Charismatic Resurgence

Mission: Zimbabwe

Sat, 20 Mar 2010 09:35 GMT

This video gives a report of the recent Jubilee Church mission trip to Zimbabwe. Thanks to the generosity of Crossway we were able to donate 100 copies of Raised With Christ to the pastors there. You can see in this video the joyful reaction of the people to receiving this and other materials (which included battery-operated MP3 players full of sermons). Tope also speaks about the number of orphans and widows he met there.

By Tope Koleoso
14 March
download video or download audio

Tope said the following about this trip on Facebook:

One major lesson learnt afresh on Mission:Zimbabwe is that the Gospel must be PREACHED in word and DEMONSTRATED in action. To preach the death, burial and resurrection and also to care for the orphan and widow. May we be good ministers of the Good News. We have just begun.
‘Religion that is pure and undefiled before God…, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.' James 1:27

Scandalous by Don Carson

Fri, 19 Mar 2010 13:20 GMT

There was a time when the definition of an “evangelical” was someone who liked John Stott and Billy Graham. Today, perhaps one could suggest that Don Carson has a similarly defining role, alongside people like John Piper. Certainly Carson's books are well known and sell widely. He is recognized as a gifted expositor of God's word and a sought-after conference speaker.

Scandalous is a short book closely based on a series of sermons Carson preached at Mars Hill Church in Seattle. It reads very much like a series of sermons. He chose five passages and exposited them verse by verse. The passages might initially seem like a surprising combination. But the theme underlying each of them is the vital place of the death and resurrection of Jesus.

It is great to see the resurrection given such prominence alongside the cross, even in the title of this book. My own book, “Raised With Christ,” was published in the same month, as well as Lifted by Sam Allberry. Both of these books argue that the resurrection has been neglected in our teaching and in Christian books. It is good, therefore, to see a man like Don Carson turn his gaze to this vital subject. Since Raised With Christ and Lifted are both more thematic, this series of expositions would complement them nicely.

Carson's exposition of Matthew 27 focuses on the ironies of the cross. How could the King of kings be mocked? How could the one who appeared so powerless in truth be the most powerful being of all? How could the one who seemed unable to save himself save others? How can a cry of apparent despair come from the one who trusts God more than any other man?

He then argues that Romans 3 is the center of the whole Bible, showing clearly, but succinctly, how God can both be just and the one who forgives sinners like you and me. These few pages explain a truth so foundational it could easily be assumed, but has, over the last few years, become once again a subject of intense debate in Christian circles.

Carson then turns to Revelation 12, which he says shows the “strange triumph of a slaughtered lamb.” Christians can overcome rage because of the death of Jesus and because Jesus is now alive and standing at the right hand of God interceding for us.

The story of Jesus raising Lazarus (John 11) shows Jesus’ response to death. Carson shows that it is not wrong to weep and be angry about the effects of this unwelcome intruder into God's world. Christians are allowed to grieve, just not in the same way that those without hope do. The scandal of Jesus delaying when he heard of Lazarus' sickness is an example of how God lovingly wants to teach us patience and perseverance through our troubles.

All our hopes stem from the resurrection of Jesus. Carson chooses to focus on a poignant moment for his final exposition. The cynical Thomas encounters the risen Jesus in John 22. There can only be one outcome of such a meeting. Thomas is transformed into the faith-filled declarer that this Jesus who was once just a crucified corpse is now the risen Lord, and to be worshiped as Lord and God.

This little book is a great introduction to Carson himself, to these wonderful passages, and to the glorious truths of the gospel. Like the other books being published this year about the resurrection, Carson's book will leave you hungry for more. Why not make 2010 the year you begin to come to grips with all the glorious implications of Jesus’ death and resurrection by reading several of these books?

A very brief book by Don Carson on 2 Timothy 3

Fri, 19 Mar 2010 11:15 GMT

There are short books, and there are really short books. From the Resurrection to His Return is a really really short book! This book is, however, a very engaging if brief exposition of some very important verses about how we should live in what the Bible calls “the last days” ie the time before Jesus' return. Jesus is coming and we must be Bible-focused people who pass on the unadulterated message of God to those who come after us. This book is definitely worth the very short time it will take you to read. The really great news is that right now you can order it for less than 2 British pounds from 10ofthose.com, but hurry as the offer only lasts for another day I believe. At that price you could easily ask them to ship it to you overseas.

Lifted—Experiencing the resurrection life by Sam Allberry

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 11:57 GMT

When you are writing a book, there is one fear that is hard to shake off. That is the fear that your work will turn out to reflect error rather than truth. This was certainly my experience writing Raised With Christ. It became even more pronounced when I learned that throughout church history no major heresy had arisen about the implications of the resurrection of Jesus. That is an extraordinary fact that goes a long way to explain our neglect of this vital subject—so much so that Spurgeon argued it might have been better if someone had created a heresy about it, since this would have forced the church to formulate the doctrine more clearly. My anxiety was that I might be the first one in two thousand years to create just such a heresy!

The natural thing to do, therefore, is to turn to other books for validation. It is extraordinary that there are, however, relatively few books that focus on the vital implications of Jesus’ resurrection.

