Why We Should Positively Teach the Gospel Rather than Engage in Polemics with Gusto

I recently came across a blog post written by Tim Keller on his City to City Blog that spoke to my heart. The application for me and my ministry is clear, and I thought I would pass it on to see if it was as helpful to others. Tim wrote ....

D.M. Lloyd-Jones once had a memorable encounter with T.T. Shields, the pastor of Jarvis Street Baptist Church in Toronto, and a leading defender of orthodoxy against the growing liberal theology of the churches in Canada. Shields regularly attacked other church leaders in both his preaching and his writings. Lloyd-Jones shared virtually the identical theological positions with Shields, but he believed "'that the Baptist leader (Shields) was sometimes too controversial, too denunciatory and too censorious.' Rather than helping young Christians by the strength of his polemics against liberal Protestants and Roman Catholics, Lloyd-Jones believed that Shields was losing the opportunity to influence those whose first need is positive teaching.” (I. Murray, D.M. Lloyd-Jones: The First Forty Years, p.271). We should recall that Lloyd-Jones was quite willing to engage in polemics himself. He and John Stott clashed publicly over whether evangelicals should remain in the Church of England. (Lloyd-Jones said they should not.) And yet Lloyd-Jones opposed making polemics a major part of one’s ministry, and challenged Shields.

In their meeting, Shields asked Lloyd-Jones if he enjoyed reading the works of another contemporary defender of orthodoxy. Lloyd-Jones said that he seldom read the author, because, “he doesn’t help me spiritually.” Shields responded: “Surely you are helped by the way he makes mincemeat of the liberals?” Lloyd-Jones responded: “You can make mincemeat of the liberals and still be in trouble in your own soul.” This touched off an extended debate. At one point Shields said that he was only doing what Paul did to Peter—contradicting and opposing him. Lloyd-Jones responded “The effect of what Paul did was to win Peter round to his position and make him call him ‘our beloved brother Paul’ [2 Peter 3:15]. Can you say the same about the people whom you attack?” For this Shields had no answer. The simple fact was that his polemics were really designed simply to stigmatize and marginalize his opponents, not persuade them. Suddenly the younger Lloyd-Jones appealed to Shields in a bold way. In the 1920s, Shields had expected an appointment to McMaster University, but theological liberals blocked it. Lloyd-Jones pointed out that from that time it had changed the tone of his ministry. “Dr Shields, you used to be known as the Canadian Spurgeon, and you were…but over this McMaster University business in the early twenties you suddenly changed and became negative and denunciatory. I feel it has ruined your ministry. Why don’t you come back! Drop all this, preach the gospel to people positively and win them!” (Murray, p.273)

On the lips of someone else, this could be seen as an appeal to “just preach Jesus” and not care about sound doctrine. But it is hard to accuse Lloyd-Jones of that. Rather, Lloyd-Jones was standing in the tradition of Gillespie and Alexander. Polemics is medicine, not food. Without medicine we will surely die—we can’t live without it. This is why “polemical theology’ must be a required part of every theological curriculum. Yet we cannot live on medicine. If you engage in polemics with relish and joy—if polemics takes up a significant percentage or even a majority of your time and energy—it is like trying to live on medicine alone. It won’t work, for the church or for you. That was Lloyd-Jones’s message.

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The Fall Preaching Convocation and Workshop with Dr. Joel Gregory, September 26-27, 2011

Dr. Joel Gregory, Truett's Professor of Preaching

This past week I visited with Joel Gregory. Some of the most memorable messages I've heard preached have come from his ministry. Four years ago I posted about a sermon I heard Joel deliver to prospective pastors. It is obvious to me that the tribulation and scars in Joel's life have only deepened his respect for the message of grace and the gospel rings even clearer from his powerful preaching.

In two weeks, beginning Monday night, September 26, and going through Tuesday afternoon, September 27, Dr. Joel Gregory will be the featured speaker at the Fall Preaching Convocation and Workshop at Truett Seminary in Waco, Texas. The cost is nominal ($30) and includes lunch on Tuesday. Online registration closes on Tuesday, September 20th.

Joel would like to reach out to folks who otherwise might not be here or know about the conference and let those unfamiliar with Truett know that the seminary is a place where the Bible is believed and the Lord Jesus Christ is exalted. Some of what Joel Gregory will deal with will be personal and autobiographical. All of it will be biblical. His message on Tuesday morning will be "Sometimes It Is Good Just To Get Out Alive" (Jeremiah 45) and will be worth your effort to hear.

