Reading the Dead

Posted: January 27, 2011 | Author: Brandon Smith | Filed under: Book & Media Reviews, Daily Life | 3 Comments »

In a recent article, Skye Jethani explains that he would much rather read dead authors than living:

If someone has been dead for a while and his book is still in print and widely read, then it’s probably worth reading. And, if we’re honest, there are precious few books written by Christian authors today that will still be read in 24 months, let alone 24 years. I want to use my reading time to immerse myself in powerfully formative material, and not just flash-in-the-pan trends. Does this mean I never read living authors? No, of course not. But if they’re not dead, I like them to be pretty close. I can usually trust that they’re not going to waste what time they have left on this earth writing sappy Hallmark card sentimental Evangelical fluff.

I agree with most of what Jethani says here. I tend to read a pretty good mixture of old and new books. Recently, I have read books by John Piper, Tullian Tchividjian, and mixed in a bit of Martin Luther. There is a bit sarcasm in the statement that Jethani likes his authors to be dead or “pretty close,” but there is obvious value to his point. If you walk into any LifeWay or Family Christian store today, you will find some great books and collections by C.S. Lewis, Charles Spurgeon, Jonathan Edwards, and others. However, for every classic work still in circulation, there are 245,671 books by authors you’ve never heard of that think they have a great new spin on something.

This post is not an insult to newer authors, but there is a benefit to reading men who passed on 100+ years ago who still have a high readership. My caution would be not to jump at every new book that comes out and is over-hyped with endorsements. One example of this that comes to mind is the explosion that occured with Rob Bell’s first book, Velvet Elvis. With his popularity and interesting takes on “Christian spirituality,” I read the book pretty quickly after it came out. I liked the book fairly well, moreso than many conservative theologians did. That said, Bell’s book is filled with doctrinal mistakes and borderline heresies. Bell is not afraid to step out and argue that the virgin birth is not necessary to what we think about Jesus. For every reader that can discern these things, there were thousands who may have been (and still are) seriously led astray by his views. In other cases, some books are just flat out duds even if they are doctrinally sound.

My rule of thumb is always this: if a new book is not by an author who has some sort of track-record for publishing Gospel-centered, edifying material then I avoid it until someone whose discernment I trust advocates it. There is always a person who is willing to take a chance on green authors, but for my money it just isn’t worth it.

Go read some dead guys, chances are their books wouldn’t still be around if they stunk.

Christians and Internet Presence: A Roundtable with Wax, McCoy, Wilson, and Smith

Posted: January 9, 2011 | Author: Brandon Smith | Filed under: Church, Daily Life, Gospel, Interviews, Pastoral Resources | 16 Comments »

In attempt to look at the practicality and benefits of social media and blogging for Christians, three friends who have experience with popularity in the blogging and social media world (with 4-digit Twitter followers and top 100 Christian blogs) joined me to discuss. It is my aim that this discussion would help you personally and the Church as a whole consider the Kingdom implications of blogging and social media.

For another great discussion, see: Preaching Today

The Panel:

Trevin Wax

BLOG: Kingdom People

TWITTER: trevinwax
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Steve McCoy

BLOG: Reformissionary

TWITTER: stevekmccoy
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Jared Wilson

BLOG: Gospel-Driven Church

TWITTER: jaredcwilson
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Brandon Smith

BLOG: Modern March

TWITTER: BrandonSmith85

___

In an age when everyone has a presence on the internet, should Christians consider blogging? And if so, what should they aim for?

*TREVIN WAX: What should a Christian blogger aim for? Let’s start with the no-no’s. Certainly not fame or blog traffic. Someone once asked me what it’s like to be famous in the blogworld, and my response was, “like being Homecoming king of a class of twelve.” It’s just not a big deal. The blogosphere is a neat thing, but it’s also a gigantic echo chamber, and the noisy links create the false perception that we are very important and have something so valuable to say. That’s not to say there’s nothing good in blogging – but we need to remember: to ground our importance or value in anything other than the gospel (including a good thing like a blog) is idolatrous, no matter how well we think we write. (This is one reason I take every July off from blogging. It’s good for my soul. It reminds me that I don’t need to get wrapped up in that world too much.)

What should we aim for? Generally speaking, the glory of God and the good of the church. That’s general, you say, so not so helpful. But to get more specific would require me to make rules that might not apply to all blogs. Some blogs are intended to be challenging for church leaders. Other blogs try to provide helpful book reviews to people who want to read more. Some blogs are personal commentaries sprinkled with insights into the Christian life. Other blogs link to good content on the web. I think a Justin Taylor has a specific aim quite different than say, Tim Challies. Justin is more a curator of content, whereas Tim is a creator of content. The specific aims are different, but I think both guys are trying to serve the church in their own way.

