Christians and the Old Testament

Dr. Mark Biddle, Old Testament Professor at the Baptist Theological Seminary at Richmond sat down with myself and two other pastors for a conversation. In this interview Dr. Biddle addresses two big questions:

“Do Christians need the Old Testament?”

“What about all the violence in the Old Testament?”

Just go to these sites to listen:

http://www.randolphalive.org

or

http://sermon.net/sermons-Randolph_Memorial_Baptist-12297.html

If you are an itunes listener you can go to the itunes store and type in “Derik Hamby” or “Randolph Memorial Baptist” and subscribe to all our podcasts (sermons, classes, and interviews). Sometimes it may take a few days for new pod casts to appear on the itunes site but they all will be there (and it is free).

Thanks to Dr. Biddle and I hope this gives you something to think about. I hope to do more interviews from other professors and scholars on various subjects.

Blessings,

Derik

Churches on Life Support

Studies have shown the problems in mainline denominations. For years Methodists, American Baptists, Epsicopals, and others have lamented the decline in membership in those denominations. The numbers really are staggering. You can go on line and read all kinds of stats on this problem and people have been concerned for years. More conservative Christians responded by blaming the decline on ‘liberalism’ and through the years I got the sense from some that they think this is a ‘liberal’ problem. Not so fast! Many of the churches I’ve seen close or die are far from ‘liberal.’ Those charges were never fair but interesting enough now evangelical and conservative churches are seeing the same trend!

Case in point–the Southern Baptist Convention.  The president of the SBC says that by 2030 1/2 of all SBC churches will be gone!!!! He believes that unless something is done that in the next 20 years 1/2 will close their doors (dropping SBC figures from 40,000 churches or so to 20,000). Wow! Read the link:

http://www.baptiststandard.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=7887&Itemid=53

Before we argue too much stop and think. The average church in America is under 100 in attendance. Stop and visit the churches in your town (Baptist, Methodist, doesn’t matter) on any given Sunday and in most churches you will find very few children, very few youth, and mostly senior adults. I know churches that have no kids at all! These churches have older buildings that cost money to maintain. The leadership is over 65. The average tither is well into retirement. I’ve read that it takes 5 new families to equal the tithes of one senior adult! Will these churches be able to afford clergy in a few years? Will they be able to pay the bills?

Read my previous blog.

I’ve said these things before in this blog site but when you read stories like this you have to stop and say, “Whoa.” Even if the SBC is wrong and say only half right that would still mean that in 20 years there will be 10,000 less churches.

The bleed is happening and has gone from a steady drip to a steady flow. Will it become a gushing stream and then a river?

No I don’t beliieve the Christian church is doomed. God is bigger than that. But we are moving into new territory in North America (this argument is for NA and not for some places like Africa where the growth is rapid and moving up not down).

Will we be the next Europe (a once heavily Christian place that becomes more secular)? Will we follow England where church is a minor blip in culture?

Or will we wake up and see that business as usual doesn’t work. We must be relevant. We must be creative. We must have passion. We must speak the truth and live the truth. We must do some hard work.

Comments?
Derik

Why People Would Rather Play Ball

On most Sundays you can find people playing ball.  They fill up the practice field or go to games.  They also shop for groceries at Wal-Mart during the worship hour.  They go to the lake.  They mow their yards.  They read their papers on their porches.  They spend their mornings at home and don’t worry too much about the crowd at church (unless they want to beat them at lunch at the local Golden Corral).

With most denominations in North America reporting staggering losses in attendance and many churches struggling financially to even pay the bills what does the future of the church look like?

Some might be gloom and doom prophets who preach the demise of all things church like.  Others might say that this is just a problem for this camp or that camp.  Others might say that such issues are real but not near as bad as people would like to declare.  There are those who believe that many of our churches will not be here in 10-20 years.  There are others who point to the new church movement and state that while many existing churches are dying there are new ones being born.  Churches in North America struggle while churches in South America and Africa grow.  Some believe it is the battles over homosexuality that are killing many denominations.  Others point to other issues.  Culprits are said to be liberals or the religious right (depending on your perspective).

We have many things to do in this country and the church simply has much to compete with.  The people in the pews work hard and want to play hard.  Sunday is just another day and the soccer field or the lake may be the place to be rather than a wooden pew.

The truth is Americans are busy people.  Spare time isn’t easily found and when you get it then you care where you spend it.