Sam Allberry’s book Lifted was not available while I was writing my own. But you can imagine my delight to receive a preview copy as I was putting the finishing touches to editing Raised With Christ. I found here another book that was saying some similar things.

Lifted helps to plug the gap in resurrection books with a much needed introduction to what the resurrection has accomplished for us. He peppers good teaching with engaging illustrations, which make this a very helpful book for everyone who wants to re-examine this glorious truth.

Sam has become a great friend of mine. Our books were released the same month, and are remarkably complementary given that we did not plan it that way. During the writing process, we separately became convinced that Christians have a universal tendency to assume and neglect the resurrection. This has many implications. Sam’s book focuses on just four, but they are four critical areas.

Sam writes in an engaging, devotional style. His work is short and easy to read. But he gets right to the heart of how understanding the resurrection can lead to four things that make up the chapter titles of the book: Assurance, Transformation, Hope and Mission.

Many Christians today lack assurance. Sam points out that because of the resurrection we can be confident of who Jesus is, and what he has done. Because of the resurrection we can be confident that “our sins have been fully dealt with and that death is no longer our destination, but a gateway to a new and perfect life” (page 43).

Sam also shows us how the resurrection has a transforming effect on our lives. We have already been spiritually raised with Christ and incorporated into him. We see in the resurrection that he truly is “the God who brings new life.” Have you ever considered what it truly means for us to have the same power that raised Jesus from the dead living in us?

The Christian has a hope that goes beyond the grave. Sam demonstrates the continuity, but differences, between our current mortal bodies and the immortal body we will be given. He outlines the wonderful hope of a literal, physical resurrection for you and me, and the change this will make to the entire universe.

Sam concludes by focusing on the fact that the resurrection and exaltation of Jesus means mission is an imperative. We have few of the words of the risen Jesus recorded. So when Jesus tells us to go into the entire world with this wonderful message and teach them to obey the one who was once just a crucified corpse, we ought to listen!

Sam is often gracious enough to describe his book as the starter to the main course of Raised With Christ. In fact, I would argue that Lifted takes four things covered in detail in Raised With Christ and presses them home with great clarity and succinctness. I know that Sam shares my hope that anyone who reads either book will want to read more about the vital core of the Christian faith. It is wonderful that finally more books are being written on the resurrection of Jesus and its implications for us today. I commend Sam’s book as a great example of what I pray will become a whole new genre full of many books. Neither Sam’s book nor mine are complete in and of themselves. It is so nice to have a friend as a fellow pioneer. I pray other writers will also join the exploration of the wonderful way in which the resurrection changes us today.

Hope for the Future by Remembering the Past

Wed, 17 Mar 2010 14:01 GMT

The tension between remembering the past and gazing to the future is a problematic one at times. Too many Christians tend to gaze fondly back at the past and say; "If only the old days ...". However I find that remembering God's actions in the past are one of the most sure and firm ways of encouragement and of building faith when the present seems to be absent or devoid of the manifest Presence of God. The devil tries to attack our faith by asking; "Does God really still do that today?". If we look back at the past we know for a sure fact He DOES and He WILL again!

So just a short quote from Restoration Magazine - November 1976. Arthur Wallis wrote this in the editorial letter;

"The Dales Bible Week almost defies description. At times waves of praise and worship seemed to roll over the congregation like the sound of many waters. At other times we knew the awesome silence of God's presence amongst us. The thousands present responded with the leap of faith to the ministry of the Word delivered in such rich anointing of authority and faith. What a tremendous foretaste of the ever increasing multitude who will fill the earth with the song of praise and share in the rule of righteousness".

He did it before! He can do it again!

A brief encounter with a woman on the train

Wed, 17 Mar 2010 12:58 GMT

As I arrived at Waterloo today, I pulled out my trusty iPhone and on the way up the escalator checked my National Rail app. It showed me I had exactly one minute to catch the next train to my office, and told me which platform to run to. I couldn’t even have got as far as reading the station’s information board in that time. So I ran.

As I breathlessly got to my seat I pulled off my earphones smiled at the person opposite. I mumbled something like “that was close” and sank into my seat. She said nothing in return but gave me one of those very British looks that say “Don’t you dare say anything else to me. You are a stranger, and remember we are on a train!”

It wouldn’t happen in some other cultures. But I wonder if that woman realizes how close she was this morning to someone who carries the message that could change her eternal destiny. I don’t think that she was a nasty lady at all. About 10 seconds after the look she began to move her bags to make sure I had enough legroom. I smiled at her again and mumbled something like “it’s ok, really, it’s ok, thanks.” But there was no encouragement from her to engage in a conversation.

For some reason, I did want to make a connection with this lady. I was ready even to gently steer the conversation onto things of God. I was looking forward, if the conversation went the right way, to perhaps even looking her in the eye and telling her I believed Jesus has risen from the dead. Perhaps she was just nervous of being chatted up. But due to the barriers erected by tradition and enforced by her steely gaze, I didn’t try again. Perhaps I should have. But I think I would not have got very far.

As she got up to leave I had a crazy thought to say “nice to meet you.” But the truth is I hadn’t met her any more than the hundreds of other people I had passed on the underground system and station platforms. So there it was. It was a very rare chance in this hermit life of mine midweek (I work from home) to get out and connect with someone. I guess I get a grade B for effort, but still I wish I could’ve done more.