*BRANDON SMITH: The ultimate aim, as Trevin so perfectly stated is “the glory of God and the good of the church.” To me, this even includes the Christian who isn’t necessarily blogging about Christianity. If a Christian wants to start a sports blog, family blog, or random photos blog then they should do so with clear Biblical ethics and practice.

There is a cultural myth that states that God is separate from our work, hobbies, etc. There is nothing further from the truth because God is the God of our ENTIRE lives, not just our “spiritual” life. With that in mind, whatever we do on a blog or social network should still reflect Christ and not place you below reproach. Are you perfect? No, and that isn’t my point. But, it goes without saying that blogging in a way that is sinful or causes your brothers/sisters to stumble is not wise.

*JARED WILSON: I agree, and I really like Trevin’s emphasis on how the blog world is not a big deal. I encourage bloggers, especially those who are well-known to somewhat well-known, to have close friends who simply don’t care. They don’t read, aren’t interested, don’t care. I would encourage this extra especially to well-known Christian bloggers who pastor churches or have book deals or what-have-you. Surround yourself with people who are unimpressed by anything that happens online. Maybe find some who don’t even own a computer!

*STEVE MCCOY: Blogging can be kind of whatever you want it to be. A Christian may want to start a blog in the hope of generating revenue for their kids’ college education by putting up good online deals for pots and pans. Whatever, have fun, make some cash. But I’m guessing you mean a “Christian blog” in which someone says God-stuff. Fair enough.

First, as Trevin mentioned, aim for God’s glory and the blessing of others. Blogs, like everything else, are about loving God, neighbor, brother & sister, and enemy. I built my blog to gain relationships with like-minded church leaders and Christians. It includes other personal passions (family, music, photography), but ultimately I want it to be God-glorifying & human edifying.

Tell your pastor about your blog for accountability. Or maybe find a trusted, knowledgeable friend who can challenge you when necessary on what you are writing. When I started my blog years ago and my best friend, Joe Thorn, started his (both of us younger pastors), we read everything each other wrote and talked regularly on the phone about content. We’d often have each other read what we wrote before we posted it to make sure we weren’t being idiots. I’m sure I made a lot of changes before posting things. Build in accountability.

Second, aim at excellence. I’ve deleted more posts before posting them than I’ve posted. I’ve sat on posts for weeks because I just wasn’t writing clearly on an issue yet. Blogs get feedback, and you want to have thought things through well before feedback comes. One way to be excellent in your blogging is to developing your voice slowly by pointing to others a lot. There are people already out there probably saying it better than you can say it. I have a popular blog and I say things, but it’s best known for being the location of a massive page filled with Tim Keller resources.

___

In an article from Fast Company, the assertion was made that social media (and Twitter in particular) is not an effective tool for influence due mainly to the short shelf life of status’ and massive amount of users. Can social media truly have a positive influence on Christianity, both locally and worldwide?

*JARED WILSON: I may be a terrible person to ask this question, because I don’t spend much time thinking about how much influence social media has. I suppose if I were trying to be a professional blogger (or tweeter) or made a daily connection between my blogging/tweeting and promoting my writing, I would. But my basic reaction to the Fast Company appraisal of social media’s lack of influence is: okay.

Obviously I am interested in some level of influence, or else I wouldn’t post my thoughts in public forums for others to read. But the context of thinking of social media as a “tool” to influence others — and here I think of self-appointed marketing gurus, some of the pastorpreneurial tribe, and anybody who obsessively monitors their stats and rankings — seems so strange to me. In the early days, it was easy to be a big blogger fish in a small blogging pond if you could be personable and interesting. But the emphasis back then was on conversation so much more than self-promotion or influence. Comment threads were where the magic happened. Now everybody’s too busy posting to discuss below the posts. You have to go to the really polarizing blogs to find dialogue in the comments, and even then it looks more like a flame war than a town square hashing-out. At most places where you find lots of comments, most of them are just one-shot “Good post; I agree” type stuff. It used to be a few bloggers, many readers/commenters. Now everybody blogs, the conversation has quelled, and the drive to distinguish one’s self can be very tempting. I suppose that Fast Company article may discourage some folks really bent on being “agents of change” (as I’ve seen some social media users refer to themselves).

