2008 Top Posts Numbers 9 and 10
In at 9th place is my series of posts on New Word Alive 2008.
Labels: Mark Driscoll, Newfrontiers, NWA08, Terry Virgo, TOAM06, TOAM07, TOAM08
Most of my life has to be lived working out my commitment to Newfrontiers. That is where my loyalty lies. That’s where my duty lies. These are people who are expecting me to serve them, and I’m very happy to serve them. I’ve always felt that God said, “Now always keep a door open to the broader body of Christ. Don’t get shut in.” So for decades now, we’ve always had some involvement. So I get invitations and I have to choose here and there whether I will go. And this seemed a really brilliant place to come. I was honored to be invited, especially with a Carson and Piper here. So, yeah, I count it a huge privilege to be here. Also being a fairly substantial sizable conference, it means one can reach many people in a short time. After I spoke at the UCCF Forum, I had dozens, I think it would be true to say, letters from Christian Unions saying would I please come and speak at their CU. Well, I can’t do that. I can’t be driving all over England, speaking in CU meetings. But I can speak to a couple thousand students here in one week, so this is a really good economy of time, as well as an enjoyable thing to do.
I think he’s an unusually powerful preacher. He is also bitingly relevant to our generation and aware of the culture in which we live. I think he’s very unusual. He’s not only fighting for the truth in some sort of static way of just defining the doctrine. He reminds me of a kind of latter day Spurgeon. He’s very clear on doctrine. He’s very evangelistic, building a great church, it sounds, helping to plant churches in Acts 29—again like Spurgeon, who helped to get churches started all around London. You hear about people in Australia who were reading his sermons a week or so after he preached them in London as they printed them and sent them round the world. And now Driscoll’s been downloaded all over the world. He’s an unusual guy, very robust, like Spurgeon was, out of step somewhat, even with his group. But I love what I hear. I’ve yet to meet him, but I love what I hear.Labels: Interviews, Newfrontiers, NWA08, Terry Virgo
Wendy
And it has been great that as the children have grown up and now have their own homes (they’re all married now) that I can travel much more with Terry. I think it is a new season. Terry always used to travel with another guy or a group of guys because it was part of his training of them and part of introducing them to our values and helping them to see how an apostle works and how to work with an apostle, and developing a whole understanding of apostolic work. So, to take a group of guys with him was very helpful and instructive to all concerned. But now we have a number of men who would be in that position, like David Holden, Dave Devenish, and so on, who would also take groups of people with them, teams I would say. But as they have developed teamwork as well, they are now going off with their wives because their children are also grown up. So it’s becoming a bit of a pattern, I think.
But then you see in Ephesians 4—Jesus ascends on high and gives from his ascended position apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, teachers—so there’s that ongoing ministry. He says this will be until the Church comes to fullness of stature, to a mature man. So, in a sense, this is an ongoing thing that God will continually give these varied ministries. So one isn’t looking for more Bible writers. I think very often we from the reformed tradition have thought—well, an apostle writes the Scripture and that’s his role. But, really, I don’t think that stands up to close inspection. Several of the twelve did not write Scripture. Several of the people who wrote Scripture were not apostles, so it’s not really the point. The point is more church planters. Paul says as a wise master builder, “I lay the foundation”—he traveled, he planted churches. We feel that’s really what we’re talking about—modern day church planters. People who pioneer new ground, establish eldership, establish churches, and a fathering, ongoing care for those churches, strongly built on relationship, so that we’re friends in the ministry, as Paul referred to people. Even at the end of Romans, in chapter 16, there are all these personal greetings to people. So we’re building very relationally. We’re building new churches, planting churches. And now various teams have been raised up doing apostolic work. [Ed: See post Apostles Are Meant For Today for more information.]Labels: Ephesians, Interviews, Newfrontiers, NWA08, Terry Virgo
Adrian
Yes, which is pretty rare! I’m based in Brighton on the south coast of England, and I’m an elder of a church there called Church of Christ the King. From there, I travel out with Newfrontiers, which is a group of churches that works in about 40 nations now. In the UK we have about 220 churches, and then globally we’re pressing on towards 600 churches. So I travel a lot. Later this month we’ll be in Russia at a pastors and wives conference, and then we’ll be in the States in May and June, and we’ll be in France with our pastors and wives there from the Newfrontiers churches. So we travel quite a lot.
