DO NOT BE UNEQUALLY YOKED WITH NONBELIEVERS...what it means and how its truth impacts and shapes our ministry partnerships and alliances

Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers.
For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness?
Or what fellowship has light with darkness?
What accord has Christ with Belial?
Or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever?
-Paul, 2 Corinthians 6:14-15

The Apostle Paul above gives us one of the key principles in all of the NT concerning our role in the society in which we live: “do not be unequally yoked with nonbelievers.” It is echoing the imperative of the Apostle John we he says, “be in the world and not of the world.” Rightly understanding its truth has a profound impact in how we live, engage culture, and most importantly with whom we partner with in ministry.

At the outset, when dealing with controversial and potentially divisive passages like this one, there can be ungodly attitudes expressed by name calling, cheap shot invectives, and attacking the person without ever having to wrestle with the actual text of Scripture pertaining to the matter at hand. I have sadly witnessed this as of late when a nugatory blogger took it on himself to point his sharp, unbridled tongue towards a pastor and a woman commenting on his blog about this issue for simply voicing a different view. Let me assure you, that will not be happening here in this article and will not be tolerated in the meta either. As you know, I am not shy when it comes to taking on issues and engaging in profitable, vigorous, even sometimes heated discussion. But careless venting and ranting designed to attack the person rather than biblically deal with the issue will not be allowed here (please read my blog rules if you are unclear of those guidelines).

Therefore, due to the recent confusion that some have made concerning this text, let me begin by stating what this passage is not teaching with the hopes of producing clarity on this important subject.

1. It is not a call to isolationism. This is not Paul’s call for all Christians to create an alternative society whereby we only by gas from Christian gas companies; pay taxes to Christian governments; drive cars made by Ichthus Motors; or purchase groceries from Galilean Grocers. Christians working for nonbelievers in an employee/employer relationship is not prohibited by Scripture. Doing business and trade with nonbelievers is not prohibited by Scripture. Being involved in community projects and events with nonbelievers is not prohibited by Scripture. But what is prohibited, is any kind of partnership in a spiritual enterprise or ministry involving making Christ known, preaching of the Word, evangelism, worship, the furtherance of the local church, etc. I will unfold that in just a minute.

2. It is not a call to divorce your unsaved spouse. This passage isn’t specifically addressing the marriage issue (though it would apply) for the Apostle Paul has already given the command in 1 Corinthians 7:39 to “marry only in the Lord.” Considering marriage is the most intimate and binding of all human relationships, it would go without saying that it should be reserved for only believers to marry other believers. BUT, if you are married to a nonbeliever, the Apostle is not giving you an automatic out here. You are not to divorce your unbelieving spouse, but remain in that union praying for their regeneration.

3. And, it is not a call to avoid contact with nor having fellowship with nonbelievers. Paul again tells us for that to happen we would have to go “out of this world” (1 Cor. 5:9-10). How are we to love our neighbor if we don’t have contact with them? How can we serve them and do good works to them if we are not involved with their lives?

So those are three things that the Apostle is not meaning by the command: “do not be unequally yoked with nonbelievers.”

Paul using the Greek word: heterozugounten (bound together or unequally yoked) draws this analogy, however, not from the usage of the Greek term but from a concept back in Deuteronomy 22:10. When God was laying out prescriptions for the conduct of His people, He gave them a lot of prescriptions that on the surface are not particularly spiritual, they had to do with the uniqueness of Israel's life. But some of them were very practical and wise and one of the things that He instructed them, recorded in Deuteronomy 22:10 is that they were not to plow with an ox and an ass yoked together. And the reasons for that are obvious. Those two animals have two different natures. They don't have the same gait, they don't have the same disposition, they don't have the same strength. They don't have the same kind of instincts, completely different natures. You can't yoke them up and expect to plow a straight furrow.

To then “yoke” with a nonbeliever in a spiritual enterprise or ministry of any kind would be counterproductive wouldn’t it? Christians are new creations; walk in a newness of life; have different goals and purposes in living as born again followers of Jesus Christ. We live to please Him in all things and not ourselves. We see this world as not our home, but the land of our sojourning. Our lives have been separated from this world and unto Christ to now do His will, according to His Word, by His Spirit, in living out His gospel. It is undeniable - we are a new people. Therefore, Paul is giving a basic tenant for Christian living in whatever we do for the Lord; it cannot be in partnership with nonbelievers.

Now just in saying that, I am certain it opens up all kinds of questions and pragmatic considerations. Let’s begin to deal with them.

In the 107 THESES that I penned ten years ago inspired by the wholesale buyout of Christian record companies in CCM (and publishers, bookstore chains, and greeting card companies have joined their ranks) I specifically addressed this issue in section six of that document. Here are some of those theses for your consideration:

75. We cannot partner with the unbelieving world in a common spiritual enterprise or ministry. To harness unbelievers and believers in a Christ-centered endeavor is to be unequally yoked. (2 Corinthians 6:14-16)

76. We must be separate from non-Christians in positions of ownership, authority or influence in the advancement of the gospel. (Ibid.)

77. The kingdom of light and the kingdom of darkness are two mutually exclusive worlds; two opposing societies; two converse communities that are incompatible and incongruous with each other in regards to the faith. (Ibid.)

78. One is characterized by righteousness, light, Christ, believers and the temple of God. Lawlessness, darkness, Belial, unbelievers and the temple of idols distinguish the other. One is based on God's truth-the other on Lucifer's lies. In matters of Christian faith and belief no partnership does or really can exist between these two realms. (Ibid.)

79. "To the pure all things are pure, but to those who are defiled and unbelieving nothing is pure; but even their mind and conscience are defiled. They profess to know God, but in works they deny Him, being detestable, disobedient, and disqualified for every good work." (Titus 1:15-16)

80. God is our Father and we, as His children, must disavow all praetorian religious and spiritual alliances with nonbelievers or we will forfeit the joy and blessing that flow from obedient fellowship in the Lord Jesus Christ. (2 Corinthians 6:17-18)

81. Satan's number one assault on the church is to infiltrate with error. He doesn't want to fight the church - he wants to join it. (John 8:44; 2 Corinthians 11:12-15; 1 Timothy 4:1)

82. Undiscerning believers think it a profound ministry strategy to join forces with unregenerate people in forwarding the gospel. Unwittingly, they harness Jesus Christ, the Worthy One, with Belial or Satan, the worthless one, in an unholy alliance - the very essence of being unequally yoked. (2 Corinthians 6:15)

83. "Ephraim is joined to idols. Let him alone." (Hosea 4:17)

84. We are not, however, called to isolationism. We are called to be salt and light in the world. We are to be faithful witnesses of God's mercy, love and grace to the lost and dying. We are to cultivate personal relationships with unbelievers, love our neighbor and our enemy, serve them and share our faith with them. (Matthew 5:13-16; 40-44)

85. We are to be in the world…but not of it - and this is our greatest challenge. Separation is not being divorced from contact with the world, but from complicity with and conformity to it. (1 John 2:15-17)

86. For instance, it is not unbiblical to consult non-Christian experts in matters of business, craft or trade (though whenever possible, Christian experts respected in these fields are preferable because of a shared integrity), but we can never engage in intimate binding, indissoluble relationships, alliances or partnerships that result in shared responsibility or authority for ministry purposes. (Deuteronomy 22:9-11; Philippians 2:14-15)

87. The promise of increased financial resources, wider distribution and a larger audience is not a justification for the surrender of our spiritual autonomy. (Luke 4:4-12; Ephesians 5:8-12)

This is what Paul is essentially saying in this passage: there can be absolutely no partnership with nonbelievers in a spiritual enterprise or ministry - none. That would include trying to meld other faiths with the Christian faith for the sake of an ecumenical unity (syncretism). This would also include secular businesses who want to purchase Christian ministries or entities.

When it is fashionable for unsaved people representing multi-national conglomerates, to buy up Christian based companies founded as ministries for the furtherance of the gospel and the name of the Lord Jesus Christ that have functioned in music, book publishing ministry, etc. - then we as a church today need to take a step back and evaluate this trend carefully through the lens of Scripture.

