Ladies and Head Coverings

Jim Hamilton has a nice post dealing with the spiritual basis that stands behind ladies wearing head coverings at worship. Not exactly a common topic of discussion. I have had little exposure to this practice. I do agree with Hamilton's assessment that submission, as well as all other issues of our personal walk, is a matter of the heart.

Celebrate Memorial Day

Memorial Day is not just a day off school or work. Apparently we have lost our perspective on what this holiday is all about, shocking huh? Several years back many called this holiday "decoration day." The original intent was for a day set aside to visit the graves of those who lost their lives in military service. Memorial Day was usually observed on May 30, not the last Monday in May. You may read details about the history of this holiday here.

In our politically correct society we are not encouraged to be patriotic and certainly not encouraged to honor fallen soldiers. We have lost our perspective on many fronts. Is is possible to regain our social, moral, political and ethical bearings? Certainly. How will this be accomplished? Most who read this blog regularly will know the answer to that question.

So, on Monday as you spend time with your family or cookout on the grill - take a moment to remember that men and women have fought and died defending these United States. Fly your flag. A family visit to the cemetery would be an interesting outing. Honor those who have fallen.

Blogging takes time, today I'll just rant

Because blogging (well) takes time, today I decided to just take a few minutes to "rant." The goal is to just comment on a couple of things and get some ideas out in the open.

I'm very irritated, as most Americans are, with the price of gasoline. I recall vividly the day I first paid $2 for a gallon and could not believe it. Well I've decided to do something about how gas prices effect me personally. While I tried to not buy gas on May 15, that is such a lame attempt to "send a message." Here's a crazy idea: DRIVE LESS. I think I'll give this one a shot. Do you think this is a viable option for many in the U.S.? Like the old guy says, "Walk'n ain't crowded!"

Today I heard Russell Simmons on the Laura Ingraham radio show. (She's a riot by the way.) Of course the topic was the terrible lyrics in rap music etc. Who's buying this trash? I would venture an uneducated guess that teens ages 14-17 buy a ton of rap/hip-hop music. Where are the parents? Simmons claims that the "artists" (note the quotes) should have the freedom to "paint the picture" of the culture, complete with all the struggles and challenges that face minorities and the poor. It is America and they can say what they want. However, if they really see the problems, instead of trash talking about and against everyone, offer some solutions. They obviously have the "ear" of some of the culture. Make it count, instead of adding to the pollution and corruption.

That's all for now. I suppose this was kind of a "culture watch" segment. You won't find too much of that "Under the Steeple."

Jerry Falwell's Epitaph

Lots of folks are talking about the recent death of Jerry Falwell. He was a figure that cast a pretty big shadow on the American landscape over the last 25 years or so. Although he was at times controversial, I believe he loved the Lord Jesus and he made a major impact on modern Christianity in the United States.

I stumbled upon a sermon that he delivered at Liberty University at the opening of a new semester in spring of 2006. While it was a typical address to new students, I found the following words interesting for us today.

"What epitaph do you want on your tombstone? Well, you got to earn it. I’ll tell you what I want and I’m praying God will allow me to live up to it: “Godly husband, father, grandfather, pastor, patriot and Christian educator.” That’s what I’ve tried to be all my life."

Soon Dr. Falwell's epitaph will be engraved on his tombstone, if it hasn't happened already. Although most of us fail to realize it, we write our own epitaph on a daily basis through the things that we say and the deeds that we do. Much of what we focus on and much of what we do is of little importance from an eternal perspective. As followers of Jesus Christ we ought to examine our actions against the message of the gospel and in the light of Scripture. Falwell asks a good question. What will be your epitaph?

Noted Baptist Historian Moving to Louisville

The faculty at Southern Seminary is second to none. During the summer of 2004 I took Baptist History and was blessed to sit under a visiting professor from Toronto Baptist Seminary, Dr. Michael Haykin. Through his lectures and assignments I was exposed to the life and ministry of Andrew Fuller. It was eye opening and quite refreshing. Dr. Haykin emphasized the importance of not only learning names and dates, but allowing the theologians of our denominational heritage to speak to us, guide us and deepen our personal walk/ministry. I later took "Baptist Theologians" with Dr. Haykin and it was even more thought provoking.

Dr. Haykin will be joining the SBTS faculty full time beginning Spring of 2008. You can read the press release from Southern here. A bit more interesting is this post that includes Haykin's letter of resignation from the Canadian seminary.

This hire is yet another academic coup for Dr. Mohler, and it will also be a huge blessing to the students. I may have to go back to school. Okay, maybe not.

Long winded?

Although I have not been "reprimanded" by anyone from our congregation, I have a feeling that lately I have been too long winded in my sermons. Of course I am maybe my harshest critic (except for my lovely wife, and I am grateful for her honesty). While I tend to stay close to the text, my most recent sermons have been nearly 40 minutes in length. (You can hear for yourself here.)

Am I preaching too long? Will today's listener tune in for more than 25 minutes? Should I care about such things? Is it a compromise to limit your remarks so as to cater to the modern church goer? Is this an attack from the enemy as a way to distract me? I think about these issues. Yet, I am not willing to compromise the message or short-change the text in order to make folks feel more at home. I haven't noticed people zoning out or sleeping, no more than you would expect.

If you have thoughts on this issue I would love some feed back. I will make this a matter of prayer also. I do not want to be a hindrance to our worship because I am "long winded." I want to be a good steward of my time, even my time in the pulpit.

