There’s an old story that tells of a missionary—a missionary who became convinced the Lord had called him to go to a foreign land. Obviously, he first needed some training, and as part of that, he collected books about the country and he studied them very closely. He began to learn its language and to speak it; to learn its customs and to adopt them as his own; to learn about its dress and to wear those clothes; to learn about its values and to exemplify them in his life.

Something interesting happened: The more he behaved like a citizen of his future home, the more out-of-step he became with his current home. The people around him would sometimes mock him for acting like the citizen of one country even while he lived in another. But he held firm and over time he became more and more like a citizen of the land he knew God had called him to.
Then, finally, the time came when his preparation was complete and he was ready to depart. When he arrived in that new country and took up his work there, he found that all his preparation had been worth it. His transition was easy and his ministry was effective. Why? Because he was already living like a citizen of his new land.
Just like that missionary, we are to live in this world as citizens of another—to live according to the customs and values of a different kingdom. And just like that missionary, this means we will sometimes be out-of-step with the people around us—we’ll act differently and live differently, we’ll hold different values and set different goals. And what will that do? That will, at times, make people angry. It will at times make them hate us and even persecute us.
Such persecution should not take us by surprise. Jesus, after all, made it clear that this would be part of the cost of following him. He expressed this at the very beginning of his teaching ministry when, in the opening words of his Sermon on the Mount, he said “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:10). Even as he laid out the very basics of kingdom living, he expressed that it would bring about persecution. Then, at the very end of his public ministry, he said something similar when he told his disciples, “Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you” (John 15:20).
He makes it very clear that those who follow Jesus will be persecuted like Jesus. Those who imitate Jesus will suffer like Jesus. If we live as citizens of the kingdom of heaven—which is to say, if we live like Jesus—we will be out-of-step with the values of the kingdom of this world and people will hate us for it.
It’s worth asking why. Why will living as a Christian bring about persecution? It’s not like we are harming anyone with the way we live. It’s not like we are demanding that others live as Christians. We are just going about our business while living quiet, humble lives. Perhaps an illustration can help.
A few years ago one of my neighbors drank a bit too much and the next day he had a pretty bad hangover. He must have been lying in a darkened room with an icepack on his head outside our kids and the neighbor kids were laughing and playing and enjoying some innocent childish fun. They were being good kids and having a good time. But suddenly the neighbor threw open his window and screamed “Make those kids be quiet!” His condition made their joy painful to him; it made their expressions of happiness intolerable. And something like that happens when we become Christians and begin to live out God’s true design for humanity before other people. Our holiness confronts their sinfulness. They see Christians living as God truly made us to live, living in the joy of the Lord—and it challenges them; it confronts them; it convicts them. And many respond with hatred, with persecution.
This persecution can be shown in attitude and insults; or it can be shown in imprisonment and death. But either way: it is the normal course of normal Christianity that we suffer for our faith. Citizens of the kingdom of heaven should expect to face persecution.
But Jesus does more than tell us that we should expect face persecution. He also tells us how we should face it. But since this article has already gone on plenty long, I’ll turn to that subject in a couple of days.

If you’re a Logos user, be sure to check out the free and nearly-free book of the month. At the very least you’ll get an excellent commentary for free!

Today’s Kindle deals include a long list of titles from Crossway and Zondervan.
(Yesterday on the blog: 7 Beautiful Things)
A Principle for Conversational Prayer
Greg Koukl: “Let me start with a frank admission: Prayer is difficult for me. Some things come easily, but prayer is not one of them. Of course, this does not make prayer optional in the least. It simply means I have to work harder at it to be consistent and effective.”
Surgeons of the Soul
“We have such good news in our possession of grace, truth, beauty, and everlasting Paradise offered to all who anchor their trust in the life, death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. Is it because we don’t think it will be received as good news? Are we afraid it will offend someone and rock the boat?”
Can We Overemphasize the Cross?
“Is it possible to undervalue Christ’s sufferings by overemphasizing the cross?” I suppose so if we underemphasize Jesus’ life.
New Cardinals for the Future Conclave
“When the reigning Pope creates new cardinals, it is because he is thinking not only of the Roman Catholic Church of today but, above all, that of tomorrow.” Leonardo De Chirico considers some of pope Francis’ choices and suggests what they may say about the future of Catholicism.
Covering Up Our Weaknesses
“We all have weaknesses and insecurities. Where are your weaknesses? How are you compensating for them? How are you closing yourself off relationally or spiritually from having those insecurities addressed?” These are good questions.
An Open Letter to Governor Newsom
John MacArthur was trending on Twitter last week after sharing this strongly-worded open letter to Governor Newsom (who used the Bible to defend abortion).
Flashback: 3 Quick Questions Before Quitting Your Church
Under many circumstances we have freedom before God to move from one church to another…Before you make such a move, do consider the questions: Have you been praying for the people of the church? Have you been serving the people of the church? Have you been with the people of the church?