You may click on the link above, or call the numbers below to register. My wife and I will be returning from Poland and the Czech Republic on that day, but I hope to be able to make the conference myself.

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS (Fall Preaching Convocation and Workshop at Truett)


MONDAY - SEPTEMBER 26th

6:30 PM Registration
7:30 PM Worship - Dr. Gregory preaching

TUESDAY - SEPTEMBER 27th

8:30 AM Registration
9:30 AM Worship - Dr. Gregory preaching

11:00 AM Lecture by Dr. Gregory

12:00 PM Lunch dialogue with Dr. Gregory

1:30 PM Lecture by Dr. Gregory
2:00 PM Final dialogue with Dr. Gregory

REGISTRATION INFORMATION

- Online closes on September 20th, 2011.

- Registration for this event is $30.00

(which also includes lunch on Tuesday)

- Registration is FREE for currently enrolled seminary students, however students who wish to attend the lunch on Tuesday will be required to pay $5 by September 20th, 2011.

- A block of rooms has been reserved at a reduced rate at the Residence Inn - Marriott, which is located across the highway from Truett Seminary. To make your reservation, please call:

(254) 714-1386 or (800) 331-3131. Be sure to let them know that you would like the Baylor Reduced Rate for the Fall Preaching Convocation. Note: This special reserved rate is only available until September 16th.

Make checks payable to Truett Seminary and mail to:

ATTN: The Kyle Lake Center for Effective Preaching,
              George W. Truett Theological Seminary,
              One Bear Place #97126,
              Waco, Texas 76798-7126

A Pastor with a D. Min. Degree Should Not Be Addressed as "Dr." - Tom Kelley

After a few weeks of posting at Grace and Truth to You and fluctuating with my desires about comments, it seems that moderation provides the best solution for what had become a  perplexing problem. Moderating comments--viewing them before they are posted--is a compromise between the completely open comment system which sadly allows subversiveness from ideological ranters which drowns out the substance of other commentors, and the completely closed system which just as sadly shuts out the incredibly astute comments of many who either agree or disagree with what I write. Until events dictate otherwise, Grace and Truth to You will operate under comment moderation.

I've discovered an army of Southern Baptists, usually silent in public, who feel empowered to comment on blogs, and their comments are both needed and thought provoking. One such layman, a highly educated professional himself, wrote a comment on last week's post about mail order degrees obtained by some Southern Baptist pastors. Tom Kelley did not comment about fraudulent degrees, but instead wrote about D.Min degrees,  degrees that are legitimate post-graduate degrees for many Southern Baptist pastors. However, Tom expressed his disapproval that these pastors either insist on being called "Dr." or even allow others to address them as "Dr."--a distinction that the D. Min degree does not afford. Tom explained his feelings in this manner:

"One thing that bothers me is the number of pastors who complete D.Min. degrees and then refer to themselves (or allow others to refer to them as) "Dr." As a practitioner's degree, the preface of Dr. for a D.Min. grad is not appropriate, as it is with an academic's degree, such as a Ph.D., Th.D., or even Ed.D.

It's appropriate, if one sees a need, for a D.Min. to follow their name with their "letters", just as a lawyer can follow their name with J.D. (Doctor of Jurisprudence). But one should no more call a D.Min. grad "Dr." than one would call a lawyer "Dr." This is because the purpose of both degrees serve as terminal degrees in the practice of one's "craft"; the degrees are not intended as scholarly qualifications.

In fact, a pastor with a Ph.D. should not be called "Dr." in reference to his position as pastor, only in his work as a professor or theologian. Even someone with an M.D., a profession notorious for insisting on being called Dr., would be out of line to think his mechanic should call him "Dr." when he gets his oil changed.

Context is key."

In light of Tom's perceptive--and in my opinion, accurate--comment, I would like to thank Kevin Ezell, President of this year's 2010 Pastors' Conference in Orlando. No speaker is listed as "Dr.". Most speakers have earned the D.Min degree. A couple have earned Ph.D's. It is right to do away with all titles when SBC pastors are called to preach the word of God. Christ Himself spoke about being careful of considering oneself superior to those to whom one speaks (Matthew 23:8). Thankfully, the SBC Committee on Order of Business has adopted a similar approach when presenting speakers.

