New Sermon Series on the Book of Ruth

Beginning this Sunday I will be preaching a series entitled Divine Faithfulness: The Book of Ruth. I can't wait, as Ruth is one of my favorite books of the Bible. As Sinclair Ferguson writes,

The book of Ruth is not a work of deep theological reasoning like Paul's epistle to the Romans, yet it is full of theology. It is not a magnificent symphony on the work of Christ like the Gospel of John, yet it ultimately points to the coming of Christ. It is not full of vivid apocalyptic imagery like the book of Revelation, yet it traces the details of God's working in the unfolding of the events of history. It is not basic instruction about the kingdom of God like the Sermon on the Mount, yet it contains important lessons about life in the kingdom.

If you live in the Flint area, we'd love to have you join us at 10:00 a.m. on Sunday mornings this fall as we examine this Old Testament treasure of a book. Audio of sermons in the series will be posted on our website as well.

Crazy Busy

If your life is anything like mine, you probably have the occasional busy day. Okay, more realistically, EVERY day seems to be a busy day. Because this is such a reality for so many of us, Kevin DeYoung has written the book Crazy Busy: A (Mercifully) Short Book about a (Really) Big Problem. This week, Westminster Seminary Books has them available for half price (just $6.00).

Check out the following video preview in which DeYoung discusses the dangers of busyness and (especially) the video below it which includes DeYoung's cute, funny children.

Courage in the Ordinary

The other day I was listening to The White Horse Inn radio program and they had Tish Harrison Warren as a guest. I've never heard of Warren before, but I loved what she had to say about their topic this week: Courage in the Ordinary.

She recently wrote a blog post dealing with that very topic. In it she pointed out the desire that many Christians have to do something radical or revolutionary for Christ, a desire that she not only has experienced, but acted upon through various ministry efforts throughout her early adult years.

Despite this desire to be extraordinary for Christ though, she has come to see the value in the ordinary.

Now, I’m a thirty-something with two kids living a more or less ordinary life. And what I’m slowly realizing is that, for me, being in the house all day with a baby and a two-year-old is a lot more scary and a lot harder than being in a war-torn African village. What I need courage for is the ordinary, the daily every-dayness of life. Caring for a homeless kid is a lot more thrilling to me than listening well to the people in my home. Giving away clothes and seeking out edgy Christian communities requires less of me than being kind to my husband on an average Wednesday morning or calling my mother back when I don’t feel like it.

She continues...

And here is the embarrassing truth: I still believe in and long for a revolution. I still think I can make a difference beyond just my front door. I still want to live radically for Jesus and be part of him changing the world. I still think mediocrity is dull, and I still fret about settling. 

But I’ve come to the point where I’m not sure anymore just what God counts as radical. And I suspect that for me, getting up and doing the dishes when I’m short on sleep and patience is far more costly and necessitates more of a revolution in my heart than some of the more outwardly risky ways I’ve lived in the past. And so this is what I need now: the courage to face an ordinary day — an afternoon with a colicky baby where I’m probably going to snap at my two-year old and get annoyed with my noisy neighbor — without despair, the bravery it takes to believe that a small life is still a meaningful life, and the grace to know that even when I’ve done nothing that is powerful or bold or even interesting that the Lord notices me and is fond of me and that that is enough.

None of this is, of course, to criticize caring for the homeless or providing help somewhere on the other side of the globe. It merely reminds us that while we often spend much time and energy "looking for ministry opportunities," in reality we have many of them staring us in the face each day. And though they might not seem as glamorous or important as others, we must remember that we serve a God whose economy is radically different than our own.

See The Man Who Ate New Orleans

I've posted before about Ray Cannata, who is not only the pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New Orleans, but is also known as The Man Who Ate New Orleans. He is so called because of his successful quest to eat at every (non-chain) restaurant in New Orleans. That quest was part of a larger story though, a story told in Michael Dunaway's documentary film of the same name.

It's not just a story about food though. It's a story of one man's love for the city to which God had called him. Ray likes to say, "New Orleans is the best picture of Heaven that I know on earth.  It's also the best picture of Hell I know."  This balance, he says, provides both something to look forward to, as well as something to be a part of fixing. Ray and Redeemer have been a big part of that effort ever since Hurricane Katrina.

