In the summer of 2010 I published my first book. Highly influenced by Puritan John Owen’s understanding of mortification (“Be killing sin or it will be killing you.”), the book centered around a sanctification rooted in the gospel. I thought it apropos for many reasons, not the least of which is that often what is presented as a strategy for growing in Jesus is little more than an overly burdensome, soul-crushing attempt to win God’s favor by our sweat equity. Instead of enjoying the freedom to serve God, following Christ devolves into merely duty without delight. I was tired of and tired by books (and sermons, songs, etc.) with that message. As a result, not only did I write a book to add what little weight I could to the gospel-centered side in the spiritual formation tug-of-war, I sought to deepen myself in grace-oriented discipleship. It was for that exact reason I chose to get my doctorate at Covenant Theological Seminary.

There are many fine seminaries around the world. I considered many of them in my search for a Doctor of Ministry program. With that said, for me, there was no doubt Covenant would be my ultimate choice. Their emphasis on gospel-centered sanctification stood out above the rest. Covenant’s President, Dr. Bryan Chapell, had written several books and articles on grace-centric spiritual growth. His book Christ-Centered Preaching was known as somewhat of a classic in preaching circles. It only took a few days in my initial two-week doctoral seminars to know (again, for me) I had made right choice. In those two weeks I heard three different seminars dealing with gospel-oriented approaches to ministry. In fact, one of the sessions Dr. Chapell led himself. It dealt primarily with preaching but ended with a brief purview of grace-based sanctification. I was blown away! It was exactly what I was looking for and presented in a way I could grasp. I thought to myself as I frantically took notes, “Don’t miss a thing here Yancey! This stuff will impact your personal growth and public ministry for the rest of your days!”

Holiness by Grace: Delighting in the Joy That Is Our Strength is that session with so much more!

First printed in 2001, but reprinted (with a new cover) this past September, Chapell introduces the reader to the fundamental truth of Christ-centered growth in reflecting on John Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress, “Our holiness is not so much a matter of what we achieve as it is the grace our God provides.” (8) The following chapters, which feel like extended sermons than merely didactic discourse, seek to expound, clarify, and deepen one’s understanding of grace-oriented sanctification. Indeed, it’s this sermonic quality which strengthens Chapell’s work as key principles and abstract thoughts are placed on the “bottom shelf” via insightful stories, helpful analogies, and pithy word crafting. Chapell also takes time to answer critiques to those who challenge the notion our sanctification is rooted in our justification, yet does it in irenic fashion.

I think Holiness by Grace would be worth the price if it only included the chapters on the believer’s union with Christ (“United for Life”) and joy-driven motivation (“The Power of Mercy”). It is in these wonderful sections that Chapell uncovers truths of sanctification that have, in many church traditions, either been obscured or neglected altogether. Throughout it all, the reader will likely find himself sensing a greater joy in his heart to obey in light of seeing again and again what God has done for him in Christ. This is a book about grace in us, for us, and through us!

While some might feel the chapters have more length in them than necessary (such is the plight of the modern reader), Holiness by Grace is an incredibly accessible, eminently readable book which should be a fundamental text in every disciple’s library. It will be a book I not only keep close by but one I shall refer to repeatedly in my life and ministry. I cannot recommend it highly enough!

1. What’s the Difference? small group series by John Piper (also available at CCCC church office)
2. Recovering Biblical Womanhood and Manhood by John Piper and Wayne Grudem (editors)
3. God, Marriage, and Family: Rebuilding the Biblical Foundation by Andreas Kostenberger
4. Biblical Foundations for Manhood and Womanhood by Wayne Grudem (editor)
5. Men and Women, Equal Yet Different by Alexander Strauch

These books specifically focus on men:

1. Disciplines of a Godly Man by Kent Hughes
2. The Complete Husband: A Practical Guide to Biblical Husbanding by Lou Priolo
3. The Exemplary Husband by Stuart Scott
4. The Masculine Mandate: God’s Calling to Men by Richard Phillips

These books specifically focus on women:

1. By Design: God’s Distinctive Calling for Women by Susan Hunt
2. Becoming God’s True Woman by Nancy Leigh DeMoss (editor)
3. Feminine Appeal: Seven Virtues of a Godly Wife and Mother by Carolyn Mahaney
4. Girls Gone Wise in a World Gone Wild by Mary Kassian

Other helpful resources:

1. The Council for Biblical Womanhood and Manhood website
2. ‘Addressing Questions Regarding Gender Roles’ essay by Rick White

However, in looking over some class notes from my doctoral studies this summer, I ran across this encouraging passage from Martin Luther’s The Sum of the Christian Life:

I myself have been preaching and cultivating [grace] through reading and writing for almost twenty years and still feel the old clinging dirt of wanting to deal so with God that I may contribute something so that He will give me His grace in exchange for my holiness. Still I cannot get it into my head that I should surrender myself completely to sheer grace, yet [I know that] this is what I should and must do.