I am sorry lady on the train. I hope you meet another Christian soon. Perhaps you are already a child of God. If not I suppose you have no idea of the importance of the wonderful message to which we have been entrusted. As you left, I did do the one thing I could for you—I prayed for you.

There are many women on the train. There are many men on the train. All those faces that I barely glanced at in the crowd. No wonder Jesus wept when he saw crowds. For he saw them as they really are—like sheep without a shepherd. Behind each face lies a story. Each person trying to cope with the troubles that this day brings them, and wondering what tomorrow will bring. There are so many of them, living every day without hope, and without God in this world.

I know I can’t make anyone listen. I know I can’t make anyone believe. I know that I cannot produce spiritual life in those who are dead. But please God allow me opportunities to share some hope with others. And may an army of Christian’s again arise to serve the world in this way. I wrote this post on the train home. I can see three men sitting near me on this train. But they are all immersed in the world of their mobile phones. Maybe another day.

Is Jesus worth it?

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 13:47 GMT

To those that never clap in church, I ask do you ever clap anywhere else? Do you clap at the end of a good play, or maybe even at the cinema as audiences were reported to be doing after Avatar? If so, why do you do that? Surely because the actors are worth it. Isn't Jesus worthy of at least as much applause?

To those who never shout out with excitement in church, I ask again, do you ever shout anywhere else? Do you shout when your team scored a goal? If so, why do you do that? Surely because you think the team is worth it. If so, why do you not think that Jesus is at least as worthy of a good shout?

To those of you that never dance or jump in church, I ask once more, do you ever dance anywhere else? If some earthly hero of yours, a celebrity,was appearing somewhere and you were in a vast crowd, would you jump and scream with the rest of them? What about at a wedding? Or a club? Why would you do that? Surely because you think they are worthy of the natural behavior an excited person demonstrates. Is Jesus not worthy of at least as much excitement?

To those of you who never weep with joy in church, I say is he not worthy of such a display of emotion? To those who never simply sit in silence and mediate or sing a quiet contemplative song, is he not worthy of such attention? To those who will not raise their hands in surrender to the king, is he not worthy of our worship and adoration?

And to all of us, I simply say, King David had the right idea. Somehow I suspect God agrees since such a large part of the Old Testament either comes from his pen or is about him. Somehow I think the Apostle Paul agreed with King David as he told us to sing psalms. It would be strange indeed if the Church is meant to sing psalms but not do what they say. To all of us I say, It's time to read the Book of Psalms not as some ancient hymnbook but as a manual for modern day worship.

Not new frontiers

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 14:07 GMT

The Billy Graham Center in Wheaton has an interesting section on certain aspects of evangelical history. One part that stood out to me when I was there was a series of pictures of a “Frontier camp meeting” that took place around 1814. Most of my long-term readers will know that I am part of a reformed charismatic group called Newfrontiers. Hence it was somewhat amusing to me to see the name, and rather nice to see further evidence that raising hands in church is not a novel invention:

Since the Bible commands us to lift our hands in prayer and worship repeatedly I suppose I should not think that us charismatics somehow created the practice! God's Word also commands us to clap, and even dance. I must say I have little comprehension of why those who love the Bible the most often seem to struggle with understanding and obeying these plain commands from Scripture.

But just maybe Newfrontiers shouldn't be called “new” after all! In fact, there is even an example here of something we perhaps see slightly less frequently in the average Newfrontiers church at least at the moment: people “swooning” under the influence of the Holy Spirit.

I also rather liked the following picture of Billy Sunday preaching. O for preachers of like passion today! If only our pulpits were filled with more men like this Billy, I suspect we would see more salvation.

Speaking of Billys, there was another one of course, Billy Graham. Here is my friend Matt Sweatman trying out that Billy's pulpit:

Support your Christian bookshop this weekend

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 13:46 GMT

I still dare to believe in Christian bookshops. Oh, they need to evolve all right. It seems like the new “Living Oasis” chain might have some of the right ideas in some places. Making the bookshop also serve as a coffee shop and meeting point seems like a great idea. Getting people into the shop is the challenge. Once there, if the bookshop is well laid out and with helpful staff, the customer may well be encouraged to buy more materials. Why not make the effort and go visit your local store this weekend if you still have one? If you want to pick up a copy of my book, Raised With Christ, that could be a good reason to go.

British Christian bookshops have gone through a period of turmoil in the last few months. As a direct result, a number of stores were not even open around the time pre-orders for Raised With Christ were placed. There were also some early stock shortages due to higher than expected sales. But many stores are now getting stock, and all are now in a position to order it from IVP UK.

The following stores have kindly sponsored a Facebook campaign for this book and have said they are stocking it:
GLO Bookshop, Motherwell
LST Books & Resources, Northwood
Perivale Christian Bookshop, Perivale
Ards Evangelical Bookshop
Christian Bits
Christnet Books

Stores known to stock Raised With Christ:
Cornerstone in North Finchley say they have plenty of copies.
The surviving Wesley Owen stores report that they all have stock.
Some CLC bookshops have stock (we have confirmed this with Birmingham and Sheffield)
The new Living Oasis stores are only starting up, but we understand that some intend to stock it.