I like him. He asked me to be involved with UCCF, and then having agreed to that, I was then invited to speak at their Leaders Forum a year or two back, and had a very happy time working through Romans and then leading Bible studies. And I’ve enjoyed the fellowship. I’m so glad that they have embraced us. We come from a charismatic perspective. Our church life is charismatic. UCCF has not been famously charismatic, but they’re making a statement of openness, and I’ve been received very warmly, both in their Forum, which I’m due to speak at again next year (2009), and then here as well. And so it’s an interesting coming together of people who love Scripture, love doctrine, love the truth of God. And it’s great to have Stuart Townend here, and Phatfish, who come from my home church. We're very proud of them. Stuart’s written some magnificant songs, as have Phatfish, and I know they are welcomed around the world. It’s great to be together with them here as well. So we’ve enjoyed that.Labels: Conferences, Interviews, Newfrontiers, NWA08, Terry Virgo
Adrian
I was teaching Bible and Greek for six years at Bethel College from 1974 to 1980. I had a sabbatical and I was working on Romans 9—the book on justification of God—the odyssey basically, Romans 9. And while I was doing that, the Lord, I believe, just kept saying through the words of that chapter, “I will be proclaimed and not just analyzed.” And I couldn’t resist it after awhile. Finally, I began to ask those who knew me best, “What would you think if I left academia and took the pastorate as a preaching pastor?” And they all said, “Do it.” So, in December of 1979, I gave my resignation and started looking for a church. I said, “I’d like to spend ten years here.” Well, they said, “Ten years would be good.” And ten years went by like that. And now it’s twenty-eight. And I have no intention of going anywhere else until I’m done.
John
Oh, the time to do things, yeah. The point was that even though I work in the evenings (at 7:00 I’m back in my study or with a book in my hand or at some meeting) and Noel is doing her handwork, or working on her projects, and I’m working away. But, really, the key is — I’ve been in the church long enough that they let me do what I want to do. And we’ve got such diversification staffing, that I’m the preacher guy. They want me to feed this flock on the weekend, and they want me to provide vision for the staff. That’s my title — Pastor of Preaching and Vision. I’m here in Wales, and I’ll be back to preach next Sunday, and most of them won’t even know I was gone.Labels: Gifts of Holy Spirit, Interviews, John Piper, NWA08, Preaching
When it comes to praying for things, besides what’s in the text, I pray in concentric circles. The most needy person I know is me. Therefore I pray about me first, because if I can’t be fixed, I won’t fix anybody. I won’t bless my wife or children or the Church. So I pray about this soul and my passion for God here, and then I move out to my wife and my children. I pray for them about whatever was in the text. Then I move out to my elders and my staff, and I name all the staff every day and our elders. And then I move out to the church, and move out to the city, and the nations. That’s the way I pray. And that can fill up a lot of time as God brings different things. I use helps. I have lists. I have lists of the names because I can’t even remember the names of 34 elders sometimes, and I have to say those. And then I use things like Operation World to pray for the nations. I keep it on my computer. I keep it in the book beside my old prayer bench at home.