So what do we do?  We can shout with piety that folks should choose and like in Joshua they must decide if their households are going to serve God.  We can do that but if they still don’t come what do we do next?  What is the heart of the problem.

Perhaps many churches have simply become irrelevant.

You heard me.  Maybe the go to the lake, ball field, or stay home because those things make sense.  They give a sense of community, fellowship, values, friendship, and they do them because they believe they are important and add quality to a stressed out life.  Why play golf?  Because people who play golf can release stress, spend time with friends, enjoy nature, and feel better when they are done.  Why go to the ball field?  They can be with their families doing something they enjoy.  They can meet others in the town they live and develop a sense of community.  Their kids learn team work, dedication, commitment, and hard work.  So folks sign up, spend money, give huge amounts of time, go to practices, reenforce to their kids what the coach said, and make it a priority.  That’s what folks used to do at church (sign up, give money, give lots of time, go to the events, teach their kids what the teachers/preachers said, and make it a priority).  So why don’t they do that at church anymore?  Many, many churches aren’t relevant.

Many people don’t seem to ‘get’ what church is about.  If the sermon, Bible study, and other parts of the experience are unclear, confusing, not connected to life then why go? Why sit in a pew, give money, and spend that time doing something that they then leave and don’t even know what was said or why it was said?

I spoke to someone who visited a dying church recently.  He was leaving and an elderly member said, “That was so sad. Wasn’t it?”  “What do you mean?” “Our church is so sad.”  “Why?”  “No one comes anymore.  We are so small now. Isn’t that sad?”  The man said, “I guess it is.”  Then she turned to him and said, “Say, did you understand what our preacher’s sermon was about?”

Maybe I sound hard on churches. I’m a pastor after all and I do love the church.  Because I love the church I’m calling on all of us to be relevant.  The times in history when the church in North America was relevant were times when they did grow.  People wanted to go and they didn’t want to miss what was going on.  They felt a sense of community, fellowship, learning, growth, and support for life.  In these countries were the church is growing this is what is happening.

So North American Christians it is time we reclaim that relevancy.  If you preach or teach or work in the church then stop and consider what you are doing.  Is the sermon, music, study, activity being done just because we always do it or is there a purpose?  Are we offering a living God to a world that need to know such a God?  Are we bringing people closer to Christ?  Are we being faithful to what God has entrusted us to be faithful too?  What are we doing?  Will people understand us?  Will this help them?  Will this speak to them?  Is it clear?  Is it true?  Is it helpful?  Does it connect Sunday to Monday?

And as a final comment I’m not against the ball field, shopping for groceries, reading the paper, and all that. I enjoy those activities too.  I simply believe the church offers something they can’t offer.  I realize many churches don’t know to articulate this well but the message is there somewhere.  We have to do a better job showing others that message.

Your thoughts?

Derik

It Doesn’t Do Anything for Me!

Roman Catholic and Protestant conversations need to continue so please keep the conversation going. However one commentator from a recent blog has made me think about worship in general. Many people claim they don’t go to church because it is ‘boring’ or they get ‘nothing out of it.’ In our church we are studying worship on Wednesday nights and going through a time of conversation about the ‘pieces’ of the worship hour in our church. We are looking at the things we do and why we do them. I’m trying to move us past talking about what we ‘like’ to what helps us encounter and connect with a living God. Why is it so many people feel disconnected in the worship hour? Why do so many Christians stay away from church? Was it is that people are hungry for and not finding in their local churches? I would love to hear your thoughts on that!

If you want to listen in on the studies about worship I’m doing just visit:

http://www.randolphalive.org (and go to our sermon player to find the sessions)

or

http://sermon.net/sermons-Randolph_Memorial_Baptist-12297.html

Blessings,

Derik

Protestant and Catholic Relationships Today

I do want to comment on one issue that I hope my readers will converse with me about. I do not see Roman Catholics as heretics. I do believe Protestants and RCs do have some major differences but I don’t see RCs in the light as Jehovah’s Witnesses or Mormons at all. There are many Christians who have bashed and hated the RC for many years and that would not be my intent in writings these blogs about our reforming past. I honestly believe Luther loved the church and wanted to stay but the differences became too great. We do have many differences. RC’s view of Communion, purgatory, views on Saints, views on Mary, birth control, and church structure are some of the major differences we hold too. We can still work together in many ways but these are some big differences we have. As a Protestant I don’t hold to the RC position on these issues. One area Protestants could learn from is the history of spiritual formation found in the RC church. I’ve learned much from Thomas Merton, Henri Nouwen, and others. I personally cherish some of the writings of the dessert fathers and mothers. There is much we can come to and discuss.