We must remember Paul's words in 2 Cor. 2:17,"we are not like many who peddle the Word of God for profit."
IOW, we are not like those who want to wholesale
the truth of God's Word as bargain bin merchandise
for the purpose and motive of financial gain.

There has never been a time where the gospel has been a popular thing in the world in which we live. There is an inherent offense to the cross beloved.  It is not an acceptable nor enticing message to say to a lost world:

“If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. -Luke 14:26-27

Let's see someone put that on a greeting card.

The gospel has never been profitable for the world to own for its own profitability - until now. What does it say then about the content of the gospel that is being presented today so that unsaved people find it so attractive rather than offensive that they want to own the very ministry who is supposed to represent faithfully that same gospel? Could you imagine Nero ever wanting to meet with Paul to buy his ministry? Could you imagine Peter cutting a deal with the Judaizers to expand his market platform? Never!

The servant is not greater than the Master beloved;

and the Master suffered greatly because the world hated Him.

Now if the world hated Him, they will hate us;

and even demand our blood for knowing Christ and making Him known.

All who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.

I think it is not unlikely conclusion to assert that when the world around us finds the gospel we proclaim as an invitation for building up their bottom line, then the gospel that they are hearing is not the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ at all.  Just a watered-down substitute; a diluted glass of cheap grace masquerading as the genuine article.

My dear friend, Dr. John MacArthur, offers the following wisdom on this issue when saying:

”It's very much like modern Christianity today, by the way, that seeks to blend Christianity with popular culture, wants to make Christianity more popular, less different, more palatable, less offensive, less narrow, less exclusive. And the result of it is that true Christianity in the purity of God's Word gets corrupted by compromise and the church can become useless and shameful and blasphemous in mocking the truth. For believers there can be no compromise. We cannot engage ourselves with unbelievers in any spiritual enterprise. That's the issue. "Do not be bound together with unbelievers," that is what he commands that sets this text in motion. And it is an unmistakable call to believers to separate from unbelievers. No one could miss that that's what it's saying. The question is, what does it mean?

And as I said last time, it is essential to understand what it means but first of all what it does not mean. Paul is not saying, cut off all contact with non-Christians. He's not saying that because we have to reach them with the gospel. That is not the issue. He's not saying don't evangelize the unconverted, don't confront people in false religions. He's not saying that. We must do that.

The issue then is religious cooperation...

He is also not saying that you can't work or play or do business or be engaged in common earthly enterprise with unbelievers. He's not saying that, of course you can. What he is saying is you cannot link up with unbelievers in religious causes...or religious enterprises... You can't engage them in anything that involves ministry, teaching, or worship. Where there is ministry, teaching and worship there has to be absolute separation.

So he's referring in actuality to harnessing up believers and unbelievers in any common religious, spiritual enterprise. The two cannot be yoked together anymore than an ox and an ass can pull a straight furrow when under the same yoke, as Deuteronomy 22:10 forbids. But that is precisely what the Corinthians were doing.”

This is the issue before us. When secular companies see Christian companies, designed for ministry in making Christ known, grow to a place where they are generating a lot of money, it is understandable why they would want to buy them up; expand that marketplace; and profit financially from that acquisition. I do not fault the world for that; I do fault, however, the believers for selling it to them - they should know better.

There will always be a “Simon the Sorcerer” who sees the crowds and the effects of the gospel and wants to “purchase with money the gift of the Holy Spirit.” But genuine ministry cannot surrender its spiritual autonomy and authority to nonbelievers - never.

This is what I told several CCM executives ten years ago when the Christian music industry was being bought out in accelerated rates. It is why I left the industry. I would be unequally yoked with nonbelievers in a spiritual enterprise or ministry if I would have stayed. Now I realize that the standard pragmatic, Arminian argument is: "but think of how many more CD’s or books or greeting cards we could sell? I mean, if EMI or Sony or Rupert Murdoch hadn’t bought us out, our Christ-centered products wouldn’t have made it into mainstream stores and think of how many wouldn’t have been reached if we didn’t do this?”  Blah, blah, blah.

The world cannot own, operate, control, or manage Christian ministry designed to further the gospel; preach the Word; encourage worship; evangelism; discipleship, etc. It is forbidden. Those would seek to justify their alliances with nonbelievers in a spiritual enterprise or ministry are violating the clear command of God’s Word.

Be in the world; be doctors, and lawyers, and factory workers; bankers; and politicians; and salesmen; and educators; and stock brokers; and models; and actors, musicians, and entertainers; and auto-workers; etc. that are honoring the Lord as faithful witnesses of the gospel to your employers and co-workers. BUT, if IBM, AT&T, General Motors, etc. wanted to own a Christian ministry it would be prohibited by God’s Word.

But don't be of the world: why would any Christian involved in ministry go to nonbelievers to solicit their financial support to further their spiritual enterprise or ministry anyway? Can you imagine Paul appealing to Nero to bank roll through corporate acquisition the ministry? Unfathomable. That is for individual believers and the local church to fund (1 Cor. 9:1-18; 3 John 5-9). What the world needs to hear is not a business plan by Christian publishers, music companies, greeting card companies and the like to expand their bottom line, shelf space, and market Q; what they need to hear is the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ - to repent of their sins, forsaking all to follow Him.

Be in the world; be involved in your communities; love your neighbors; do good work at your place of employ; honor the Lord with excellence in those things. 

But don’t be of the world. If a nonbeliever is touched by the young people being changed in your area, don’t seek to approach them for co-ownership of your work, approach them with the life-giving truths of the gospel.

Amen?

The combox is yours.

ALL BELIEVERS IN JESUS ARE IN FULL TIME MINISTRY...not just a few professionals

Updated

And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, 

to the breaking of bread and the prayers. And awe came upon every soul, 

and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. 

And all who believed were together and had all things in common. 

And they were selling their possessions and belongings 

and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. 

And day by day, attending the temple together 

and breaking bread in their homes, 

they received their food with glad and generous hearts, 

praising God and having favor with all the people. 

And the Lord added to their number day by day 

those who were being saved. 

-Acts 2:42-47

The following represents some key pillars of what should define ministry for any true believer in the Lord Jesus Christ. I certainly haven't arrived at these things in my own life and ministry. But they are there as key signposts to remind us all of what is important vs. what is urgent.

May they be an encouragement to you and be used by God to strengthen you as you serve Him in the sphere of influence He has sovereignly placed you today.

Take Heaven By Storm,

Steve

12 Essentials of Christian Ministry for All Believers in Jesus Christ

pray fervently: 
praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, -Eph. 6:18

study carefully: 
Now these Bereans were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so. -Acts 17:11

embrace fidelity:
And we also thank God constantly for this, that when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men but as what it really is, the word of God, which is at work in you believers. -1 Thess. 2:13

contend earnestly:
Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints. -Jude 3

live missionally:
and thus I make it my ambition to preach the gospel, not where Christ has already been named, lest I build on someone else's foundation, -Romans 15:20

serve sacrificially: 
So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. -Phil. 2:1-4

teach faithfully:
But as for you, teach what accords with sound doctrine. Older men are to be sober-minded, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith, in love, and in steadfastness. Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good, and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled. Likewise, urge the younger men to be self-controlled. Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, dignity, and sound speech that cannot be condemned, so that an opponent may be put to shame, having nothing evil to say about us. -Titus 2:1-8

love unconditionally:
Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends. -1 Cor. 13:4-8a

walk obediently: 
Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work, to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people. -Titus 3:1-2

repent daily:
Pay attention to yourselves! If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him, and if he sins against you seven times in the day, and turns to you seven times, saying, ‘I repent,’ you must forgive him.” -Luke 17:3-4

worship continually:Through Him [Jesus] then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name. -Hebrews 13:15

and watch expectantly.
Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that Day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing. -2 Tim. 4:8

Peddling the Word of God for Profit...should we be charging for ministry?

an encore presentation

Stewardship or Sales? The Means of Ministry

The Scriptures forbid charging for ministry (worship, preaching and teaching of God's Word, evangelism, fellowship of the church, psalms/hymns or spiritual songs, discipleship, etc. in any circumstance or situation. It is that black and white. Here are some important Scriptures to ponder in this matter (all verse quotations taken from the ESV):

Matthew 10:8-9, "Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers,[a] cast out demons. You received without paying; give without pay. 9Acquire no gold nor silver nor copper for your belts" (emphasis added).