Biblical preaching is the vibrant heartbeat that pumps spiritual life into the body of Christ. —Steven Lawson

As another week drew to a close, I found myself pondering beauty and wanting to reflect on some of the beautiful things I had encountered in the previous 7 days. Here are the ones that came to mind.

1. Fall Colors. Autumn in Ontario is almost breathtakingly beautiful during those few weeks when the leaves still remain on the trees and are turning from green to vibrant reds and yellows. Yesterday I made a long drive from the city to the countryside where I’m settling in for a while to focus on some writing projects. Along the way I got to admire so much beauty and to praise God for it. I’m thankful for the beauty of fall even though it precedes the cold austerity of winter.
2. Christ Our Hope in Life and Death. The Gettys have released a new album titled “Christ Our Hope in Life and Death” that contains a number of lovely songs. Beside the title track which may already be familiar to you, the songs “Rejoice,” “The Lord Almighty Reigns,” and “Take Shelter” are also wonderful, as is their recording of the classic “On Jordan’s Stormy Banks.” I’ve been listening to the album all week long. (Parents may also want to give a listen to J.J. Heller’s “I Dream of You: JOY” which is sweet.)
3. Ulysses. There was a time when I was adding new apps to my phone or computer on almost a weekly basis. But over time my list of apps stabilized and now I probably add a new one only once a year. One of the ones that has remained constant and which I grow to appreciate all the more as time goes on is Ulysses—a minimalist, full-screen, writing app. There is, to my mind, no app that makes writing easier, more pleasurable, or more beautiful. I never get tired of it and never grow weary of its sheer simplicity.
4. Good Books. I like to read a book or two a week and this week thoroughly enjoyed Al Stewart’s The Manual, an excellent book for men. He confronts unhealthy forms of masculinity and goes to the Bible to show what God says about being a man who is godly, upright, honorable, and distinctly masculine. I highly recommend it! (Ladies, buy it for your husbands and feel free to tell them I said they should read it.)
5. Normal Borders. At long last, Canada has revoked the requirement for non-Canadians to be vaccinated before entering the country and for non-vaccinated Canadians to serve out a 14-day quarantine after entering. They have also removed the requirement to wear masks aboard planes and random testing upon arrival. This means that American friends and family members are finally making their plans to come and visit us. We have missed them! (Strangely, the United States still mandates that foreigners entering the US must be vaccinated in order to cross the border; here’s hoping that long-in-the-tooth requirement will be removed soon as well.)
6. Friends. My small group has just begun to meet again and it was a joy to sit with them on Wednesday evening to talk about life and godliness. I’m so thankful for the gift of friends.
7. Long-exposure photography. Michaela is taking a photography class this year and each week has an assignment meant to display skill in a different aspect of the craft. This week’s assignment was all about shutter speed and long exposures—my favorite kind of photography. She decided she wanted to capture light trails, so we drove downtown to a bridge near Union Station where we could capture trails set against a skyline. Here’s the lovely shot she took:

(For those not familiar with photography, the light trails are the red lines along the tracks—a train’s rear lights that were captured as it passed from the foreground to the background over a 20-second exposure.)

Blessings to you as you work, serve, and/or worship this weekend.