Luther’s words remind me that even the more spiritually mature can derail themselves from living out of grace. Brother Martin gives me hope knowing that even one of the men God used to restore the church to the message of grace struggled in his head with living out that very grace in his life. It proves to me once again that grace really is that amazing!

I’ve fired up some of you already, haven’t I? Some of my friends are deleting my Twitter and Facebook connections as you read this.  Never fear, I’ll give you the context of that statement shortly.

Know from the beginning, I’m not anti-Calvinistic. The first thing I said to the senior pastor of the church I currently serve when asked to describe myself theologically was, “I’m a Calvinist.” In addition to our church’s essential beliefs, we suggest Wayne Grudem’s Calvinistic-friendly Systematic Theology to those who desire a better understanding of our general theological disposition (Our small group leaders must read Grudem’s Christian Beliefs). This spring I will begin my doctoral studies at Covenant Seminary, a Calvinistic seminary. I could go on and on about how given I am to the Calvinist understanding of biblical interpretation (e.g., I sleep with John Calvin’s Institutes of the Christian Religion beneath my pillow – okay, just kidding), but I think you get the point.

I like Calvinism but, from my pastoral perspective, it’s not helpful as a term for use in your church. So much so, that I don’t refer to myself as a Calvinist, I don’t talk about Calvinism, indeed, when someone in our church wants to engage me in a discussion about Calvinism, I usually decline. Yet I bet if you asked those in our church what we thought and taught about God’s sovereignty in salvation and all that goes with it (e.g., election, perseverance of the saints, total depravity), you would likely get a textbook Calvinistic answer. But if you said, “Oh, you guys are Calvinists,” most would quizzically look at you and unequivocally respond, “Huh?”

I hope to keep it that way.

Let me share with you a few reasons why I don’t think the term “Calvinism” is helpful in pastoral ministry.

• The term is polarizing for many. Let’s face it, scores of people in your church have emotional baggage with the word not necessarily because of the truths espoused by Calvinism but because at some point in the past they got into a fight with some over-excited, under-educated kid who stumbled upon the Five Points of Calvinism and wants to bludgeon everyone in the theological octagon with their knowledge because they’ve finally arrived at the truth. Sadly, more often than not, what many of them believe (and promote) is a poor caricature of Calvinism which both offends and turns off everyone (including Calvinists). Unfortunately, that caricature is all people will remember when they hear you use the term “Calvinism.” Thus they’ll say silly things like, “Calvinism will kill a church’s heart for evangelism. No person who believed in election ever went after lost people.” Consequently,  you’ll find yourself stuck in the mire of baseless arguments and mind-numbing discussions that will slow down and hamper your mission.

• Similar to the last point, the term Calvinism excites people in my church who I don’t want excited. Dr. Michael Horton, a Calvinist theologian, describes as entering the “cage phase” those who’ve recently become Calvinists and are so enthused by their new understanding that they not only can’t stop talking about it (24/7). Like fundamentalists handing out Chick tracks at Willow Creek, they unyieldingly force themselves upon others in order to “convert them to the truth.” (The truth being their brand of Calvinism). It amazes me the boldness “cage-phase’rs” possess in talking with other Christians about Calvinism but then amazingly transform into shrinking violets when it comes to talking with non-Christians about Christ. That’s not something I want to promote on either front.

• Finally (and ultimately) I’d rather my people come to an understanding of the doctrines of grace from an exposure to Scripture than an exposure to a system. I will have failed if they say, “I believe in election because I’m a Calvinist,” when they should proclaim, “I believe in election because I believe the Bible.” I’m not anti-systems; on the contrary, everyone believes systemically whether we realize it or not. However, I want people to look to God’s Word as the final arbiter of whether something is true or false. If at any point a system doesn’t line up with Scripture then, at least at that point, we reject that system’s understanding. This isn’t a good practice for only Calvinism, but Arminianism, Dispensationalism, and likely every other “-ism” you might hold.

To be fair, I do think it can be helpful to articulate your distinctive beliefs. I often refer to my theology as having a “Reformed” perspective. Personally, I think that term is better received pastorally than the oft-misunderstood and oft-maligned “Calvinism” – it’s kind of like crossing the ocean in a luxury liner than a raft, it gets me where I need to go with a lot less risk.

