Ancient Paths Blog

Music As A Language

Yes, we admit it – we have a communication problem here at Trinity.  It’s part of the daily routine among our English speaking staff and volunteers to clarify what we meant when we said or wrote such and such.  But that’s only the tip of the iceberg.  We have people here from Vietnam (the Vietnamese Grace Church); from Thailand (the Thai Church of Minnesota); and from Burma (the Trinity KaRen Baptist Fellowship).

The issue of communication became front and center when we began receiving individuals from the latter group a few years ago.  As they arrived in our neighborhood and our church we couldn’t communicate.  We spoke different languages.  As the KaRen people attended our services and ministries they only understood a small fraction of what was going on.  The same held for us English speakers when we joined  with them.  Neither group benefited from the ministry of the others.

The Essence of Worship

The following excerpt just came from the Desiring God ministries blog.  I wonder - how often does this figure into our (evangelicals') discussions on worship?  At best, not enough. 

I've just challenged our board members with this saying, "...we seem to be hung up on the issue of musical style and its effect upon one's feelings during the morning service.  Granted, music can be a help or hindrance to our ability to focus on the glory of God. 

However - and I think this is a significant point - we can have good feelings induced by music, because we like it, and totally lack what Piper brings out below."

What do you think?

"The essential, vital, indispensable, defining heart of worship is the experience of being satisfied with God. This satisfaction in God magnifies God in the heart. This explains why the apostle Paul makes so little distinction between worship as a congregational service and worship as a pattern of daily life. They have the same root – a passion for treasuring God as infinitely valuable. The impulse for singing a hymn and the impulse for visiting a prisoner is the same: a thirst for God – a desire to experience as much satisfaction in God as we can."  

John Piper, excerpted from Gravity and Gladness on Sunday Morning, part 1

The Word, Sacred Texts, and the Ministry of Writing

It surely cannot have escaped our attention that God loves words and writing.  In fact, we’re told by the apostle John that words, as an expression of oneself, is at the core of who God is.  “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  He was with God in the beginning.” John 1:1-2.  God is One who expresses Himself in words – in this case the Word made flesh.

Furthermore, God’s revelation of Himself over the centuries has not gone undocumented.  God has taken great care that His revelation, His Word is not lost but is recorded. Yet, this record is not ultimately in song, or in pictures, or riddles.  Rather, it has been written down by God’s prophets and apostles (assume here an evangelical doctrine of inspiration) and preserved (assume here an evangelical doctrine of canonization) as sacred texts.

Is End Times Teaching Foundational Doctrine?

When Christians are trying to reach across denominational lines, especially trying to find common doctrinal ground - it's not uncommon to hear something to the effect that "We need to agree on the foundational teachings and give latitude in areas that aren't."

Typically included in this latter category are things like frequency of communion, whether to say "debts" or "trespasses" in the Lord's prayer, and issues of eschatology, that is, end times teachings.

Recognizing the Demonic

John Piper posted a very balanced piece on spiritual warfare at Desiring God Blog last week entitled Are Exorcisms A Thing of the Past?.  His closing statement was:

"Demons are real, Satan is real, and every pastor should do a serious study of the devil and of his ways and of demons, and decide how he is going to deal with that. Because there is an attack on the church in various forms all the time."

Why Urban Christians Need Rural Pastors

Most of our adult Sunday school classes are going through Tim Keller's wonderful book Prodigal God, a very insightful study into the parable historically called the Parable of the Prodigal Son.  I was reminded at this time of the benefit of my own rural upbringing.  What's the correlation you ask?

Some Meditations for Serving at the Lord's Table

Here are some thoughts that I've used on occasion to serve at the Lord's Table:

The Too Familiar Words of Institution - Quite often I struggle with what to say when we gather at the Lord's Table.  Though we only partake of this once a month, we (pastors) often repeat the same lines by way of introduction.  And out of fear of falling into a rut I feel compelled to try to come up with something fresh, some new angle on communion to help you.

Rejoicing in the Midst of Cancer

It's been nearly a year since I've been diagnosed with prostate cancer.  Since then I've had surgery, then radiation treatment, and now am on a regimen of drugs.  I've undergone these successive treatments because none have been completely effective.  To put it another way, my hope in the medical treatment is partial at best.  From a worldly point of view this  should lead me to despair.  But that has not been the case.  In fact I've had several instances of rejoicing in it.

Why Baptists Should Insist on Immersion

Preface

The position elaborated in my last post - that I'm a Baptist who would not insist on immersion in every case - almost cost me my ordination.  The committee, composed of a retired Bethel theologian, a denominational executive, and a prominent conference pastor, was in no mood for heresy; and it was only my assurance that I would not trumpet this at my review that they allowed me into the club.  (What red flags are posted to my dossier at headquarters I can only guess.  It would explain why I'm never invited to speak or take part in committees...).  Having shared this, it may come as a relief to some that I now present the case as to why Baptists should insist on immersion.

Why Baptists Should Not Insist On Immersion

In a collegial debate over baptism with a fellow pastor and friend, while we both agreed there were some rare circumstances where baptism by immersion was not possible - a deathbed conversion for example - I argued that in some situations non-immersion may be common, even the norm, and should not be a bar to church membership - even in a Baptist church.