Can social media have a positive influence on Christianity? Yes, locally and worldwide. But probably not in the sense the Fast Company is talking about, in that sense of heavy influence. But social media edifies me when I’m reading the right people. I know so-called “gospel tweets” have taken some hits in the past year for being sappy or corny or unworthy of the gospel itself — just this morning one fellow told me one of my tweets was insipid — but I love to read others’ chewing on the gospel. It has a positive influence on me. It helps me revel. And all of us here probably receive messages throughout the year from folks who say a particular post or tweet encouraged them, addressed some concern of the day, etc. So use of social media that glorifies God — whether it’s reveling in the gospel, reflecting on a Scripture, or just in the spirit of Christian camaraderie being silly among friends — can be a positive influence in someone’s need of the moment. Our days go by fast; our needs change. I would think a short-shelf-life medium like Twitter might be keenly appropriate for encouragement in that context.

*STEVE MCCOY: Yes, no question. It’s just a tool for communication and relationships. Tweets pass away, but Twitterers remain. Each tweet I read impacts me, develops some aspect of my relationship with the author, etc. Couldn’t we be answering this same question about phone calls? For me social media isn’t about permanence of what is said but the permanence of those saying it.

Jared is actually a good example for me on this. Over time following Jared on Twitter we interacted a bit but didn’t really know each other. Once he tweeted about an article he published on a certain site. I DM’d him to ask if we could have a phone conversation. I asked him about how his blog article got published as I was considering doing some publication of things I was writing. He gave some feedback and we hung up. Now he’s editing a book where I was able to submit a chapter. Twitter has created lasting, positive influence in these ways, though the individual tweets along the way may have dissolved into the ether.

In other words, we can’t just stand back and listen to the hum of a million tweets with short shelf life. We have to focus in on thousands of relationships, and down to one relationship between two twitterers, and see what’s happening right now between them that’s going to last.

*TREVIN WAX: Jared, you are right about the way the blog world has evolved in the past few years. Recently, I was talking with a popular blogger from a different evangelical stream (not Reformed – at all) and we were lamenting the way that the blogosphere has solidified people into very distinct camps. Years ago, YRR guys would comment over at Emerging Village, and vice versa. Since there were fewer blogs, there was more conversation that crossed over into other theological and philosophical camps. Now, with the proliferation of blogs, there is less of that conversation. Reformed-types read certain blogs. Church-growth guys read other blogs. Etc. There’s no longer much conversation between camps taking place, and when conversation does happen, it’s more like lobbing a grenade into someone else’s camp. Nobody is to blame for this development, for it’s only natural that readers would gravitate toward good blogs that serve the need of their particular tribe. But I think it’s good for our Christian witness if we hold firm theological convictions without succumbing to theological tribalism.

*BRANDON SMITH: I don’t know that social media, Twitter in particular, can have a “lasting” influence like a book or piece of audio/video. At best, you can select a tweet as a favorite and save it. But eventually even that will fall into a jumbled list of tweets. Facebook, as far as I’ve seen, has even less options for saving a particular status.

What social media can do is help you develop a relationship to the personality and mind of the particular tweeter, as Steve mentioned. Also, I may not always remember every tweet that I read, but I’m positive that the main ideas in many of the great Gospel tweets will stick with me. Many times, I will be asked a particular theological question or something else and I will answer but not necessarily remember where I read or heard the idea. Regardless, the knowledge impressed my mind in a way that I was able to repeat/teach it to someone else. Furthermore, that idea stuck in my heart and lifted my soul so much that it was ingrained in memory. In that way, social media can have a great long-term influence if used for edification. It brings me joy to think that God could have used 140 characters that I wrote to impact someone, even if they cannot cite me as the source.

___

In the debate over “Christian Hollywood,” there are two sides: Those who believe that any sort of fame for a Christian is idolatrous or prideful and those who believe that fame is good if used as a platform for Jesus. Is fame something that Christians should avoid or embrace?

*BRANDON SMITH: “Christian Hollywood” in and of itself is nothing new to the church. Men like Charles Spurgeon donned billboards in England and the duo of George Whitefield and John Wesley preached to packed churches and pastures. Today, however, it is definitely at its height. With media the way it is, Christians can become famous through books, podcasts, blogs, megachurches, and getting on CNN like John MacArthur, Rick Warren, and Al Mohler. We also see role models such as Tim Tebow rise up in pop culture representing Jesus, and representing Him well. In all of these examples, there has been an extremely positive impression left on Christianity as a whole, in my opinion. Of course, the flip side is watching the painful fall of pastors’ public ministries which no doubt fuels the detractors of Christians in the limelight.