RC and Protestants are Jesus focused. And there are misunderstanding on both sides. Sometimes it is hard for each side to understand the other. It is true the RC had much corruption in Luther’s day. Yet many Protestants would go through their own corruption times and we’ve had them even today. In the non-RC world we have the TV preacher scandals and other sad moments in history as well.

Having said all that I would love to open up some RC and Protestant discussion. I would love for RCs to reply to this blog and share some of the following:

“If you could clear up one thing that you believe is misunderstood by Protestants regarding the RC what would it be (then do so)?”

“How do you believe salvation is found by people within the Roman Catholic Church?”

“How can Protestants and RCs better understand one another?”

I would love to hear form you RC folks! For Protestants if you have questions or comments feel free to add. However whoever writes identify yourself as RC or Protestant so we’ll know the players.

Blessings,

Derik

Some Notes to Consider

If you are visiting looking for my “OPRAH” or “MORMON” articles go to the archives and read April and May blogs.  You will also find some other articles including the one I just did about the Protestant Reformation.  Let me know what you think!

Derik

#5 Glory to God (Soli Deo gloria “glory to God alone”)

The final teaching is that all glory goes to God and God alone. Since we don’t save ourselves then 1-4 will lead to the ultimate result that God gets the glory! If we have anything to do with our salvation then we deserve the glory. If priests can forgive us or are needed so we can be forgiven then glory might go to them. With this Christ centered approach then it is very clear who we owe the glory/credit too. Reformers were disturbed by the canonization of popes, priests and other saints. Seeking the saints to pray for us is not a Protestant idea. This goes back to the idea that Christ is our mediator alone. These ideas became troubling. What is a saint? Protestants today do hold to saints or putting more emphasis on others. We might admire and learn about role models of faith but they are not different or glorified any more than we are! The church authority focus troubled them and should us as well.

I want to add one comment about saints. A comment from a reader about the original version of this blog made me come back and change it. I seemed to imply that RCs pray to saints (poor use of language). My understanding is that RCs seek Mary and the saints, etc to intercede/come to God on their behalf. This is a RC doctrine and not a Protestant one. This is an issue that we don’t agree on and Luther did not.

And so in church today we need to make sure we are not about ‘entertaining’ the masses or bringing credit to ourselves. Some religious figures might lose focus and try and bringing glory to themselves and forget who they are supposed to be focusing on! The cult of personality is real today still. We must be careful to know why we do what we do and who we are here for!

I believe these five ideas that the Reformers expressed will continue to be expressed in various ways today. They didn’t create them but drew from the Bible and history to stress what was being forgotten or neglected or abused. They didn’t always agree on the details and there is much division among those of us who came from this time period. And more groups (like my tribe the Baptists) would officially come later but are heirs to this movement. And this is not against Catholics or Orthodox Christians. There are differences and there have been ‘counter’ Reforms within the RC movement as well. The point is that we must be careful to be on guard for heresy, abuse, and misguided movements.

Blessings,
Derik

#4 Jesus- (SOLUS CHRISTUS– BY CHRIST ALONE)

The fourth view is that of Christ alone. Christ is the one and only bridge between each of us and God. There is no other way to be saved but Christ. A Mediator is one who goes between two parties. Jesus does that for us. We do not need a high priest to go to God for us. We can go to God ourselves. Early Reforms still had traces of the Catholic doctrines of Mary and saints but in time this would lessen. There was a strong priest authority view in the church during Luther’s time. Luther moved away from this. This view would evolve into the “priesthood of the believers.” Luther wasn’t against clergy but the stress is that we can go to God individually and without a priest to do it for us.

As history moved forward this idea grew. Baptists and others would stress this ‘priesthood of the believers.’ The stress was that we are all accountable to God and we can all go to God. We don’t need a priest to go before us. In fact other reformers would understand that no one absolves us of our sins and we don’t have to go to confession. The movement from the priests being the spiritual authority and our own accountability before God would grow.

I believe ministers are important. They serve in a Biblical way to equip and enable and teach and minister. But each of us are equal in standing before God. We each can go to God and confess our sins. We are all priests. Jesus is our high priest.

This may seem radical to some but in the NT this is the teaching I believe you will find.