1 Corinthians 9:7-18, "Who serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard without eating any of its fruit? Or who tends a flock without getting some of the milk? 8Do I say these things on human authority? Does not the Law say the same? 9For it is written in the Law of Moses, "You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain." Is it for oxen that God is concerned? 10Does he not speak entirely for our sake? It was written for our sake, because the plowman should plow in hope and the thresher thresh in hope of sharing in the crop. 11If we have sown spiritual things among you, is it too much if we reap material things from you? 12If others share this rightful claim on you, do not we even more? Nevertheless, we have not made use of this right, but we endure anything rather than put an obstacle in the way of the gospel of Christ. 13Do you not know that those who are employed in the temple service get their food from the temple, and those who serve at the altar share in the sacrificial offerings? 14In the same way, the Lord commanded that those who proclaim the gospel should get their living by the gospel. 15But I have made no use of any of these rights, nor am I writing these things to secure any such provision. For I would rather die than have anyone deprive me of my ground for boasting. 16For if I preach the gospel, that gives me no ground for boasting. For necessity is laid upon me. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel! 17For if I do this of my own will, I have a reward, but not of my own will, I am still entrusted with a stewardship. 18What then is my reward? That in my preaching I may present the gospel free of charge, so as not to make full use of my right in the gospel" (emphasis added).

2 Corinthians 2:15-17, "For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing, 16to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life. Who is sufficient for these things? 17For we are not, like so many, peddlers of God's word, but as men of sincerity, as commissioned by God, in the sight of God we speak in Christ."

3 John 5-8, "Beloved, it is a faithful thing you do in all your efforts for these brothers, strangers as they are, 6who testified to your love before the church. You will do well to send them on their journey in a manner worthy of God. 7For they have gone out for the sake of the name, accepting nothing from the Gentiles [nonbelievers]. 8Therefore we ought to support people like these, that we may be fellow workers for the truth" (emphasis added).

God's people through faithful giving are to supply the financial support for ministry.

Ministry being: 64. Ministry is defined as service to God and His creatures as we employ our Spirit-given giftedness, according to the instruction of Scripture as good stewards of the manifold grace of God for the advancement of His kingdom; that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. (1 Peter 4:10-12)

65. God has designed genuine ministry to be inseparable from the life and leadership of the local church. Any ministry that does not strengthen one's commitment to the local church is inconsistent with the purposes of Christ. (Acts 2:42-47; Hebrews 10:23-25) (source: from the 107 Theses by Steve Camp, part five, #'s 64-65).

All genuine ministry for the Lord cannot have an advanced price tag to pay before the ministry is given. Why? Because then it is no longer ministry, but commerce, employ, trade or entertainment.

With ministry being defined above as service to God and His creatures; and with Christ as our example, we are to give all that we are for all that He is. I used to charge honorariums and tickets to my concerts. It was wrong and I have repented. The Lord deeply convicted me after studying His Word that there ws no justification for every charging for the work of the gospel. Think of what I was doing: charging people to pay a ticket to come to a church or civic venue to hear the gospel and worship the Lord. I was ashamed. How grateful I am to the Lord for His severe mercy and restorative grace over my sin of charging tickets for that which is eternal.

I now receive love offerings from churches; and I am very grateful for those that stand with this ministry in its convictions in this area and becoming "fellow workers in the truth."

One Final Thought in Closing
The greatest proof-text people will misuse out of the Bible to try to “justify” charging for the ministry of the Lord is this familiar phrase: "the workman is worthy of his hire."

I fully agree with that phrase for it is God’s Word; but they wrongly applied when trying to condone treating ministry like a business, trade, or entertainment.

It doesn't mean we have the right to charge for “hire”. More appropriately it means those "who proclaim the gospel should receive their living by the gospel" (1 Cor. 9:14b) and do so in a manner commensorate with the gospel.

The only question is how?

Answer: by not requiring a set fee or charging tickets for people to hear genuine ministry by those who want “go into into all the world and preach the gospel.” But, biblically, genuine ministry should be supported through the cheerful, faithful giving of God's people. Aren't you glad that the Lord didn't charge any of us to hear about the good news of the gopsel unto salvation? Aren't you glad that the Holy Spirit doesn't charge any of us for the spiritual gifts He gives to the church?

Money, beloved, should not be a prerequisite for ministry. Amen?

Please pray for CCM artists, pastors, authors, speakers, and evangelical leaders who are still trapped by the allure of a market-driven ministry; parroting worldly techniques rather than emulate the humility and servanthood of Christ. This principle should even effect Christian retail bookstore outlets and how they “sell” their items; but that is for another time.

WE'RE STILL PAYING JOHN TETZEL...should we be charging for ministry?

Should we be charging for ministry? It's an important question; and how we answer it will have tremendous consequences as to how we approach and do ministry... biblically.

As more and more Christian Publishers and CCM music companies are being bought out by non-Christian companies, have they now become unequally-yoked by surrendering their spiritual autonomy for the promise of more distribution, marketing, sales, and influence? What about corporate sponsorships for CCM touring artists or authors for their conferences and/or worship events? Should speakers and artists be charging tickets to the general public and Christian community for the purpose of worship and/or evangelistic outreach? Should pastors be charged heavy fees to attend another Bible conference designed to equip them for ministry? Has money replaced ministry? Has pragmatics replaced biblical thinking on these issues? Are those who have signed with a non-Christian company to release their CD's and books in sin or is it an a-moral issue; an issue of conscience? Has ministry been turned into big business? What's the balance in all of these things and what does the Bible say about these things?

This is an important discussion that is resurfacing today. I would like to know your thoughts on this important subject.

"Freely we have received; freely we must give..."
Steve
2 Cor. 4:5-7


Let's Begin Here With a Look Back in Church History
John Tetzel is not as famous as his counterpart, Martin Luther, but his role in the Reformation, though insidious, can be enlightening and a helpful warning to us all. Tetzel was Rome's chief fundraiser and one of its most politically savvy and influencial lobbyists. Money earned in the arena of faith owned his heart. Truth mixed with errror dominated his message and he profited from it significantly.

We are at a similar crossroads in our day. Faith is now big business; from publishing to Christian music money dominates the scenery which must produce big profits due to its almost exclusive secular owndership and executive management. Money--not ministry, is the passion of the hour.

Some very critical and important questions are facing us today: Has the evangelical church in America today unwittingly fallen prey to the methods and techniques of Mr. Tetzel? Does the contemporary church resemble more Tetzel's Rome than the New Testament? Has money become a prerequisite for ministry? Are we guilty of charging others for the gospel, worship, counseling, discipleship, reconciliation, music, Bible study, evangelism, etc.?

Let's take an honest look together at these important and revealing questions.

Who is John Tetzel?
John Tetzel, was Pope Leo X emissary; a braggart hired as Rome’s chief fundraiser by promising a “get out of jail free card” for the price of a financial offering to the Pope. He was ordered to sell the idea that buying indulgences would release sinners from divine punishment. "Indulgences" were printed permits or coupons listing the monetary value of a personal confession of sin. Bishop Albrecht of Mainz had authorized the sale of indulgences in order to pay Rome for making him an archbishop. The monies raised were used to assist in building St. Peter’s basilica in Rome. This became known as the selling of indulgences. Tetzel was the great mouthpiece, commissioner, and preacher of indulgences in Germany. His preaching raised enormous amounts of money which were sent to Rome. He had a very clever saying that he was infamous for when motivating people with the false promise of avoiding purgatorian punishment, playing with fear on the sentiments of many that by giving to him and Rome their friends and loved ones would be immediately released from torment to heaven's glory. He would "sing" this clever and effective little "jingle": "As soon as the coin in the coffer rings, the soul from purgatory springs."

