Bible. Hearing how God has specified his word to each person is a rich experience. Often, people point out verses that made a huge impression on them but you might have missed. It is a visible testimony to God's faithful working in conforming his people to Christ. It is rewarding to having meaningful, building up, accountable, relationships with other Christians. On several occasions, people have come to Life Group with heavy hearts and the group has built them up. This is how Christian community should be. After two years at DHC, I’m pleased to see God growing Life Groups. <br /><br /><b>DHC Youth </b><br />When I first began at Desert Heights, DHC Youth was the single most discouraging part of my job. Because our church is comprised of many young families, DHC Youth went through the pains of snail-paced growth numerically and spiritually during the first year. Now, DHC Youth is my favorite part of job. DHC Youth does not have a big budget. It does not have special facilities for teenagers. It is not centered around the triviality that defines far too many youth groups. DHC Youth is a youth group that is hungry for the Bible. For the past two years we’ve been working our way through the Gospel of John. This last Tuesday, we finished chapter 16. As we've journeyed through John's theologically rich gospel, we've discussed a variety deep doctrines as the text presented them. Youth pastors who treat teenagers like they can’t handle Bible exposition are really doing these young adults a disservice. Teens need to know that Christianity is a viable and superior worldview to competing religious and secular perspectives. Teens need to understand that Jesus is lord. Teens need to submit to the authority of the Bible. The teens of DHC Youth don’t come every week because we play rad games (we don’t). They don’t come because I’m Mr. Cool (I’m not). They come to be learn. They come to interact with Christian friends. They come to receive Bible teaching. I could not be more proud of my teens, I love them and at times wonder at the privilege God has given me by entrusting them to me. It is a joy and an honor to serve them. <br /><br /><b>Shepherd’s Conference</b><br />I plan on writing a longer post on Shepherd’s Conference soon but for now I will share a few things. To put it concisely, Shepherd’s Conference was incredible. I waited years to attend and it finally happened this year. I was refreshed by the substantive preaching, doctrinal singing, and incredible fellowship with other pastors. I also got meet one of my ministerial heroes and mentors, John MacArthur. Last year I went to Together for the Gospel in Louisville, Kentucky. I am convinced that pastors should attend a conference like T4G or Shepherd's annually. It keeps them sharp through fine expository preaching, and rigorous theological discussion with close friends. Just being ministered to is itself refreshing and makes conferences like these worthwhile. Shepherd’s Conference was a delight in every way and it will become an annual event for me. I cannot wait to get back to Grace Community Church next year for this special time. <br /><br /><b>Coming Back Down to Earth</b><br />When I was at Bob Jones University, I remember Dr. Bruce McAllister speaking about those finishing seminary and entering into ministry needing to come back down to earth. After years of theological study, it’s necessary for new pastors reorient themselves from the academy to the church. This is not to say that pastors should not be engaged in scholarship or that preaching shouldn’t be theological. On the contrary, it would suit pastors and their congregations well for the pastor to reclaim his status as pastor-theologian. <br /><br />Dr. McAllister wasn’t saying to disregard theological education and be a dummy. Coming back down to earth means meeting the congregation where they are and building them up to where they need to be. Few in the church care about the distinctions between soteriological systems, or ridiculous critical theories advanced by German liberals, or who John Owen was and why they should know about him. Ordinary people in the church are concerned about the sin that is plaguing their family, or wrestling with why God would allow them to suffer through health maladies, or just how to even do something as simple as reading the Bible. Many young pastors make the mistake of speaking above their people so much that they hurt themselves long term because people assume they are arrogant or they just give up trying to follow along with the pastor is saying. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Christians should know about Arminianism and Calvinism. Christians should know about the dangers of liberal theology. Christians should know the history of the church. But most importantly, Christians should be equipped to walk with God through Bible reading, prayer, Christian community and service. The rest will fall into place when people are walking with God. <br /><br />I didn’t enter into ministry expecting people to be theological jedis nor did I try to impress anyone with C- knowledge of Greek and Hebrew. But the longer I am in ministry, the more aware I am becoming that my people need me to be an example of Christlikeness to them and need me to clearly and simply communicate to them what the Bible says. I will still teach my people systematic theology, historical theology, and church history and show them how critical it is to be familiar with these subjects. What has changed is how I do this. I am now slowing down, and being intentional with making things as simple and clear as possible. I am also learning not to get frustrated when people aren’t where I think they should be. While obvious, it's easy to overlook or to forget that not everyone has had the privilege to attend a Christian university and seminary. As long as people are walking with God, they will get to where they need to be in his time. My people don’t need me to be seminary professor. They need me to be a pastor-theologian who loves them, teaches them, and models Christ for them. Josh, teach deeply, but do it in a way that doesn’t make people feel like theology is out of their reach. Josh, encourage your people, don’t drop the hammer on them every time the opportunity presents itself. Shepherd them gently: </span></span><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="text 1Pet-5-1">"So I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed:</span> <span class="text 1Pet-5-2" id="en-ESV-30451">shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly;</span> <span class="text 1Pet-5-3" id="en-ESV-30452">not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock." ~ 1 Peter 5:1-3</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">This was probably the biggest take way from year two. God is working on my heart to be more patient, more understanding and more gentle with his people. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">My time in pastoral ministry at Desert Heights has been amazing. Being with God’s people, administrating Life Groups and Equipping Classes, leading DHC Youth, and regularly preaching and teaching have been the greatest privileges I have experienced in my life. I don’t take the role of a pastor lightly or for granted at all. It is sheer mercy that I get to do this for a living (2 Cor. 4:1). I look forward, God willing, to many more years of Desert Heights Church and of pastoral ministry. </span></span>Josh Valdezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09859263750420231817noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3720220119123010030.post-22708342606055740352017-03-12T21:25:00.001-06:002017-03-13T14:08:27.075-06:00Book Review: Meet Generation Z<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">James Emery White, <i>Meet Generation Z: Understanding and Reaching the New Post-Christian World</i>. Baker Books, 2017. 219 pages. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /><b> Overview of the Book</b><br />Meet Generation Z is divided into two parts, consisting of eight chapters total, with three appendices. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /> Part One: The New Reality<br />1. A Seventh Age, the Second Fall, and the Rise of the Nones<br />2. Meet Generation Z<br />3. When Christ and His Saints Slept <br /> Part Two: A New Approach<br />4. The Countercultural Church<br />5. Finding Our Voice<br />6. Rethinking Evangelism<br />7. Apologetics for a New Generation<br />8. Decisions<br /> Appendix A: Gay Marriage<br />Appendix B: Mapping the Spiritual World<br />Appendix C: Why Believe in God? <br /> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b> The Good</b><br />In my estimation, the real strength of Meet Generation Z is the first part: The New Reality. Here, White interacts with various statistics and sketches for us the current picture of where our culture is in regards to its social and religious perspectives. Surprisingly, while Generation Z is not religious, it is spiritually curious.<br /> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> Generation Z, according to White, is made up of those born from 1995 to 2010. Essentially, Generation Z is made up of everyone presently under the age of 25. Generation Z is characterized by five traits: 1) Recession Marked, 2) Wi-Fi Enabled, 3) Multiracial, 4) Sexually Fluid, 5) Post-Christian. <br /> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Chapters two and three were, for me, the most helpful in the book. Here, White presents Generation Z. Generation Z is losing its childhood and innocence at a younger age than any preceding generation, it is highly influenced by the music industry, and is riddled by pornography. Additionally, Generation Z's parents tend to be under protective and religiously unaffiliated.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /> The data presented here is excellent information that should interest anyone working in youth ministry. Every generation has its own quarks, and the information here orients the reader towards understanding where Generation Z is at. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /><b> The Bad</b><br />White has a commendable and desirable passion to reach Generation Z. Unfortunately the means he prescribes to reach them are seriously deficient. He advocates that the Sunday gathering of believers be fundamentally changed towards reaching the unbeliever. White writes, "Yes, I know, many churches feel that both weekend services and small groups should be discipleship oriented. We disagree. The weekend service should be, a least for now, the front door of the church for outreach. As a result, it should crafted optimally for that outreach. That often means it is not crafted optimally for discipleship" (p. 152). Everything in the service from the music played, the media used, the messages, and the dress should be oriented towards reaching the lost. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /> This understanding of nature of church is fundamentally flawed. The church is the gathering of believers. The word for church, ekklēsia, means the called out gathering or assembly. The church is comprised of those who have been called out this world of sin (1 Pet. 2:9), called to live holy lives (1 Peter 1:15-16 ) that are worthy of this great calling (Eph. 4:1). The church is the gathering of believers building each other up (1 Cor. 14:26; 1 Thess. 5:11) and pastors are those who are to equip God's people to do the work of ministry (Eph. 4:11-12). The church is the body of Christ (1 Cor. 12:17; Eph. 4:12; 5:30; Col. 1:24). This is not to say that unbelievers aren't welcome to attend the gathering of Christ's body, the church. But to orient the service for the unbeliever and not for the believer is ministerial malpractice. The Sunday gathering is for the building up of God's people. It is the responsibility of every believer to go out from the church and do the work of evangelism and discipleship (Matt. 28:18-20).</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /> White's suggested correctives flow from his errant view of the church. He advocates that we should rethink evangelism, be cultural missionaries, skew young, target men, prioritize children's ministry, cultivate a culture of invitation, disciple your mission. While some of these methods can be helpful (targeting men and having an excellent children's ministry) some of them are downright silly. White actually suggests hiring young people and going to great lengths to have young people in prominent positions on the platform or as greeters--simply because they are young. If you want to attract young people, White argues, then feature young people. The biblical model is not the rejection of young people, but young people being examples of godliness (1 Tim. 4:12-13). The Bible certainly not exalt young people just because they are young. Instead, young believers are to be discipled by older believers (Titus 2:1-8). Intentionally portraying the church as young to reach the young is pragmatic in nature and wrong. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /><b> Conclusion</b><br />Overall, I benefited from reading White's book. At Desert Heights Church, one of the hats I wear is that of youth pastor. My experience with Generation Z fits what White describes in the first part of his book. Where I profoundly disagree with White is how to reach them. At DHC, we are serious about expository preaching (explaining the biblical text). This usually takes the form of going through a book of the Bible verse by verse. We are often told by people that one of the main reasons why they stay is this commitment to the authority of the Bible manifested by verse by verse preaching. DHC Youth, which I oversee, is also committed to expository preaching. In the year and a half that I've overseen it, the youth group, made up of 13-17 year olds, has slowly grown. These teens come because they are learning and growing in their faith. I have not expended any energy in trying to dress like them, or talk like them, or strain to communicate to them using references of their culture. I have simply loved them and fed them with the Bible--which is the essence of pastoral ministry (John 21:15-19; 1 Peter 5:1-5). </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /> My one complaint--substantial complaint--with White's book is his minimization of the ordinary, God-prescribed ways of church ministry in favor of over-contextualization and pragmatism. We can and should expend much energy in reaching the lost, but it is God (John 6:44) through the power of his Gospel (Rom. 1:16-17) that will grow his church (Matt. 16:18). Generation Z like every other generation preceding it, will be reached not by man's innovation or creativity but by ordinary churches using the ordinary, God-ordained means of growth (Matt. 28:18-20; Rom. 10:14-20; 1 Cor. 1:18-25). Christ will build his church and nothing, including the gates of Hell, will prevail against it. <br /> <br /></span></span>Josh Valdezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09859263750420231817noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3720220119123010030.post-69879466576363656842017-01-20T21:01:00.004-07:002017-01-21T16:50:05.412-07:00President Donald J. Trump<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaPL0wtF6wR4s3vLF4ffm2JLuwuQtYoJTX3He3xQC1MA9Q-EwLoqM-9IFx630b3ujPSqwlDXkF90K5TQpRsXmFz98-mBrH5imbi2rBrtvYebg03k2lJc90HtvgaZa9GIhwU6bXdk6nI00/s1600/Screen+Shot+2017-01-20+at+5.09.07+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="292" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaPL0wtF6wR4s3vLF4ffm2JLuwuQtYoJTX3He3xQC1MA9Q-EwLoqM-9IFx630b3ujPSqwlDXkF90K5TQpRsXmFz98-mBrH5imbi2rBrtvYebg03k2lJc90HtvgaZa9GIhwU6bXdk6nI00/s320/Screen+Shot+2017-01-20+at+5.09.07+PM.png" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">A <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">New <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Beginning</span></span></span></b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">January 20th, 2017. <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Inauguration</span> Day. Today is <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">a</span> day t<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">o celebrate. Today is<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">the</span></span> day wh<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">ere the <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">forgotten, </span></span>American <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">worker <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">received the <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">representation</span> he so longed for. </span> </span></span>Today is the day <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">where<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> power was <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">returned</span> to the people. </span></span>Today is the day <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">when</span> globalism died<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> and American nationalism was reborn. </span></span></span></span></span><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span></span></span></b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span></span></span> </b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>The Day Everything Changed</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">In 2012, Barack Obama was well on his way to fundamentally transforming America. The world was on fire. The economy was in shambles and the middle class was <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">being crushed to death</span>. Thousands of working men and women had seen their hours and wages cut, been laid off, and lost their homes. When Barack Obama easily defeated Mitt Romney, <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">every conservative across America</span> felt the <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">sickening blow</span> of a <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">clear</span>,<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> crushing</span> defeat. There was a finality to it. The Republican leadership and party became a party of non resist<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">ance<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">, <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">then</span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">disappeared</span> from relevance. </span></span></span>Conservatism was dead.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">On June 16,2015 everything changed. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Donald Trump, the New York<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span>billionaire <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">businessman</span>, entered the race. His announcement speech was <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">electric and sent shock<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> waves across the country.<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> Trump </span></span></span>thrashed the politicians ruining the country, expressed disgust at the state of the economy, made illegal immigration a prominent issue, and vowed to make America great again. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">From that first speech throughout his entire campaign Donald Trump has campaigned on an America first platform. America's border would be secure. America's military would be strong. America's economy would recover. His political ideology moved past traditional conservatism to American nationalism. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Trump</span> descended from his New York City penthouse on the top of Trump Tower <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">to be a </span>man of the people. He is the populist billionaire fighting for the common man. <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">He</span> is tough. He is brash. He doesn't hold back. He tells it exactly how he sees it. He is a scrapper. He <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">i<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">s</span></span> what Mitt Romney never could be. For ye<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">ars<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">, Republicans have wanted<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">real change and <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">strong leadership</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">; and <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">that's</span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">exactly who they</span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">got</span> in Donald Trump. </span></span></span></span></span>He was the conservative's dream candidate. He was the candidate that we had been waiting <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">so long for</span>. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Immediately, the media attacked him with the standard playbook used against Republicans: Trump is a racist! Trump is a sexist! Trump is a bigot! But none of it stuck. The political establishment, both Democrat <i>and</i> Republican united against him. But the more they spoke, the <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">higher he climbed</span>. Americans <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">were feeling</span> nothing less than rage against the political class<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> that<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> was hurting them.</span></span> Purist conservatives offended at Trump<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">'s<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> character flaws</span></span> and<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">fail<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">ure to pass th<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">eir litmus tests for conservatism </span></span></span></span>vowed to vote #NeverTrump. But they <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">failed to understand</span> that the <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">drastic</span> reforms <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">required</span> the bull dog, crass, <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">steel<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">-s</span>pine</span> personality of a Donald Trump. Mitt Romney would never build a wall, eradicate ISIS, or even threaten tariffs. The #NeverTrump movement would prove to be as irrelevant as <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">the <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">GOP under <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Obam<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">a's term</span></span></span></span>. The louder these groups shouted, <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">spoke</span>, and <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">protested </span>the higher Trump <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">asc<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">ended</span></span>. There <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">would<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> be</span></span> no stopping him. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">One by one, Donald Trump knocked out the ot<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">her </span>16 Republican contenders and secured the nomination. With Mike Pence by his side he <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">entered the General Electi<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">on </span>against political elit<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">ist</span></span> Hillary Clinton. Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump could not be any more opposed to each other. The 2016 General Election was <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">a contention of contrast:<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">globalism</span></span></span> vs. <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">nationalism</span>, the status quo vs. change, the continued empowerment of the political <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">class</span> vs. the wel<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">fare</span> of the <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">common man</span>.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">On election night, the man who had never held a governmental office, the political maverick, the billionaire populist astound<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">ingly </span>defeated Hillary Clinton. The world was stunned. No one gave him a chance, the polls <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">showed</span> Hillary with a commanding lead over Donald, and the pundits <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">predicted</span> an eas<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">y, dominating</span> victory for her. But the agony of the American worker was unaccounted for. The <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">factory worker, the coal miner, the <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">roughneck in the oil field--all were forgotten. <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Politicians, <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Demo<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">crats <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">particular<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">ly, <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">promised to go to <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Washing<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">ton to fight for thes<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">e <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">wor<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">kers, the backbone of America. <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">But these were lies, <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">nothin<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">g more than empty campaign</span> promi<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">ses. I<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">nstead of fighting for the common man<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> polit<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">icians passed c<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">rushing trade agreements like NAFTA which did unaccountable damage to the working class. Higher taxes and<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> regulation stacked upon regulation knocked these people off their feet and they suffered great<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">ly. <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">On November <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">8</span>th, 2016 there would<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> be a<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">reckoning</span>.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span> </span></span></span></span></span></span>As the blue strongholds of Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania went to Trump, the reality of the anger and hardships that the common man felt was realized. The election of Donald Trump was nothing short of a whole sale <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">retaliation against Washin<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">gton</span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">. <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">For the f<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">irst time in a long<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> time, a<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> private citizen, <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">non politic<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">ian, man of the people was going <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">lead the nation. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Real Hope and Change</b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Barack Obama campaigned on hope and change. The nation w<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">as swept up in optimism.<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> It was a new America. Once <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">the fanfare ended, though, things g<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">ot ugly. </span></span></span></span>He <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">failed miserably. <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">All across the country the <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">cumulative <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">policies of Bill Clinton, George Bush, and Barack Obama came crashin<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">g down on the heads of the common American worker.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The