(Yesterday on the blog: Getting Masculinity Right)
Be Obedient Even When You Don’t Understand the Command
“Between our own sinfulness, our lack of knowledge about God and his world, and the influence of the culture, we’re all susceptible to thinking we’re a better judge of what is good than God is.” And this means that we need to obey God, even when we don’t fully understand.
Since Scripture is sufficient, should we avoid using creeds, confessions, and catechisms? (Video)
This is a good question. I have seen it go two ways: some deprioritizing Scripture in favor of creeds, confessions, and catechisms and some thinking they have no place at all. Robert Godfrey’s answer is a good one.
The Pastor and Church Administration
This new issue of the 9Marks Journal may prove helpful to pastors and others.
The Problem of Gospel-less Gospel-Centered Sermons
J.A. Medders: “We are in an era of wonderful gospel-centered seminaries, gospel-centered books, gospel-centered ministries, and gospel-centered preaching. But we have a problem.”
Christianity and Indigenous Peoples in Canada
This interesting article traces some of the history of Christianity among Canada’s Indigenous people. “In the 2011 Canadian census, which is the most recent one to give us information on religion, 63% of Indigenous respondents self-identified as Christian, compared to 67% of non-Indigenous respondents.”
Joy in the Morning
“‘How do you feel joy in the middle of suffering?’ I’m still working it out. As much as I want to tell people that I have happy emotions in the night, that’s just not always the case. But I do have certainty that the Lord will not fail me. That He keeps me. And with time, that certainty unfurls in my heart with gladness of the soul. Joy. She stretches out and takes up residence with her neighbor—suffering.”
Flashback: Two Habits of Successful Parents
It is an incredible honor that God allows us to create, birth, and raise other human beings made in his image. With this incredible honor comes great responsibility. You’re unlikely to fulfill this task well, or as well as you could have, without the input of the community God has given you. So take advantage of it!

He who has the Holy Spirit in his heart and the Scriptures in his hands has all he needs. —Alexander Maclaren

Earlier this year I was in Sydney, Australia over a weekend. I wanted to go to church of course, so visited TGC’s site to scour its handy church directory. I found that within walking distance was a little Anglican church that worshipped in a nearby college of the arts. I arrived to find that the church was welcoming a guest speaker that day—one who was formerly a priest and bishop in the Anglican Church but was now director of a fellowship of independent churches. I thoroughly enjoyed the sermon he preached that morning and benefited from it. Then church was over and I went my way and that was that.

I didn’t think much more about it until recently when I was browsing new books, saw an author’s photo, and found myself racking my brain to try to figure out why he looked familiar. Then I remembered: it was the guy who preached that morning in Sydney. Al Stewart’s The Manual is a book to men, for men, and about men—a book about masculinity. And it’s a really good one.
It is well-documented that masculinity has fallen on hard times. In fact, when we hear it spoken of at all, it is most often with the word “toxic” preceding it. If not that, it is presenting a new form of masculinity that looks suspiciously like femininity. Society has many ways of disparaging masculinity but almost no good or healthy vision for it. Little wonder, then, that men are confused about what it means to be a man, to be manly, to be masculine.
Into this void steps Stewart with his attempt to bring his self-described “crusty-old-bloke perspectives.” And, better, his drawn-from-the-Bible and good-old-fashioned-common-sense perspectives.

Wading into the gender wars between progressives and conservatives, between feminists and men’s rights groups, is about as inviting as sticking your head into a bag full of angry cats. But my goal isn’t to fight that battle, or to resolve the gender, transgender, and no-gender problems. My goal is more concrete than that and, I think, more achievable. I want to talk to you, the man reading this book, about what it means to live a life that is spiritually healthy, filled with strength and power and purpose. I want to talk about what it means to ‘man up’.