Luther, who was outraged by this abhorrent practice issued a public call for theological debate on the sale of indulgences by posting his ninety-five theses on the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg on the eve of All Saint’s Day, October 31, 1517. He strategically trumped, by one day, Tetzel's influence over the people by challenging his unbiblical view of indulgences in a public forum. Printers distributed copies without Luther’s knowledge and permission. Within a few weeks, Martin Luther was known everywhere as the "voice of renewal." He began to see clearly that the church of his time stressed human merit—works righteousness, rather than trust in God alone for the salvation of men’s souls. It is no wonder that Luther and the other reformers gospel cry became: grace alone-sola gratia; through faith alone-sola fide; on the Word alone-sola Scriptura; because of Christ alone-solus Christus; to the glory of God alone-soli Deo gloria.

Just "Monking" Around
"This indulgence was highly respected. When the commissioner was welcomed to town, the Papal Bull (a written command or edict from the Pope) was carried on velvet or gold cloth. All the priests, monks, councilmen, teachers, pupils, men, women, maids, and children went to meet him singing in solemn procession with flags and candles. The bells tolled and when he entered the church the organ played. A red Cross was put up in the middle of the church to which the Pope's banner was affixed. In short: even God himself could not have been welcomed and received more beautifully.” [Source: Friedrich Myconius, Historia reformationis, p. 14.]

Here I Stand
"Although Rome wanted to silence Luther, powerful German princes, led by Elector Frederick of Saxony, Luther’s benefactor, secured freedom of speech for him. He debated with Cardinal Cajetan and the Dominican John Eck at Augsburg and Leipzig in 1519; he stated his case before Emperor Charles V at Worms in 1521 (where, standing before empire and church he said, "Here I stand. I cannot do otherwise. God help me."); and he published numerous proposals for reform from 1520 on. Nevertheless, Luther was excommunicated as a heretic and condemned as a traitor by pope and emperor in 1521.

Listen to Luther in his own words:
“When many people from Wittenberg ran after indulgences to Jüterborg and Zerbst, I did not know - as surely as my Lord Christ has redeemed me - what indulgences were, but no one else knew either. I carefully began to preach that one could do something better and more certain than to purchase indulgences. On an earlier occasion I had already preached here in the castle against indulgences, but was not very graciously received by Duke Frederick, who was fond of his collegiate church. Now, to speak about the real cause for the 'Lutheran scandal', at first I let everything continue its course.

Then it was reported to me, however, that Tetzel was preaching some cruel and terrible propositions, such as the following:

“Thus he said that if the Pope would forgive, God also had to forgive.”

“If they would put money quickly into the coffer to obtain grace and indulgence, all the mountains near St. Annaberg would turn into pure silver.”

“Such a marvellous thing was his indulgence. In sum and substance: God was no longer God, as he had bestowed all divine power to the Pope.”

“He had grace and power from the Pope to offer forgiveness even if someone had slept with the Holy Virgin Mother of God, as long as a contribution would be put into the coffer.”

“Furthermore, the red Cross of indulgences and the papal coat of arms on the flag of the churches was as powerful as the Cross of Christ.”

“Moreover, even if St. Peter were here now he would have no greater grace or power than he had.”

“Furthermore, he would not want to trade places in heaven with St. Peter, for he had redeemed more souls with his indulgences than Peter with his sermons.”

“Furthermore, if anyone put money into the coffer for a soul in purgatory, the soul would leave purgatory for heaven in the moment one could hear the penny hit the bottom.”

“Also the grace of indulgences is the grace by which man is reconciled with God.”

“Furthermore, it is not necessary to show remorse or sorrow or do penance for sins when purchasing indulgences or a letter of indulgence. He even sold indulgences for future sins. Such abominable things he did abundantly. He was merely interested in money.” [Source: Martin Luther, Wider Hans Worst, 1541. (WA 51, 538.)]

Turnabout is Fair Play
“After Tetzel had received a substantial amount of money at Leipzig, a nobleman asked him if it were possible to receive a letter of indulgence for a future sin. Tetzel quickly answered in the affirmative, insisting, however, that the payment had to made at once. This the nobleman did, receiving thereupon letter and seal from Tetzel. When Tetzel left Leipzig the nobleman attacked him along the way, gave him a thorough beating, and sent him back empty-handed to Leipzig with the comment that this was the future sin which he had in mind. Duke George at first was quite furious about this incident, but when he heard the whole story he let it go without punishing the nobleman.” [Source: Luthers Schriften, herausg. von Walch. XV, 446.]

Out of the Heart the Mouth Speaks - John Tetzel’s Own Words:

“What are you thinking about? Why do you hesitate to convert yourself? Why don't you have fears about your sins? Why don't you confess now to the vicars of our Most Holy Pope? Don't you have the example of Lawrence, who, compelled by the love of God, gave away his inheritance and suffered his body to be burned? Why do you not take the example of Bartholomew, Stephen, and of other saints who gladly suffered the most gruesome deaths for the sake and salvation of their souls? You, however, do not give up great treasures; indeed you give not even a moderate alms. They gave their bodies to be martyred, but you delight in living well and joyfully. You priest, nobleman, merchant, wife, virgin, you married people, young person, old man, enter into your church which is for you, as I have said, St. Peter's, and visit the most holy Cross. It has been placed there for you, and it always cries and calls for you. Are you perhaps ashamed to visit the Cross with a candle and yet not ashamed to visit a tavern? Are you ashamed to go to the apostolic confessors, but not ashamed to go to a dance? Behold, you are on the raging sea of the world in storm and danger, not knowing if you will safely reach the harbor of salvation. Do you not know that everything which man has hangs on a thin thread and that all of life is but a struggle on earth? Let us then fight, as did Lawrence and the other saints, for the day it is well, but ill tomorrow. Today alive and tomorrow dead.

"You should know that all who confess and in penance put alms into the coffer according to the counsel of the confessor, will obtain complete remission of all their sins. If they visit, after confession and after the Jubilee, the Cross and the altar every day they will receive that indulgence which would be theirs upon visiting in St. Peter's the seven altars, where complete indulgence is offered. Why are you then standing there? Run for the salvation of your souls! Be as careful and concerned for the salvation of your souls as you are for your temporal goods, which you seek both day and night. Seek the Lord while he may be found and while he is near. Work, as St. John says, while it is yet day, for the night comes when no man can work.

“Don't you hear the voices of your wailing dead parents and others who say, 'Have mercy upon me, have mercy upon me, because we are in severe punishment and pain. From this you could redeem us with a small alms and yet you do not want to do so.' Open your ears as the father says to the son and the mother to the daughter . . ., 'We have created you, fed you, cared for you, and left you our temporal goods. Why then are you so cruel and harsh that you do not want to save us, though it only takes a little? You let us lie in flames so that we only slowly come to the promised glory.' You may have letters which let you have, once in life and in the hour of death . . . full remission of the punishment which belongs to sin. Oh, those of you with vows, you usurers, robbers, murderers, and criminals - Now is the time to hear the voice of God. He does not want the death of the sinner, but that he be converted and live. Convert yourselves the, Jerusalem, Jerusalem, to the Lord, thy God. Oh, you blasphemers, gossipers, who hinder this work openly or secretly, what about your affairs? You are outside the fellowship of the Church. No masses, no sermons, prayers, sacraments, or intercession help you. No field, vineyard, trees, or cattle bring fruit or wine for you. Even spiritual things vanish, as many an illustration could point out. Convert yourself with all you heart and use the medicine of which the Book of Wisdom says, 'The Most High has made medicine out of the earth and a wise man will not reject it.'” [Source: W. Köhler, Dokumente zum Ablassstreit, pp. 125-26.]

The above are quoted from The Reformation, by Hans J. Hillerbrand, published by Harper & Row, publishers, Copyright 1964 by SCM Press Ltd and Harper and Row, Inc., Library of Congress catalog card number 64-15480, pp.41-46.