A combination of three things, I would think, is what a pastor would want. One is general reading. And there—what can you say? There’s a billion things to read. You let your own heart and good recommenders, good bloggers, tell you what’s good. And then you don’t waste your time reading what’s bad. Somebody else better read it first. Don’t read it first. And probably you should read something that’s 200 years old, 300 years old, because the new stuff is here today and gone tomorrow by and large. So READING.Labels: Bible Study, Interviews, John Piper, NWA08, Prayer
He mentioned to me that he regularly walks away from his events feeling that he’s blown it, which made me feel better, because I don’t think you can ever quite know what God’s doing. At the times that I have felt bleakest about the way I did what I was supposed to do, others have testified to being helped. And the times I felt liberated, free, engaged — Did anything happen in them rather than just in me? So, I’m very suspicious about the way I feel about my preaching. I doubt myself regularly that my assessment of what just happened is accurate. Which helps me and hurts me. It means I never feel very excited about what I’ve just done, and it means I don’t fall out the bottom because I say, “Well, God can do what he wants to do. You know, Balaam’s ass can accomplish what he wants, so he might use that, even though I felt terrible about it. So I’m a lousy judge when it comes to saying, “Was there a presence of God, or was there an anointing, or was there an effect?”Labels: Interviews, John Piper, NWA08, Preaching
Father, we lean on you for words that would come to our mind that might be helpful or useful to other folks. So, for the sake of your name and for the good of others, we ask that you would cause us not to go down any rabbit trails that would be unhelpful, to waste our time, or spin our wheels. And we ask that you would guard us from error or pride or anything that would be dishonoring to Jesus or harmful to the Church. And so draw us into a conversation that will be edifying, I pray, and an honor to the Lord Jesus. We ask this is his name. Amen.
John
I don’t know what I’m . . . I don’t know what it is, but I mean, I’m looking around in here during that kind of worship and I’m expecting a great deal more engagement than I’m getting, so I just kind of adjust my expectations to the kind of human being I’m dealing with (Adrian laughing), and if I’m at a more, you know, lively place, I’ll expect that. Here I’m pleased to settle in with my expectations kind of in the middle, and it’s been good!Labels: Interviews, John Piper, NWA08
And that means inevitably that they should not only challenge them as to what they are going to do with their lives, but provide them some venue for service, some test of gifts, some beginning ministry, supervise them, mentor them, challenge them. Not just say to them, “Go and give a talk here,” but work on the talk with them, listen to it, offer critique, make sure they are growing, give them things to read, put them in situations where they’re outside their comfort zone and have to bear witness to this sort of thing, see if they grow and are flourishing spiritually and mentally. And then with time, discerning people will begin to see if there really is potential there, and the individual himself may begin to see this as part of God’s gifting and calling. I do think we ought to be more proactive in tapping people, while still recognizing that finally the thing must be confirmed by God himself. Yet, nevertheless, if 2 Timothy 2 means what it says it means, then it seems to me we ought to be a little more proactive than we have sometimes been.
There is a danger at these conferences. You hear a man with a gift of a John Piper, and you will inevitably come away blessed, and you’ve met with God, and that’s a great thing. But on the other hand, most of us are not going to be John Pipers. So it’s also possible to come away feeling a wee bit, in some sense, discouraged or threatened, or “I can never do that!” So it’s important to get the right thing from these conferences. At conferences, in the big marquees, the ordinary pastor does not normally have a voice. And I think that it is important to learn faithfulness in ministry, fully recognizing that most of us will be ordinary pastors . . .Labels: Don Carson, Interviews, NWA08
The Church of Christ is world-wide at the end of the day, and partly because of Trinity’s reach, we serve many countries, and partly because of my own roots over here (I lived here for nine years, my wife is English), and partly because there is a camaraderie in the ministry itself. Not only do we come here, but there are a number of Brits who come to where we are, and then we might even meet up in Kuala Lumpur. That’s the way the Church is, increasingly. There’s a global reach, and we lean on each other, gain support from each other, and try to bring glory to Christ in different ways in different parts of the world.
For pastors today who are in small churches and sometimes feel discouraged and wonder if their life is worth it, what I’d now recommend is the one that came out just a month or two ago called Memoirs of an Ordinary Pastor. It’s short—only 160 pages— and it’s really on my dad. He was a quintessential, ordinary pastor in many ways. He never preached in another country. He never wrote a book. He was never a conference speaker or the like. Most of the congregations most of his life were 30 people. But he exemplified faithfulness in some pretty grueling circumstances. He nursed my mother through the Alzheimer’s years. He was a church planter cross-culturally moving from the English to the French side of Canada, and had a passion for faithfulness in all kinds of small ways. Yeah, it’s not so much a critical history as a collection of our memories of him and a lot of his diary entries and so on as he struggled with these kinds of things and tried to be faithful in small corners.And in that autumn, I heard a sermon from a man—I think I’ve only ever heard him preach two or three times—a sermon on Ezekiel 22, where God says, “I sought for man to stand in the gap before me for my people, but I found none.” And God used that in a powerful way in my life so that I wanted to cry with my whole being, “Here am I, send me!” But none of that was planned.By and by, when I look on his face,
Beautiful face, thorn-shadowed face;
By and by, when I look on his face,
I will wish I had given him more.