The question really comes down to motive. Joining “Christian Hollywood,” wherever you define that line to be, is something that should absolutely not be aimed for. Some of the most idolatrous people that I have met are those trying to get famous. It’s dangerous to even think of it as “fame;” I prefer the operative word “influence.” There is certainly nothing wrong with influence if your motives are to see the lost saved and the church edified. We are all sinners with the tendency to think we “deserve” something and we want to be recognized. This part of our insecure pride is probably unavoidable, but the temptation is manageable if you rely and lean on the grace of God alone. We could all go the Kirk Cameron Fireproof route and smash our computers or avoid technology like the Amish, but I think it’s much more helpful to pray and beg the Spirit to break our egos.

In relation to blogging, Twitter, Facebook, etc., I think Jared made a great admission in an earlier question when he stated, “Obviously I am interested in some level of influence, or else I wouldn’t post my thoughts in public forums for others to read.” If you own a blog or frequently post on social networking sites, then the chances are that you desire to be heard. I don’t think that this desire should be demonized, but you should be sensitive to what is driving this desire. Is it to be the next John Piper and see your name on books, or is it to use your God-given writing talents or theological insights to see the Kingdom advanced? I always remind myself of this: God has given me X number of blog readers, Twitter followers, Facebook friends, and other contacts in order to glorify Him and fulfill the Great Commission in whatever small or large way He has granted me to do so. I would be remiss to prostitute His gifts for my own gain.

*TREVIN WAX: Brandon, I agree that there is nothing inherently evil in thinking you have something valuable to say. Everyone who ever preaches or teaches could be accused of pride if that were the case. Dave Harvey’s Rescuing Ambition has been helpful to me in thinking through the ways that ambition can be harnessed for the glory of God. Yet, I must admit that however much we try, even our best motives are tainted by sin. If we think they aren’t, we deceive ourselves. So blogging (like teaching, preaching, writing, etc.) must take place within a context of continual repentance, with the added hope of stewarding wisely whatever amount of influence God gives us.

*STEVE MCCOY: I think it’s complicated. Some famous Christians are shaming Christ and others are making Him known. Some are getting rich off books for selfish reasons and others are providing resources that are changing lives. Fame seems to be associated with pride, yet some of the famous Christians who have influenced me most are known because they are generous and humble and speak with a sense of God and eternity.

Brandon mentioned motives and influence. A few years ago I heard John MacArthur say something in a 9 Marks (Mark Dever) interview that, I think, puts the desire for influence under the best motives. MacArthur said, “I’ve concentrated on the depth of my ministry and God’s taken care of the breadth of it.” Sounds good to me.

*JARED WILSON: I hope this doesn’t sound like I’m dodging the question, but I’m not sure “avoid” or “embrace” are the only two options for Christians. I think we should just be faithful to the callings, private and public, that God puts before us. In that sense, fame is neutral. There were men of God who were famous in the land in Bible times. Fame is not something to embrace, of course, as a self-exalting pursuit, but neither something we are morally bound to avoid. In some cases, I’d think avoidance of exposure or recognition can be a form of false humility, a type of self-centeredness all its own.

___

What are some practical ways that social media and blogging can benefit churches, church leaders, and their audience?

*STEVE MCCOY: First thing, know your audience. What are local people using? What are people in your church using? Where I live Facebook is very popular. Twitter and blogging are not that big. If I spend my time trying to connect with people in a way they don’t want to connect, I’ll be spinning my wheels.

Because Facebook is so widely used it can be a helpful tool for communication both as a church and individually. I actively use Facebook to connect to local people. I have several local friends and I keep up with their lives. We are Facebook friends with all our kids’ teachers, many of their friends’ parents, and so on. People are allowing us to know them better. Why not do that? For our church, Facebook gives us a place to connect in a place where they already go. We get to connect people to information about our church, invite them to events, and so on. Our church members use Facebook to invite people to events when our church puts out announcements on Facebook. I just had a non-attender message me on Facebook because he’s eager for our next Pub Talk (connection ministry).

For me as a pastor I’ve used Twitter and blogging heavily, but mostly to connect to other church leaders outside my local area. I need like-minded friends in ministry. I can’t fully explain the benefit and blessing of being connecting to hundreds of church leaders through my blog and Twitter. It is truly a kind of community. It doesn’t replace true community, it compliments it and expands it. For example, I’m attending the Desiring God Pastors Conference in a month and I already know of a dozen other guys going and wanting to hang together. Every conference I’ve attended in the last 5-6 years has been a social media family reunion for me. I love and need these co-laborers in Christ.

Because of these relationships through social media I’ve had hundreds of people praying for my wife, I’ve been provided more than $6,000 for a new van (without asking!), been invited to speak at a conference, endorsed books, found guys to lead worship and fill my pulpit, and a bunch more.