We’re Still Paying John Tetzel
Tetzel used faith as a means to solicit money; and he used money as a means to promise God's blessing in faith. Unorthodox and heretical as his Pelagian theology was--his methods were cleverly pragmatic and devastatingly effective. Sadly, that has become all too familiar in the evangelical community in America today. The residue of Tetzelian methodology is now evident in almost every area of the Christian faith; for almost every aspect of our faith is now for sale. The promise of faith's blessing for financial giving is all too common. Shockingly, this is not just being done by heretics of John Tetzel influence (the "word-faith" movement, Romanism, etc.), but from mainline evangelicalism itself. Today, the "means of grace" command high fees for the salvation and sanctification of men's souls. We now have our own brand of "indulgences" in the evangelical world that people must pay before they can be ministered to and receive the promise of spiritual blessing from the Lord.

Need you think I'm being a gadfly or an alarmist, consider the following: the health, wealth, prosperity crowd is famous for saying, "send me a donation and God will give you your healing or prosper you," etc.; to hear the gospel in song or word these days, people are charged a pricey ticket or hefty honorarium totaling in the millions each year; worship gatherings and concerts are also high ticket items and are now owned by large multi-national corporations--it's "Worship, Inc."; reconciliation between disgruntled churches or disenfranchised believers can cost you in the thousands, at current hourly rates, just to bring restoration between others; psychological Christian counselors are the new "pastors of discipleship" and do charge you and your insurance company untold millions each year to "help you" deal with the deep problems of the mind and heart; the further training of pastors at Bible conferences can cost up to hundreds of dollars for the registration fee alone- plus materials; to find "the purpose" in "the purpose driven life" is also expensive--in order for churches to get to the material necessary to really equip their congregates more fully on the website and/or satellite broadcasts, they must pay a handsome fee based on size of church membership. Even for a small congregation those fees can total several hundred dollars; and finally at Christian retail stores-- Bibles, books, CD’s, tapes, trinkets, gifts, greeting cards, etc. are available for a pretty tidy sum as well - "ad nauseam ad infinitum."

Question: How are we better than the Tetzel Romanists of old on methodology just because we get it right biblically and/or theologically? Does that give us the right to charge God’s people and make retail merchandise of His holy Word and His gospel? And charge, mind you, for that which He has given to us freely?

Spurgeon saw the danger in his day during the Down-Grade Controversy when the Baptist Union was adopting, not a skewed theology mind you, but a worldly methodology for ministry. Spurgeon's concerns were justified; an abhorrent methodology will ultimately give way to a abhorrent theology - thus corrupting and polluting the entire church. Spurgeon was absolutely right on and history has proven him correct.

In like manner, the contemporary church today has adopted a worldly methodology--parroting worldly marketing techniques for ministry rather than biblical ones. Some will try to pragmatically justify these methods through "marketing and promotional language and values." Here's how the rhetoric usually goes: "if we can get more coverage in mainline stores and through the media, more people will hear the message... more people will get saved... more ministry will be accomplished... our churches will grow greater in number... and, therefore, more glory to God can ultimately be given. What's wrong with that, man? And after all, we're just trying to cover expenses; isn't a workman worthy of his hire?

Skubalon!

Such skewed rationale to justify our own lust for the "legal tender" by twisting God's Word is rubbish ladies and gentlemen. That kind of logic is dung, human excrement worthy only of the manure pile! It is foreign to Christ, the Apostles, the early church and church fathers. Fling it to the winds, for it is a stench in the nostrils of a holy God. This is not ministry beloved--no matter how you package it; it is but love of money (1 Timothy 6:5-17). Jesus said, "We cannot serve both God and Mammon..." How dare we turn the grace of God into industry? How dare we make Him the object of our fleshly lusts and worldly pursuits? How dare we make His precious gospel and Word something for personal profit? How dare we pretend to be heavenward in all our efforts, when our daily activity is only about amassing earthly things? How dare we place on the backs of God’s people a promise of healing, prosperity, salvation, a new promotion, a better station in life, any kind of spiritual blessing if they only give to such and such a ministry? How dare we promise spiritual insight and wisdom if they only would financially send money "our way?"

Money Should Not be a Prerequisite for Ministry
The Scriptures are clear that genuine ministry is to be supported through the sacrificial giving of God's people in and through the local church. Pastors who teach and preach faithfully are worthy of "double honor" - a financial term (1 Timothy 5:17-18). Travelling missionaries and musicianaries alike; doing the work of the evangelist--those spreading the gospel to an unsaved world are to be cared for by the people of God as well (3 John 5-8 and Philippians 4:15-19). Even the Apostle Paul says, "that if we are about the work of the gospel that we should eat by the gospel... Do not muzzle the ox while he is threshing out the grain... A workman is worthy of his hire" (cp, 1 Corinthians 9:7-18).

But we must never make it a fixed-demand up front in order "to minister" for the Lord and to others. We must never put a price tag for serving the Lord, His people or a lost world. And we must never promise spiritual blessing for the sake of soliciting funds. Both are wrong; both are sin. Money can never be a prerequisite for ministry... amen? Once again, "Freely we have received; freely we must give." I had to repent of this beloved. I was sinning against the Lord and His people for charging churches, concert goers, etc. a ticket to hear me sing, lead in worship, or preach the gospel of Jesus Christ. It was sin and nine years ago the Lord gave me the grace to walk away from the current CCM industry, and, to the best of my ability, follow a biblical model from that day to present for ministry instead. I don't even charge for CD's anymore either... they are available for whatever people can afford; and if anyone can't afford anything, they may get any item for free.

That is our policy with AudienceONE Music/Ministries as well. Though these days are leaner financially than before, the ministry has wonderfully deepened; and I wouldn't go back to the "old ways" for anything in the world. Why...? Because it's not about me and my music; and my fame; and my glory; and my income; and my influence; and my sales; and my airplay; and my recognition; and my noteriety; and my touring; and my press release; and chart action; and my celebrity. It is only about Christ and His glory; and His gospel; and His Word being honored; and His church being served; and this world hearing the gospel. It's not about us, it's all about Him!

Just By Faith
Oh for men and women of God that won’t buy into the spirit of the age and sell their souls for the pottage of prominence, prestige, power, or position. To give all for the sake of the gospel and not parrot the world; to "let goods and kindred go" and model the Master's life. May we repent of any Tetzelian tendencies that we may be gulty of individually or corporately in the church; and say with Peter. "Silver and gold have I none, but what I do have I give to you freely..." (Acts 3:6).

It was said of Luther that during the Reformation you would hear him preach almost exclusively from the book of Galatians—“the Magna Charta of Spiritual Freedom.” Listen to these powerful words of Paul and may they ignite your heart and life to know nothing except Jesus Christ and Him crucified—and to always offer freely the blessed gospel of grace and His divine truth.

“It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery. Behold I, Paul, say to you that if you receive circumcision, Christ will be of no benefit to you. And I testify again to every man who receives circumcision, that he is under obligation to keep the whole Law. You have been severed from Christ, you who are seeking to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace. For we through the Spirit, by faith, are waiting for the hope of righteousness. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything, but faith working through love. You were running well; who hindered you from obeying the truth? This persuasion did not come from Him who calls you. A little leaven leavens the whole lump of dough. I have confidence in you in the Lord, that you will adopt no other view; but the one who is disturbing you shall bear his judgment, whoever he is. But I, brethren, if I still preach circumcision, why am I still persecuted? Then the stumbling block of the cross has been abolished. Would that those who are troubling you would even mutilate themselves. For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another” (Galatians 5:1-13).

this has been an encore presentation

OUR MOST CRITICAL NEED...from the firey pen of A.W. Tozer

THE MOST CRITICAL NEED of the Church at this moment is men -
the right kind of men, bold men. The talk is that we need revival that we need a new baptism of the Holy Spirit - and God knows we must have both - but God will not revive mice. He will not fill rabbits with the Holy Spirit.

We languish for men who feel themselves expendable in the warfare of the soul because they have already died to the allurements of this world. Such men will be free from the compulsions that control weaker men. They will not be forced to do things by the squeeze of circumstances. Their only compulsion will come from within - or from above.

Prophets… not Mascots
This kind of freedom is necessary if we are to have prophets in our pulpits again instead of mascots. These free men will serve God and mankind from motives too high to be understood by the rank and file of religious retainers who today shuttle in and out of the sanctuary.

