Month: February 2009

Looking at Lent With a New Lense

/ Dennis Griffith / 1 Comment

calendar

My friend Nathan Lewis has published a post that I think would be beneficial for some who do not come from a church background that observes the litugical calendar.  

One of the primary emphases of the Season of Lent is repentace.  On the ecclesiastical calendar it is a time when Christians are encouraged to fast, sacrifice, and to recognize how easily we are prone to become dependent upon things rather than on God.  It is intended to be a time of reflection and renewed commitment to dependence upon the Lord.  But in non-litugical circles Lent is ignored, if not even scoffed about.  Contemporary Evangelicals often point to the deadness of ritualistic practice, and  eschew it altogether.

I am not part of a litugical tradition. Nor am I necessarily encouraging anyone to embrace litugical practices. (Though I recognize the substance and number of posts this week might give some a reason to question that assertion.)  But I do wonder if there might be some benefits “normal” Believers might be able to glean from our litugical side of the Family of God.  Maybe there are some things that we can consider that would break us out of our own dull routines.  It seems possible that we may be able to engage in some practices without them inherently leading to ritualistic deadness.

That’s the idea Nathan takes on in his post. He poses the question: “I can repent 365 days a year, so who needs Lent?” Then he wrestles with some of the common objections to Lent, and offers some insights about how we might benefit from a different kind of reflection during these next several weeks.

To read Nathan’s post click: Lent 2009.

2009 Lenten Devotional

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czech-cross

We have now entered into the Season of Lent.  I realize that for many who read this blog Lent may be a familiar word, but still it may be a word that really carries no meaning.  If you are not from a church with a liturgical background it probably won’t mean much. In fact, for some it may carry some negative connotations. That need not be.

My intention is not to write a discourse about the meaning of Lent. For one reason, I am not qualified. While I have some interest in the subject, I don’t come from a liturgical tradition, so I don’t know enough to presume to explain anything.

What I do know is that any season is a good time to reflect on the Life & Work of Jesus Christ.  And my friend, Fred Harrell, who pastors City Church of San Francisco, and his staff,  have developed a Devotional for the Season of Lent. 

If you are looking for a fresh resource for your time with God, I encourage you to check it out:

Lent Devotional 2009

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Seek God for the City 2009

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seek-god-for-the-city-2009

Beginning today and continuing through Palm Sunday members of our church, individually and corporately, will join thousands of others in churches throughout the world to Seek God for the City.

Seek God for the City is an anual season of prayer initiated by Waymakers.  Using a prayer guide designed by Waymakers individuals and groups will pray for the cities and communities in which they live.

How We’re Praying: As One Body

Why We’re Praying: God’s Glory & Our Joy

Who We’re Praying For: Those Beyond Ourselves

We’re Praying Toward: God’s Purpose Fulfilled

I invite you top join us, wherever you live. It’s not too late even if you jump in mid-stream.  Just check out Seek God for the City 2009 at Waymakers.  You might also want to download thier free Children’s Prayer Guide.

Grace of Repentance

/ Dennis Griffith / 1 Comment

 

Today is Ash Wednesday. That does not mean much to many in my theological circles.  But for many other Christians it is a day that launches the Season leading to Easter – the Season of Lent.  This day is designated Ash Wednesday because of an ancient practice of marking believers with ashes as a symbol of repentance. 

Hopefully it is more than symblolic, but is also a reminder that, as Martin Luther said, “When Christ said ‘Repent’ he called for the entire lives of Believers to be lived out in repentance.” 

Repentance is a lost art.  Repentance is also a neglected practice.  I suspect that many assume repentance is someting to be avoided; that repentance is what we must do if we have sinned; but if we can avoid sin we have no need of repentance. 

Seems logical. Except it mischaracterizes the nature of sin.  Sin is not what we do, sin is the condition we have, whether we are aware of it or not.  I find helpful the old saying: “We are not sinners because we sin. We sin because we are sinners.”  Thus, as Luther suggested, the necessity of life lived out in repentance. 