When he speaks of “power” he means “the ability or opportunity to care for those around you,” which means he calls upon men to be aware of the power they have and then to use it to be a blessing to others. When he speaks of “manning up” he means “to be brave and strong” but in a way that is loving and self-sacrificial. “Real love involves caring for the people around you, and that takes effort. It will cost you time, money, sleep and a thousand other things. It will require discipline, self-control and self-denial. Yet it will be a life in which you know who you are, and what matters to you. You’ll live like a man who’s worked out what matters and who matters, and you’ll put that knowledge into practice in well-thought-out ways every day.” As for “purpose,” he simply wants men to live in the way God wishes for them to live.
The Manual is comprised of 12 chapters or, better, two pairs of six chapters that together are meant to provide a picture of healthy masculinity and to shape men into people “who understand God’s idea of manhood as presented in the Bible, and to help [them] grab hold of God’s wisdom for living as men.” In the first six chapters he looks at masculinity, first to show how society offers a broken form of it, and then to show how the Bible redeems it. He leads his readers toward a distinctly healthy form of it. In the following six chapters he looks at the specifics of living out a healthy masculinity through a man’s different roles: son, husband, workmate, single man, husband, and father. A concluding chapter is evangelistic in tone, calling upon men to follow the greatest man who ever lived.
The book has many strengths and few weaknesses. Stewart writes from a seasoned perspective as one who has plenty of life experience and ministry experience to draw from. He pulls from a wide variety of sources, some of which are fellow Christians and some of which are not. He helpfully distinguishes between edict and advice, between what God commands for all people in all places and what he, as the author, merely recommends based on his own wisdom and understanding. He writes with a tone that varies appropriately between humorous and serious, between gentle pats on the back and swift kicks in the backside (for men need a good measure of both). He writes always with an evident love for God and a sincere, compassionate desire to help men live lives of meaning and purpose.
Stewart’s call to men is to live in a truly masculine way—a way shaped by the Bible. He is convinced that “when men behave badly, it isn’t their masculinity that’s toxic; it’s their humanity.” And so “we need men who are not less masculine, but who are properly masculine; the sort of men who will step up to protect the vulnerable,” for “healthy masculinity is a willingness to take responsibility and use the power you have to care for and nurture those around you.” The Manual is an excellent book and I hope many men will read it (individually or, maybe even better, in groups) and apply its wisdom to their lives. The world, the church, and their families will be better for it.
(It’s a bit difficult to purchase the book in North America. You can try Westminster Books or Amazon; you’ll definitely find it at Matthias Media.)

Buy from Amazon

I wanted to remind you again that if you’ve read and enjoyed Seasons of Sorrow, a review or even just a star-rating at Amazon would be very helpful. Thanks for considering it.

There are a few interesting new Kindle deals to look at today.
(Yesterday on the blog: New and Notable Christian Books for September)
The Pronouns Preach
“When reading the Bible, parts of speech make a big difference in our understanding.” This includes parts as minor as pronouns, as Jim Elliff shows here.
A Rift in the Rainbow Alliance
“With media outlets in the U.K. devoting most of their attention to the death of Queen Elizabeth II, American observers of all things British may have missed a significant legal case currently before the English courts.” Carl Trueman tells what it was all about and why it matters.
The Most Dangerous Type of Christian Parenting
Aaron Earls distinguishes between two very different types of parenting.
Prayer in the Ruins
“Most Bible readers and preachers would be quite content if Psalm 137 were simply removed from the Scriptures—or at least from the lectionary. Despite the poetic beauty and palpable ache of the opening verses, the concluding plea for divine judgment is for many an insuperable obstacle.”
Don’t Worry, Be Thankful
“Worry is a choice. We don’t think of it that way, of course. To us, worry is just what happens when you’ve got a lot on your mind, but the scriptures insist that worry is a choice that we’re making.” And that means we need to think carefully about our worries.
Visualized: The World’s Population at 8 Billion
This is a neat graphic that shows how the world’s population is divided between the continents.
Flashback: When Jesus Says “Stay”
Christian, God may call you to foreign missions. But until then I know for a fact he has called you to domestic missions. And here’s what that involves: Tell how much the Lord has done for you.

God hears no more than the heart speaks; and if the heart be dumb, God will certainly be deaf. —Thomas Brooks

This time of year is usually a very good one for book releases as publishers attempt to make sure their top titles are available for the holiday shopping season. Here are some of my picks for New and Notable books from September (including a handful from August since I didn’t provide a roundup last month). In each case I’ve provided the publisher’s description of the book.