Labels: Don Carson, Interviews, NWA08
In yesterday's segment Nathan and I discussed the importance of theology in worship songs. Today we move on to talk a little about the event we were both attending and his thoughts on being a reformed charismatic.
So, yeah, I think I would love for, in some ways, to be able to bring some fresh expression to the worship in a place like this. And Stuart’s the ideal guy for leading worship. Because of the songs that he writes, people warm to him very quickly, but he can also push things out a little bit and take people further on. That’s probably the biggest thing really—just how people express their worship. Obviously, people can express it in different ways, but there are some pretty strong words in the Psalms about exhorting us to praise and knowing a little bit about how the Hebrew people would have done that, with a lot of body movements and a lot of excitement. Obviously cultures are different, but I think there’s something in praising in a very kind of vocal and “full of energy” way that just seems right to me.
Just a little bit about the whole charismatic thing. You seem to be quite unusual, to some people anyway. I mean, I’ve grown up with it and it’s quite normal for me, I guess, but this notion that we want to marry reformed theology with a sort of vibrant experience of the Holy Spirit. Do you want to talk more about what that means to you as an individual and to the band?
It’s Guaranteed.Labels: Gifts of Holy Spirit, Interviews, NWA08, Phatfish, Worship
Yesterday in my interview with Nathan we spoke about writing songs for worship. Today we will move on to talk about the theological thinking behind the songs.
As far as that marriage with being hip, I guess the thing is—just to clarify that I don’t particularly think I’m hip—I do have a desire to write good music as well. I don’t think great songs come about by just finding great theology and trying to put it to “any old tune will do.” Even if it’s a singable tune, I think I’m a believer in the marriage of truth and beauty. I think when you marry great truth with something that is beautiful in terms of music, that’s really when stuff can come alive and people can latch onto it, and the music actually serves as an extra thing to help get the truth home—that’s really my desire. So, in terms of the music, I am dedicated to learning my craft as a musician as well, so in terms of listening to bands, listening to good music that’s out there—that’s the quest for me. It’s also a quest to get my theology as great as possible, as well, to obviously say it all in the context of trying to love God more. It’s all part of what my life is, so when the two things can marry together and people can be, in some way, blessed by it, then, you know, I’m just thrilled as anything.
No, I know, . . . I think over time you get a bit more confident in terms of what you’re saying, obviously, but I still feel like I’m drinking milk really when it comes to this—I feel like I’m just at the beginnings of a journey. I mean, sometimes I read through some of my songs and think, “Wow! God was really gracious to me in terms of being able to pen something almost beyond where my understanding is in some songs. I’m catching up still—you know, we’re all on that journey. If I’m unsure about something, then I definitely try to find somebody and just kick it past them. It’s an interesting thing for me. It’s not something that I take lightly.Labels: Ephesians, Interviews, NWA08, Phatfish, Worship
Yeah . . . yes, for sure. Of course, Stuart Townend is probably the key guy in those terms. His songs have obviously gone around the world and are sung as much as anybody’s at the moment. Songs like In Christ Alone and The Power of the Cross seem to be right up there among the most-sung songs in the Christian world at the moment. I’ve had the privilege of being able to write a few that people have taken hold of as well, and Paul Oakley has written some really big songs which have gone ‘round the world. It’s a great privilege. We’re just grateful that we get the chance to do it, really.