So, I would sincerely ask any pastor, What do you get by using the term Calvinism with your people? I’m sure there are good reasons. I just can’t think of any.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have an appointment to play in the tulip field with my family.

For a couple of hours every Thursday morning over the last eight months, fifteen or so of our staff and lay leaders have gathered to study Wayne Grudem’s Systematic Theology together. It’s really a glorified book club where we discuss our reading assignments each week (okay, there’s a little teaching here and there. I’m sorry, but I can’t help myself). This Thursday is our last meeting and it’s caused me to reflect on our team’s time together.

It has long been a conviction of mine that training in systematic theology shouldn’t be only reserved for those who preach in pulpits or have seminary degrees, but any and all who claim the name of Christ. With that said, we surely should help those who lead our major ministries (e.g., children, students, small groups, etc.) establish a solid foundation doctrinally. I believe systematic theology should be a rudimentary part of that training. Most of us wouldn’t go to a doctor who hasn’t studied gross anatomy or other fundamental medical courses, yet often churches put people in theologically-sensitive leadership who have little to no theological training. It doesn’t have to be this way. Indeed, it shouldn’t be. Unfortunately, actually seeing this happen in a local church takes work.

For my church, we needed to start with our staff and some select lay leaders. So, we took those who had completed our inaugural leadership development process (meeting monthly for nine months) and invited them to what would become the next step in our leadership development process – systematic theology (meeting weekly for eight months). Over that time we laughed, cried, prayed, wondered, shared stories, and grew in our love for Christ and his work of the gospel. I’m not much of an early-bird, but I truly looked forward to our 7-9AM meetings each Thursday, expecting God to work in our hearts and minds in ways that would glorify him, refine us and build up the church. I believe he did exactly that!

So, this is a post thanking our “Foon Sped” group (sorry, inside joke) of 2009-2010. From the first day to the last, it has been a blessing and pleasure to have led these men and women. Hopefully our call to help others grow theologically won’t end. Not only will we have systematic theology available for those completing Year 1 of our leadership development process in 2010, but we challenged those finishing systematic theology to begin their own study groups within their respective ministries because, ultimately, we want every follower of Jesus at our church to have an opportunity to learn “Systematic.”

• How impacting would it be if every one of your staff was trained in systematic theology?
• What kind of confidence would it instill in them?
• What would it communicate about your care for their development both personally and ministerially?

Ours took eight months but, I can tell you, it could have taken eighteen and it would still be worth it. Here’s our reading schedule (a simple Word document you can edit). Give it a try with your staff, ministry or small group and see what God does through it!

Theology, ministry and the church are, needless to say, good things in my life. I would seek to learn about them whether I worked at a church or not. Indeed, everything I do in ministry isn’t because I’m paid for it as much as the fact it is who I am…it is what fuels my fire.  In addition to that, I want to live a life that maximizes my redemptive potential. In fact, it’s so important that this is the case for me, that every so often I ask myself if I’m really maxing out my talents and gifts for God. Often it puts me in short seasons of deep and honest reflection. The latest season brought me face-to-face with something I thought I would’ve done a long time ago but didn’t because I never felt it was the right time.

Until now.

What is it? Getting a doctorate. Yes, I’m planning on going back to seminary. Something about my redemptive potential, my love for my church and things I can’t yet put a finger on has me feeling that this is the right time for pursuing a degree. It’s funny. I’m generally a thinker, but when it has come to the bigger decisions of life, it has to feel right to me. I’d like to think that feeling is the culmination of many things, not the least of which is the Holy Spirit’s movement in my heart and life. Running after a doctorate finally feels right to me. So I’m going back to school.

My Senior Pastor, who is more partner than boss and also has a doctorate, encouraged me to think about getting a Ph.D., saying it would better match my intellectual abilities and need for challenge. His sincere counsel blessed and flattered me. But I’m not going to take him up on it. I love the local church (specifically my local church) too much to leave it for an extended amount of time (can you say “years”) on a seminary campus. Besides, I want a doctorate that best parallels my working and serving the local church, which in my opinion is a Doctor of Ministry. Therefore, this spring I will hopefully begin my doctoral studies.

So today I’ve submitted an application to the seminary, written a personal essay for the admissions office and distributed referrals to friends (even my wife has to write a piece on why she’s okay with me pursuing a degree). It’s been somewhat different for me, being that I haven’t done anything officially academic for almost 15 years. But that’s okay. Now’s the time. It’s back to school. Again.

What about you?