Perhaps a better way of putting it might be that our lives should include repentance.  I say that because repentance never stands alone. Repentance should always accompany Faith; and Faith should always accompany Repentance.  They are two sides of the same coin of Gospel Christianity.

I like the way the old Puritan Thomas Watson says it:

“Faith and Repentance are the two wings by which we fly toward heaven.” 

I love the imagery. It shows us that our salvation involves not only our conversions (which, by the way, requires both Faith & Repentance), but is a sanctifying journey which requires us to grow in our awarenss of both our ungodliness and the greatness of the Gospel.  To have one wing longer than the other; or worse, to have only one wing, would be disastrous.  Try it for yourself.  Try flying one of those balsa wood planes, with one wing longer than the other and see how it flies.  But this is life without both Faith & Repentance.

Three books I have found helpful in shaping my understanding and appreciation of the need of ongoing repentance:

Repentance & 21st Century Man by C. John Miller

The Doctrine of Repentance by Thomas Watson

Repentance: The First Word of the Gospel by Richard Owen Roberts

Making These Mountains Come Alive

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boone_captured1

If asked to list my favorite contemporary authors, Cameron Judd would no doubt rank high.  Judd most notably made a name for himself in Westerns, a genre I am not particularly interested in. But he also has delved deeply into Historical Fiction, which from the time I read my first Michener novel has been a literary style that captures my inaginiation.

My appreciation for Judd is reinforced as I finish up the last pages of his work on Daniel Boone just this afternoon.

Judd has written extensively about the history of Tennessee, his home state, with two trilogies, and a few independent biographies of the pioneers.  

To date I have read:

Tennessee Frontier Trilogy:

     The Overmoutain Men  (1757-1777)

     The Border Men  (1778-1783)

     The Canebrake Men (1785-1800)

Mountain War Trilogy:

   Shadow Warriors  (1860-1863)

   Phantom Legion  (1863)

   Season of Reckoning  (1864-1866)

Biographies:

   Boone

   Crockett of Tennessee

I first read the two trilogies several years ago.  But when we returned to East Tennessee I took them off the shelves to re-read.  The Historical Markers now almost seem to have life as I occasionally explore the region on days off. 

I think the next Judd work I’ll tackle is his historical work, Bridge Burners.

Blessed Are the Peacemakers

/ Dennis Griffith / 2 Comments

boxing-baby

Jeff Purswell writes:

Who dreamed that their church participation was so significant? Giving the world a glimpse of the consummated kingdom of God!

Does such a grand vision govern our attitude toward our local churches?  If it does, our participation will no doubt reflect it.  We will love, serve, sacrifice, forgive, forbear, employ our gifts, mortify our pride – all that we might together “display in this present evil age the life and fellowship of the Age to come.” 

Churches that display such a life, however imperfectly, are God’s most potent intstruments in his cosmic program to reclaim and restore his creation.

At first glance this may not seem to be all that interesting of a paragraph.  But it is far more than a poetic ode to the Church and what the Church ought to be.

I think it safe to say that most of us desire peace in our churches.  We want to get along with everyone. We want everyone to think well of us.  That is, afterall, what the church is supposed to be like.  Unfortunately, it is not the reality experienced all the time in any church.

When we find ourselves in the middle of tensions or conflict, or even if we are simply on the perifery observing it between friends and fellow church members, it can cause an agonizing feeling.  We know this is not the way things ought to be. We think, “God cannot be glorified in this.”

While God is not glorified by church conflict, notice two of the words in the above paragraph: forgive and forbear.  These are important words to think about.  While both are noble words, they would not exist apart from some sort of tension or conflict.

What Jeff seems to be suggesting is that while peace & unity are marks of Christ’s Church, the real life struggles of living, breathing, sin-infected people that make up the membership of the church almost guarantees that from time to time we will rub one another the wrong way.  Yet if we are a people, marked by the gospel, committed to reconciliation through the practices of forbearing and forgiving one another, even the presence of conflict within a congregation provides opportunity to glorify God.