That was genuinely what it was—it was like, “Oh YEAH!!” It so gripped me—so just from there I kind of started looking up some simple passages and, you know, I did the whole kind of following Scripture links to this one, and I’d follow it through my Bible and just came up with various lines, and really felt God’s grace in putting it together. A lot of people said to me, “It’s a great theological song.” You have some guys who really do know their stuff theologically, and it’s like, “Yeah, it’s just God’s grace!” I mean, in a sense, it’s just the Bible put to music. But just the flow of it seemed to land really well, and it seems to catch people. It actually gets used at funerals quite a lot as well. I have one story where loads of people got saved—I mean, not 100 percent to do with that song obviously—but that song playing a part in it, playing a part in somebody’s life who recently became a Christian and then actually died suddenly. The song was sung at his funeral, and the family and friends heard the gospel preached, and loads of people were saved. It’s just mind-blowing when you hear things like that and think a song that I’ve written—well, to just be able to play a small part in that is just awesome. It’s wonderful.Labels: Interviews, NWA08, Phatfish, Worship
The following is an interview with Nathan Fellingham of the band Phatfish. More information about the band is available on Phatfish's website. The lead singer of the band, Lou Fellingham, also sings solo and has just released a new album, Promised Land.
Nathan
NathanContinued in part 2 . . .
Labels: Interviews, NWA08, Phatfish, Worship
Labels: Conferences, NWA08, NWA09, Video
Labels: Mark Driscoll, Newfrontiers, NWA08, Terry Virgo, TOAM08
Labels: apostles and prophets, Interviews, Newfrontiers, NWA08, Terry Virgo, Video
Labels: Interviews, Newfrontiers, NWA08, Terry Virgo, Video
Labels: Interviews, John Piper, NWA08, Preaching, Sermons, Video
Labels: Interviews, John Piper, NWA08, Prayer, Video
Labels: Interviews, John Piper, NWA08, Preaching, Video
Labels: Atonement, Cessationism, Gifts of Holy Spirit, Interviews, John Piper, NWA08, Prayer, Video
Labels: Church, Don Carson, Interviews, Leadership, NWA08, Video
Labels: Church, Don Carson, Interviews, Leadership, NWA08, Video
The following interview with Hugh Palmer took place at New Word Alive 2008. I have already published the audio version, which is available here. Adrian
I’m here with Hugh Palmer.
Hugh
Hello!
Adrian
So, Hugh, can I just say first of all what a fantastic week this has been—to go from a standing start to . . . how many people are here?
Hugh
Pretty much 4,000.
Adrian
And it was all sold out within a matter of weeks, wasn’t it?
Hugh
Yes. The site was sold out, and then we sold the best part of a thousand event passes on top of that.
Adrian
Wonderful—that’s amazing! So, what are we going to do next year then?
Hugh
Well, next year we’re heading to Prestatyn, and we’ve got two weeks back-to-back in the run-up to Easter. It’s a similar size site—it takes about 3,000. So we need even more people there.
Adrian
What kinds of people should come? It’s not just for students, is it?
Hugh
No, it’s anyone and everyone! The first week is during university holidays, but not during school holidays, so obviously that will be one where the student track will run, but where anyone who isn’t limited by school holidays is welcome. There will be plenty for all who are there. Then, in the second week (the week running up to Easter itself), we’ll have the full children and youth program and all the usual range of Bible teaching.
Adrian
There are lots of different conferences that run. What would you say is unique about this one? Well . . . not so much unique, but what is the vision of this conference?
Hugh
Well, the vision of this conference is to understand firmly and clearly the biblical gospel of Jesus, and yet we want to include anyone who wants to stand with us. It’s been very exciting this year to see the huge range of churches represented here. It’s been an encouraging thing for us. Our vision is not just that it will be a good holiday week and that there will be good Bible teaching, but that this really would be a time that does serve the churches; that it equips and trains us; and also, sends us out with a vision for and ability to start to reach the world.
Adrian
That sounds pretty great. So, you really are looking for Christians from all sorts of persuasions and colors and backgrounds, are you?
Hugh
Anyone who wants to stand firmly on the biblical gospel of Jesus, we want to welcome to come with us, join with us, train and grow with us.
Adrian
That’s fantastic. And we’ve had people from as far a field as Newfrontiers and the Anglican church, like yourself, and all sorts of other different groupings as well, haven’t we this year—in the speakers and also in the participants?
Hugh
Yes, and there are people who still seem to be talking to each other at the end of the week!
Adrian
Yes. I don’t think I’ve seen any fisticuffs!