Do you agree that the D. Min is not an academic research degree, and that pastors desire to be identified as a person with this degree, they should abstain from "Dr." before their name, and simply go with D. Min after their name, as would an attorney with a Juris Doctorate degree? Or do you believe that a pastor with a D.Min should be called "Dr." and introduce himself as "Dr."? It seems that most Southern Baptist pastors with a D.Min believe it is both normal and expected for their congregations to refer to them as "Dr.". I think Tom Kelley has made some valid points about this being an errant practice.

In His Grace,

Wade Burleson

The Grace of Faithfulness in Preaching Christ Illustrated in a Choctaw named Oakchiah

Buried on the south bank of the Arkansas River, just north of the old fort from which Fort Smith, Arkansas draws her name, lies buried an Indian named Oakchiah (Oak-Chia-Ah). He was born 200 years ago this coming month (April 1810) in Mississippi to a full blood Choctaw family in what is called "The Old Nation" of the Choctaws. Previous to the Choctaws forced withdrawal from Mississippi to Indian Territory (Oklahoma) there was a revival of true religion within the tribe, during which many came to faith in Jesus Christ. Oakchiah was one of those trophies of the cross. According to those acquainted to him in his youth, he was an active, energetic young man, quite zealous for the things of Christ among a people who walked in darkness. He was baptized upon his profession of faith and renamed William Winans, but he still retained his Indian name Oakchiah until his death in 1849 at the age of 39. Soon after his conversion as a young man, he became deeply concerned for the salvation of his friends and neighbors, those of full Choctaw heritage and ways. Whenever an opportunity was given him, he would speak boldly of Christ to his fellow Indians, warning in his native tongue that his people should repent of their sins and turn to the Lord Jesus Christ, that they might have everlasting life. He preached with passion and power, offending many who were wed to the old ways. Bitter persecutions arose against Oakchiah from within his own family. Oakchiah's earthly father told him that if he ever again spoke to the people about Christ, he would kill him. Duly warned, Oakchiah had a decision to make before the next council meeting. Would he heed the advice of his father and be silent about Christ, or would he risk his own life and once again appeal to the Choctaws to turn to Christ for salvation? He chose the latter and the Oklahoma Historical Chronicles, Volume IV, Number 2, tells what happened next:

Having faithfully preached Christ to his people for the last time, as he supposed, he returned to meet his infuriated parent, at the threshold of the cabin. There the father stood with form erect, broad and athletic, in the vigor of manhood; his tawny visage was rendered almost black by the malice which rankled in his breast; the deadly rifle was in his hand, and he was fully prepared to consummate his fiend like purpose. Oakchiah approached, expecting to fall, but was calm and fearless; for he was in the discharge of duty, and God’s grace wonderfully strengthened and sustained him in the dark hour of trial. With deep peace in his soul and with love beaming in his countenance, and with unusual tenderness in the intonations of his voice, he addressed his parent: "Father, will you shoot me? What have I done that I must die so soon? Father, I die a Christian, and shall go to the land of the pure and good to live with the blessed Savior!"

Although the rifle had been leveled to take deadly aim the old man paused, his muscles relaxed, the weapon fell to the ground, and a torrent of tears gushed from his eyes, and flowed down his cheeks. He was a warrior who could boldly meet the deadly foe on the battle-field; his spirit never cowered in presence of danger or of death; he scorned the rage and power of man; but the meek spirit of a follower of Christ completely unmanned him. In such forbearance and love he saw arguments irresistible in favor of the Christian religion. Thus the father was conquered; his haughty spirit was subdued; he became deeply penitent, and was soon numbered with the believers in Jesus.

Oakchiah would later become a missionary among his own people in Indian Territory (Oklahoma), faithfully preaching Christ among his own people. Not many Oklahomans know of this preacher of the gospel buried right across our border on the southern bank of the Arkansas River, but the testimony of faithful preachers like Oakchiah encourage me to realize that true gospel preachers are always willing to pay the price, with a loving spirit, for the cause of truth.

In His Grace,

Wade

The Way a Preacher/Teacher Dresses Doesn't Necessarily Communicate Authenticity or Transparency

Rick Warren has been used by God as a messenger of the good news to tens of thousands of people in need of a Savior. The work being done by Pastor Warren is, without question, a work bringing about the transformation of lives for the glory of God. Our church has been training a hundred leaders in preparation for the launch of Celebrate Recovery, a ministry to help people to find recovery from chemical and non-chemical addictions through Jesus Christ. This ministry was begun by Pastor Warren's church and is being used by churches and pastors nation wide. Rick has been a family friend since the days he was a seminary student at Southwestern Theological Seminary and attended Southcliff Baptist Church, a church pastored by my father from 1976 to 1982. Rick would sometimes lead Sunday night worship sitting on a stool playing his guitar, wearing jeans and sandals. Little has changed over the years. Most of the time when Rick speaks to his church (see picture) he does so in casual dress. His influence is so vast, many young pastors imitate his style, including dressing casual when they teach/preach on Sundays.