Sticks, Stones & Words

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Paul Tripp, in this video, offers an interesting, and important, perspective about a problem that has recently effected our youth group and our home: the use of words, or the appropriate use of words.

What makes some words acceptable and others “bad”?

Tripp offers three distinctions:

1. Some words are condemning and judgmental.  The use of these words, intentionally or unthinkingly, is always wrong.

2.  Some words are sexually graphic or explicit. These words can bring to mind things that should not be brought into a given situation. Further, the use of these words tend toward the devaluation and distortion of God’s gift of sex.

3. Some words are simply culturally impolite.

Most helpful, I think, is Tripp’s positive assertion about the use of language.  Tripp states that the purpose of words are…

“To give grace to the hearer.”

Two final notes:

1. This clip is an exerpt of the topic Tripp deals with at great length in his book War of Words.

2. My thanks to my friend Seaton Garrett for introducing this video to me.  Check out Seaton’s comments about it on his blog: Are We There Yet?

Gosepl & Culture Project

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mckees-rocks-bridge

Long has the debate endured about how we as Christians ought to relate to the surrounding culture. 

Many Fundamentalists have, for nearly a century now, advocated abandoning the culture,  just let it go to Hell, and create an alternative sub-culture.  Progressives & Liberals have advocated embracing the culture, and have even been shaped by it – often to such a degree that their faith is indistinguishable from the culture at large.  These are probably the two extreme poles representing the possible ways Christians, or anyone for that matter, can relate to the world around us.

I have found myself drawn toward a more transformational approach.  By this I mean that I am inclined to engage culture, embracing what is good and consistant with godliness, confronting (hopefully wisely) things that are in conflict with God’s standard, and trying to bring the Gospel to forefront while praying for the Lord to be at work as he redeems the Earth for his glory. 

While this is just a brief (and inadequate) snapshot of the subject, my intention is not to engage the topic here at this time.  I’ll write more in coming days.  But today I just thought I’d share a new web page that has come to my attention: The Gospel & Culture Project.

TGCP describes itself ths way:

[We are] an online community where specialists in specific areas of cultural interpretation and theological application dialogue with fellow believers about contemporary questions.

I’ve not yet thoroughly explored all the articles, but I’ve appreciated what I’ve seen so far.  And I really like the idea behind it.

Face-to-Facebook

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eyes-of-the-pc

Not long ago I signed up for Facebook social networking.  I was hesitant to do so for quite a few reasons.  First, I suspect, because I was already blogging, and between that and simply responding to my e-mails each day, I assumed I really didn’t have the time.  Second, I had assumed that Facebook was for teenagers and college students. While a good tool to keep up with my kids and teens in our church, I didn’t see much other use for myself.  And probably the biggest thing was that I didn’t want to learn anything new.  To whatever degree each of these arguments resounded through my mind, I wasn’t interested.

But now that I’ve done it, now that I’ve signed on, I’ve enjoyed it.  I have been amazed at the number of long-lost friendships that have been rekindled.  I have found it a quick and pithy way to communicate with old friends and current church members.  In that line, Facebook has proven to be a tool that helps me to informally connect with people, something that had initially prompted me to start blogging in the first place.  While the first week of Facebooking  occupied more time than was probably wise, the end – and present – results made it a worthwhile investment. And now I am also managing my time on it more appropriately.

All that said, today is apparently the 5th Anniverary for Facebook.  And thanks to a friend, I discovered that Evangelical leader Al Mohler has offered some of his thoughts about Facebook on his blog, in a post titled:  Facebook Turns Five: Thoughts on Social Networking.

I appreciate both the benefits and cautions Mohler mentions. Some of them have occured to me, and some are more developed thoughts than I have to date mustered. 

Two last items:

1.  Now that I’ve got used to this Facebook thing, I expect to be able to get back to more regular blog posting.  I may change a few things, but I plan to make 3-5 posts each week. 

2. If you have not already done so, look me up on Facebook.  One can never have too many friends.