Back In The Saddle Again

I have returned from my travels to Cleveland. The Basics 2007 conference at Parkside Church was very good. I was challenged, reminded and encourage in my role as a pastor-teacher of God's Word. This conference brought to mind the saying which my father was fond of, "Keep the main thing the main thing."

We must continued to be anchored in Scripture as we battle for truth and strive in ministry. No matter how much we "like" something or find our comfort level in something, everything must align with God's revelation to us and instruction for us. It is easy to get drawn away and busied in things that might be good but certainly are not best.

Thus, I am back here "Under the Steeple" and I will seek, by the Lord's help, to be diligent in the task for which I have been called.

Travel Note: If you ever have a chance to visit Chagrin Falls, OH I would recommend it. A friend who lives near there calls it "Pleasantville." You can step back in time in this quaint little village and really relax. Nice place to spend a sunny afternoon.

Cleveland Rolls

End of the first day and I can say it is going to be a very good conference. I neglected to insert a link for Derek Thomas. Find info about him here. He currently teaches Theology at Reformed Seminary in Jackson, MS.

Here is a summary of this afternoon: Books and books, many of them FREE. Food, great food, for both soul and body. Worship was engaging and Voddie Baucham "brought the heat" from I Corinthians 15 as he talked about Preaching to "Post moderns." Can't do it justice here, but it was solid.

Alistair Begg is just recovering from surgery and will likely only play a small role in the conference. He spoke for about 10 minutes. If you have heard Begg you know he can pack a bunch of truth in a short period of time. What a blessing to the Kingdom.

One of the interesting things about this conference is the breadth under this evangelical tent. Baptists, Anglicans, Methodists, E-Free and more, all rallying around the essential truths of the faith and the gospel. While there are differences a plenty on fringe issues and minor points of doctrine, it is not enough to divide the men who seek to hold high the gospel banner. Quite refreshing indeed.

Cleveland Rocks

I am in the Cleveland area this week (M-W) for the Basics Conference at Parkside Church where Alistair Begg serves as the pastor. Begg is one of my favorite preachers of our modern era. He brings a clarity to God's word like few men today, plus the Scottish accent in fun to hear. I am looking forward to a challenging and refreshing few days.

Tim Challies will be blogging from this conference and also leading a breakout session on blogging as it relates to ministry. You can check his page for up-to-the-minute details about speakers and sessions. Other speakers include Voddie Baucham, Edward Lobb and Derek Thomas. The worship will be led by Keith and Kristyn Getty, which will certainly be a blessing.

Please pray that I will use my time wisely and return to FB Prospect with a invigorated vision and more fervent zeal for ministry.

Boyce on Prayer

This post comes one day removed from the National Day of Prayer. Oh well, hope you pray more than just one day out of the year anyway.

James P. Boyce, founding President of Southern Seminary, was a theological giant of his day (d. 1888). A pretty good biographical sketch is found here. We have very little of his original work available to us. However there is a small collections of his sermons entitled, James Petigru Boyce: Selected Writings edited by Timothy George. This little book contains the sermon, "The Place and Power of Prayer" which is based on I John 5:14-15. It is a very good sermon that clearly outlines the meaning and application of the text. However, Boyce also takes a pretty hard shot at the skeptics. In his day, as well as ours, there were many that scoff at the idea of prayer.

For those of us who have experienced God's transforming grace we herald the joy, the privilege, the duty and the power of prayer. However, this message is lost on those who are, well, "lost." Even though there are skeptics, we continue to boldly enter before the throne of grace into the very presence of Almighty God. What follows is a brief excerpt from Boyce's sermon as he seeks to address the weakness of the skeptic's argument.

"To say the least of it, this denial of the power of prayer is very unphilosophical on the part of these skeptics, for they are objecting to the reality of facts in a mode of existence of which they have had no experience and of which they are profoundly ignorant." pg. 89

"...faith and humble submission to the will of God are invariable prerequisites to successful prayer. If they would have a like experience of the power of prayer, they have to come with these accompaniments and put God to the test." pg. 90

What power, what a privilege. Pray on!

Deep and Wide

It is obvious from the response to yesterday's post that practical issues in the life of the church are intriguing to many. We can cram our heads full of theology but at the end of the day we must put "legs" on our Christianity. We must strive to plumb the depths of God's grace and provision in Christ. However, our hearts must widen to understand and address the needs and struggles of others.

This week I will preach on God's love for us and our love for others. While many have gone off the deep end with a Christianity that is soft on sin and tolerant of too much, some of us have missed the boat when it comes to godly love.

All of this is intertwined as we seek to minster to the lost and the saved alike. As followers of Christ we should love the lost enough to share Christ with them. Furthermore, we should love our fellow Christians enough to hold them accountable and encourage them towards personal holiness and authenticity.

Yesterday my dear friend, heartbroken and frustrated, asked for insight. Over the course of about 24 hours others whom I have grown to love in the Lord responded with honesty and clarity. We heard from a missionary in Ireland who is toiling in a new culture, a first-time pastor in Arizona who by God's grace is reaching those in the desert, a student/minister in Chicago who will soon graduate and step out into the world of real life, an overworked Dad in PA that is seeking to live a genuine Christian life in the midst of all the stuff the world throws at us, a musician/minister from KY that desires to see real Christians live like real Christians, a church planter/student/father in LA that has a heart for the local church that has gone off course, and a co-laborer/Pastor in my own community that is seeking a ministry that is driven solely by God's Word. Praise God for each one whose heart is tuned toward our Redeemer.

Our efforts are not futile if our focus is the gospel and our goal is God's glory!