Church History by Simonetta Carr. “Church History is a fascinating guide that shows young readers (and even not-so-young readers) how God has preserved His church from AD 30 to the beginning of the twenty-first century. Travel through time and all over the world as you meet the people, learn about the ideas, and understand the challenges that have shaped the history of the church. Maps, time lines, and colorful pictures on every page show you the important people, places, and events of church history. Learn about how Christianity spread to Armenia, the first official Christian nation; how a paper nailed to a church door in Germany marked the beginning of the Protestant Reformation; how the church has grown in places like Asia, Latin America, and Africa. Discover how the church has answered important questions like Is Jesus really God? Can we be perfect in this life? May Christians allow slavery? and What is the gospel? Most importantly, you will see that after two thousand years, Jesus’s church is still growing and proclaiming the good news of salvation for sinners all over the world.” (Buy it at Amazon or Westminster Books)
Workers for Your Joy: The Call of Christ on Christian Leaders by David Mathis. “We live in an age increasingly cynical about leadership—some of it for good reason, much of it simply the mood of our times. Still, the risen Christ continues the counter-cultural work he’s done for two millennia: he appoints leaders in his church—not as a burden, but as a gift to his people. What is the nature, calling, and work of local church leadership? Pastor and seminary professor David Mathis considers the elder qualifications in 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1 not only as prerequisites but as daily necessities to carry out joyfully. This accessible guide aims to serve current and aspiring pastors and elders, as well as church members who want to know the expectations for their leaders and how to pray for them.” (Buy it at Amazon or Westminster Books)
Confronting Jesus: 9 Encounters with the Hero of the Gospels by Rebecca McLaughlin. “Jesus is the most famous human being in all of history. But while many people have a basic sketch of Jesus in their minds, comparatively few have taken time to read the four biographies of his life in the New Testament Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. In Confronting Jesus, Rebecca McLaughlin shares important biblical context to help all readers see why the Gospels should be taken seriously as historical documents. This follow-up to her first book, Confronting Christianity, helps readers understand the message of the Gospels and explore who Jesus really is. Individuals and groups can work through the book together with the Confronting Jesus Study Guide and the Confronting Jesus Video Study.” (Buy it at Amazon or Westminster Books)
Following Jesus in a Digital Age by Jason Thacker. “We were told technology would make our lives easier and more convenient, but technology just seems to have made it more complicated and confusing. As Christians, what does our faith have to do with these pressing issues of life in a digital age? In Following Jesus in a Digital Age, you will not only be challenged on how technology is shaping your walk with Christ, but you will also be equipped with biblical wisdom to navigate the most difficult aspects of our digital culture—including the rise of misinformation, conspiracy theories, social media, digital privacy, and polarization. God calls his people to step into the challenges of the digital age from a place of hope and discernment, grounded in His Word. How will you follow Him in the digital age?” (Buy it at Amazon or Westminster Books)
Take Heart: Daily Devotions to Deepen Your Faith by David Powlison. “It’s easy to lose heart in a world where many things can and do go wrong. Life is difficult and there are struggles within and without, but we can take heart–the Lord is with us. He hears our cries for mercy. He knows our every need. He guides us, helps us, and strengthens us with his mighty right arm. Journey through a year with David Powlison, learning to take heart by meditating on his favorite Scripture passages, hymns, and biblical themes, exploring the ways God meets us with daily grace right where we live. Drawn from David Powlison’s many decades of writing, teaching, and speaking, Take Heart is a yearlong devotional journey into the process of biblical change, where truth becomes clearer and our ears hear and our eyes see what God tells us about himself.” (Buy it at Amazon or Westminster Books)
Truth for Life: 365 Daily Devotions (Volume 2) by Alistair Begg. This is the second (and, to my knowledge, final) volume of Alistair Begg’s excellent daily devotions. “Start with the gospel each and every day with this second volume of 365 Christ-centered daily devotions from renowned Bible teacher Alistair Begg. Each daily devotion includes: reflections from renowned Bible teacher Alistair Begg; prompts for real-life application; relevant Scripture passages; a yearly Bible-reading plan. The durable hardback cover with dust jacket and ribbon marker make this a wonderful gift.” (Buy it at Amazon or Westminster Books)