What I’ve just begun to see locally is crossover. Nearly all our visitors are from something web-based. Many are beginning to connect to use because they’ve found my personal blog or Twitter account. And it has been providing the opportunity to minister locally when my original intent was to connect with leaders internationally. Very thankful for that.

*BRANDON SMITH: For me, my Twitter followers are almost entirely people who read my blog, are members in the PLNTD Network community that I admin., or are other pastors and leaders that I like to read and connect with. My Facebook, on the other hand, is about 5% that group and 95% friends and family. My blog subscribers and readers are a rather balanced between people I know and do not know.

On Facebook and Twitter, I use the same guidelines: roughly 1/10 of my statuses are of a personal nature and the rest are quotes, links, etc. that relate to the Christian life. Although I have vastly different audiences on each, I see social media and my blog as a major extension of my ministry. There are plenty of people updating where they are going or what coffee they’re drinking; how many people use it to edify the body?

*JARED WILSON: My experience mirrors Steve’s fairly closely except for his last statement on receiving visitors based on web-based information. I live in an area where very few adults are on social media. Many are on Facebook, particularly teenagers, but virtually no one’s on Twitter. There is a sizable minority here in rural Vermont who aren’t on the Internet or don’t even have a computer. And then among those over 30 who access the web, they are rarely on any kind of social media.

But my context is not the norm, obviously. Most other areas of the country are more plugged in. My previous church in Nashville had its own Twitter account, and we used that, along with our Facebook page, to keep followers updated on events and information. It was rarely used for discussion or study or anything substantive, however. It was almost purely informational, and I think that’s the primary way churches can use social media. I may be in a minority on this view, but I am very averse to the idea of a church trying to engage something called community online. I’m not naive enough to think meaningful exchanges can’t happen — because I’ve been in some — but I’ve been blogging and plugged-in long enough to be realistic about the limitations of non-verbal, non-face-to-face ministry and discipleship. I find “internet campuses” ludicrous. And I worry about the rapid un-incarnation of church life that’s in the design of increased church leverage of social media.

The best practical way social media can benefit churches and leaders is through the rapid updating of informational “bullet points.”

But like Steve, even though none of my church members are on Twitter, very few are on Facebook, and even fewer have a blog or website of any kind, I am edified as a church leader by the ongoing conversation on these sites with other pastors, writers, and leaders in other areas.

*TREVIN WAX: I’ve found the same to be true in my experience. Social media gives us the opportunity to connect with people in our churches. And blogs allow us to connect with like-minded ministers who are laboring for the kingdom in other churches. I’m always encouraged when someone connects with me and mentions that they have been helped in some way by the blog. Blogging connects me to a network of other ministers striving to be faithful to the gospel, and the encouragement that comes from that connection is incalculable.

The Middle Road

Posted: January 6, 2011 | Author: Brandon Smith | Filed under: Daily Life, Scripture Lessons | Leave a comment »

How often is it that we disregard the Word of God and act like little babies in our faith? How often do we cling to that first “spiritual” experience or that last revival of the soul to carry us through life? We are taught (in a very elementary way) that simple belief in Jesus Christ is what it means to be a Christian.

Wrong.

Forget everything you felt or heard at church camp every year. It is more than a “decision” forced on you by a pastor. We must yearn for Him daily, we must deny ourselves and align ourselves with His absolute truths and His way of doing things. God does not give us commands because He wants to boss us around like a dictator on a power trip; He gives us commands because He created this universe to work in a particular order and we cannot live a life of true freedom until we realize this. Scripture and life itself had to beat this truth into me before I could actually wrap my mind around it. Maybe you can relate.

Jesus is clear that the middle road does not exist. There is a wide and narrow road (Matthew 7:13-14). This lukewarm, half-hearted faith that we masquerade as Christianity makes Him sick. Don’t believe me?

“Because you are lukewarm, I will spit you out of my mouth. You say, ‘I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing,’ not realizing that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked.” (Revelation 3:16-17)

That was red-letter. Jesus says He will spit you out of His mouth but the literal Greek translation says that He will vomit you out of His mouth. Lukewarm faith makes Him want to vomit. Let that rattle around in your skull for a moment. Imagine seeing our Lord and Savior face to face and Him blowing chunks because of your “faith.” What’s more, He goes on to say that those who are lukewarm are “wretch, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked.” These are pointed words from the very lips of a gracious, loving God.