effects of the economy's collapse have not been foreign to me. I've
seen friends and family have their hour's cut, their salaries slashed,
lose their jobs and their homes. <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">democratic policies</span> have crippled the oil and gas industry.<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> It's been hard to watch so many suffer so greatly<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">For years, I've longed for a Trump presidency. In <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">2<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">011<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">,<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> in the mi<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">ds<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">t of non <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">existent</span> GO<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">P, Don<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">ald Trump was figure of resist<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">ance against Barack Obama.<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">He publicly flirted with the idea of running against <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Obama<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> in the 2012 election. My hopes got high at the <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">possibility</span> of a <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">successful <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">businessman</span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">in the oval office. </span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Ultimately,<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> however,</span> he decided against a run and the Republican<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> party nominated an abysmally weak Mitt Romney. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Trump continued to critique the pr<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">esident, and <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">continued to be <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">a figure of</span> resistance. <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">During these four years he <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">was slowly b<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">ui<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">lding a <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">platform to stand on during the next election race. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It's hard to express the excitement I felt on June 16th, 2015 when <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Trump<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> finally <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">entered the rac<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">e. <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Before and during his <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">campaign I've been an <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">enthu<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">siastic, unapologetic <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">supporter</span> o<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">f him. <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Against many conservative friends of mine, I was not at all bothered by his less than traditional<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">, stric<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">tly<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">-conservative</span> </span>propositions. <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">His</span> populism and</span></span> American nationalism was far<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> more appealing to me than his meeting a lit<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">mus test for conservatism. </span></span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">In <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">early O<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">ctober<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">, I found myself in New York City. Being the enthusiastic supporter I was I visited T<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">rump Tower <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">and was blown a<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">way by its sheer grand<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">e<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">ur. The success he had <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">experi<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">enced is <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">on full displa<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">y in the elegance of Trump Tower. This <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">succ<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">ess<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">ful leader </span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">is what America needed to be great again</span></span></span></span></span>. Later in O<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">ctober I had the</span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">amazing experience <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">of seeing</span> him speak in <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Albuquerque, New Mexico<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">. <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Wearing my crimson <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Make America Great Again hat, I stood with thousands of other people inside an airplane hanger and eagerly awaited him. <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Here were gat<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">hered a diverse crowd--<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">W</span>hites, <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Mexicans, </span></span></span>and Navajos. The medi<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">a's nar<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">rative of Trump's support<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">ers being made up of whi<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">te <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">supremacists</span> was grossly ex<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">aggerated. </span></span></span></span></span>The place went crazy when his pla<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">ne <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">li<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">terally </span></span>pulled right up to the hanger and <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">he came out to speak to us. He spoke about <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">draining the swamp,<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">strengthening</span> our military<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">, building a wall along the border</span></span>, and <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">he</span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">comm<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">itted<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> to us that he would</span></span></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">not</span> allow <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">governmental regulations</span></span></span></span></span></span> to continue to hurt the oil<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> and gas <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">industry<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">. The <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Y</span>uuuge</i> crowd, and <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">the</span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">enthusiasm they had communicated a <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">tantali<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">zing <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">possibility</span>--Donald Trump <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">could possibly take New Mexico. <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">This was a solid blue state<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">, that Democrats didn't even have to <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">campaign in to win. </span></span></span>And while he ultimately fa<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">iled to take New Mexico (thanks to Gary Johnson), th<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">e poss<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">ibility was a foreshadow of a reality that would surface on election <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">night w<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">here some <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">traditionally blue sta<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">tes would go red.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span> </span></span></span> </span></span></span></span>The next week<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">, in my hometown of Farmington, New Mexico, <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I</span></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">had</span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">the</span> honor <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">of</span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">meeting</span> his son, Donald Trump<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> Jr. <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I shoo<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">k his hand and <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">expressed my grat<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">itude for the Trump<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> family<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">'s willingness t<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">o </span></span>face</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> the</span> venom <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">of political exposure. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">O<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">n election night I was <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">f<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">illed with glee as it became increasingly apparent he would win<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">. I never doubted him for a second. I knew he would win. I was <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">convinced <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">for ye<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">ars th<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">at Donald Trump w<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">ould win if he entered. When <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Pennsylvania</span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">was</span> called and <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">word broke that Hillary Clinton had conceded to him it became official. Donald J. Tru<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">mp was <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">elected to be the 45th <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">President of the United States of America.</span></span></span></span> </span></span></span></span></span>It was <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">exhilarating, gratifying, and vindicating to see him descend the steps <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">to victory </span>surrounded by his family to cheers of h<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">is supporters.<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> My heart was filled with joy and I felt <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">tear<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">s in my e<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">yes as <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">my years of wanting Donald Trump to be my president <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">finally came to fruition. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Don<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">ald Trump is<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">n't perfect. N<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">ot even close. He is a very flawed man. I don't, for one second, <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">believe he is a Christian. But he ha<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">s had my support from <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">before he even entered th<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">e race because I <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">believe his populist<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">, nation<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">alis<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">t politica<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">l <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">philosophy</span> wed to an alpha <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">male personality</span> is exactly what <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">is needed to restore America to national<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">, glo<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">bal<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span></span>and econ<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">omic great<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">ness. <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Donald Trump i<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">s the combination of <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">populist, nationalist</span> politics and <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">the</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> grizzly<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">, coura<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">g<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">eous </span></span></span>personality to implement those polices. He is the anti-Obama. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Dona<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">ld Trump <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">didn</span>'t need <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">the <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">salary<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">, </span>he'</span>s a <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">billionaire</span>. <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">He <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">didn't need the status, he<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">'s a <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">celebrity. He didn't need the criticism, he's an accomplished <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">businessman</span>. Donald Trump fought to become president because he loves his country<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> and wants to make<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> her great again. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>Donald Trump's inauguration as the 45th President of the United States has <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">filled</span> me with great hope for <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">and <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">has me expecting</span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">real</span></span></span> change for our country. <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Don<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">ald Trump represents <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">the <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">post-<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">ideol<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">ogical <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">traditional <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">politician</span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">. He is a new breed altogether. He is not a liberal. He is not a conservative. He is a populist, American nationa<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">list.<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span>He is going to restore our cou<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">ntry to global respectability. He is going t<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">o build <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">up our defens<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">e. He is goin<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">g to <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">use his power to protect the <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">American worker by gutting crushing regulations<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">,<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> keeping American companies in America,<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> and cutting taxes. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It's a great day <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">for America. The power has been taken away from the political elites and returned to the people. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> For me, this journey to see Donald Trump <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">being</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> sworn into office has </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> been years in the making. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I</span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">cannot wait to watch <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Donald J. Trump make</span></span> America great again.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlevZRk9B76Pg0loUgHcE2Ub0l0IOKNR736wdmTSYVWXr7KOEmhqw2TIHzCvipgwXECAlyvDvjaRYgziMJprQAHMfNZD_Tt0jjLsoTS6jkT9ICPLTeLnhrgNGJ3MBNtILxyWKLmLpn0Hc/s1600/170120-donald-trump-inauguration-address-1241p_b0e913e8da091ce7457894f9527e8a47.nbcnews-fp-1200-800.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlevZRk9B76Pg0loUgHcE2Ub0l0IOKNR736wdmTSYVWXr7KOEmhqw2TIHzCvipgwXECAlyvDvjaRYgziMJprQAHMfNZD_Tt0jjLsoTS6jkT9ICPLTeLnhrgNGJ3MBNtILxyWKLmLpn0Hc/s640/170120-donald-trump-inauguration-address-1241p_b0e913e8da091ce7457894f9527e8a47.nbcnews-fp-1200-800.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image Credit: NBC News</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>Josh Valdezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09859263750420231817noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3720220119123010030.post-68170900945201841522016-12-14T12:25:00.000-07:002016-12-14T12:26:22.174-07:00Book Review: Unlocking the Bible<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGHHIQ7-PJJhVkBfEuJfWUOtNDlyH0SLft0cNcybNSl4gh5bTKlrwtoeULqJdPHoZohmrhgree4dM_zplj2r07myLqVzTzS8wDvRESXnCXzP215PoZNtLk-VgZm-vTojeawyWYXevTwQE/s1600/9780801019173.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGHHIQ7-PJJhVkBfEuJfWUOtNDlyH0SLft0cNcybNSl4gh5bTKlrwtoeULqJdPHoZohmrhgree4dM_zplj2r07myLqVzTzS8wDvRESXnCXzP215PoZNtLk-VgZm-vTojeawyWYXevTwQE/s400/9780801019173.jpeg" width="258" /></a><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Jeff Lasseigne, <i>Unlocking the Bible: What It Is, How We Got It, and Why We Can Trust It</i>. Baker Books, 2016. 315 Pages. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Jeff Lasseigne has written a one volume introduction to the Bible. The book is arranged in two main parts: </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span>
<b><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Part One: The Big Picture</span></span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">This section really serves as a<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> great</span> overview of the Bible. Here, Lasseigne tells us the story of how we got the Bible and why we can trust it. This is simple, straightforward information that could be found in any reputable <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Bi</span>bl<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">iology</span></span>. Lasseigne's targeted audience, though, isn't for scholars or pastors, but the laymen who probably won't be reading a systematic theology textbook. Following this theology section, Lasseign shifts to surveying the Old and New Testament<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">s and the per<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">iod between the <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Testaments.</span></span></span> I was<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> especially</span> impressed with Lasseigne's ability to clearly and concisely explain the story line of the Bible. One of the most helpful aspects of <i>Unlocking the Bible</i> is that Lasseigne will pause and explain pertinent, perennial issues that trouble believers. For example, in his Old Testament survey, Lasseigne answers the question of how Old Testament believers were saved, or what role does the law have in the life of the believer. Following the survey, Lasseigne writes on how to study and teach the Scripture--hermeneutics and homiletics. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">There are Seven Chapters in this first section:</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">1. How We Got the Bible</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">2. Why We Can Trust the Bible</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">3. Understanding the Old Testament</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">4. The Sounds of Silence</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">5. Understanding the New Testament</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">6. How to Study the Bible</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">7. How to Teach the Bible</span></span><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Part Two: Books of the Bible </span></span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">This is exactly how it sounds. Every book of the Bible is treated covered with a few pages each. Each book is arranged the same way: </span></span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Important Information (Author, Theme, Category)</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Fascinating Facts (Unique facts about the book)</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Quotable Quotes (<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">F</span>rom scholars, pastors and writers on the book covered)</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Notable Notes (Additional information about the book)</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Christ Connections (How Christ can be seen in the book). </span></span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Jeff Lasseigne desired to write a introductory volume that gives us a sound big overview of the Bible. He has succeed. This book is excellent. It is especially helpful for new believers or believers who have no idea what the Bible is about, and how it fits together or where to start reading. This is a very basic and effective one volume resource to unlocking the Bible. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Rating</b>: Five Hatch Green Chiles out of Five</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisRD1LG3VKjMCszBOcvrOzi0YumN9Y_KAEJGEhP5pjeRose1pU8gFd85BqKchjTWZY-o88qE1H8ewY4Tn8qRKntaHlJrs9OY8ef6mdgPk84q_-9b-42-K5cWiLlODIQvH4RA0NgIyCqTY/s1600/chiles5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="91" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisRD1LG3VKjMCszBOcvrOzi0YumN9Y_KAEJGEhP5pjeRose1pU8gFd85BqKchjTWZY-o88qE1H8ewY4Tn8qRKntaHlJrs9OY8ef6mdgPk84q_-9b-42-K5cWiLlODIQvH4RA0NgIyCqTY/s320/chiles5.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Disclosure:</b> I
received this book free from Baker Books through the Baker Books
Bloggers www.bakerbooks.com/bakerbooksbloggers program. The opinions I
have expressed are my own, and I was not required to write a positive
review. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade
Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255
http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html.</span> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span>Josh Valdezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09859263750420231817noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3720220119123010030.post-15877868899749363252016-12-07T07:00:00.000-07:002016-12-07T08:00:11.539-07:00Book Review: Greek for Everyone<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1nSqmtAXx0k4L-0TXfJx44GD9qCw6SIPTXP8FAH2tSrTWkmLgVPIu2TySt2Tg10LBDacL1eiyELO8DWa_JA3es6begVXyBNFK2PPJi-QYPMMmmkMJr0O82KWsRDXqdwXnwgm_QgSGT3w/s1600/9780801018916.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1nSqmtAXx0k4L-0TXfJx44GD9qCw6SIPTXP8FAH2tSrTWkmLgVPIu2TySt2Tg10LBDacL1eiyELO8DWa_JA3es6begVXyBNFK2PPJi-QYPMMmmkMJr0O82KWsRDXqdwXnwgm_QgSGT3w/s400/9780801018916.jpeg" width="258" /></a><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">A. Chadwick Thornhill,<i> Greek for Everyone: Introductory Greek for Bible Study and Application</i>. Baker Books. 2016. 252 Pages. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">In Elementary Greek, we were told that being able to read the New Testament in its original language, Koine Greek, would be like going from watching TV in black and white to color. While I loved the idea of studying New Testament Greek, I soon discovered how little equipped I was to engage. Greek was extraordinarily difficult. I struggled. Reading a book like <i>Greek for Everyone</i> before I formally studied would have tremendously helpful. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">A. Chadwick Thornhill has written <i>Greek for Everyone</i> to meet a real need not only for college students, but for every student of the New Testament who wants to enrich their study--a introductory volume to Koine Greek. The book is written at a popular level. It is comprised of 18 short, readable chapters, two appendices and a glossary of key Greek Terms: </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">1. Language, Learning, Koine Greek, and the Greek Alphabet</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">2. The Big Picture of Language</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">3. Phrases, Clauses, and Conjunctions</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">4. Resources for Navigating the Greek New Testament</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">5. Introduction to Greek Verbs and Nominals</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">6. Nominative, Accusative, and Vocative Cases</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">7. Genitive and Dative Cases</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">8. Articles, Pronouns, Adjectives, and Prepositions</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">9. (Independent) Indicative-Mood Verbs</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">10. (Independent) Imperative-Mood Verbs</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">11. (Dependent) Subjunctive-Mood Verbs</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">12. (Dependent) Greek Infinitives</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">13. (Dependent) Greek Participles</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">14. Back to the Big Picture</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">15. Comparing English Translations</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">16. Bridging Context</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">17. Word Studies</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">18. The Grammar of Theology (Putting it All Together)</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Appendix 1: "Your Turn" Answers</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Appendix 2: Greek Paradigms</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Glossary of Select Greek Terms</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Each chapter ends with vocabulary words to memorize. This makes learning key Greek words manageable--by the end of the book the reader may be surprised with how much vocabulary he has under his belt! As well as vocabulary, Thornhill includes a "Your Turn" section where he has the reader apply what he has learned, which is a very helpful exercise. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Reading through <i>Greek for Everyone</i>, I was impressed with Thornhill's ability to clearly instruct his readers in the basics of the language. I was also surprised to see the wide range of material covered in such a concise volume. Thornhill not only offers us suggestions as to how to study Greek, teaches us the mechanics of the language, but also show us how it applies with a discussion of English translation philosophies, interpretation, and exercises like word studies which help in the understanding of a text. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">A Chadwick Thornhil wrote<i> Greek for Everyone</i> for the purpose of teaching his readers how Greek works and how to use it for better Bible study. He has thoroughly succeeded. <i>Greek for Everyone</i> is a solid one volume introduction to Koine Greek. This work will not make someone a Greek expert but it will orient them to the language enough to understand Greek at a basic level. It lays a solid foundation for further study. Greek for Everyone is a volume I would recommend to anyone looking to further their biblical study skills by getting a taste of Greek. This volume would be especially helpful for undergraduate Greek students to read before formal study. Additionally, reading through it has helpfully freshened up my Greek. I highly recommend this fine work. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Rating:</b> Five Hatch Green Chiles out of Five </span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisRD1LG3VKjMCszBOcvrOzi0YumN9Y_KAEJGEhP5pjeRose1pU8gFd85BqKchjTWZY-o88qE1H8ewY4Tn8qRKntaHlJrs9OY8ef6mdgPk84q_-9b-42-K5cWiLlODIQvH4RA0NgIyCqTY/s1600/chiles5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="91" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisRD1LG3VKjMCszBOcvrOzi0YumN9Y_KAEJGEhP5pjeRose1pU8gFd85BqKchjTWZY-o88qE1H8ewY4Tn8qRKntaHlJrs9OY8ef6mdgPk84q_-9b-42-K5cWiLlODIQvH4RA0NgIyCqTY/s320/chiles5.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Disclosure:</b> I
received this book free from Baker Books through the Baker Books
Bloggers www.bakerbooks.com/bakerbooksbloggers program. The opinions I
have expressed are my own, and I was not required to write a positive
review. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade
Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255
http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html.</span></span>Josh Valdezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09859263750420231817noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3720220119123010030.post-36667196441609253952016-12-06T14:26:00.001-07:002016-12-06T14:26:06.150-07:00Book Review: What is Reformed Theology?<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB7LpkqljDLvkB6PPhHg7KKWaFxn1v4sBSp7p3N0W3f-q4dIA16XFomb6f3k23oCzQ5_VhKEZ5DaAAS3BGFUHt6706dKOud0JWclNc26meBchQTXTRm5iWQcpbtkHJowOpq7PE9JY5-OA/s1600/9780801018466.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB7LpkqljDLvkB6PPhHg7KKWaFxn1v4sBSp7p3N0W3f-q4dIA16XFomb6f3k23oCzQ5_VhKEZ5DaAAS3BGFUHt6706dKOud0JWclNc26meBchQTXTRm5iWQcpbtkHJowOpq7PE9JY5-OA/s400/9780801018466.jpeg" width="258" /></a><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">R.C. Sproul, <i>What is Reformed Theology? Understanding the Basics</i>. Baker Books. 2016. <br /><br />Calvinism is making a comeback across the Christian landscape. There has been a resurgence of Calvinistic publications, as well as the emergence of large conferences like Together for the Gospel comprised of flagship Calvinist speakers with thousands in attendance.<br /><br />Calvinism belongs to larger system of theology known as Reformed Theology. R.C. Sproul, founder and chairman of Ligonier Ministries, is especially qualified to write an introductory volume to reformed theology. <br /><br />The book is made up of ten chapters and is arranged as following: <br /><br /><b>Part 1: Foundations of Reformed Theology</b><br />1. Centered on God<br />2. Based on God's Word Alone<br />3. Committed to Faith Alone<br />4. Devoted to the Prophet, Priest, and King<br />5. Nicknamed Covenant Theology<br /><br /><b>Part Two: Five Points of Reformed Theology</b><br />6. Humanity's Radical Corruption<br />7. God's Sovereign Choice<br />8. Christ's Purposeful Atonement<br />9. The Spirit's Effective Call<br />10. God's Preservation of the Saints <br /><br />The book is arranged in two main sections. The first section deals with foundations of Reformed Theology, the second the five points of Reformed Theology. For theological novices, Sproul's introduction is especially helpful as he surveys the broad field of theology. Here, he moves past natural theology to the Scriptures, then to theology. In chapter one, Sproul narrows the discussion to Reformed Theology. The remaining chapters describe what Reformed Theology is centered on. These chapters are especially helpful in getting a broad understanding of what Reformed Theology is. Sproul moves past the foundational elements before proceeding to the Five Points of Calvinism in section two. <br /><br />While I found much material familiar, the reading itself did not drag. Sproul's writing style is clear and compelling. He does well bringing theological concepts down to the layman's level. <br /><br />One question I've been contemplating lately, is what is my theological heritage? Being a Classical Arminian I disagree with the three middle points of Calvinism's TULIP: Unconditional Election, Limited Atonement, and Irresistible grace.Those disagreements however do not, in my opinion disqualify me from being under the broad umbrella of Reformed Theology. I would consider Arminian Theology to be a subset of Reformed Theology, as Arminian Theology is essentially reformed, Reformed Theology. Sproul's book helped me reach this conclusion as I disagreed with very little of section one, the foundations of Reformed Theology. R.C. Sproul's goal was to write a clear, simple introduction to Reformed Theology. He has succeed.<i>What is Reformed Theology?</i> is an excellent introductory volume to Reformed Theology!<br /><br /><b>Rating:</b> Five Hatch Green Chiles out of Five </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /><b>Disclosure:</b> I received this book free from Baker Books through the Baker Books Bloggers www.bakerbooks.com/bakerbooksbloggers program. The opinions I have expressed are my own, and I was not required to write a positive review. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html.</span></span>Josh Valdezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09859263750420231817noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3720220119123010030.post-12630137932733732002016-09-26T07:57:00.002-06:002016-10-24T10:40:25.419-06:00Political Musings<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlYlReC6PU1c8D1Bw6OeG7wFW327UYYNnx7_qbgVnzzRnObQ0KRQGVXCAc0qqtJRm3KbM5WdSzemd0bxd2BObhykTGDoQn3O9yHCwkeQ-aA2Ntdh3SY0VYvalP3qT9IHg9VMpWw4k-lfM/s1600/hillary+trump_4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlYlReC6PU1c8D1Bw6OeG7wFW327UYYNnx7_qbgVnzzRnObQ0KRQGVXCAc0qqtJRm3KbM5WdSzemd0bxd2BObhykTGDoQn3O9yHCwkeQ-aA2Ntdh3SY0VYvalP3qT9IHg9VMpWw4k-lfM/s400/hillary+trump_4.jpg" width="400" /></a>Beyond q<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">uips on </span>social media, I’ve never publicly written about politics. Religion is controversial enough, Christianity even more so. Theological discourse can devolve into intellectual nitpicking which <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">borders</span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">on being</span> unhelpful. As a pastor, the state of Christianity and the discussion of theology—even the nit picks—are passions of mine because both, in some way, fall under the cloak of shepherding. Dogmatism in political position, however, does not. I have not publicly commented much on politics because as a pastor I don’t want people to be distracted from the Gospel by my political positions or the candidates I support.<br /><br />This political season has been unlike any I’ve experienced before. It seems like the stakes have never been higher and the candidates never more divisive. Christians have fallen all across the political spectrum. Some, totally disgusted by the GOP’s nomination of Trump, have decided to vote for what they see as a safer, centrist Clinton. Some disillusioned Cruz supports vow to sit out the election or vote third party. Others have resigned to voting for the “lesser of two evils.” And some are actually excited about the prospect of a Trump presidency.<br /><br />More than any other election cycle, I’ve been thinking through the Christian’s role in politics. This, in part, is due to my frustration and growing disill<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">usionment</span> with the Republican party. They aren’t all that different from the democrats and aren’t delivering for the conservative base that elects them. With conservative social values continuing to decline, I’ve been contemplating how we much <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">we</span> should expect an unsaved world to adopt Christian ethics through governmental legislation.<br /><br />Of course, I believe Christians should vote their consciences. Christianity is a comprehensive worldview that pervades every aspect of the believer’s life because all of life is to be lived under the lordship of <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Jesus</span>. What, then, do Christians do in a situation like we have now where the party nominee doesn’t promote Christian values? Do we bind our consciences as tightly to our political philosophy as we would our theological principles or our Christian ethics? Is there any give in our political positions or at least in our candidate? Do we become politically pragmatic and seek a candidate that will accomplish some of what we want but actually has a shot at being elected? Below are some musings on politics, specifically the General Election. I don’t pretend to have the answers—and these musings are simply that—musings. They aren’t refined arguments meant to convince. They are simply some reflections I am having in the midst of an exciting, divisive, and confusing political season.<br /><br /><b>Purity and Pragmatism</b><br />While all Christians desire, I think, a world that is black an white, we live in a fallen, broken world. Many things are not black or white but different shades of gray. Part of my own maturing has been <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">realizing</span> that while there are some things that are black and white, there are many things that are not. This world, its people, myself—<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">all are</span> complicated. Living with this reality, of course, creates tension. Politics provides many tensions because things that may appear on the surface level to be clear, are upon further inspection much more complicated. <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">An</span> example would be someone who is conservative in theology but not conservative in their politics. To be conservative in theology is to believe that the Bible is the word of God, Jesus was fully divine and fully human, the resurrection really happened, etc. One’s affirmation of a conservative credo does not necessitate his affirmation in political conservatism. He may be a committed liberal and prefer a more socialistic government because of his <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">genuine</span> concern about the poor. Now it clearly can be debated if liberal policies are actually more beneficial to the poor than conservative ones—but therein is this described political tension. Two people can both unflinchingly affirm the essentials of Christianity, they can be purists in theology and yet be on opposite ends of the political spectrum. And Christians can be purists in theology and fall all along the spectrum not just <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">camping at the ends</span>. <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">This <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">troubles</span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">the Christian conscience because Christians by and large are <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">rightly peo<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">ple with dogmatic convictions. We are purists in theology and <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">its only <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">natural</span> to desire to be a purists in our politics as well. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">But Theological convictions have the weight of eternal consequence, political philosophy does not.</span></span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Purity in theology does not necessitate purity in politics. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br /><br />Christians desire the right candidate, most Christians are conservative politically and desire a candidate who is Bible believing, God fearing, morally upright, kind, strong, and a champion of Reagan conservatism. <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">We can strive for this candidate, b</span>ut eventually we have to face reality<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">, that is a rare candidate.</span> Our political party is a two party system, in name at least (and it often feels like a one party system as there is increasingly little lived out differences between the two parties). Political reality is not black and white because politics is all about the art of compromise--it is all about shades of gray. In 2012, Mitt Romney was not what most Christians wanted. In 2008, John McCain was as lack luster a candidate as the GOP has put forward in a long time. Yet Christians held their noses and voted for moderate McCain in 2008, and Mormon, moderate Romney in 2012 because pragmatism, “the lesser of two evils” ultimately won out. Just as recently as last week, the Conservative, Constitutionalist, Christian Knight in Shining Armor Ted Cruz endorsed Donald Trump—much to the dismay of the political purists. Cruz did it because maintaining political purism is nearly impossible. <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Of course, it is p</span>ossible to remain a political pursuit, but at what cost? It’s impossible to maintain political purity and actually win elections and actually get your political platform instated. It's better to get some of what you want than nothing at all.<br /><br /><b>Moving Past the Conservative/Liberal Divide</b><br />Christians have long been fighting in the culture wars<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">,<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> but</span></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I don't think there is a</span> culture war because the conservative side has lost. Abortion, thankfully, seems to be stalling—but this isn’t because people have become convinced of life beginning at conception. It’s stalled because we now have the ability to see a baby inside a womb more clearly than we ever have, which is causing some to pause. Marriage, on the other hand is totally past turning around. With the legalization of <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">s</span>ame <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">s</span>ex <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">m</span>arriage in the United States, conservatives felt a stinging, crushing defeat. But conservatives didn’t lose that battle on June 26, 2015. Conservatives and Christians lost that <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">fight</span> when they<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span>themselves<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span>failed to maintain their marriages and opted for divorces. The failure of Christians to pursue holiness ultimately led to a defeat in the culture wars, because Christians have failed to foster their walk with God which would <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">cause</span> Christ to illuminate their lives, families, churches, and finally their communities.<br /><br />As far back as I can remember I’ve been a conservative political purist—up to a point. I settled for McCain in '08 and voted for Romney in '12. But this election cycle I’m not being a purist in the sense that I’m not interested in voting for a candidate who some the litmus test for conservatism. And who decides what the litmus test is? W? Paul Ryan? Rush Limbaugh? Glenn Beck? “Conservative” is a term that has lost all meaning. How can this word describe Jeb Bush, Marco Rubio, John Kasich, Ted Cruz, Rand Paul and Donald Trump? In addition to not seeking the conservative litmus test, I no longer have any faith in the Republican party. They have catered to evangelical Christians and promised us that they would spend money responsibly, guard marriage and end abortion. But its all been a lie. Christians often chide minorities for being exploited by the Democratic party but fail to see that the Republican party has done the same thing to them—again and again and again.<br /><br />This election cycle I’m not at all interested in looking at who the conservative candidate and who the liberal candidate is. America is demoralized and economically broken. This election I’m interested in the candidate who is going to prioritize the American citizen—the candidate who is going to protect us and put us back to work and undo the years of globalistic policies that have crushed the working man. This election, I’ve moved past the conservative/ liberal divide entirely to American nationalism. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqjYjxG_eYyBZFVbgg80sRpO2KyuDODQvhbbwIa9B1Ib6ww5pBqAgxMTo0YilOCIYSc1MjdFbyZzdN8IG5U9O3nDKI6c81W1qq7ruVktz_qq5JH7NDjrrJUUOshzmXKlQA12Khdq2pAE4/s1600/yAaB4MrDSH_QUivZICy4G3Sur6wMR-aT3TvDTe3QIec.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqjYjxG_eYyBZFVbgg80sRpO2KyuDODQvhbbwIa9B1Ib6ww5pBqAgxMTo0YilOCIYSc1MjdFbyZzdN8IG5U9O3nDKI6c81W1qq7ruVktz_qq5JH7NDjrrJUUOshzmXKlQA12Khdq2pAE4/s320/yAaB4MrDSH_QUivZICy4G3Sur6wMR-aT3TvDTe3QIec.jpg" width="213" /></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>The Trump Factor</b> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Donald Trump is the most fascinating presidential candidate running in the modern era. He is a billionaire with bad hair, failed marriages, a foul mouth, and has a penchant to smash his opponents with quick, sharp, insults. He is not exactly the picture of <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">political correctness</span>.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />I don’t think its any secret to anyone that I’m not only a supporter of Donald Trump, but also an ardent admirer. I’ve wanted him to run for years before this election season. I celebrated his rise to the political forefront in 2011-12 with his championing of the birther issue. He excited me not so much for the content of the claim that Barack Obama was born outside of the United States, but because he was a figure of opposition. The Republican party had and continues to be abysmally, tragically, laughably weak. When Donald Trump stood against the Obama administration through news interviews, speeches, flirtation with running and even writing <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Time-Get-Tough-America-Great/dp/1621574954/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1474863935&sr=8-1&keywords=time+to+get+tough+trump"><i>Time to Get Tough: Making America #1 Again </i></a>it felt like we finally had a strong champion on our side.<br /><br />And while he didn’t pull the trigger on running in 2012, Trump took the nation by storm when he announced his long awaited bid for the presidency on June 16, 2015. Shortly thereafter he took first place in the polls and never went back. He the<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">n </span>knocked out 16 opponents and earned the most votes ever in any GOP primary. Donald Trump passes the usual bullet point litmus test for being a conservative<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">:</span></span></span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Anti</span> Obamacare </span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">For</span> a smaller government <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">with</span> fiscal responsibility</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Cut Taxes</span> </span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Has</span> a <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">tough immigration/</span> border policy</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Pr</span>o<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">-</span>gun rights</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Pro<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">-</span></span>military</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Pro<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">-</span></span>life</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Pro</span> traditional marriage. </span></span></li>
</ul>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXydazCzJlZOtJv1aFR7k9h11DTeuSigiiN6w7pyCPskLtA96o4ZkXrJ0GXkqVy_8b2i6DABW9Jk2E23wH3JeBDTXGwkbkYDhSM_cBaNA1OoCfdbg22rD14Qvryfv9O0hTaQ3xlEabOk0/s1600/toQv6NV.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXydazCzJlZOtJv1aFR7k9h11DTeuSigiiN6w7pyCPskLtA96o4ZkXrJ0GXkqVy_8b2i6DABW9Jk2E23wH3JeBDTXGwkbkYDhSM_cBaNA1OoCfdbg22rD14Qvryfv9O0hTaQ3xlEabOk0/s400/toQv6NV.jpg" width="400" /></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">While <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">his being</span> a conservative has not always been the case, Trump has over the years evolved to more conservative positions in every way—like Ronald Reagan before him<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">. This is someth<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">ing he<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> readily a<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">dmits</span></span></span></span>.</span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span> But I’m not supporting Trump because he is a conservative. I’m supporting Trump because he is a<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">n American</span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">n</span>ationalist. He is campaigning on an America First platform. Fighting for and protecting the American citizen is his driving mantra. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Donald Trum<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">p</span></span> is a great political enigma—he is a man who decisively, and <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">uncontestedly</span> won a primary election having no governmental experience whatsoever. He is a man who breaks all political rules and simply speaks his mind. He doesn’t talk like a lawyer with precision and total consistency. He talks like the people you talk to every single day, sometimes contradicting what he said earlier. He a billionaire populist crying out at the injustices inflicted on the little man by political supremacists like the Clintons and their disastrous decisions like NAFTA. At times, he even sounds like Bernie Sanders, fighting for the economically oppressed. He is the outside candidate that the Establishment fears because he is controlled by no one. He is for the most part self financing his campaign. He is the most populist presidential candidate we’ve had in a long, long time.</span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Sometimes
people are perplexed how I, as a Christian pastor, can no only vote for
Trump, but be an enthusiastic supporter. It's not that I believe that
he is a Christian. He isn't one, that's clear. He bears no fruit of a
regenerated heart. I do not excuse or celebrate his glaring moral
failings. Nor do I pretend like they don't exist. Because I love my
country and see it declining on a global stage, and because I hate
seeing so many people losing their jobs I do not have the <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">luxury</span> t<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">o</span></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">allow my <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">reservations about his personal life s</span></span>tand in the way. The stakes are too high<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">, people's well being i<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">s on the line. </span></span>Both conservatives and liberals need to get on board the Trump <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">T</span>rain because nationalism, an America First <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">platform</span>, is what<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> can turn our country around.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />I believe with all my heart Donald Trump is also what America needs right now. He's a bull dog. He's gruff. He's a scrapper. He is the anti-Obama. I enthusiastically support Donald Trump because he is the nationalist, populist, anti-establishment candidate who will be aggressive and fight for the American people. He doesn't need to be running. He's a successful billionaire. He's placing his personal life and prosperity on the line because he genuinely loves his country. He desires to see America returned to economic prosperity, with a rejuvenated military and world wide respect.<br /><br />Barack Obama's policies continued under Hillary Clinton is not something the common man can survive for another four or eight years. We've all seen people or ourselves experienced pay cuts, <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">loss of</span> jobs and homes because of Obama's economic incompetence. Hillary only represents more of the same. America desperately needs leadership change and I think that the man for the job is Donald J. Trump. I'm voting for him because I'm past the conservative/liberal divide. I want someone who will put America first and fight for the common man. He has promised to make America great again and I'm willing to give him <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">that</span> chance.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></span><br />