I've been excited to see the finished film ever since I met Ray a few years ago. Just yesterday I saw the following note on the film's Facebook page:

We're very very proud to announce that TMWANO will be premiering next Tuesday, August 28, for $2.99 streaming rental at Seed&Spark! Seed&Spark was started by some dear friends of ours (superstar founder Emily Best was chosen by Indiewire as one of 20 people changing the face of indie film), and it's a great, great concept. Check it out, for sure. We'll also be available for digital download and on DVD that same day (details to follow). And we're planning a big red carpet theatrical debut in Atlanta for the night of August 27th, so mark your calendars!!! 

A couple years ago I shared the trailer below. Check it out. Or even better, check out the film next Tuesday at Seed&Spark!

Jesus on Every Page

I am very much looking forward to reading Jesus on Every Page by David Murray. Sinclair Ferguson offers the following endorsement: "With deceptive ease Dr. David Murray brings his readers on to the Road to Emmaus for a few hours of conversation about Jesus and the Old Testament. With an enviable grace and simplicity he teaches us how to read the Old Testament as Christians."

And if you buy the book this month, Dr. Murray is offering a bundle of great resources along with it for free.

If you're still not sold, check out the video trailer below:

A Word for Preachers...William Still on Preaching the Whole Word of God

"Beyond the deeper truths of the Gospel -- which, alas, so many do not teach and preach for, I fear, reasons obscure to others but known to themselves -- there is the darker blackcloth to the Good News, namely, the penal and corrective judgements of God, upon which the scintillating diamond of the Gospel shines with a thousand facets. The judgements are also the Word of God; and only he who preaches and teaches the whole Bible, dark and light, rightly dividing the Word of truth, fully proclaims the Word of God. After all, we see a rainbow only on the clouds."

William Still
The Work of the Pastor

Wednesday's Words of Wisdom...DeYoung on Christ and Communion

"The Lord's Supper is not only a visible reminder of the gospel, it is a spiritual feast where Christ is present as both the host and the meal. His presence is not physical, but it is real. At the Table, Christ nourishes us, strengthens us, and assures us of his love. We do not celebrate an absent Christ in the Supper, but enjoy communion with the living Christ. As Richard Baxter remarked, 'Nowhere is God so near to man as in Jesus Christ; and nowhere is Christ so familiarly represented to us, as in the holy sacrament.'"

Kevin DeYoung
The Hole in our Holiness

Friday Fun...Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder

Check out this video of a dog seeing its owner for the first time in six months:



...and then there's the video of a cat's reaction in a similar situation:

Revival vs. Revivalism

I really appreciated this video with Bryan Chapell, Kevin DeYoung and Rick Phillips discussing the topic of "revival and revivalism."
Should Christians Pray for Revival? from The Gospel Coalition on Vimeo.

Register for the Mid-Michigan Reformation Conference

We're about half-way through summer and before we know it, fall will be upon us. That means it's time to register for the 10th annual Mid-Michigan Reformation Conference to be held on Saturday, October 26th from 10:00 am to 4:30 at Calvary Presbyterian Church in Flint.

Keep your eyes open for more detailed information that will be released soon, but as I have mentioned here before, the theme of this year's conference is "The Glory of Christ" and our speakers will be:

• David Crabb of First Baptist Church in Lapeer
• Jason Helopoulos of University Reformed Church in East Lansing
• Chuck Jacob of Knox Presbyterian Church in Ann Arbor
• Don Galardi of Community EPC in Owosso

The entire event (including a hot lunch) is free of charge, but we do need to have an idea of how many will be attending, so we ask that you click here and fill out the quick and easy online registration form.

Feel free to shoot me an email with any questions.

The Biggest Mistakes Young Preachers Make

Great words of advice for new preachers from Voddie Baucham, Russell Moore and Tullian Tchividjian in The Gospel Coalition video below.

ESV Gospel Transformation Bible

I love Bryan Chapell. I love the English Standard Version of the Bible. I love the Christ-centered, gospel-grounded understanding that I've come to have of the overarching narrative of the Scriptures.

For all these reasons and many more--including (but not limited to) the involvement of Dane Ortlund and Scotty Smith--I can't wait to see the ESV Gospel Transformation Bible. Check out the video below.