Why not check your local store this weekend and let us know if they have stock? The UK Christian Bookshop Directory will help you find your closest store.

Meanwhile, it seems that plenty of stores in Australia have it (including also Orange Christian Bookstore and Reformers, and as far as we can tell many Christian bookshops in the USA area also selling it.

Some of you may feel that my support for Christian bookshops in this way is not consistent with the fact that the Raisedwithchrist.net site promotes other avenues to purchase the book. The fact is that life is not as simple as that. Many Christians no longer have a local store, so have no choice but to buy online. Also, I am fully convinced that we should not see the Internet store as the enemy. Every book sold on an Internet store is, if it is any good, a potential sale for a Christian bookshop when the reader recommends the book to their friends who may live in another part of the country.

Every Christian needs to become an advocate for good books. One of the most helpful things we can do for our friends is to encourage them to read a great Christian book.

Andy Lowe puts words into my mouth

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 12:25 GMT

I really thought that no one would even care about my recent decision to “go British” on a minor style issue. So I was pleased that someone has taken notice, and very amused by the following quote, which came from Andy Lowe. With tongue firmly placed in cheek, he put some imaginary words into my mouth:

So what did Adrian have to say?
“I decided that it would be best to emulate one of my favourite bloggers, Andy Lowe, who inspires me in almost everything I write. It is fair to say that without his influence I would be lost in a sea of grammarless despair and writer's block (or should that be writers' block? I'm sure Andy would know). Since he uses 'sentence case' for titles, that is what I shall do.”
Or you can read what he actually said, but I think my version is better.
Either way, sentence case is clearly the way forward!
Oh, yeah, and the BBC have copied me as well.

Read more at Quite a bit, which incidentally looks like an interesting blog. This whole post, of course, obeys the first rule of blogging: if you want a blogger (in this case me) to notice you, link to them. Not saying that Andy had ulterior motives, of course, but you must never allow yourself to think that any blog has enough links going to it. As I often say, “Link unto others as you would have them link unto you!”

Proclamation Trust and the Holy Spirit – EMA 2010

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 12:30 GMT

The Evangelical Ministry Assembly 2010 will focus on the ministry of the Holy Spirit in the life of the preacher with John Piper as the headline speaker, and Terry Virgo also involved.

Those of you who know British Church life, and particularly the history of the last few decades will be amazed at this. To be clear, the leadership team behind the Proclamation Trust have not suddenly all became card-carrying tongues-speaking charismatics. Rather, as I read the information about this exciting conference, I think two things are behind what may seem like a digression from their previous event subjects.

Firstly, there is clearly a recognition of something I often bang on about here on the blog. That is that the experiential work of the Spirit is not something that is unique to the charismatics! Previous generations of Christians were very clear that they had a relationship with the living Jesus (something I explore fully in Raised With Christ). Thus, no matter what your opinion on the gifts are, the Spirit should have a tangible effect in the life of every believer, and certainly in the life of the preacher. This conference aims to explore more about what that place should be.

Secondly, there is no doubt that recent controversies within the broader evangelical tent have made people on both sides of the so-called “charismatic divide” realize that they have more in common with each other than we previously realized. The line between the Reformed movement and the Reformed Charismatic movement is less distinct now than ever before.

John Piper seems more comfortable than almost anyone else in bridging this so-called divide. His response to a question about the Holy Spirit in the recent Desiring God Conference demonstrated just how comfortable he is. I suspect that he is relishing the prospect of this forthcoming conference.

An interesting feature of this conference will be that there is no attempt to sweep the real differences that remain under the carpet. If we can truly understand what each other think about these things, our respect can only increase. So, what they describe as a “public and honest conversation about the work of the Holy Spirit” will happen with a goal of learning “how to discuss secondary matters over which we do not always agree, always with a view to thinking through how our theology impacts church life.”

When? 23-25 June 2010, between 10.30am and 4.30pm each day.

Venue? St Helen Bishopsgate, London – in the heart of the square mile of the City of London, just a few minutes walk from Liverpool Street station.

Cost? The assembly costs £30 per day to attend.

Full speaker list
* Christopher Ash
* Rupert Bentley-Taylor
* John Piper
* Vaughan Roberts

With
* John Coles
* Liam Goligher
* Wayne Grudem
* Marcus Honeysett
* Wanyeki Mahiaini
* Tim McMahon
* Mike Reeves
* Terry Virgo

More information at EMA 2010 » The Details.

Unfortunately I have run our of Annual leave to take this year, so will not be able to attend the event, but may be able to make it to an extra session being run on Thursday 24th at 5:30 PM with Wayne Grudem talking about how Christians should speak out on moral issues.

Mid-Atlantic English and a rare decision to go British

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 12:45 GMT

Being a British blogger who has by God's grace been given an audience, the majority of which lives in the USA, I feel a bit like I'm floating in some kind of “mid-Atlantic” space. What do I mean? Well, just as one example, I cannot easily speak about the vehicle I would call a lorry, HGV, or juggernaut. I would just get blank looks from my American friends. Equally, though, I find that I cannot use some of the American alternatives for that word with a straight face. I mean, a “tractor trailer” is a farm vehicle, there is nothing whatsoever “semi” about it, and as for an “eighteen wheeler,” who cares how many wheels it has? So, if I want to speak about such a vehicle, I have to find a “mid-Atlantic” alternative, a word that almost sounds acceptable in each culture. The best I have come up with is “a big truck” or just “truck.”