Fruitful Theology: How the Life of the Mind Leads to the Life of the Soul by Ronni Kurtz. “Why do the theologians rage? Even a cursory scrolling of social media may lead you to the conclusion that you have to be angry to do theology. Sadly, our day is characterized by theological fighting–complete with harsh words, exaggeration, biting sarcasm, and the spirit of tearing down our brothers and sisters in Christ. But it does not have to be this way. In fact, it should not be this way. In Fruitful Theology, Ronni Kurtz swims upstream to counter this prevailing problem. Instead of theology leading to anger, division, and discord, this book shows that the life of the mind can actually lead to the fruit of the Spirit.” (Buy it at Amazon or Westminster Books)
Alongside Jesus: Devotions for Teenagers by Drew Hill. “Have you ever considered that Jesus could actually be walking alongside you? Like right now, in this very moment–even though you can’t see him. If you knew that for sure, how would it change your day? Your life? Because you can’t see or hear Jesus with your physical eyes and ears, walking with him takes a different kind of seeing and hearing. And as you learn to walk with him, your faith will grow, and your life will never be the same. Through a month of meditations, Drew Hill invites you to look for Jesus with the eyes of your heart and learn to hear his voice. As you encounter Jesus, you will begin to see yourself through his eyes. The Alongside Devotional uses a daily devotional format, and each chapter takes a look at a different truth about Jesus and invites you to establish an Alongside Practice that will help solidify this truth in your heart. Each week includes a weekend conversation with your Alongsider–a parent, mentor, or friend who can help you process what you’re reading. These encounters with Jesus will help you see that Jesus is closer than anyone else could ever be.” (Buy it at Amazon or Westminster Books)
The Unwavering Pastor: Leading the Church with Grace in Divisive Times by Jonathan Dodson. “Leadership is hard. Pastoring through divisive times is even harder. How do we lead well when criticized? How do we keep loving the church when hurt by her? What does it look like to remain committed to the gospel in cultural division? Seasoned pastor Jonathan Dodson comes alongside struggling pastors and ministry leaders to guide them into the comfort of Christ. But he doesn’t stop there. Full of wisdom drawn from 2 Timothy, this book will equip you to lead the church with grace, charity and spiritual power through divisive times. Great for pastors and ministry leaders who need encouragement and insight, or are wrestling with their calling. Makes a thoughtful gift.” (Buy it at Amazon or Westminster Books)
Faith Undaunted: Embracing Faith and Knowledge in a Post-Truth Era by Donald MacLeod. “Christian faith is a matter for the emotions, but also a matter for the intellect. Donald MacLeod delves into not only what he believes, but why he believes, and how that belief affects how he lives his life. Arguing for the importance of reason and logic in personal faith, he equips the reader to resist relativist influences that are permeating the twenty-first-century church. Winsomely written, Professor MacLeod shows once again why he is a beloved teacher and writer.” (Buy it at Amazon or Westminster Books)
Pastoral Friendship: The Forgotten Piece in a Persevering Ministry by Brian Croft, Michael Haykin, and James Carroll. “Friendship is a need that touches the deepest parts of the human soul. This is especially true in ministry. It is a need that is not simply rooted in enjoyment and companionship, but in the necessity to care well of one’s soul and survive a long-term ministry. This book seeks to persuade every modern pastor of the essential need of friendship. And not just any friendship, but a close, personal, intimate, and sacrificial pastor-to-pastor friendship that regularly turns each other’s gaze to Jesus. Friends and pastors, Michael Haykin, Brian Croft and James Carroll examine portraits of friendship in scripture and church history, before exhorting readers to modern pastoral friendships.” (Buy it at Amazon or Westminster Books)
Only When It’s Dark Can We See the Stars: A Father’s Journal as His Son Battles Cancer by John van Popta. John is a dear friend to my family and, in this book, he traces his son’s long illness. “Four Long Years: That’s the time from 12-year-old Julian’s diagnosis of leukemia until the van Popta family reaches the other side. All the while, dad kept a log chronicling in detail the arduous ordeal. Is there hope in the pitch-dark Valley of Baca? With his journal, you can travel with these pilgrims on their journey. Since John is sharing his entries with extended family, friends and church members, you hear him reporting and reflecting as a pastor. He had encountered similar situations before, but such experience counts for little compared to facing cancer of a loved one firsthand. So you also sense how a father’s heart aches as his son suffers. And how he wrestles with wounded faith.” (Buy it at Amazon)