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</span>Josh Valdezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09859263750420231817noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3720220119123010030.post-26031519630406713532016-09-06T14:22:00.000-06:002016-09-06T14:46:00.782-06:00Book Recommendation: "Free Grace Theology" Five Ways it Diminishes the Gospel<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpGBk1_lu4_9-gSUp8kqiUwcTywQbdSan1PlqGE_C8MRGAQbGC1kphL279u1zD4RoG2HYYeaA_VJes2a7zGD6sDSoQwaX4qjgxQK2XYK-D7cflUYPOcWtMi1WEBQrl9W7eT_CGOyhh8MY/s1600/91CUjXF1mDL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpGBk1_lu4_9-gSUp8kqiUwcTywQbdSan1PlqGE_C8MRGAQbGC1kphL279u1zD4RoG2HYYeaA_VJes2a7zGD6sDSoQwaX4qjgxQK2XYK-D7cflUYPOcWtMi1WEBQrl9W7eT_CGOyhh8MY/s400/91CUjXF1mDL.jpg" width="258" /></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Wayne Grudem is best known for his prolific <i>Systematic Theology</i>. It has helped make theology <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">accessible</span> and enjoyable for the Christian laym<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">a</span>n. With his<i> "Free Grace Theology" 5 Ways it Diminishes the Gospe</i>l, Grudem intends to demonstrate that the claims of Free Grace Theology <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">are</span> not faithful to the Bible’s teaching on saving faith. The book is short, only being 160 pages. It is made up of an introduction<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">,</span> five chapters, and a conclusion.<br /><br /> Introduction<br /> 1: Not the “Faith Alone” of the Reformation<br /> 2: No Call to Repent from Sin<br /> 3: False Assurance<br /> 4: Under-emphasis on Trust in the Person of Christ<br /> 5: Unlikely Interpretations<br /> Conclusion<br /><br />In his introduction, Grudem helpfully defines the debate as being around the issues of utmost importance. He is not interested in fighting for the label of “lordship salvation” as this is a loaded term used by Free Grace Theologians against the historic protestant position. The debate should not revolve around loaded terms, instead both theological positions should be examined with Scripture on two major points: 1) Whether repentance is necessary for saving faith, and 2) the nature of good works in the Christian life. <br /><br />Following the introduction, Grudem lays out his case against Free Grace Theology in five ways (as the book title reveals). First, he begins with historical theology—reciting what has been<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> the</span> classic Christian consensus <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">regarding saving faith</span>. Free Grace Advocates, Grudem reveals, fundamentally misunderstand<i> sola fide</i>—faith alone. For them, this means faith is all that is required for salvation. Christian consensus, however, has always taught that we are justified by faith alone, but the faith that justifies is never alone. In other words, saving faith must have accompanying works and fruit that demonstrate a changed life or that faith is a dead faith (James 2:14-26). In his survey, Grudem cites John Calvin (1509-1564), the Formula of Concord (1576), the 39 Articles of the Church of England (1571), the Westminster Confession of Faith(1646), the New Hampshire Baptist Confession (1833), John Wesley (1703-1791), and the Assemblies of God Statement of Fundamental Truths (1916). Historically, the consensus among different significant figures, denominations and time is undeniable—the historic protestant position is at odds with Free Grace Theology. Second, Grudem challenges the errant definition of repentance as being only a change of mind. Third, he summarizes the dangerous consequences of teaching a salvation invitation that does not include the need to repent--it creates false converts. These individuals have an intellectual knowledge of Christ, but nothing more. Fourth, Grudem identifies Free Grace Theology's tendency to actually diminish the person of Christ. Finally, Grudem closes his work by exposing and countering the exegetically unwarranted interpretations offered by Free Grace Theologians on texts which <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">counter</span> their position. <br /><br />Free Grace Theology has profoundly, negatively, impacted many individual's understanding of the nature of saving faith. Most damaging (in my opinion) is its enabling of individuals to to have assurance that they are truly saved while they continue to live in their sin. Free Grace Theology has no doubt created the "converts" of the chilling text Matthew 7:21-23</span></span><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span></span><span class="text Matt-7-21"><span class="woj"><sup class="versenum"> </sup><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.</span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> <span class="text Matt-7-22" id="en-ESV-23339"><span class="woj"><sup class="versenum">22 </sup>On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’</span></span> <span class="text Matt-7-23" id="en-ESV-23340"><span class="woj"><sup class="versenum">23 </sup>And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’</span></span> </span></span></blockquote>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Wayne Grudem set out to write a critique of Free Grace Theology and demonstrate how it diminishes the Gospel. He has succeeded. He writes clearly, and kindly while not compromising the Gospel. My own experience with Free Grace Theology began in my teens with theological controversy in my youth group. I have been surprised to see easy believism continue to surface throughout my life at revival meetings, teen camps, Christian college, seminary, and in local churches. I am grateful for Grudem’s work and intend to recommend it along with John MacArthur’s classic <i>The Gospel According to Jesus </i>to those struggling with understanding the nature of saving faith. Grudem has once again enriched the church with another timely volume. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Rating</b>: <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Five Hatch</span> Green Chiles out of Five</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span>Josh Valdezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09859263750420231817noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3720220119123010030.post-33534270688177162312016-06-11T18:04:00.000-06:002016-06-11T18:04:12.613-06:00Book Recommendation: Rescuing the Gospel<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDQ1BuSVeK9JTMz0HrjyJWtfeLwWjHsjiCkmwmjkWbnPb4PCUGsVqLMtRW_uCFVeQSkQXfBi8ugUbNz0fKf-2ARkZofj3u9YiVd1W8sKyY43-t0VG-jksS-rnV89lyzVGoMZ2RMXZQOUs/s1600/9780801017131.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDQ1BuSVeK9JTMz0HrjyJWtfeLwWjHsjiCkmwmjkWbnPb4PCUGsVqLMtRW_uCFVeQSkQXfBi8ugUbNz0fKf-2ARkZofj3u9YiVd1W8sKyY43-t0VG-jksS-rnV89lyzVGoMZ2RMXZQOUs/s400/9780801017131.jpg" width="265" /></a><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Erwin W. Lutzer,<i> Rescuing the Gospel: The Story and Significance of the Reformation</i>. Baker Books, 2016. 206 pages. <br /><br />2017 will mark the 500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation. Erwin Luzter’s <i>Rescuing the Gospel</i> is one among many promising publications to be released throughout this year and next year to commemorate this significant event. Lutzer’s work is made up of an introduction and 17 Chapters:<br /><br />1: Power, Scandals, and Corruption<br />2: A Morning Star and a Goose Swan<br />3: The Wittenberg Door<br />4: Who Was Martin Luther?<br />5: The Great Discovery<br />6: The Dominoes Begin to Fall<br />7: The Wild Boar in the Vineyard of the Lord<br />8: Here I Stand<br />9: We Are Protestants Now<br />10: Disputes, Disunity, and Destiny<br />11: Luther and the Bible<br />12: Luther, Katie, Children and Death<br />13: Zwingli: Reforming Zurich<br />14: The Anabaptists: Promise and Persecution<br />15: Calvin: Reforming Geneva<br />16: Calvinism’s Lasting Influence<br />17: Is the Reformation Over?<br /><br />“Christianity can survive without the gospel,” Lutzer provocatively begins his work. He then continues, “Let me clarify. There is a form of Christianity that developed in medieval times that has survived to this day without the gospel. It is, of course, a powerless Christianity that cannot give people the assurance of salvation, nor does it lead to lives of holiness—but it is called Christianity” (1). Of course, the Christianity that Lutzer has in mind is Roman Catholicism in its fragmented, pre-reformation state. He does a fair job exposing the rampant corruption of the Catholic Church leading up to the Reformation. <br /><br />No movement or people exist within a vacuum and history is not simple. There were many factors that led up to Martin Luther’s nailing of the<i> 95 Thesis</i> on the church door in Wittenberg. John Wycliffe and John Hus are two pre-reformers upon whose shoulders Luther stood. Lutzer tells their story in chapter two. <br /><br />Chapters 3 through 12 tell the story of Martin Luther. Here is the real meat of the book and Lutzer does an admirable job telling us Luther's life, theology, and contributions that are still with us to the present day. Luther was a brilliant theologian with a spine of steel. We can admire his opposition to a corrupt church. But he was also a flawed man whose writings were used by Nazi Germany to justify persecution of the Jews. Lutzer tells us both about him.<br /><br />Chapters 13-16 deal with the Reformation across Europe. Chapter 13 tells the story of Zwingli a man whom Luther ultimately did not agree with in the view of the music in worship, the nature of communion, and the Christian’s relationship to the state. In Chapter 14, Lutzer tells us about the Anabaptists—who they were, what they believed, and who their true heirs are (and its not Baptists). Chapters 15-16 tells us about John Calvin, a towering figure. Lutzer recounts his life and his theology. He also demonstrates Calvin’s lasting legacy for all Protestant Christians. <br /><br />Finally in chapter 17, Lutzer ends the book by asking the reader whether or not the reformation is over. Here he notes the the unity of Evangelicals with Catholics and the present doctrinal divergences between the two groups: the nature of saving faith, the role of the sacraments, indulgences, superstitions, and the priesthood of believers. His conclusion is that while the Reformation is over in the political-historical sense, the issues the fractured Christendom then are still present. Therefore, the reformation is not over. Every generation of Christians must fight to preserve the purity of salvation and accurate doctrine.<br /><br />Lutzer has serviced the church with this great introduction to the Protestant Reformation. <i>Rescuing the Gospel</i> is a highlight reel of the Protestant Reformation—the overall narrative is communicated and the key personalities described. Where appropriate, Lutzer briefly explains theology. He does a great job describing the present, glaring differences between Roman Catholicism and Evangelical Christianity. The chasm between the two is still wide and unity between the two isn't warranted. Overall, this is an excellent work. It will be my go to recommendation to those wanting to learn about the Protestant Reformation. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>Rating:</b> Five Hatch Green Chiles out of Five</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>Disclosure:</b> I received this book free from Baker Books through the Baker
Books Bloggers www.bakerbooks.com/bakerbooksbloggers program. The
opinions I have expressed are my own, and I was not required to write a
positive review. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal
Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255
http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html.</span>Josh Valdezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09859263750420231817noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3720220119123010030.post-88817622255813605842016-06-01T16:14:00.003-06:002016-06-01T17:27:42.289-06:00Reflections After One Year<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Today marks my one year anniversary <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">being the</span> Associate Pastor <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">of</span> Desert Heights Church. It also marks <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">my one year anniversary of <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">working in Christian ministry vocationally. </span></span>Truly, it has been an incredible year—one in which time really has seemed to fly. I still can’t believe I get paid for it. I’ve learned some new things, through experience, and have also rediscovered forgotten loves. Below are some reflections on God, pastoral ministry, and my personal life after one year in ministry.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /><b>Providence</b><br />Providence is the theological word used to describe God’s preservation and governing of the world. God is actively sustaining the universe (Heb. 1:3), the earth (Ps. 104), and his people ( Matt. 6:25-33). His governing reach extends over the natural world (Ps. 135:5-7), kings and kingdoms (Isa. 10:5-19), and even the lives of individual people (Gal. 1:15-16).<br /><br />These are truths I have readily acknowledged my entire life—belief of God’s providence is proper theology, after all. In this year of ministry, however, my knowledge of God’s providence has greatly deepened because I’ve experienced it. Intellectual acknowledgement of God’s providence is one thing, experiencing it is another.