Hugh
No, we try to keep those out of sight! (Laughter)
Adrian
Well, Hugh, I’m sure you’re busy and need to get on with other things. Thanks for walking with me and just sharing a few thoughts. It’s been great. Possibly we’ll do this in more detail at some point in the future when we can do a proper Adrian Warnock interview with you. But for right now, thanks loads for these few minutes. I’ll let you get on with what you’re doing.
Hugh
Thanks, Adrian. Take care.
Labels: Conferences, Interviews, NWA08
This is the final segment of my three-part interview with Wallace Benn, Bishop of Lewes and previous leader of Word Alive. Part one can be read here, and part two here.Labels: Interviews, NWA08, Wallace Benn
This is the second part of a three-part interview I did with Bishop Wallace Benn at the New Word Alive conference last week. You can read part 1 here.
When you have, for example, that list (I think your name is on it)—that list of people who affirmed that particular book, Pierced for Our Transgressions, it’s almost like a Who’s Who of Christianity. I know there were some people who didn’t affirm it, but the number of people who did, from all kinds of different backgrounds—you might say, "Surely those two groups aren’t even talking to each other!"— and yet they both would look up and say, “No, this is the gospel!”Labels: Atonement, Interviews, NWA08, Wallace Benn
While I was in Pwllheli at New Word Alive, I did an MP3 interview with Bishop Wallace Benn. I thought that I would share the full transcript here over the next few days.Labels: Interviews, NWA08, Wallace Benn
Labels: John Piper, NWA08, Romans, Suffering

Labels: Conferences, NWA08

Labels: 1 John, Assurance, Don Carson, NWA08
Thanks to the wonders of technology, I can listen to this, and so can you if you pop over to the NWA site and order CDs. I will share some short notes here.Labels: NWA08, Richard Cunningham, Romans
Labels: Audio, Interviews, NWA08
It was a thrill to be able to interview Nathan Fellingham today as my final New Word Alive interview. You can download the audio here.-702113.jpg)
He began by telling us that we don't tell people the gospel for one of two reasons—either because we don't believe the gospel or because we don't love them. Hugh says he still struggles with evangelism and is looking for a third option, but can't find one. We saw in Romans 8 “from no condemnation to no separation.” Labels: Evangelism, NWA08
Here is another interview which you can download here. The name, Bishop Wallace Benn, has been synonymous with Word Alive for years. Although, with the formation of New Word Alive, he has taken the opportunity to hand over the reigns to Hugh Palmer, he is here this week and still very much in the background supporting this event.Labels: Audio, NWA08, Wallace Benn
One of the busiest men on site is Hugh Palmer, who is the host this week and the chair of New Word Alive. I was able to grab him for just a few minutes walking from one part of the site to another.
Don Carson began his talk on 1 John 3 by making a claim that it is actually only because of the Bible that religion and morality were first strongly linked together. It is only because of Christianity that our culture believes that we should be consistent in our behavior. Sin is broad. Sin is not just lawlessness, it is also a lack of faith that you will be able to not do something you want to do. Because law is of God himself, breaking the law is devaluing God. But, of course, we cannot claim to not sin—even as Christians.Labels: 1 John, Don Carson, NWA08
Labels: Audio, John Piper, NWA08
Having said that all suffering is a judicial sentence on the universe, verses 1 and 3 of chapter 8 make an important qualification. That is that no Christian experiences suffering as condemnation. Jesus absorbed all the condemnation of all the people who are united to him by faith. All of your suffering is not judgment and punishment—it is something else. It would be a tremendous dishonor for you to feel judged by God if you are in Christ.