Jesus loves you. Very much. He died for your sins – past, present, and future. On the cross, He saw your life playing out and joyfully took God’s wrath upon Himself to rescue you. Do not be mistaken, your sins were eradicated on that Roman cross two centuries ago. Nevertheless, this act of grace is not to be taken lightly. God is steadfastly forgiving but also eternally holy and just. He will not be mocked, He will not be abused. As Mark Driscoll says so rightly, “Jesus will never take a beating again, that was a one-shot deal for salvation.”

The wide road is crowded with cows being led to slaughter. May you be more than a tepid, moral rule-keeper. I pray that you would follow the narrow path, loving Him deeply and fully with every ounce of you.

The War [That Raged] On Christmas

Posted: December 23, 2010 | Author: Bryan | Filed under: Daily Life, Something To Think About | Tags: Christmas | 2 Comments »

With only two more days until Christmas, we are well enmeshed in the season of the proclamation of war. Certainly, the rhetoric about the “War on Christmas,” has been much more tame in recent years than it has in the past, but we can still hear the whispers of this nation-wide (global?) conspiracy on the lips of the righteous few.

Facetiouness aside, the truth is that there is a war on Christmas-but it’s not one that was started by Macy’s, but rather one launched on an unsuspecting night two-thousand years ago. The apostle John gave us a picture of it in Revelation 12:

1 And a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars. 2 She was pregnant and was crying out in birth pains and the agony of giving birth. 3 And another sign appeared in heaven: behold, a great red dragon, with seven heads and ten horns, and on his heads seven diadems. 4 His tail swept down a third of the stars of heaven and cast them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she bore her child he might devour it. 5 She gave birth to a male child, one who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron, but her child was caught up to God and to his throne, 6 and the woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God, in which she is to be nourished for 1,260 days.

7 Now war arose in heaven, Michael and his angels fighting against the dragon. And the dragon and his angels fought back, 8but he was defeated, and there was no longer any place for them in heaven. 9 And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world— he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him. 10 And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God. 11 And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death. 12 Therefore, rejoice, O heavens and you who dwell in them! But woe to you, O earth and sea, for the devil has come down to you in great wrath, because he knows that his time is short!”

John’s vision begins with the birth of the long-awaited Messiah, and the cosmic signs that surround his birth. God’s plan of redemption had come to its apex, and the entire hope of the Old Testament had burst onto the scene, attracting the attention of an old serpent. The time had come for the showdown of Genesis 3:15 between the serpent and the son of Eve, with it began a war that continues to rage to this day.

The war that arose from that Christmas morning was not commercial nor consumer-driven, but rather fully cosmic in scope. It’s a war between powers and principalities, serpent and man, the dragon and the Christ. It’s a war over the heart of men and women the world over. It’s a war that began with the shattered silence of baby’s cry, ringing out from a stable because his earthly parents had been kicked out of a guest room (most likely from family members who were ashamed at the mother’s pregnancy out of wedlock). It’s a war that was decisively won, not with a shout of victory, but with a broken Savior, hanging on the cross in apparent defeat. It’s a cosmic war because it’s a cosmic redemption. But more than that, it’s a cosmic war because the very cosmos itself was flipped upside-down three days later, when Jesus was resurrected and defeated the power of death and the dragon, and when he ascended to his throne to rule the cosmos by ushering in a renewed creation in the middle of the old one.

It’s a war that has been won, but it is a war that is being won as we await the day that it will be visibly won. Death continues to ravage the creation, not realizing its defeat. The dragon continues to roar, not realizing that his teeth have been broken. It’s a war that continues to be fought, though the winner has already been declared. And it’s a war that will continue to rage, until the day that Christ the Conquering King returns to finish off what began with the birth of a child in Bethlehem.

The modern so-called “war on Christmas” is silly and pales in comparison to the reality. We expect people who have nothing to do with Christ to wish us a Merry Christmas, and get upset that they dare to acknowledge that there are several holidays happening concurrently. To expect an unregenerate society to celebrate the birth of the Messiah is…well…silly. I even read an article that argued thus: because Christmas is the one holiday out of all the occuring holidays at this time that brings in the most money and that helps keep stores afloat during this season, stores should say “Merry Christmas” rather than “Happy Holidays”. The most frustrating part of the article was that I wasn’t sure if the author was serious or not. Is this really a win in our favor? That the greed and rampant consumerism that has come to mark this time of year is a way of remembering Jesus’ birth? And no, I’m not against buying presents for Christmas—but that’s a different story. And yes, done correctly, shopping for the holidays, and even black friday can be missional – but that’s another post.