You would not believe the number of similar conversations I have had with my American blog editor, Annette. One unintended consequence of the recent redesign of this site has been endless discussions about the capitalization of titles. In the past the design simply turned all titles into “block capitals.” This was easy. But the designers told me it had to go. So we are back in the situation where I decide which words in a title are capitalized and which are not.

There are three options. Firstly, the most common practice in America is to capitalize most words in a title, but leave short words uncapitalized. The problem with this approach is it opens you up to many agonizing questions about precisely which words deserve that capital letter as the rulebook has a bunch of exceptions. As much as I enjoy being pedantic sometimes, I just don't have time for that!

For a while I tried an almost unique “Warnock way” where I simply capitalized every letter of every word in the title. That was at least easy. But it looks ugly somehow.

By now I am sure that most of my readers will have died of boredom. But in a rare blow struck in favor of British usage (I long ago gave up British spellings, for example!) I am going to follow the BBC and switch to “sentence case” for titles. Thus, a title will just look like a normal sentence in terms of its capitalization. I think it looks neater, and while it may take a while to get used to, at least I don't have to have endless debates. Incidentally, the Chicago Manual of Style even notes this as a valid alternative, and I have seen it creeping into a few US websites, including The Washington Post.

When Kindness is Rewarded with Accusation

Mon, 08 Mar 2010 11:50 GMT

Sometimes those we love turn on us. This is never more true than in any form of church leadership. It never ceases to amaze me how some members of Christ's flock are quick to accuse their pastors. I do not work for a church, but I have an immense amount of respect for those who do so. Why? Because I know some of the pain that is their lot being involved as I am in our church's leadership team.

These men give up a lot. They are not well paid, and for sure no one goes into local church ministry to earn a good salary. They do not get much time off. Family life is often swallowed up in work. They find it hard to just switch off. They are bombarded by people in need, and those in dire situations. They give themselves repeatedly to care for the sheep. Sometimes it is the very sheep who the pastors have done their best to help that turn on them. Wild accusations that completely disregard the care that the pastor has shown them are not that uncommon.

This Psalm leapt out at me when I read it recently. It describes so well the scenario I am describing. It also gives us the remedy. Unable to defend themselves, the godly pastor really has only one place to go: to prayer. I love the way the Psalmist simply says “but I give myself to prayer“. If you are a struggling pastor, do find someone you can speak to about it, but first follow the Psalmists example. The one who called you is able to sustain you, lift you, vindicate your name and uphold your cause.

If you are a member of Christ's flock who has this tendency to bite the hand that God uses to help feed you, then please think again. Just maybe your pastor is weeping over you right now.

Be not silent, O God of my praise!
For wicked and deceitful mouths are opened against me,
speaking against me with lying tongues.
They encircle me with words of hate,
and attack me without cause.
In return for my love they accuse me,
but I give myself to prayer.
So they reward me evil for good,
and hatred for my love. (Psalm 109)

New Wine Magazine - July 1983

Sun, 07 Mar 2010 12:52 GMT

This is one of my favourite copies of New Wine Magazine - the July 1983 edition - marking the release of Dr Ern Baxter's latest book; "I Almost Died!". I actually have it framed on my bedroom wall - and decided to put it into PDF format so that it is preserved and protected!

I will never forget probably "the" Shepherding Movement historian - S David Moore who wrote; "The Shepherding Movement: Controversy and Charismatic Ecclesiology" made a comment:

"...essential for an accurate history of the Shepherding movement is a complete collection of New Wine. The magazine published from 1969 through to 1986 was the principal publishing voice of the five teachers and the movement."

It is my belief that these journals - New Wine Magazine and the Restoration Magazine here in the UK - were the key and unique element for the Charismatic Movement. Far more people read these magazines than would usually sit down to read a "theological" tome so it is highly likely that the charismatic teachers such as Ern Baxter or Bob Mumford or Terry Virgo or Bryn Jones reached a massive audience at that time.

And their message should not be lost!

Lost Jewish Tribe Found in Zimbabwe

Sat, 06 Mar 2010 07:32 GMT

This might sound to fabulous to be true, but genetics seems to have confirmed that a tribe made up from the descendants of Jewish priests are living in Southern Africa:

Their oral traditions claim that their ancestors were Jews who fled the Holy Land about 2,500 years ago.It may sound like another myth of a lost tribe of Israel, but British scientists have carried out DNA tests which confirm their Semitic origin.These tests back up the groups belief that a group of perhaps seven men married African women and settled on the continent. The Lemba, who number perhaps 80,000, live in central Zimbabwe and the north of South Africa.Lemba women do not have Jewish DNAAnd they also have a prized religious artefact that they say connects them to their Jewish ancestry – a replica of the Biblical Ark of the Covenant known as the ngoma lungundu, meaning “the drum that thunders”.
via BBC News – Lost Jewish tribe found in Zimbabwe.