But in verse 23 we groan inwardly. In the midst of suffering that is not removed by healing, the cross purchased the grace to still be satisfied in God. Even we groan. This is there to prevent over-realized eschatology. Since Christ has purchased healing some say it is all now. Excessive charismatics get the notion that we can have every healing now. In fact, the sustaining grace is normal in this age, and the healing grace seems less common. God wants the people around us to marvel at the worth of Jesus when we love him in pain.Labels: Ephesians, John Piper, NWA08, Romans, Suffering
Don Carson began by talking about the many ways in which the love of God is spoken about in the Bible. We are both always loved by God and commanded to keep ourselves in the love of God. We must not over-emphasize either of these. The Bible speaks about the love of God being general and sufficient for all. And it also speaks about the love of God being specific to those who are elect. Christ loved the Church and intentionally gave himself for her. It is definitely for those who are his people by eternal choice. But it is also, as here in 1 John, “for the sins of the whole world.” We cannot make absolutes of one or the other. It isn’t enough to say that here all is all without distinction rather than all without exception. No, here it says Christ’s death was for the whole world. God did die particularly and specifically for his people (see, for example, John 6), but here the emphasis is on the potential benefit for the whole world.Labels: 1 John, Don Carson, NWA08
Labels: Atonement, Audio, John Piper, NWA08, Suffering
Romans 8:1-35. I have often said that this chapter in the Bible is surely one of the most foundational for Christian living. I was therefore thrilled to discover that John Piper would be preaching from it this evening. In fact, Piper went on to claim that this is the greatest chapter in the entire Bible. As is always the case when he preaches, the audio and video of this sermon will be made available very soon, and I will add the links to this post.
In John 17 Jesus prayed for you and me—that we might be with Jesus and see his glory. How thin is our concept of this. Even some Evangelicals are fearful of this idea. 2 Corinthians 4:4 says, “The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ.” The good news is the glory of Jesus! We will spend eternity beholding—with ever increasing joy—his glory.
In Romans 8:16-17 we see the call to suffer. There is a condition here. That we suffer with him. We suffer in order that we may eventually be resurrected and be glorified in heaven. If you reject the call to suffer, you will not go to heaven. Through many tribulations we must enter the Kingdom of God. This is not meant to call into question our standing with God. In verse 30 we see the clear affirmation that the called are glorified. Thus, God will see that those who he has justified will come through their sufferings looking like gold. Eternal security is not mechanical. It is absolutely certain, but this is in the sovereignty of God. Tomorrow morning God will make sure you wake up wanting to get to glory. Don't run from suffering, embrace it. The glory makes suffering worth it.
This is most important, most controversial, and most helpful. In verse 20 it is clear that somebody took the universe and disordered it. Someone brought painful disorder to our relationships, workplaces, etc. GOD did it. We know it must have been God because it was done in hope! There can only be two other candidates—Adam and the devil. Did Adam and Eve sin in the hope of a future new heaven and earth? They didn't have a clue about that when they fell! Was it the devil's design to do it in hope? No! Only God did this in hope. God judged the universe because of sin. This is not moral consequentialism. Hell is explained that way, the atonement is explained that way, your suffering is explained that way. People are becoming deists. Without Romans 8 deeply gripping your soul, our first reaction is to distance God from suffering. It is as though we want to defend God! Deism hasn't comforted a human soul in the midst of pain in a thousand years. Piper said he has buried many people, has walked through people's divorces, and has seen wayward children. We need something that will help us face suffering.Labels: John Piper, NWA08, Romans, Suffering
It's great, so far. There has been a good response. The standard of teaching has been world-class.
It’s not just, “How does it make me feel?" Rather, it should be—"What is the unchanging truth about my life based on the unchanging truth about God and what he has done? What has God said about me or us or the Church?” Those things are unchanging truths that don't depend on whether I am having a good time or a bad time. They are about me, but they are really about God and what God has done in me. Worship is not just about singing songs that make me feel better. In the middle of whatever I am facing, God is with me. Worship should be exciting, but founded on the truth of the gospel. Our feelings are a by-product of the glorious truth we are celebrating.Labels: Interviews, Newfrontiers, NWA08, Worship

This morning the expositional Bible teaching by Don Carson is totally packed. It was only by begging help from a steward that I got in. I think I’ve taken almost the last available seat in the entire main celebration event. Fortunately his talk will be repeated later this morning. It is exciting to see so many people gathered for a verse-by-verse examination of an entire New Testament book. I will have to get here earlier tomorrow morning to ensure I get a seat!“In the beginning God made everything good, but sadly we made a mess of everything. We have sinned and destroyed the world. We bring death. We bring decay. But God in his mercy has intervened in the world again and again. He intervened through Abraham, Moses, and the prophets. Jesus came and destroyed death. He opened a new beginning. Resurrection existence will happen in the future, but in the present we are bringing in something of God's kingdom.”There is nothing in that presentation that is false, but something can be left out, whether accidentally or on purpose. Doing that can lead us astray. What was missing from this description is God's relationship with our sin. God intervenes to do something after standing outside the system watching the decay. But God is deeply and horrifically offended by sin! The wrath of God is mentioned repeatedly in the Bible. This is the righteous response of a holy God to his creatures defying him to his face.