Some, including John Piper (see picture below), will rarely speak to their congregation without a suit and tie. It's been my practice over the years to also always wear a suit and tie when I teach from the Word of God. I don't think my example (or Piper's) is necessarily one that other pastors should be required to imitate. Personally, I think there are many factors that come into play when it comes to the pastor/teacher's dress on Sundays including culture, climate, tradition, etc... There seems to be no hard and fast rule on the subject found in Scripture. Why do I wear a suit and tie? Well, I never see a professional comedian (think Jay Leno, Dave Letterman, etc...) or a professional broadcaster (think Tom Brokaw, Brian Williams, etc...) in the United States do their thing on television without a suit and tie. My personal feeling is that what I'm delivering is more important than either comedy or news, so I'm going to deliver it in an even better style than the the comedian or the broadcaster. BUT, (and this is a huge conjuction), in no form or fashion am I saying that someone else who does NOT wear a suit and tie is being unprofessional when they teach the gospel. I believe that Christians in churches should accept the decision of their pastor in this matter--even if the pastor's decision is different than your personal taste. Some of our members in the contemporary worship service (REFUGE) come very casual. Others in our two more traditional Sunday morning worship services come casual as well. I wear a suit and tie no matter which service I am speaking and trust that the people of Emmanuel accept my decision.

But the reason for this post is the attitude I've noticed among some (not all) of the emergent, contemporary or younger pastors. There is a sense that if a pastor does not dress casual, he is communicating to the congregation that he is not "authentic," "approachable" and "transparent." It's almost as if there is an unwritten rule among some pastors that "casual dress equals Christian authenticity." I don't think the way a preacher/teacher dresses on Sunday morning necessarily communicates authenticity or transparency. It's the way he lives his life, not the way he dresses himself, that communicates these important character qualities.

In His Grace,

Wade Burleson

An Extraordinary Preacher Worth Hearing

Last night I heard for the first time an extraordinary preacher from Texas at the Midwest Region New Baptist Covenant Conference. With an eloquence like Spurgeon, a passion comparable to Moody, and a penetrating and prophetical exegetical skill like that of Lloyd-Jones, the young pastor of First Baptist Church, Richardson, Texas, Ellis Orasco, preached the finest message I have heard in the last twenty-five years. His message was entitled "The Baptist Legacy and Poverty," yet his subject matter was Jesus ... what Jesus says about poverty ... what Jesus commands His followers to do about poverty ... the obstacles in the church that prevent us from being change agents in a world growing increasingly hostile to the Christian church and apathetic to the poor, etc ... I realize that we preachers are prone to hyberbole, but my feelings are heartfelt. Other than meeting Ellis in the elevator earlier in the day, though I had heard of him, I had never before met him, much less heard him preach. His message tonight in Norman, Oklahoma needs to be heard if at all possible - from beginning to end. In the archive it begins at General Session 2, at the one hour and twenty four minute mark. Don't give up on it. May God move in your heart as he did mine.

In His Grace,

Wade

The God Who Meets Me at the Place of Shame

Serving as police chaplain for many years I was in the position of hearing more than a few Christians mock "jailhouse conversions." My sentiments are just the opposite. God seems to be in the habit of doing some pretty mighty and powerful things when people are brought to a place of profound, personal shame - and jail has a way of producing that kind of shame. In fact, I might push the point even further. The power of Jesus Christ is most often seen in weak, broken people who have nothing to offer God. I am not talking about the kind of humility we ministerial professionals often profess to possess, but the genuine thing that rises from the ashes of brokenness. C.S. Lewis once wrote, "A man is never as proud as when striking an attitude of humility," and heaven knows we ministers know how to strike the attitude. This seems to me to be the meaning behind the promise that "God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble." The real blessings of God's grace and the power of His manifested presence fall on that person who has been broken and humbled.