Is John’s Gospel the Best Book to Give a Non Christian?

Fri, 05 Mar 2010 11:40 GMT

How It Works « The Light Project is a unique service for a local church. For £1 per house they will distribute free copies of John's gospel on your behalf with the church's contact information included on the gospel. It looks like an interesting idea. I have often thought about which gospel may be best to hand a non-Christian. It might well be the case that one gospel or another might be better for different kinds of people. But Moody and Torrey had some strong things to say about the primacy of John for evangelism cited on this project's site. Do you agree?

“My friends, if you want a reason for not loving Christ don&os;t turn to John. He knew Him too long. I don&os;t believe a man can read the gospel of John without being turned to Christ.” — D. L. Moody
“The best book in the world to put into the hands of one who desires to know about Jesus and to be saved is the gospel of John.” — R. A. Torrey

via

A Report from Christchurch, Newport (SGM)

Sun, 28 Feb 2010 15:46 GMT

I've probably been one of SGM's more outspoken critics over the past few years or so - but I have always hoped that if I was proved wrong then I wouldn't be afraid to say so. So today I went to a Sovereign Grace Ministries church for the first time in about five years for my nephew's dedication - Christchurch, Newport - which is very much the "flagship" SGM church in the UK pastored by Peter Griesley.

I had an amazing time in which I was indeed proved wrong and thought the best way to report on it was to use the "Ship of Fools - Mystery Worshipper" format. That will help me waffle less:

Denomination:

Sovereign Grace Ministries - a "family" of churches.

The building:

Intriguingly an old telephone exchange - and the building looks like one too.

The neighborhood:

The M4 motorway.

The cast:

Dave Taylor (the "Executive" pastor) who led worship and his band. Peter Greasley (the Senior Pastor).

What was the name of the service?

Sunday Meeting.

How full was the building?

There were 600 chairs laid out and I didn't see many empty chairs.

Did anyone welcome you personally?

Yes. There were car park attendants to direct my family mobile and were stewards on the door who smiled and said "Hello" and gave me an update leaflet. Peter Greasley the senior pastor also grabbed me and said "hello - great to see you" (I should add this is probably cheating as we had previously agreed to speak to arrange a meeting!).

Was your pew comfortable?

It was a grey plastic chair with minimal padding. Not the most comfortable - but also I have sat on far worse pews.

How would you describe the pre-service atmosphere?

Lively, loud and excitable.

What were the exact opening words of the service?

"Hello ... can anyone come and sit down and let's get started".

What books did the congregation use during the service?

None. There was a projector which displayed the words of the songs.

What musical instruments were played?

A guitar, keyboards, drums.

Did anything distract you?

They have an LED device up near the screen that flashes up a number allocated to parents, whose children are in creche or nursery. When we were singing songs I didn't know I found myself looking to see which parents were scuttling out.

Was the worship stiff-upper-lip, happy clappy, or what?

Very lively and passionate with lots of hands raised. There were no spiritual gifts (prophecy, tongues etc) however that I saw. The theme that kept coming through to me was the "Unchanging Faithfulness" of God. The highlight for me was singing a re-vamped version of; "My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus blood and righteousness".

Exactly how long was the sermon?

40-45 minutes or so (but didn't feel like that at all).

On a scale of 1-10, how good was the preacher?

I would say a 9.5 (only Terry Virgo, Rob Rufus or Ern Baxter get 10's). I've heard Greasley years ago and this was probably the best I've heard him preach.

In a nutshell, what was the sermon about?

Text: Romans 2. "A Matter of the Heart".

1. Outward religion cannot make you right with God.

2. Righteousness with God is a heart issue.

3. If you rely on religious rules then you had better keep them!

Which part of the service was like being in heaven?

The theme of grace, grace, grace that came through the worship and the sermon.

And which part was like being in... er... the other place?

Probably the walk up to the church - I hadn't been in Sovereign Grace Ministries churches for 5 plus years and I feared the worst.

What happened when you hung around after the service looking lost?

Peter Greasley the senior pastor found me and chatted about said meeting. I also had a brilliant catch-up with a friend I used to know from previous days which was great - we exchanged phone numbers. He was very real and welcomingly un-religious!

How would you describe the after-service coffee?

I didn't have any - I hate after-service coffee but we were told that if we were visitors we could skip the queue.

How would you feel about making this church your regular (where 10 = ecstatic, 0 = terminal)?

The church = 8 (it is still SGM after all). The neighbourhood = less. I did toy with the idea of being a commuting church-goer during the worship!

Did the service make you feel glad to be a Christian?

Yes - very much so.

What one thing will you remember about all this in seven days' time?

That it is stupid and naive to tar all churches with the same brush simply because they are in the same family of churches. And also to forget that God does amazing on-going works of grace in church pastors who are also human and can make mistakes and are as worthy of forgiveness as I have received said forgivness!

Cross or Crucified - does it really matter?