They will make no decisions out of fear, take no course out of a desire to please, accept no service for financial considerations, perform no religious acts out of mere custom, nor allow themselves to be influenced by the love of publicity or the desire for reputation.

Much that the church - even the evangelical church - is doing today, it is doing because it is afraid not to do it. Ministerial associations take up projects for no higher reasons than that they are scared into it. Whatever their ear-to-the-ground, fear-inspired reconnoitering leads them to believe - or fear - the world expects them to do, they will be doing come next Monday morning with all kinds of trumped-up zeal and show of godliness. The pressure of public opinion calls these prophets, not the voice of Jehovah.

The true church has never sounded out public expectations before launching its crusades. Its leaders heard from God and went ahead wholly independent of popular support or the lack of it. They knew their Lord's will and did it, and their people followed them - sometimes to triumph, but more often to insults and public persecution - and their sufficient reward was the satisfaction of being right in a wrong world.

Burdened and Broken by Love
Another characteristic of the true prophet has been love. The free man who has learned to hear God's voice and dared to obey it has felt the moral burden that broke the hearts of the Old Testament prophets, crushed the soul of our Lord Jesus Christ, and wrung streams of tears from the eyes of the apostles. The free man has never been a religious tyrant, nor has he sought to lord it over God's heritage. It is fear and lack of self-assurance that has led men to try to bring others under their feet. They have had some interest to protect, some position to secure, so they have demanded subjection from their followers as a guarantee of their own safety.

He has nothing to protect, no ambition to pursue and no enemy to fear. For that reason he is completely careless of his standing among men. If they follow him - well and good. If not, he loses nothing that he holds dear. But whether he is accepted or rejected, he will go on loving his people with sincere devotion, and only death can silence his tender intercession for them.

His Work—His Way
Yes, if evangelical Christianity is to stay alive, it must have men again - the right kind of men. It must repudiate the weaklings who dare not speak out, and it must seek in prayer and much humility the coming again of men of the stuff of which prophets and martyrs are made. God will hear the cries of His people as He heard the cries of Israel in Egypt, and He will send deliverance by sending deliverers. It is His way.

And when the deliverers come - reformers, revivalists, and prophets - they will be men of God and men of courage. They will have God on their side because they are careful to stay on God's side. They will be co-workers with Christ and instruments in the hands of the Holy Spirit. Such men will be baptized with the Spirit indeed and through their labors He will baptize others and send the long-delayed revival.



(SOURCE: "This World: Playground or Battleground?", Chapter 7 – Subtitles, Steven Camp).

MEGA CHURCH...imagine if you could create the church you've always wanted - any way you wanted

Do it all without the Bible! With network play enabled, you can steal members from other churches and earn points just like you saved them yourself. The possibilities are endless! To grow your church, work on all the strategic variables,

• Write a mission statement
• Choose a logo
• Get a billboard
• Hire a professional worship musician
• Book a rock band
• Buy plasma television for your PowerPoint presentations

The Mega-Church craze is definitely on steroids - you won't believe this. Does anyone remember Acts 2:42-47?

BAPTIST 21 PANEL DISCUSSION - THE TRAJECTORY FOR YOUNG PASTORS WITHIN THE SBC...Montgomery; Akin; Stetzer; Mohler; Dever; Platt - must see

B21 Panel From 2009 SBC Annual Meeting from Sojourn Community Church on Vimeo.

DON'T WASTE YOUR TWEETS...using technology to glorify the Lord and promote His truth - even if it's during worship services

updated

As the nation prepares itself for General Motors to become Government Motors by virtue of bankruptcy; as families are awaiting the less than hopeful news about Air France flight 447 that has gone missing over the ocean near the west coast of Africa; and as most of us are experiencing difficult times financially due to the economy - some prominent pastors in the Christian blogosphere have voiced concern about a possible trend on whether or not it is appropriate for believers to be "twittering" during worship services. On a scale of 1 to 10 this issue at face value is at best a 2. The only reason I address it here is because some have tried to make what is tertiary, primary.

Surprisingly, one of those pastors is a favorite of mine and maybe yours, Dr. John Piper. I like Piper - especially the books he has penned. He has spent most of his ministry consumed with calling the body of Christ to the supremacy of God in all things; to sound theology in life and practice; to biblical fidelity; to the gospel of sola fide; and to do so with an unmistakable joy and delight in the One Triune God of the Scriptures. It is a holy mission he has been about for which I support him and have benefited greatly. I have featured here recently his videos on President Obama on abortion; the prosperity gospel; and an interview that he did with Tim Keller and D.A. Carson. All excellent and worthy of your time and attention.

That is why it came as a surprise to read his recent words in relation to twittering during worship services.

Here is a portion of his words:

Preaching and hearing preaching are worship. Preaching is expository exultation. The preacher is explaining the Bible and applying the Bible and EXULTING over the truth in the Bible. The listener is understanding, and applying, and joining in the exultation. Hearing preaching is heart-felt engagement in the exposition and exultation of the Word of God.

This is a fragile bond. The fact that an electric cord is easily cut, does not mean that the power flowing through it is small. It produces bright and wonderful effects. So it is with preaching. Great power flows through fragile wires of spiritual focus.

Perfume can break it. A ruffled collar can break it. A cough can break it. A whisper can break it. Clipping fingernails, chewing gum, a memory, a stomach growl, a sunbeam, and a hundred other things can break it. The power that flows through the wire of spiritual attention is strong, but the wire is weak.

The first paragraph I agree with mostly. The last two are seem a bit odd to me.

Preaching God's Word

Preaching God's Word rightly divided and listening to it with a life desiring to obey its truth is foundational to one's Christian life (cp, 2 Tim. 2:15; 2 Thess. 2:13; 2 Tim. 3:16-4:5; Luke 6:46). Preaching God's Word as a workman unashamed is very important and essential in the worship of our Lord publicly. But it is just as important to present ourselves as living sacrifices daily (Roms. 12:1-2). To eat and drink to the glory of God (1 Cor. 10:31). Confession of sin (Psalm 51; 66:18); unfeigned prayer (Eph. 6:18-21; Luke 18:1); singing a new song in our hearts to the Lord (Psalm 96; Col. 3:16-17; Eph. 5:17-20); or giving cheerfully to the Lord of our finances (2 Cor. 9) is also a valuable part of worship. So while the relationship between preaching and parishioner is valuable, it is only one aspect in biblical worship.

To illustrate, if you are not a preacher, but are doing your vocation or trade with excellence to the Lord, then it is an act of worship to God (Col. 3:17). This was Luther's point paraphrased: "the shoe-maker and the preacher have this in common." IOW, the pastor's work is not more holy than the average Joe doing his job well or the average Jenny investing her life in her home and children. Both are instruments of praise to God and bring exultation to the Lord Jesus Christ. In fact, nowhere does Scripture teach that being filled with the Spirit begins with or finds itself solely in the act of preaching (read Eph. 5:17-20; Gal. 5:20-23). In fact, attitudes and actions such as meditating on God's Word (Psalm 1); craving God's Word (1 Peter 2:2); hiding His Word in your heart (Psalm 119:9-11); obeying God's Word (John 14:15) etc. might have a more important role than the one of preaching God's Word.

Electric Cords Can Be Cut by Whispers and Sunbeams

With that as a premise, where I would respectively and humbly take exception with brother Piper is the notion that the connection between the Word preached and the Word heard is a "fragile bond" that can be "easily cut" because "great power flows through fragile wires of spiritual focus." To suggest that that bond (if there is one) can be easily severed by things such as perfume, whispers, chewing gum, a cough, sunbeams, etc. is silly.