To hear some people talk about it, the power, kingdom, and authority of God and Christ has nothing on a minimum wage greeter saying “happy holidays.” Or that by saying “Merry Christmas,” someone will convert right there at the department store. We know differently, however, because the only thing that will convert rebellious sinners is the victory of Christ on the cross and his resurrection.

The Christmas war of Revelation 12 is the only war on Christmas that matters, and its a war that has already been won. So, instead of getting upset with a pluralistic society celebrating the holidays with pluralism, let’s join in with the heavenly chorus which sings this heavenly carol:

“‘Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God. And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death.’”

Yes —the Kingdom of God has power, and Christ has authority, even over Macy’s.

The Need for Inerrancy

Posted: December 17, 2010 | Author: Brandon Smith | Filed under: Daily Life, Gospel, Testimony | 3 Comments »

Inerrancy is a hot-button word in Evangelicalism. Men who stand for it are often called fundamentalists or legalists. Men who stand against it are called heretics and liberals. The Conservative Resurgence in the SBC surely polarized this subject on a broad scale, above and beyond Baptist life. In any event, say what you wish and stand where you want.

As for me, I need the Bible to be inerrant.

The Bible cannot merely be another religious book with some truth in it. Adam and Eve cannot be simply a poetic example of good vs. evil. Abraham cannot simply be a cartoon character. David cannot simply be one of many kings in a small area of the Middle East. John the Baptist cannot simply be a crazy redneck from the woods.

I need Jesus to really be God.
I need Jesus to really be born of a virgin.
I need Jesus to really live a perfect, sinless life.
I need Jesus to really be punished on the cross in my place.
I need Jesus to really bodily rise from the grave.
I need Jesus to really return on the clouds in glory.
I need Jesus to really banish Satan and evil forever.
I need Jesus to really establish the new Heaven and Earth.

If Jesus is not who He said He was, if He is not who the Scriptures record Him to be… then He is another apocalyptic rabbi decomposed in a tomb somewhere. There is no hope, no real reason for doing anything.

Too many pastors are ignoring this. Too many choose to preach on topical nothingness rather than espousing the absolute dire need for Scripture to be right about the Gospel.

There is no more important message than the message of a risen Savior and the TRUTH of that message.

1 Corinthians 15:3-4, 14

For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: 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 if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain.

A Worker Approved by God

Posted: December 8, 2010 | Author: Brandon Smith | Filed under: Daily Life, Gospel, Pastoral Resources, Scripture Lessons | 1 Comment »

A quick thought for Christian men from 2 Timothy 2:22-26:

Flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart. Have nothing to do with foolish, ignorant controversies; you know that they breed quarrels. And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will.

May we memorize this list and seek Gospel transformation in our hearts. Though this passage seems aimed more at a vocational minister, these traits should mark the life of every Christian man (and woman).

Be Authentic

Posted: November 27, 2010 | Author: Brandon Smith | Filed under: Church, Daily Life, Gospel | Leave a comment »

To the detriment of many church services, Christians tend to be either over-charismatic or over-stoic during worship. I suspect that this is pride on both sides of the scale. The over-charismatics are in competition (albeit with themselves) to appear super spiritual and the over-stoics are too proud (whether intentionally or not) to show real emotion due to the fear of “looking weird.” Sadly, this spills over into our daily lives. We all know the Ned Flanders at the office that seems almost fake and the guy who you’d never expect as a Christian simply because of his lack of excitement about anything.

Though most Christians are used to this dynamic, non-believers visiting your church and watching you live your life are not. Though not always as skeptical or jaded as many Christians are toward each other, outsiders can often tell whether or not the Christian is authentic in what they believe and how they show it. As a former agnostic, I can confirm this to be true. The postmodern world is looking for authenticity, not a show (or lack thereof).

The key is not to be critical of or encourage anyone to “work on” how they worship or present themselves, but rather to plead with you to be real when doing it. Contrary to popular belief, your faith is not about you.

Day-to-day and week-to-week, do non-believers see a lover of Jesus or a thespian?

Thinking and Feeling

Posted: November 19, 2010 | Author: Brandon Smith | Filed under: Daily Life, Theology | Leave a comment »

I am currently reading John Piper’s amazing book, Think. Here is his take on why our head and our heart should both be stimulated in our faith:

God has given us minds and demanded that we use them in understanding and applying his Word. And God has given us emotions which are equally essential and which he has commanded to be vigorously engaged in his service.

If we neglect the mind we will drift into all sorts of doctrinal error and dishonor God who wills to be known as he is. And if we neglect the heart we will be dead while we yet live no matter how right our creed is.