Blessings,
Derik

#3 Grace- (SOLA GRATIA– BY GRACE ALONE)

The third plank in the Reformers cry would be “solia gratia” (by grace alone). This emphasis ties into the last one on faith. It is our faith not what we do that saves us (see number 2) but it is God’s grace (gift, act of God) that does the actual saving. So even though it is our faith (trust-placing believe) the actual saving is not the act but the giving of the gift from God (you can’t understand 2 and 3 separately). The Catholic church would stress that salvation is only by grace but that faith and works is there and people are sustained by grace. The Reformers wanted to clarify and correct this and make it absolutely clear that it is God alone that is saving us through grace. Grace is God’s free gift made possible through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. This is given to us through the Holy Spirit.

How is faith alone and grace alone different? Faith alone is still a work (we are placing ourselves in God’s hand but it is a choice we make) and without grace it still couldn’t save us. Grace is the free gift God offers. So we aren’t working our way to heaven but we are accepting (faith) the gift God is giving (grace).

In 1999 Lutherans and Catholics issued the “Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification” which read, “”By grace alone, in faith in Christ’s saving work and not because of any merit on our part, we are accepted by God and receive the Holy Spirit, who renews our hearts while equipping us and calling us to good works.” In 2006, delegates to the World Methodist Conference voted unanimously to adopt the declaration. The Methodists’ resolution said the 1999 agreement “expresses a far-reaching consensus in regard to the theological controversy which was a major cause of the split in Western churches in the 16th century” over salvation by grace alone or by grace and good works. And so the heirs of Martin Luther and the Catholic Church have agreed that Luther was right. There are still Protestants who see major differences among Catholics and Protestants regarding this issue and I suppose it will never be settled. Old wounds remain for a long time.

Is this important today? Yes. Again it is a stress on Christ and Christ alone for our salvation. Both 2 and 3 reject works and are human attempts to explain a God thing. Jesus saves and we either accept or reject that salvation.

#2 Faith (SOLA FIDA– BY FAITH ALONE)

The Reformers also stressed that Christianity is by “faith alone” (sola fide). This is the doctrine of “Justification by faith.” This means that we are saved (become Christians, gain eternal life) by faith and faith only and not by anything we can do. Our sins are forgiven through God’s grace and not by our own goodness/works. Martin Luther was upset that the church was selling indulgences to the people. People could ‘buy’ forgiveness of their sins. This was not Biblical (see the book of Romans, Ephesians, etc).

So many people want to “add” something to the mix and are certain there must be something we can do. But that would mean we are capable of earning salvation. We are not. We are all sinners and we can not be saved under our own strength. I doubt any serious Christian would argue that we are saved by works alone. The stress tends to be grace but sometimes with some works mixed in. And there are Christians who argue with this but I believe a NT view is one that the Reformers stressed that is total dependence on the free gift Jesus offers. Otherwise we’d have ourselves and God to thank!

I realize that Protestants and Catholics have wrestled with this issue in history. But I believe that we must be clear as we teach the Bible that it is a gift from Christ that we receive and not of our own that we gain eternal life.

There have been some Christians who claim that baptism or good deeds must be a part of the process and I believe this is not Biblical.

Referring back to our Mormon discussion. Often the Mormon comments would state that they too believe in salvation like we do but they do teach that a person can’t be saved without works. 2 Nephi (Book of Mormon) 25:23 states that we are saved by the grace of God after “all that we can do.” And so it may be splitting hairs but I would be careful because if baptism and good works must be present then we are leaning to works again.

It is only through accepting Christ that we are saved. The thief on the cross was not baptized. We are baptized if we can be to show others the decision we have made. And we do good works because we are saved and not to be saved or a part of being saved or to earn a level in heaven. Just like when we love someone we then show our love naturally.

And so as we preach the gospel let us be clear that it is only through Christ that we are saved.

• John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, so that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.”
• John 3:18: “Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.”
• John 5:24: “I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life.”
• John 6:40: “For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.”
• John 6:47: “I tell you the truth, he who believes has everlasting life.”
• Acts16:31: “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you shall be saved.”
• John 14:6: “Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.’”
• Romans 10:9: “That if you shall confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shall believe in your heart that God has raised him from the dead, you shall be saved.”
• Romans 11:6: “But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works, otherwise grace is no longer grace.”
• Ephesians 2:8-10: “For by grace are you saved through faith; and that not of yourselves. It is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God has before ordained that we should walk in them.”
• Galatians 2:16: “Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.”
• Galatians 2:21: “I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.”
• Galatians 3:8: “The Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith…”
• Titus 3:5: “…he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit…”

Blessings,

Derik