Now for a moment, take John's premise of "fragile wires" being severed by "whispers and sunbeams" and apply that to the preaching ministry of those we see in the Scriptures:

• apply it to Elijah on Mt. Carmel who in front of 450 of Baal's prophets he calls down fire from heaven that consumes the water-drenched sacrifice upon the alter and then brought them down to the brook Kishon and slit their throats (1 Kings 18:20-40).
• apply it to Stephen's last sermon where he is being stoned to death while delivering the gospel (Acts 7).
• try applying that ruffling a collar and stomach noises are sufficient forces to disrupt the Holy Spirit in the ministry of the Word to His people in Sunday worship with the heated inquisition of Paul when preaching at Mars Hill or while he was preaching to the violent crowds at Lystra where the Jews from Antioch and Iconium seized Paul, stoned him, and left him for dead (Acts 17:16ff; 14:8-20).
• bring that fragile axiom into the arena of Peter's great gospel message at Pentecost continuing to his two sermons at Solomon's portico where he was ultimately arrested (Acts 2-4).
• or better yet, apply that to the preaching ministry of John the Baptist or our Lord Himself in their less than quiet, serene settings (Matt. 5-7; Matt. 23; Matt. 3).

The list goes on and on. Respectively, I believe that Piper's assertion that there are delicate cords in which the spiritual forces flow between pastor and pew sounds more like frustrated Monasticism than the biblical preaching of the Lord, the Apostles, the early church fathers, and the reformers of the 15th-18th centuries.

One last example:

Could you imagine the preaching ministry of George Whitefield being defined with fragile electric cords like this? Picture Whitefield fearlessly thundering aloud the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ while enduring insults both verbal and physical at his meetings. Picture fights breaking out at his meetings; unsavory disgusting things being thrown at him as an act of derision; where he is publicly mocked relentlessly for his severe cross-eyed handicap while he was heralding the gospel. Could you imagine him being concerned about the connection between the Word and the people being prohibited because of "sunbeams and whispers, someone clearing their throat or their stomach making noises", etc.? He would have laughed at the notion that those trite little things were powerful enough to stifle for even a moment the preaching of God's Word to those listening.

Beloved, have the "electric cords" of American Christianity really become that flimsy that pastors today fear they can be lacerated by "whispers and sunbeams?" So we see the ministry of the Holy Spirit in the lives of others while His Word is being proclaimed as so weak that we ourselves have to create an almost perfect atmosphere for Him to operate? For if we do, then I would suggest sleeping in on Sunday. Just stay home, download the best DVD or MP3 you can find on any given text of Scripture and listen to in the peaceful surroundings of your home. What the church in America maybe needs is a bit of sovereign interruption on Sunday morning... Sometimes our carefully cultivated programs and plans need to be shattered to crumble self-reliance, to humble us, and to cause our dependency for all things to be in the Lord alone and not ourselves. This is precisely the place where He will receive the greatest glory and praise (i.e. remember Gideon - Judges 7). If the spiritual forces of the Christian faith proclaimed in a worship service can so easily be cut by a cough or a stomach growl or fingernails being clipped, then what kind of faith are we really proclaiming?

Bring this same logic back to the theme of twittering. It is being suggested that if you "tweet" during a service you are disrupting worship - potentially "cutting the fragile cords." That you are no longer engaged in what the pastor is saying; you are not worshipping; you are too distracted to possibly be communing with God or your fellow believers in reverence to the Lord. Sounds a bit foolish doesn't it?

Under that principle, note taking would cause a similar disturbance along with watching a PowerPoint of the message. Video feeding the pastor's preaching to other campus sites would be as equally disruptive to worship. (You can see where this kind of logic leads).

Twitter Away to the Glory of God

Beloved, if you tweet, then I want to encourage you this week at church to take notes, type on your laptops, use your iPhones and Blackberrys and also tweet away. Use the technology wisely, but use it indeed, to share an encouraging word from His Word being preached. Live-blogging has been condoned by Piper and most evangelical leaders for the past 3 or 4 years. Not one concern was ever voiced about having several web-geeks typing full outlines with textual explanations of what the pastor has just said - in fact it has been praised as being an asset to the ministry not a detriment. So why then when it comes to micro-blogging with twitter has this crossed the line? I don't have the answer either.

May I offer a few helpful suggestions that when you tweet during a worship service (remember you only have 140 characters to use for each entry) you don't waste them:

1. May you seek to glorify the Lord by what you say and how you say it (1 Cor. 10:31; Col. 3:17)

2. Write to have your thoughts seasoned with grace, truth and humility (Eph. 4:29)

3. Seek to be redemptive; not just to be right, real, or relevant (Col. 3:8-13)

4. When posting during a worship service, post something that the Lord is teaching you through that service. Encourage someone else that couldn't be in church with a portion of a verse, a thought from the message, or an insight into a verse the pastor has given. Do your normal tweeting and follow up away from church. IOW, sanctify your tweets while in church. This way you honor your pastor and still can use twitter to benefit others (1 Thess. 5:12-14)

5. Don't use your tweets to vent against another, speak wrongly against another, or even sow seeds of discord against another. Take the high ground of Christian charity by not repaying evil for evil. Remember to bless those who curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for those that despitefully use you and persecute you (Matt. 5:44-48)

6. Be respectful of those around you. Just as with anything in a church service don't draw attention to yourself. Consider other people's needs greater than your own. Demonstrate humility and Christian charity. If you tweet, keep them very few in number so you can stay engaged in the service itself (just as with note-taking). (Phil. 2:1-4; Roms. 15:1-10)

7. Lastly, keep your tweets when posting from a worship service focused on what is happening in the service itself. Focus on the passage being preached or the gospel. You never know what follower you have on twitter that needs to be encouraged from the Word of God or in the hope of the gospel. And as you know, they may RT your tweet to hundreds of others on their list as well (Psalm 119:169-176)

Also, here are some real disturbance during a worship service to guard against:

1. Unbiblical, God is my girl-friend songs being offered as praise and worship

2. Pastor's who get raptured in their own stories and rhetoric rather than preaching the Word of God

3. Alliterations in sermon outlines. Please think hard before using them. Most are not good at it and done poorly can be prohibitive to your preaching and to the listeners to hear ten points forced so all can begin with the letter e

4. Mechanical prayers used for transition purposes

5. 30 minutes of tremendous Christ-centered worship in song followed by ten minutes of announcements

6. Using the famous of society to give credence and validity to the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ

7. Confusing patriotism with biblical Christianity where politicians are given pulpit time to promote moralism but not the gospel

8. And lastly, opinion elevated to biblical status because so and so affirms it. Truth by evangelical celebrity preference is a poor foundation to build ones Christian life upon

Twitter Is a Communication Tool - Let's Use it Wisely

Like PowerPoint, live video-feeds. etc. Use it for God and His glory. If the wires between preaching and hearing the Word preached are as weak as Piper might say it is, may I suggest - get better wire.

The initial problem is really not with the one twittering, but with the one behind the pulpit preaching. To the pastors, preach with such power and authority that hearing Christ-centered messages bring us to our faces before a holy God in worship, praise, prayer, reverence, contrition with brokenness and humility. If the Holy Spirit is truly working in that worship service, twittering would not be able break the strong cords of the anointing of the Holy Spirit in worship.

And it just might encourage others not at that service to be encouraged in their walk with the Lord as well.

I appreciate Dr. Piper and His Ministry Greatly

If any of you attend John Piper's church you are blessed. He is a godly man who is one of the finest preachers in the world today. His passion for God and His glory in all things is infectious and contagious. If I were a member of his church I would have one major problem in the worship on Sunday mornings: there is so many good insights that he unfolds in each sermon, it would be very difficult to not want to tweet throughout the entire service so others could be blessed as well :-).

May our worship not be feigned; may we be attentive as God's people to the preaching of His Word; may we be ready and available to minister a word of grace to others as the Lord gives opportunity (even through twitter); may we do so preferring others more than ourselves; and in all we do - do it solely for God and His glory alone through Jesus Christ our Lord in the power of the Holy Spirit!

Let us be both faithful hearers and doers of the Word this week. Amen?

BLOGGING, WATCHBLOGGING, AND MINISTRY...asking the right questions first can be more helpful than just debating the answer

Fellow blogger, Tim Challies, lit up the blogosphere yesterday with a controversial post of his called, "Evil as Entertainment." He was addressing the character and content of "watchbloggers" within evangelicalism. He states unequivocally that these are "blogs that specialize in sharing bad news" - and are doing so for entertainment.