Grace and peace to you.

(Yesterday on the blog: Our Understanding of Earth and Our Assumptions of Heaven)
Okay, So it’s a Secular Age, But Jesus is Still Working
“Jesus is still working. Yes we call it a secular age, and it truly is, but perhaps it feels like there’s the stirrings of God doing something again in the midst of all of this turmoil and angst. It’s an anxious age, and men’s’ and women’s’ hearts may well fail them as war ramps up again, as seismic changes lurch us from left to right and from Left to Right. Who are we to discount revival?”
Died: Brother Andrew, Who Smuggled Bibles into Communist Countries
“Anne van der Bijl, a Dutch evangelical known to Christians worldwide as Brother Andrew, the man who smuggled Bibles into closed Communist countries, has died at the age of 94.”
How Much Theological Education Do You Need?
“How much theological education do you need? It depends, obviously.” This is a useful illustration to show how different people may need different amounts of theological education.
I Don’t Know
“Ideally, as the pastor, you should be one of the better-educated people in your church. You have likely gone to college and then studied for three or four years to earn your MDiv. During that time you’ve probably read thousands upon thousands of pages of theological literature. For your sermon preparation you ideally read a great deal each week, and that’s not counting your leisure reading.” Yet you can’t know everything and shouldn’t act like it.
What does it mean that God is able to keep us from stumbling? (Video)
Here’s a good answer to a good question: What does it mean in the book of Jude when it says that God is able to keep us from stumbling?
Introducing Ligonier Guides: Accessible Theology for Everyday Life
Ligonier Ministries has just announced the launch of “Ligonier guides.” “These guides, covering topics such as theology, worldview and culture, biblical studies, Christian living, and church history, provide overviews and explanations from Ligonier’s topic index, along with quotes and links to additional topics and resources.”
Flashback: Set An Example: Don’t Surrender To Low Expectations
The primary way to serve your church is to pursue godliness, to grow in wisdom and knowledge, in character and obedience. Set an example. Be an example. Make your life a beautiful work of art.

It’s not change, then you get Christ; it’s Christ, then you get change. It’s not try to change and then God will accept you; it’s accept Christ and he’ll change you. —David Murray

This week the blog is sponsored by Desiring God and the post is written by David Mathis.

Some doomsdayers might say the church has a leadership crisis.
Perhaps a previous generation gave its presidents (and pastors) too much benefit of the doubt. But it that still our temptation today? Our criticisms of recognized leaders, cynicism toward them, conflicts with them, and controversies about them fill our feeds, queues, and real-life conversations. Are we becoming a society of discontents trying to take it to the man?
Whether in the world or in the church, both a fascination with and a negative mood toward our leaders and celebrities (we’re increasingly unable to draw clear lines between them) pervades our age. Many today are confused, and for good reason. Stories of use and abuse abound, and multiply, with the aid of our technologies.
While our list of what to beware grows longer and longer, do we have any corresponding list of (more positively) what to look for, and pray for, in our leaders?

No Confusion from Christ
For Christians, we have our conflicts and controversies to grieve and address, but the risen Christ has not left us to confusion for what to expect, pray for, and hold our leaders to account for. Scripture has a lot to say about our current crisis.
To my count, 1 Timothy 3 provides fifteen requirements for pastor-elders — the lead or teaching office in the church. Another list (again I count fifteen) comes just pages later in Titus 1, with most of them mapping on precisely to the first list. Added to that, we have, among others, 1 Peter 5:1–5; 2 Timothy 2:22–26; Hebrews 13:7 and 17; and the words of Christ in Mark 10:42–45.
Jesus has not left us without clarity.

Paul Really Knew
For more than a decade now, I’ve given unusual time and attention to lingering over the pastor-elder qualifications. Not only am I a pastor seeking to regularly rehearse what Christ requires of me (and grow, with his help, in these graces), but since 2012 I’ve been assigned “the eldership class” at Bethlehem Seminary. This class is typically a cohort of 15–16 seminarians, training to be vocational pastor-elders.
Over time, we’ve found the lists of 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1 to be worthy of far more than a brief review or a single session of focus. In fact, in seeking to present to the class and explain what Scripture teaches, and what I’ve learned to be significant in pastoral ministry, I’ve found again and again that essentially all the relevant practical issues in preparing for eldership pair with one or more of the traits Paul lists in 1 Timothy 3 or Titus 1.
Imagine that. Paul really knew what he was talking about — not just as a list of prerequisites to become an elder but as a catalog of the kind of virtues that elders need day in and day out to be healthy, effective elders in the long haul for the joy of the church.