Often I run across people who are either more logically-driven or more emotionally-driven in regards to their faith. There are problems that can arise if we focus too much on one or the other.

Thinking Too Much

This can lead to 1) an issue of intellectual pride, and 2) legalism. One problem that exists in the Calvinist circles is that we Calvinists feel that we have so logically figured soteriology out, that we look down on anyone who does not “get it.” This mindset and others drives us into idolizing something other than God and causes us to focus on the dogmatic and not the spiritual. Over thinking makes us a sort of mindless robot, going through the motions and not taking seriously the supernatural, unexplainable work of God.

Feeling Too Much

The main issue here is that people get so caught up in their last emotional high that they are disappointed when that high fades out. The Christian faith is not always crying during worship or an insatiable desire to read the Word. Often times it is gut-wrenching. You will not always “feel like” praying or living obediently, and you will need sound theology to work through it.

My prayer is that God would not only tune my mind to Him, but tune my heart as well. If our minds and hearts are both in rhythm with God, we will be a grave danger to Satan’s work in this world.

Three Essentials of Ministry

Posted: November 15, 2010 | Author: Brandon Smith | Filed under: Daily Life, Gospel, Pastoral Resources | Leave a comment »

There are three things that are of great importance to me as a minister:

Scripture

The Bible is the absolute most important piece/collection of literature ever written. 2 Timothy 3:16 states that all Scripture is God-breathed and is used for something that nothing else ever written can be: teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness. Why? Because it’s God’s Word. God’s laws and standards are unchanging, while everything changes. Therefore, you cannot know God or know the reality of the created world we live in without it.

Prayer

This should be a “duh” moment for you. When I say that prayer is vital, it shouldn’t be a surprise or a reminder. Prayer is the one and only way we can talk directly to God. Sadly, we do not look at it this way. We forget to pray, think that some things aren’t worth talking to God about, you name it. I’ll tell you that in college chapel services, many students are looking around or whispering during prayers. I’ve been guilty myself. We should not hold prayer so low, either corporately or individually. When someone is praying they are speaking to God, and we should be speaking with them. It is much less about asking for things than it is about maintaining your relationship with the Father.

The Gospel

Oh, how this is so easily forgotten. How many times do we hear a sermon that doesn’t mention Christ? Whether you’re teaching from the Old Testament, the New testament, or teaching on life’s daily issues… The cross of Christ and His Good News should be central to the message. Jesus even speaks about the fact that the Old Testament is about Him. There is absolutely no reason why the Gospel isn’t made central to teaching, praying, evangelizing, or any aspect of the daily human life. The Gospel isn’t just an idea, it’s the reconciler of all creation.

Weeping with Those Who Weep

Posted: October 13, 2010 | Author: Bryan | Filed under: Daily Life | Leave a comment »

Being part of the Church universal and in a local gospel community necessitates that you are not your own. Jesus was more than clear that the bond between believers (The Holy Spirit) is greater than the bond between family (See Mark 3:31-34). One of the heaviest passages about the togetherness of this new community that Jesus is continuing to build is Romans 12:15: “Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep.”

Today, I found out that one of the families in the church I’m a member at has lost their mother to cancer. These are three guys that I look up to, respect, and hope to emulate. Two are presently at the same school I attend (SBTS) and the third has just went off as a missionary to a closed country.

I also found out that another sister who is not part of our local church, but part of the greater church in Louisville and my wife’s best friend has been told that her mother ~~now just has days to live~~ has passed away. Again, the culprit is cancer.

I can’t pretend to have anything to say. I don’t have any magical formula to give them. I can’t speak into the situation, having never experienced it myself. All I can do is point them to the promises of God. And they are well aware of the God’s promises. But in these times, we need to be reminded of the vision before us. God has conquered. God has won. Revelation 21:1-7 presents us with this vision:

1Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. 2And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. 4He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”

5And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” 6And he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment. 7The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and [they will be my children].

But, according to Romans, this is not really all I can do. I can weep alongside them. I must weep alongside them. It is not just a duty, but a delight to weep beside them. I am compelled to weep, because this isn’t just suffering friends, but suffering brothers and sisters. I am compelled to weep, because they didn’t just lose their mothers, but I have lost mothers, even if I have never met them.

As Matt Chandler has said about the verse “Where, O Death, is your sting?”: Here it is! Here is death’s sting! In the mourning of those still here. The sting of death is not lost here and now with us, but in the resurrection when we see Christ’s victory over death. We see death lose its sting in Revelation 21:1-7. We await that day. Come soon, Lord Jesus!

Photo used in this image: clspeace.

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