Mon, 22 Feb 2010 14:14 GMT

My thoughts have been caught up with the cross, the resurrection - all aspects of the gospel at the moment. I suppose there couldn't be a much better topic! Before I get onto what provoked this post, I have been reading quite a few books and blog posts specifically on the resurrection. I like the way Adrian Warnock put it in writing here;

"We must remember that the cross is just as empty as the tomb, and Christ is now glorified, having completed his work. The truth is, we cannot be truly cross-centered without also being empty grave-centered! Jesus was not just our prophet and priest—he is our reigning King. At the cross we learn true humility, our hopeless sinfulness, and our need of God. At the empty tomb we fully appreciate what Christ has achieved for us and receive power to live for him. A deeper, fuller insight into the truth of Jesus’ resurrection will cause our lives to be radically transformed".

So I wrote a post called; "A Truncated Gospel?" and the friend I learn so much from (and sometimes disagree with!) - Janelle - made a very valid comment. She said;

"Paul said that he preaches nothing else but Christ crucified, but we also know that when he says that he was talking about the whole gospel, not just literally the cross".

What got me thinking was her choice of words. She quite rightly said that Paul says he preaches nothing but "Christ crucified" (verb) and then said; "The cross" (noun). Paul was declaring that he would preach nothing but the action - the verb - what Christ did on the Cross. Was Paul saying that he would preach nothing but describing the historical event, time, date and detail of what happened there? I wonder ...

To change tack slightly - the popstar Madonna (who I like by the way) - caused great controversy in one of her recent tours; "Confessions on a Dancefloor". During the show the popstar appeared on a sparkling and glittering cross as though she was being crucified. Here she is;

So the question I have is:

Was that performance blasphemous? Or beautiful?

The bulk of the controversy was among Catholics - to whom of course the icon of the Cross is seen as sacred. Madonna achieved her goal - she wanted people to talk about the song and her passion for bringing awareness to the orphans dying in Africa and religious people argued and disapproved of her (something she doesn't care very much about). But what about the song? Is there anything sacred about the actual "cross" itself?

I would argue not.

Crucifixion was a well-known practice of execution designed not simply to kill the condemned but to mutiliate and dishonour them in the worst possible way. It was such that the Old Testament (Deuteronomy 21:23) actually said; "Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree". The thousands upon thousands who were crucified by the Romans died in shame - but none of them achieved anything for us. Only one crucifixion (verb) achieved salvation for all mankind - and that was of the Lord Jesus Christ. The Son of God was prepared to literally die the worst death - so we could experience the best life!

"He left His Father’s throne above
So free, so infinite His grace—
Emptied Himself of all but love,
And bled for Adam’s helpless race".

He took love to Calvary! People often wonder what drives and motivates martyrs to walk with their heads held high to their deaths. I really believe it is nothing but love. Again I am prepared to fully conceed here that this is a too particular a discussion. Much of my concern lies with those (such as SGM) who to me over-emphasise the Cross at the expense of other aspects of the Gospel. But I fully admit that I am not privy to the preaching day-to-day that goes in in the USA churches and maybe the balance there is fully corrected. In which case - praise God!

The gospel is so completely gloriously wonderful in all its facets - why on earth would we want to single out one part? The life of Christ is indeed awesome. He lived and walked this very earth and experienced and suffered and was tempted in all points like as we - yet He sinned not. His death was unspeakably awful (and one that we could never and should never think we can imagine or grasp) - but love compelled Him there. His resurrection was glorious and triumphant as the powers of hell groaned in defeat. His ascension was something we can only dream of as He took His seat at the right hand of God and poured forth the Holy Spirit - "this which you now see and hear".

For us!

A Truncated Gospel?

Fri, 19 Feb 2010 16:08 GMT

It's been a few months or so since I have spoken about a subject very close to my heart - the "neglected" resurrection. It's never far from my thoughts though - just like my other favourite topics of theological discussion. Such as the Holy Spirit, His baptism, filling, gifts and Presence or the Song of Solomon! It doesn't take much for me to begin considering the importance of the resurrection though. Usually an over-use of the word; "The Cross" achieves it.

That's happened twice this week. I read a blog post that quoted Chris Tomlinson who asked the question;

"Can we talk about the Cross too much"?

My thought was - no surely we can't if we are talking about the WORK that Christ accomplished on the Cross. The taking of our sin in place of us. The pure and spotless sacrifice. But if we are talking about the Cross as a sentimental icon and sing emotive songs such as "The old rugged Cross" - about a Saviour hanging "there" - then yes, I think we can.

The second thing that brought this issue of the gospel and the neglected resurrection to my mind was reading a blog called "The Wartburg Watch". It is a blog written by two Southern Baptist women in the USA and of course is named after Martin Luther. They take an critical look at some of the church's more legalistic and assumed practices (it won't be to everyone's taste). But the particular blog post that caught my eye was titled; "A Deficient Gospel" - reviewing C J Mahaney's small book; "A Cross-centred Life". The interesting thing is that I have read this small book some years ago but even I didn't notice this (not being Mahaney's greatest fan).

Mahaney builds his book premise around the verse - 1 Corinthians 15:3-5 - that he cites as saying;

"Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you…. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins.”

From that Mahaney builds his theology around what he calls; "The main thing". However the "Wartburg Watch" saw something;

"Here’s why I believe Mahaney teaches a “deficient gospel”. Did you notice that he places a period after the phrase “that Christ died for our sins”? Paul, who was writing under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, places a comma after the word “sins”. Well, maybe the translators actually inserted punctuation, but what is of vital importance is what Mahaney fails to include.