What Kind of Men?
Semester after semester, we have found much life, much to learn, much to say, much to discuss, and much to apply in these elder qualifications. For one, the graces mentioned here are not devoid of reference elsewhere in Scripture. Rather, in most cases, the Bible, from Old Testament to New, has much to say about these traits.
In studying these traits — and local-church leadership through them — I’ve come to organize the class (and now the book Workers for Your Joy) under three main headings: humbled, whole, and honorable. Or we might say, the devotional life (before God), the private life (before those who know us best), and the public life (before the watching church and world).
My hope is that such a study will be helpful, first and foremost, for current pastor-elders and especially for young men aspiring to the work. Under God, I’d love to see a new generation of pastors rise-and-fall proof their ministries, under God, long before the crises come.
But I also hope that congregants — church members — might enjoy finding new clarity about what they can expect in their pastors and hold them to. What does Christ call Christian leaders to be?
Christ has not left us without clarity. Christian leadership exists for the joy of the church. Such a vision may turn some of our churches upside down, first for pastors and then for the people. That’s the vision I hope to impart, and linger in, in Workers for Your Joy.

I think we are all guilty at times of importing our understanding of earth into our assumptions of heaven. We are all guilty of importing our understanding of how things work here to how they will work there. We look at the world we know and extrapolate to the one we don’t. I sometimes fear, though, that our thoughts of heaven are actually marred by our experiences of earth.

I have often heard people speak of those who are in heaven and use language such as “the people closest to the throne” or maybe those who “have the biggest mansions” or those who are given “the greatest reward.” And certainly there seems to be some variety to the degree of the rewards God will dispense to his people—though variety that will neither swell the hearts of those who receive more nor provoke the hearts of those who receive less (if that is, indeed, the way things work).
When I hear people use language like “those closest to the throne,” they almost invariably speak of people who are known and famous, who are acknowledged by other believers to have accomplished a lot for the Lord and for his purposes. Surely that one who preached so faithfully to such great crowds and that one who wrote books that sold so well and that one who served so committedly and so publicly—surely they are the ones who are counted great in the kingdom. Surely they are the ones who receive the greatest honor in heaven. After all, they are the ones who received the greatest honor on earth. If God’s people held them in such high esteem here, why wouldn’t God hold them in similarly high esteem there?
Yet I can’t help but wonder if this betrays a pattern of thinking that doesn’t understand the mind and heart of God—that assumes that the most public gifts are the most important and that God gives the most important gifts to his most favored people. Or that there is a necessary connection between the visibility of a gift and its value in his eyes.
Are we certain that the gifts we count as most important are the ones that God counts as most important? Do we know that a gift for preaching is more important than a gift of encouragement? Are we certain that the man who preaches before tens of thousands of strangers in a conference venue ranks higher than the woman who intercedes for mere tens or hundreds from the privacy of her home? Are we certain that the one who leads the church in worship is really far ahead of the one who prepares the church by shoveling its sidewalks and setting up its chairs? That the one who labors in the pulpit is doing more important work than the one who labors in her prayer closet?
Jesus told us to be like little children, not like great celebrities. He didn’t tell us to be famous, but to be faithful, not to revel in the applause of men but to long for the affirmation of God. Our responsibility is to exercise the gifts and embrace the duties God has given us, no matter what they are, no matter how public, no matter how visible. We have no business wishing away the gifts God has given to us and no business envying the gifts he has given to someone else. We are to labor with diligence and entrust it all to God.
I am convinced that if there are some who receive a particularly great reward, it will be those who were most faithful with what they were given, whether it was much or little, visible or invisible, acknowledged by others or completely overlooked. The man who lived a life of quiet faithfulness in the humblest of jobs will surely receive God’s commendation ahead of many of those who wore fine vestments and who stood in ornate pulpits. The woman who served with excellence in an invisible ministry will surely be acknowledged ahead of the one who brought mediocrity to the most visible.
The fact is, there is no reason at all to think that the foremost preachers or most famous theologians will be received most joyfully in heaven, for God measures these things so differently from the way we do. In his eyes it’s not the visibility of the gift that matters, but the diligence with which it is embraced and exercised. And this puts the onus on each of us to ask how and where God has called us to serve his purposes, then to serve then and there in his strength and for his glory, joyfully entrusting it all to him.