Peter is an example of a believer who had everything going for him, and then fell into deep shame and brokenness because of his own failures. Early on in Peter's life Christ Himself had commissioned Peter for kingdom service (Matthew 16:17-19). Peter had the privilege of daily walking with Christ throughout our Lord's ministry (Matthew 17:1). Peter's closeness to Christ even brought Peter to thinking of his own spiritual greatness and legacy (Matthew 18:1). But when Christ was arrested we find Peter in the courtyard of Caiaphas denying that he knew Christ (three times), cursing God (to prove he didn't know Christ), and then leaving the courtyard weeping because of his sin and shame over his conduct (John 18).

But something happened to Peter. This man who spat a curse, denying he knew Christ in order to save his own skin, eventually would die a courageous death, refusing to renounce his faith in Jesus Christ. We are told that at the end of Peter's life, under threat of death if he refused, Peter was ordered by Roman officials to deny Christ. Yet, Peter did refuse and then made the remarkable request that his tormentors crucify him upside down because he was unworthy to die in the manner of his Lord. What had happened to Peter?

Jesus met Peter at the place of his failure, brokenness and shame . . . and then empowered Him and sent Him out to minister from that very place. In other words, Peter's ministry went from powerless to powerful because Peter went from boasting to brokenness. Let me show you what I mean.

There are only two places in the Bible where the phrase "fire of coals" is used. First, in John 18:18, in Caiaphas' courtyard, when Peter denied Christ. Peter's failure to be faithful brought him great shame and brokenness, and we read that when Peter actually denied Christ he was warming his hands at "the fire of coals."

Then, after the death, burial and resurrection of Christ, Jesus meets Peter for the first time since Peter's betrayal, shame and personal brokenness. It is at this meeting, recorded in John 21:9, that we find the second and only other occasion where "fires of coals" is mentioned in the Bible. It is also interesting that this is the only time in the Bible we find Jesus making a fire. Rather than making the typical fire, Jesus makes a "fire of coals." The smell of coal is unique. It burns differently, it smells differently. Everything about the fire of coal that Jesus made reminded Peter of his denial, his failure, and his shame in Caiaphas' courtyard. But it was at this meeting with Jesus, at the second fire of coal, that Peter's life was transformed - so much so that he leaves Christ to go and become a great teacher, missionary and martyr.

There is no need for pretension in real Christianity. There is no reason we Christians have to pretend we are something when we aren't. We don't need to hide our struggles, cover our failures, or sweep away our shame. In fact, the power of God will only rest on us when we allow ourselves to feel the flush heat of shame as we recount our failures to others. Christ is in the practice of pouring out His power and grace on the weak and the humble. "But we have this treasure (Christ Jesus) in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us" (II Corinthians 4:7 NIV). God chooses to use broken vessels so the glory and power of His Son will never be diminished by man's pride in supposed abilities.

Some might object by saying, "If a believer really does sense his or her utter unworthiness, inability and failure, will there not be a "checking out" of Christian ministry. No, for Christ will separate us, as He separated Peter, from the pain of our shame by giving us His grace and power. Christ recommissioned Peter at that fire of coals by the Sea of Galilee and then Peter goes out in power to minister Christ and to eventually die a faithful death. Peter was a different man. He was broken, but met the God who meets His people at the place of our shame.

Christ revealed to Peter. . . "You can't, I can." The nets that were cast at the command of Christ in John 21 came back full of fish. The fish pulled into the net were 153 and the net was not broken (John 21:11). This account is similar to the first meeting the disciples had with Christ in Luke 5, except in that instance the nets broke and fish were not numbered. But in this last encounter with Christ, at the coal fire, the fish were numbered and the nets were not broken - 153 fish.

Why 153 fish at this last encounter with Christ?

There may be other reasons, but the letters in Hebrew for the number 153 form the acronym "I AM GOD."

God has chosen imperfect people to advance His kingdom - but we must first meet Him at the place of our shame to grasp that He is God, and without Him, we are nothing.

In His Grace,

Wade

"The Sermon Is The Preacher Up To Date"

"Preaching is the art of making a sermon and delivering it. Why no, that is not preaching. Preaching is the art of making a preacher, and delivering that. Preaching is the outrush of soul in speech. Therefore, the elemental business in preaching is not with the preaching but with the preacher. It is no trouble to preach, but a vast trouble to construct a preacher. What then, in the light of this is the task of a preacher? (or of anyone sharing his or her faith). Mainly this, the amassing of a great soul so as to have something worthwhile to give. The sermon is the preacher up to date." Bishop Alfred Quayle, American Methodist Bishop (1860-1925)