Now let’s go back to his original question: “What’s really the main thing in your life?” In other words, what is of “first importance”? Here is Paul’s complete response in 1 Corinthians 15:3-5 (ESV): “that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve.”

And this was their comment - that I loved so much I posted it today on my Twitter account.

"You see, a crucified “Saviour" ... is of no use unless He is resurrected".

Sounds obvious doesn't it? And many who speak adoringly of "the Cross" will impatiently probably snap that of course they know that Jesus Christ is resurrected. But I've discovered that one's theology and living tend to adapt to the vision of Jesus Christ that you persistently speak of and think about. If we as Christians (I believe) persistantly visualise Jesus Christ hanging broken and naked on a Cross, neglected and alone - then our theology will adapt to that belief. You will not develop a powerful optimistic missiology or eschatology and you may not have an adequate view of the Holy Spirit either.

Am I wrong? Prove me so. The emphasis of popular evangelicalism by "homies" such as Mahaney or Mark Driscoll urge us to spend much time at the foot of the Cross. Indeed Mahaney wrote in his book;

"When you’re tempted to doubt God’s love for you, stand before the cross and look at the wounded, dying, disfigured Savior, and realize why He is there. I believe His Father would whisper to us, “Isn’t that sufficient? I haven’t spared My own Son; I deformed and disfigured and crushed Him – for you. What more could I do to persuade you that I love you?”

It sounds incredibly emotive doesn't it? But is it actually biblical? When Stephen the first martyr was being stoned for his belief in Christ - I suspect that he may have been tempted to doubt God's love. No one who believed in Messiah had died for their beliefs and maybe Stephen wondered for a second if it was real. But he didn't see; "A wounded, dying, disfigured Saviour". Rather he saw;

" .... gazed intently into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God ...Behold, I see the heavens opened up and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God."

It is a vision of the fully alive and ascended Jesus Christ as Lord that will give us cause to NEVER doubt the love of God for us. Not trying to imagine what it looked like at Calvary. After all - let us never forget this compilation of verses from the New Testament that lead us inevitably and unquestionably to the understanding that it is the ASCENDED and resurrection Lord Jesus Christ who pours out the Holy Spirit that really gives us certainity of the love of God for us.

"Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this that you yourselves are seeing and hearing (Acts 2:33 - ESV) .... For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father (Romans 8:15 - KJV)".

For me there is a complete gospel that leads me on from staying stuck considering my indwelling sin. It leads me from deep appreciation and awe and wonder at what Jesus did for me back 2000 years ago but on to the empty Cross and empty tomb and the thrill of hearing the victory echoes of heaven as He entered in with a host and sat down at the right hand of the Father until all His enemies have been put under His feet.

So a complete Gospel?

1. He came to earth in the incarnation - very God and very man.

2. He lived a perfect and spotless life - "tempted in all points like as we - yet without sin".

3. He died a death - taking our sin upon Him and becoming sin for us.

4. He rose victoriously binding principalities and powers by taking away the Law.

5. He ascended on high taking "captivity captive".

6. He sat down enthroned on high until His enemies are made His footstool - and poured out "this which you know SEE and HEAR" - the promised Holy Spirit who cries out "Abba! Father!"'.

Why live a Cross-centred life when you can live a gospel-centred life and take the most glorious message to the waiting and desperate lost?

Christians Fitting the Cliche? Or Being Salt and Light?

Tue, 16 Feb 2010 13:57 GMT

Anyone who reads this blog will know that I love to stir things up and question the status quo (translated often as "the mess we are in"). One of my guilty secret pasttimes when I get back from work is to watch "America's Next Top Model" - a famous US reality T.V show. It's just something I enjoy daily while winding down after work.

They have been replaying previous series and I have been following with interest the progress of two Christian young women on the programme. Both are clearly evangelical and have displayed this quite evidently. For example one of the gay models had her girlfriend come visit. The two Christian girls made it quite evident that they disapproved of this visit and would not greet the visitor when she arrived. Instead they stayed in their bedroom and "prayed" and read the Bible until the visitor had safely left. Understandably this disgusted the other models in the competition.

The final showdown was when the models were sent to Paris and were asked to pose nude with diamonds as part of a couture show. The two Christians were offered the chance to wear flesh-coloured body tape but refused to take part. However the twist to the tale was that one of the Christian girls flashed herself inappropriately to the fashion director previously when watched (unseen) by Tyra Banks - the show's creator. The judges questioned the Christian model on her apparant hypocrisy - to which she had no answer.

Here's the scene:

So the question I have is this. Do these Christian women represent what's right and what's good and moral about religion? Are they good ambassadors for the gospel? Or maybe they are victims of media clever editing? Or actually are they typical of "religious" Christians who say one thing and then behind closed doors when they think no one is watching - act somewhat differently?

I have an opinion (of course!) but I'm not going to give it. I am absolutely amazed with a quote I read of Dr Stanley Jebb - he wrote it many years ago in a "Restoration Magazine" that I am reading currently. He may not believe it anymore - but I think it's excellent;

"Have eyes wide open to see the grace of God in each other. Any fool can see the negative things in a life".