This year I was pleasantly surprised. My lovely wife and best friend bought me two gift I didn't know I wanted. A Kindle and a ticket to the Ligonier Conference next March in Orlando! She even purchased books from some of the speakers that will be at the conference and had them pre-loaded on the Kindle! I have a lot of reading to do! The list is as follows:
Feed My Sheep: A passionate plea for preaching by R. Albert Mohler
Doctrine: What Christians Should Believe by Mark Driscoll and Gerry Breshears
The Normal Christian Life by Watchman Nee
Prophetic Ministry by T. Austin Sparks
The ESV Study Bible (Kindle edition)
(soon to come) Think by John Piper
I just finished Sun Stand Still and I will be posting a review of it soon. I also received my booksneeze book for review this week. Not to mention wifey bought me another T. Austin Sparks paperback book entitled God's Spiritual House.
I'll be busy for a while. Merry Christmas everyone!!!
Feed My Sheep: A Passionate Plea for Preaching
ReplyDeleteThis should be called Lecture My Sheep: A Passionate Plea for One-Way Communication.
It is truly sad to see these men, so sincere in their belief that their traditions reflect God's Word, yet so far removed from it's reality. Anyone who has spent anytime in the pew knows that lecturing the Word does not feed the sheep. It is forgotten by Monday. It is not reproductive to "fully train" the student to "be like" the teacher. Luke 6:40 It's all perpetual dependency. It's all done with the assumption that all the sheep will always be dumb sheep, never coming into the full image of the stature of Christ, always needing a weekly lecture to the very last Sunday of their life.
Since when does "preach the Word, in season and out of season" mean "lecture the Word, in season..."?
As you read this book, will you share with us the scripture that is used to justify this twisted tradition and let us respond to it?
Am I too bold in my assertion?
Tim: bold and passionate! I wouldn't say that is a bad thing. I will most definitely be blogging about these books as I read them. Especially now that I am armed with a Kindle! As far as that particular book goes, I am hoping that the call to feed the sheep is presented in a way that equips and encourages the entire body to preach the word. With so many who are satisfied with passivity there is a dire need for gifted members to edify the bdy and build it up to the fullness of Christ. I'm sure I will disagree with the ecclesiology that comes through his writing but I'm also confident that I will be spurred on to good works through his exhortations. Always good to have you here Tim, thank you for your comments and challenges.
ReplyDelete"I am hoping that the call to feed the sheep is presented in a way that equips and encourages the entire body to preach the word."
ReplyDeleteAre you familiar at all with the example of the men who have written this book? It matters little what they say if their example is far from what they say. Are you aware of anything about the example of these men that leads you to think they are interested in the "intire body" preaching the Word?
Is there anything about these men's example that would lead you to think they believe preaching is only lecture and only for a select few who have received a "call to preach", a call to be "separated for the gospel of God" Rom. 1:1. The man who liked to refer to himself as "my pastor" used this verse in his testimony about his "call to preach".
Read this verse. Do a little word study on the word "separated". Look at the context of the verse. Look at the example of Paul and see if you see anything here that says God will call a man to take all of his needs out of an offering plate to give a weekly Bible lecture to saints maintaining a professional distance from the people so as not to be taken advantage of in his human weaknesses. This verse is so warped by the clergy class of preachers to erect a spiritual separation between them and other believers who meet their own needs while shepherding the flock of God, or who are lulled into being perpetually dependent and enjoy never-grow-up-land.
Is not the example of the authors of this book totally about professionalized clergyism?
I might be wrong, but I would like to be surprised.
maybe I am a big softy because I have gleaned so much knowledge from the teaching of these men. In my case, the Lord has saw fit to strengthen my faith and build me up through their teaching. I cannot in good conscience say that I do not appreciate and acknowledge that these are gifed men who have been given to the church to equip her. We may disagree with them on how that equipping should look as we assemble together but that disagreement in no way negates that they are useful and necessary members of the body.
ReplyDeleteI am certainly not saying these men have nothing to offer you or the rest of God's people. The grace of God is so big it is able to accomplish a certain degree of God's purposes with their habit patterns as distorted as they are (the same applies to me). I am seeking to help you cherish even more the grace of God that has worked in your life and mine in spite of their sad example and has taken us much farther into His design for proclaiming the gospel in heart to heart connections by all of God's people rather than almost completely non-relational forms with confidence in only a select few of whom God has empowered.
ReplyDeleteYou have stated clearly what you are looking for. I am saying you may find words that acknowledge that in some way but I am asking you to look at the example that has been set. It is highly likely that you will find words that directly contradict what you are looking for. Please do not hold back in sharing these thoughts and provide cover for these men because they have helped you in the past.
God can use you to bring correction to these men! Don't hold back. God has a deep heart to move these men out of their comfort zone and false beliefs. Join Him in this.
I am certainly not saying these men have nothing to offer you or the rest of God's people. The grace of God is so big it is able to accomplish a certain degree of God's purposes with their habit patterns as distorted as they are (the same applies to me). I am seeking to help you cherish even more the grace of God that has worked in your life and mine in spite of their sad example and has taken us much farther into His design for proclaiming the gospel in heart to heart connections by all of God's people rather than almost completely non-relational forms with confidence in only a select few of whom God has empowered.
ReplyDeleteYou have stated clearly what you are looking for. I am saying you may find words that acknowledge that in some way but I am asking you to look at the example that has been set. It is highly likely that you will find words that directly contradict what you are looking for. Please do not hold back in sharing these thoughts and provide cover for these men because they have helped you in the past.
God can use you to bring correction to these men! Don't hold back. God has a deep heart to move these men out of their comfort zone and false beliefs. Join Him in this.
Tim,
ReplyDeleteWhen I read this book I'll be sure to share both what I agree with and disagree with. There is sure to be a lot of both. Thank you for the encouragement. At this point in my journey I am struggling against the temptation to discount the ministry of others based on their "example" as you say, but like you stated God uses imperfect people to bring about his purposes. I expect Him to use the ministry of these men to bring about his purpose in me and I'm confident that He will use me in spite of my imperfections to impact others. Maybe even Al Mohler.