Words at the End of a Pilgrim's Journey

Ever since I moved to Michigan nearly seven years ago, Leroy Cole has been among my dearest friends and most respected mentors. When my father died this past April, many people had kind words to say to me, but Leroy's words were among the wisest, most pastoral and and most profound.

I was saddened this week when I learned of his mother's passing at the age of 96, and further saddened that I simply lacked the capacity to share with him words as wonderful as those he had shared with me.

When I attended his mother's funeral today, I was moved by Leroy's words once more. The cover of the bulletin for the funeral included the picture above from Pilgrim's Progress by John Bunyan, as well as the following quote from Part II of the book:

Now the day drew on that Christiana must be gone. So the road was full of people to see her take her journey. But behold all the banks beyond the river were full of horses and chariots, which were come down from above to accompany her to the city gate. So she came forth and entered the river, with a beckon of farewell to those that followed her to the riverside. The last word she was heard to say here were, I come, Lord, to be with thee and bless thee.

So her children and friends returned to their place, for that those that waited for Christiana had carried her out of their sight. So she went and called, and entered in at the gate with all the ceremonies of joy that her husband Christian had done before her.

At her departure her children wept, but Mr Great-heart and Mr Valiant played upon the well-tuned cymbal and harp for joy. So all departed to their respective places.

Leroy commented,

And so it is that Bunyan pictures the departure of Christian's wife, Christiana. She and all pilgrims have their own path and progress, but persevere in the company of fellow pilgrims. Mr. Great-heart and Mr. Valiant-for-truth are the pastors who guide and protect believers along their way to the Celestial City. Their roll is not to secure them in this world, for all they are pilgrims marching to Zion.

So Monday, as a son, I wept at my mother's crossing. As a pastor, I rejoiced at her entrance into the presence of the King.

At times like these we try to humanize death, to think and say such things as, "she is now reunited with her husband after nineteen years of absence." But Darwin in life and death was valiant for truth and he, with great joy, accompanied her to the feet of Jesus: "the Way, the Truth and the Life." Faith gives way to sight and the face of Love is viewed.

"The Lamb is all Glory in Emmanuel's Land." (Rev. 5:4-10)

Friday Fun...Father's Day

Congrats to Redeemer New Orleans!

Chris Wappel is a good friend of mine from my college days. A few years ago he got married and I went to New Orleans for the wedding with my brother-in-law who also was friends with us in college. While there, we were introduced to Redeemer Presbyterian Church and its pastor Ray Cannata. Both of us deeply enjoyed our time with Ray and the Sunday morning we spent worshiping at Redeemer.

I have since developed somewhat of a friendship with Ray and you may remember my previous post about him as The Man Who Ate New Orleans. In Ray's time in New Orleans, not only has he dined at every restaurant in the city, Redeemer has been a part of rebuilding hundreds of houses demolished by Hurricane Katrina. If you haven't already seen them, check out the trailers below from the documentary film featuring these efforts.

Well, this Sunday was a big day at Redeemer as they officially moved from "mission church" status to that of a "particular church." Ray was officially installed as Pastor of the congregation and Chris was ordained and installed as a ruling elder.

Congratulations to them both and to everyone at Redeemer. May God bless you all as you continue to do the hard work of bringing the gospel to bear on the Big Easy!



The Man Who Ate New Orleans Sizzle Reel HD from Michael Dunaway on Vimeo.

As the Lord Commanded

In Exodus 39 and 40 we read about the making of the priestly garments and the tabernacle being erected. In those two chapters, at least 18 times they are said to have done something "as the LORD had commanded Moses" (or some other phrase with similar meaning). Upon reading this today, a series of thoughts came across my mind:

• Wow. It's pretty amazing how specific God was in what exactly he wanted done amongst his people, especially in terms of their worship of him. We probably ought to be very careful about our propensity to choose churches on the basis of our preferences.


• Wouldn't it be nice if God spoke to us as he spoke to Moses, so that we might do things "as the Lord had commanded" us? 


• About a tenth of a second later it occurred to me that of course he DOES speak to us, through the Scriptures! If I truly hungered to know and do God's will, then surely I would be ravenous in my appetite for God's word. And yet, there are times when I hunger for other things. Perhaps you are the same. Lord, forgive us of our double-mindedness and smash our idols that we might worship only you!