Tim is a great writer. He is thoughtful, circumspect, kind and generous. He is obviously very well read, reformed, insightful, and we are all the better for his contribution on many issues he addresses in the blogosphere. But IMHO, I think that this recent article of his lacks some of those qualities he is most noted for. On one hand, he offered some fair and helpful analysis on the current state of watchblogging (code word for blogs that frequently take on doctrinal or pragmatic issues within evangelicalsim polemically). The money line: "filling our minds, our hearts, our computer screens, our blogs with all that is wrong in the church will do little to conform us into the image of the Savior." I agree... if that was all that watchbloggers were solely doing.

But on the other hand, I really don't know of anyone in the Christian blogosphere that only focuses on all that is wrong in evangelicalism. I know many of the watchbloggers personally and do not find that obsession in their person or character. What I do find is the need for more balance from us all as we "take on" difficult and doctrinal issues. It takes God's grace to balance outrage over the right things under the restraint of biblical truth.

Tim further explains his concern: "[they] offer a steady diet of negative content related to the church in general or perhaps related to just one person or one ministry." Again, balance is the key here beloved - not one extreme or the other. It takes grace and wisdom to weigh and discern things rightly and accurately, and ultimately for anothers spiritual growth and edification. As Paul says,

"until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ,"

Tim's stinging conclusion?

"This is what I realized: these blogs are really little more than entertainment... They are really just a spiritualized form of YouTube or any other site that entertains by sharing what is gross and base and negative and that does so for the sake of entertainment. There is really no value in watching boys do stupid things on skateboards and laughing when they crack their ankle bones in half; there is really no value in watching the worst pastors in America preach to the worst churches in America. Such sites offer evil as entertainment."

(Boy, that sounds like something I would have said...)

Take note of the irony here: what we just read was a blogger concerned about watchbloggers watchblogging, issuing a very pointed criticism against watchbloggers in general, but in point of fact was watchblogging about other watchbloggers on his own blog. (Say quickly three times). 

What Are Watchbloggers - Confession Time 

I am a watchblogger; and as we just saw, so is Tim. TeamPyro, Slice of Laodicea, Justin Taylor, Apprising Ministries, Al Mohler, T4G, Voice of the Sheep, Fide-O, Tom Ascol, James White, Timmy Brister, myself, etc. all watchblog. The motive? We all have a desire to guard the truth, champion fidelity, protect and proclaim the purity of the gospel, encourage other believers to honor God's Word in their lives to the glory of Jesus Christ, as well as to sound the alarm to the body of Christ about the error that is quickly finding inroads and acceptability within the reformed and evangelical church of today. That is a good, noble, worthy, excellent and necessary work to be about. I am honored to be numbered among them and thank the Lord for each of their respective ministries.

So by definition, anyone in the blogosphere speaking from a biblical worldview who challenges trends, fads, the doctrines of demons, and other issues facing the body of Christ with sound doctrine, biblical theological, and the truth of Scripture faithfully can and should be considered a watchblogger. Therefore, I submit to you that watchblogger is not really a bad title after all; in fact, I think it is a very good title. Aren't we all to be Bereans examining all things by the Scriptures to see if they are so? (Acts 17:11) Aren't we all to "test all things, hold fast to that which is good"? (1 Thess. 5:21). 

Its clear to me that it is not enough 

that we all share the same vocabulary, 

if we all are carrying around different dictionaries.

The Apostle Paul on Watchblogging

The Apostle Paul states the balance we all so desperately need in this area of Christian blogging. He issues a charge to pastors (but a principle we may all learn from and employ in our blogging) found in Titus 1:9b, "instruct in sound doctrine and refute those who contradict." One positive aspect, one negative aspect. One that instructs; the other that confronts. Both are quite necessary. Faithful instruction in sound doctrine will have to by its very nature confront and address that which is unsound according to Scripture if one is clearly teaching "the whole counsel of God." And by mentioning that which is unsound biblically, means that you must also instruct in that which is sound doctrine for addressing error without the clarification and context of Scriptural truth can push our righteous indignation buttons and be very motivational, but in the end unprofitable. And one that seeks only to state that which is positive biblically and fails to refute error, is more like Norman Vincent Peal than like the Apostle Paul, Peter, or our Lord Jesus Christ (cp, Matt. 23; 2 Peter 2; Jude; 2 Cor. 10). 

Both are important beloved: we should first champion sound doctrine; and when the ugly head of heterodoxy or heteropraxy finds its way in the church, it needs to be refuted.

With that in mind, I humbly submit to you below a few questions I have been thinking about on this issue of watchblogging and how we all function in the blogosphere as fellow believers in Jesus Christ who with right motives want to contend for the truth and His gospel of sola fide while striving to be clothed in the humility and grace of our Lord.

So may we consider asking the following questions of ourselves before we debate someone's proposed methods or answers... 

1. How does my post glorify God and exalt Christ? Or am I seeking to only expand my daily readership by addressing controversial issues just for controversy's sake? (1 Cor. 10:31)

2. How does it equip the body of Christ biblically to be better Bereans on any issue they face? (Acts 17:11)

3. How does it convict and challenge me in my own life before I turn its truths on another? IOW, what do I need to learn, model, obey and repent of first before calling others to do the same? (Psalm 119:10-17)

4. How does it bring truth and foster change to the one I am disagreeing with? (Eph. 4:13-16)

5. How does it edify and encourage - not just exhort? (Eph. 4:1-3; 26-32)

6. How does it communicate real biblical resolve? (Roms. 12:1-2)

7. How does it enable others to live more like Jesus as salt and light in their communities, ready to serve their church and world? (Matt. 5-7)

8. Am I filled with the Holy Spirit as I write and unfold God's Word, or am I only giving knee-jerk reactions to what is the hot potato of the moment? (Eph. 5:17-21) 

9. And lastly, in what I have just written and confronted caused me to focus more clearly on the person of our Lord Jesus Christ and something He would find pleasure, delight and honor in? (Heb. 12:1-3)

In light of those things, what can we learn about watchblogging in confronting error and standing for truth in the blogosphere: 

Firstly, posting by generalization creates more confusion than clarity. By not naming those we are writing about with specific examples from their own blogs can breed confusion, foster suspicions, and in the end produce hurt feelings, apprehension, and angst. As often he does, when Tim goes the extra mile in graciousness, as well as in specificity of the issues he is burdened to write about, I don't view it as an attack on anyone because it helps bring real teeth to what he is saying. I appreciate that about Tim's writing.

Secondly, failure to include or examine oneself as being equally vulnerable may end up communicating avoidance of responsibility rather than to humbly accept it. Clearly, Tim in his very well researched and thorough book reviews alone, has taken on issues in the past that we have benefited from and say amen too. His watchblogging in that arena has rightly challenged our thinking to be discerning, caused us to reevaluate how we do ministry, and even has opened the eyes of many to the more dangerous trends in evangelicalism today (see his amazing review of The Shack). I thank the Lord for that aspect of Tim's ministry.

Thirdly, including biblical content in context on any issue presented through Christian watchblogging helps us all to become more discerning, informed and therefore, honoring to the Lord. Tim on his blog has championed the inerrancy and infallibility of Scripture faithfully. And as a reformed brother, he knows the importance of directing peoples hearts and minds to the truth of God's Word and not just to opinion.

Watchblogging is a necessary and unavoidable component of communicating in the blogosphere as believers in the Lord Jesus Christ. May we all strive to do so with balance, instructing first in sound doctrine and then refuting when necessary those who contradict. And may we do so with the boldness, courage, love, grace and humility befitting our Lord Jesus Christ.

I personally want to say how much I appreciate the watchbloggers out there who are faithfully guarding the truth: Ingrid, Ken, Phil, Dan, JT, Tim, Tom, Carla, Jason, Scott, Al, Brian, James, etc. May we encourage each other to love and good works; and to champion truth and unashamedly refute error; and to do so clothed in the meekness and gentleness of Christ (2 Cor. 10:1-2).

And lastly, thank you to all here who watch this watchblogger and hold me accountable to what I write. You are important and cherished in my life.

"Be strong in the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ." (2 Tim. 2:1)

His unworthy servant in His unfailing love,

Steve