“That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life—the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was made manifest to us—that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. And we are writing these things so that our joy may be complete.” (1 John 1:1-4)Here the beginning is the absolute beginning. There is a resonance with the opening of John's other book—his gospel. John is saying that the eternal became a human that he has touched and met. It also seems to remind us of Thomas' famous request to put his hand in Jesus’ wounds. Jesus was heard, seen, and touched as a resurrected being.
“My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.” (1 John 2:1-2)If sin is inevitable, we might get the wrong idea and become less upset by it. We might decide to give up the fight and not strive to be holy. John says, I am not trying to give you an excuse to go on sinning. I want you to stop sinning! Christians must not go on sinning, but if we do, what is the solution? What brings it about? We have one who is speaking to the Father in our defense. He is our propitiation, which means that act by which God becomes propitious. It is that act by which he becomes favorable. God stands against us. Therefore, the object is God, whose attitude towards us is changed by propitiation. Expiation has as its object our sin, i.e. our sin is removed.
Labels: 1 John, Don Carson, NWA08
If you listened to my podcast, you heard me say the conference site seemed full of students. The reason why this was the case was because I arrived so late that the first adult celebration was well underway. In fact, the worship was almost over by the time I got into the tent.
Hugh asked the two songwriters how they came to work together. Stuart answered that at any given time he often had a lot of lyrics floating around, but that there were also times when composing a melody was more difficult. Keith, it seems, had exactly the opposite issue, so early-on in their friendship Keith gave Stuart a CD which had three melodies on it for which he had no words. The very first tune Stuart listened to struck him powerfully, and he wrote the lyrics for it. That song became In Christ Alone. Stuart explained that the process isn't quite as simple as it sounds, and that the lyrics and melodies can sometimes go back and forth between them several times before they become finalized.
If the law is like "a husband," we are then unable to argue with him, nor are we able to leave the law and become married to another. The law is an oppressive, overbearing husband. He is right. He is authoritative. He never lifts a finger to help us. Jesus adds that the law will never pass away. So we are permanently married to a fault-finding husband who will never die. The good news of the gospel is that through the body of Christ we have passed away. In Jesus, we have all died to the law.Labels: NWA08, Romans, Terry Virgo
Lambs, snow, mountains, and streams. It sure beats sitting nose-to-bumper in London traffic!
This was a truly awesome journey, which I made to the accompaniment of Handel's Messiah. Somehow the music seemed suitably grand and majestic for the scenery.
Amazingly, I had my first sighting of sheep at the very same moment that "Behold the Lamb of God" began. A lump appeared in my throat. Somehow the baby lambs looked so innocent. How amazing that the innocent Lamb of God would willingly die for me!
I can hardly believe it! New Word Alive is suddenly no longer a far off event to which we can look forward, but is now upon us. By the time you read this, all the preparations will have been made and the long car journeys completed. Usually at a conference like this there are two groups of attenders—old hands who feel like they are part of the furniture, and the newbies. This time we are all first-timers since, while New Word Alive has roots in what has gone before, it truly is a new beginning.
We are surely in for a treat. We are fortunate to be looking forward to teaching from John Piper, Don Carson, and others, and our worship times promise to be God-intoxicated. As I think about this event, there is a strong sense in my heart that Christians from a broad spectrum of church backgrounds are being called together for a purpose. We are here for Jesus. We are here to celebrate him and renew our devotion to him. We are here to learn. And we are here to form bonds of fellowship and unity that transcend any differences we may have.Labels: Conferences, NWA08