<br /><br />In ministry, I’ve seen God’s directing events and people with perfect timing to accomplish his means. I’ve seen God’s leading in the direction of the church, the training of elders, and furthering of ministerial vision and philosophy. On a personal level, I've seen God’s providence at work in my coming to DHC—a story that was years in the making. I continue to see his provision in his meeting the needs of DHC. In all, I’ve seen God’s perfect, gracious guiding hand. My view of God’s providential direction has magnified greatly in this year. I have no doubt it will only increase in the years to come. <br /><br /><b>Responsibility </b><br />“Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers,” writes James before giving his reason why, “for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness” (James 3:1). Being a pastor is a call to shepherd God’s people. That is a weighty responsibility, one people should not be cavalier about. My last Sunday not being a pastor I had a frightening realization. I pulled up to the church building and sat in my Jeep watching as people entered. The reality struck me that caring, feeding, and protecting the people of Desert Heights Church was going to be my responsibility soon. <br /><br />From a teaching standpoint, I need to make every effort to study and make sure I’m communicating to people the truth of God’s Word. From a pastoral care standpoint, it’s easy to ascend into the heights of philosophy and theology and forget about the sheep. Good shepherds have the smell of sheep on them, and if they don’t they aren’t fulfilling their pastoral charge. After a year in ministry, I’ve come to realize (though obvious it may be) that if I’m not being intentional in spending time with the flock, it’s not going to happen. The realization that I’m not sufficient for the task, am weak, and am totally dependent upon God’s grace (2 Cor. 12:9-10) has been liberating to me. I must strive to do my best and trust the Spirit to make the work happen. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /><b>Growth</b><br />Numerical growth can be a sign of God’s blessing (just read Acts), but it is not a definitive sign. A recurring temptation for those in ministry is to look to the numbers as a guide. Much contemporary ministry defaults to a secular model for growth—accommodation to the “customer’s” wishes and whims. It is semi-pelagian in nature with pastors and music leaders striving to create responses within people. <br /><br />God is the initiator of relationships. “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him” Jesus taught (John 6:44). He then goes on to say, “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all” (John 6:63). Clearly, no one is saved apart from God’s drawing, but God’s working in people’s lives doesn’t stop there. Paul commands the Philippians to “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling” He then tells them why, “for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure” (Phil. 2:12-13). I can’t change people. I can’t make them do anything. Only God can convict people of their sin and break their will. This is one reason why I’m a firm believer in expository preaching. My job as God’s steward (1 Cor. 4:1-2) is to explain his Word (2 Tim. 4:2). He will do the rest. Both the power and even the desire to become more like Christ comes from God’s hand. In salvation and sanctification God is the power, he is the one making things happen. Genuine growth, then, only happens at his bidding. Often his choice is the slow road. We shouldn't strive for fast growth, but should trust his way, his process, his timing. <br /><br />I’m ecstatic that Desert Heights Church has as its foundation for everything it does the centrality of the Scripture. It safeguards us from pragmatism and keeps us grounded in the essentials of genuine growth: Bible reading/teaching/preaching, prayer, personal holiness, and discipleship. Desert Heights is a growing church.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Teens</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">One of my roles<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> is overseeing DHC Y<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">outh<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">. <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Starting a youth gr<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">oup can be a<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">n <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">tough</span></span> task<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">, and often you experience <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">growing pains. </span></span></span>The temptation of pragmatism can surface in youth ministry <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">by making the goal numerical and not spiritual<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> growth.</span></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Teens are often </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">thought</span> of as being obnoxious, proud, and immature. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Youth Groups are then usually superfi<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">cial and silly because </span></span>t</span>he bar is often set low for teenagers. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span>We have done a great disserv<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">ice to them, the church, and the world by setting the bar so low. Teenagers can an<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">d shoul<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">d be taught the deep <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">riches</span> of God's Word. They need to know that Christ<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">ianity is an <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">all <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">encompassing worldview that pervades their entire <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">life. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Teenagers need to know that Christianity is <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">serious, and it should change <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">everything about them because they should be living under the lordship of Christ. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>They need to be taught <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">theology, because they are already having questions about God, his ways, and the world around us. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">DHC <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Youth has <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">emphasized <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">the teaching of God's Word over activi<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">ties and silly <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">trivialities that<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> disservice our teens. <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Since August, we have<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> been <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">working through John's Gospel para<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">graph by paragraph. Because of this, <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">we</span>'ve <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">dipped into deep theology and had conversations about election, pred<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">esti<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">nation, <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">lordship salvation, God's drawing, God's pursuit of his own glory, and the problem of evil. Th<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">e teenagers can handle i<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">t<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">.</span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">T</span>heir <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">view</span> o<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">f God is lifted and they are led to <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">adoration</span> in worship.</span> </span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><b></b><br /><b>Puritans</b><br />I’ve heard John Piper speak about who his theological mentors are and they are usually old, dead guys—men like Jonathan Edwards and C.S. Lewis. Prominent theologian J.I. Packer points often to the Puritans as being both relevant and needed today. One of my professors from seminary, Mark Minnick often encouraged us students to read the Puritans. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">A real danger in pastoral ministry is the subtle exchange of the meal of Bible reading and prayer for the work of Bible study and teaching. Those in ministry spend their study time in the Bible, commentaries, and theological volumes in their attempt to get at the meaning of a text. What can happen in ministry is what often happens to seminary students, the walk with God suffers for the work for God. Pastoral ministry apart from the nurturing presence of God is uniquely
dangerous ground. It is offering people a fine a meal while you yourself
are starving. It is passing water to others while you are rotting in
the desert. It is detrimental to your health.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />The Puritans have reoriented my heart towards the primacy of pastoral ministry, namely, my relationship with Jesus Christ. During
this year of ministry I’ve begun reading the Puritans. So far my
reading has been pretty light, having only tasted the writings of John
Owen, John Bunyan, and Richard Baxter. The experience has been
rewarding. I cannot wait to plunge more deeply into the wealthy waters
of Puritanism.<br /><b> </b></span></span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOLhFI5WPufIUudl7ZeavWW2pRVYdUa9ngLGL2vjliB1hsATWGTF_jma46KWA-fi_CPAkKDaglV_SlhpV72rXiG55fQqnp5oYFipU1ddbWnIejd8I81uHMs_e25_uPbsuZejINRAzMxWk/s1600/IMG_6523.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOLhFI5WPufIUudl7ZeavWW2pRVYdUa9ngLGL2vjliB1hsATWGTF_jma46KWA-fi_CPAkKDaglV_SlhpV72rXiG55fQqnp5oYFipU1ddbWnIejd8I81uHMs_e25_uPbsuZejINRAzMxWk/s320/IMG_6523.jpeg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Conferences</b><br />This year I fulfilled a dream of mine and </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">attended Together for the Gospel for the first time. Hearing men like John MacArthur, John Piper, and Mark Dever preach in person was an amazing experience. These are men who have been mentoring me from a distance for years. Hearing them in person was enriching and rewarding. Additionally, singing robust hymns both ancient and modern with only a piano and ten thousand other voices was beyond description.<br /><br />Conferences like T4G or Shepherd’s Conference are refreshing for pastors. They allow us to get away from the familiar, be fed by some of the best preachers alive, sing with other men, and talk theology with friends. Just being able to worship without thinking about teachers, attendance, announcements, visitors, the status of the coffee pots, and every other detail about Sunday morning is itself refreshing. Pastors should attend conferences like this. It gives them rest and keeps them sharp with ongoing theological instruction. Most pastors are book men, and these conferences give away plenty of free books as well as offer great discounts on quality books in their bookstores. Attending at least one of these conferences annually is going to be routine for me from now on. <br /><br /><b>Books</b><br />A pastor’s tools are his books. Over this last year I’ve read some incredible books. Seminary required me to be constantly reading, but these were not delightful for the mere fact that I was required to read them! During this first year, I narrowed my reading to works dealing with pastoral ministry. These works were outstanding and have shaped my understanding of my role as a pastor—as well as prevented me from doing stupid things in my first year.</span></span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>The Reformed Pastor</i> by Richard Baxter. Baxter’s book is a classic for a reason. I found Baxter to be surprisingly accessible (more so than Puritan giant John Owen). Baxter’s book is a challenge and gives me pastoral goals to strive for. </span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Pastoral Theology</i> by Thomas C. Oden. Oden is a favorite theologian of mine. His driving mantra is classic Christian consensus and his approach is often more historical theology oriented. While I don’t agree with all that Oden writes, his work is a stand against the pragmatism of contemporary pastoral ministry and as such is worth reading.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Pastoral Ministry</i> edited by John MacArthur. This work is a diverse work including biblical, theological, and historical essays on ministry. I have found the topics helpful in my understanding of doing ministry the biblical way. </span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>The Prodigal Church</i> by Jared C. Wilson and <i>Ashamed of the Gospel</i> by John MacArthur. I’ve included both of these under the same bullet because I read them simultaneously and they both concern the same topic: pragmatism in ministry. Both of these works are excellent critiques of the shortcomings of so much of contemporary ministry. Both of these works spurn the reader to returning to the God ordained means of growth. </span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>The New Pastor’s Handbook</i> by Jason Helopoulos is a small, VERY practical book. It’s the “hey kid, here’s what to do as a new pastor and here’s what not to do. Don’t be an idiot!” book. I’ve found Helopoulos as distant mentor showing me the way. Highly recommend this work! </span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>The Pastor’s Book </i>by R. Kent Hughes and Douglas Sean O’Donnell is a big volume dealing with different facets of ministry. It is an incredible resource volume covering topics like weddings, funerals, special services, preaching, worship, etc. It is both philosophical and practical. I turn to it often. </span></span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Years</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I've only been in ministry for a year now. It's been one of the most rewarding years I've ever experienced. I don't want to ever lose the wonder of God, his Word, or his redemption of the cosmos. It is my prayer that will allow me many more years and many more reflections. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> <b> </b></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>Josh Valdezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09859263750420231817noreply@blogger.com0