Is there anything God is calling you to pursue? Or do you find yourself tempted to simply run in place, walled in by that which is too comfortable, too relaxed, too easy? Are there stories you keep telling yourself to justify living a life that’s less than you know it needs to be? What does “school” look like for you? What do you need to do to maximize your redemptive potential? You only get one life to live, so ask God to give you the courage to do it!

]]> http://blog.yanceyarrington.com/2009/12/04/back-to-school-again/feed/ 9 http://blog.yanceyarrington.com/2009/10/23/horton-and-the-gospel-driven-life/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=horton-and-the-gospel-driven-life http://blog.yanceyarrington.com/2009/10/23/horton-and-the-gospel-driven-life/#comments Sat, 24 Oct 2009 02:15:56 +0000 Yancey Arrington http://blog.yanceyarrington.com/?p=938 I have read Michael Horton for quite some time. This professor of Systematic Theology and Apologetics at Westminster Seminary in California, is the editor-in-chief at Modern Reformation magazine, a periodical I subscribed to for years. I have always appreciated Horton’s intelligence, discernment and gospel-centered theology. Frankly, his ability to distill the zeitgeist of both the West and the church was one of the biggest reasons I eagerly expected my issues of Modern Reformation. Today I finished his latest book, The Gospel Driven Life. Whether accurate or not, I felt like I had read most of this before, through his magazines. However, this is not a bad thing since his work is so very valuable to the church today. The Gospel Driven Life is a good read, one I think those who are seeking to live for the gospel would be well served by. Here are some of my favorite quotes…

• “It is not Christian orthodoxy but moralistic liberalism that reduces the surprising news of the gospel to the bland repetition of what people already know.” (25)

• “When the righteous of God no longer disturbs (much less terrifies) us, we feel no need to cry out for the righteousness from God that is a gift in Jesus Christ.” (50)

• “When theology dispenses with propitiation (the satisfaction of God’s wrath) as a theme, it must eventually surrender forgiveness as well.”

• “In fact, our sanctification is simply a lifelong process of letting that Good News sink in and responding appropriately: becoming the people  whom God says we already are in Christ.” (77)

• “Sometimes we make ‘spiritual disciplines’ a way of making our way up the mountain to experience God. However, unless we are going regularly to the Scriptures to find Christ and crying out to him for salvation in prayer, even personal Bible reading and prayer can become methods of idolatry and self-trust.” (106)

• “Salvation is not a program for us to follow; it is a gift to be received. That is the simplest and most difficult truth of the Christian faith.” (110)

And yes, I could go on and on. The more I glance over my highlights and notes, the more I appreciate Horton’s book. If your looking to better center yourself in the gospel, pick up a copy of The Gospel Driven Life.

Kevin DeYoung and Ted Kluck, a pastor and writer team who had previously authored Why We’re Not Emergent, recently published the book Why We Love The Church: In Praise of Institutions and Organized Religion. I read it a couple of days ago and can honestly say I don’t remember in quite some time a book as refreshing and hopeful as theirs. On the cover is a quote by the esteemed Dr. J.I. Packer who said of the book, “Bible-centered, God-centered. As I read, I wanted to stand up in cheer.” I totally agree. Often I found myself  enthusiastically pumping my fist as the local church was portrayed by these two authors in her glorious colors.

Does the church mess up? Has she blown it here and there? Is she perfect? The reader knows the answers. And so do DeYoung and Kluck. However, unlike some, while refusing to paint the church in infallible hues, they do allow her to shine by simply reminding the reader who she is and what she has done not only from a biblical perspective but an historical one as well. This book was written because we live in a day where it’s cool for “Christian” authors to critique (or for some, bash) the local church in order to prop up their own way faith should be lived out, but DeYoung notes, “we need to think more carefully about the critiques.” The intent of this more careful approach is to “provide some much needed balance and nuance.” In my opinion, mission accomplished. With playful wit and sensible reasoning, DeYoung and Kluck do a fantastic job showing how the church, amidst her problems, is still the hope of the world.

Something else strikes me about this book. It’s funny. As I was reading I found myself doing something I rarely do  when I read – laughing. Often I would laugh out loud with their playful parodies and descriptions of both Christian leaders and laypeople’s approach life and faith. For example, in demonstrating how Apple’s marketing has played off the bent most of us have for not wanting to submit to any kind of authority (another strike against the church), Kluck writes:

The idea is that if you buy a Mac, you’ll be the slender guy in the coffee shop arranging all his video clips into a short film with music that takes the Telluride Film Festival by storm, rips through Cannes, and then wins an Oscar, at which ceremony you’ll step out of an eco-friendly Toyota Prius with a real, live Hollywood starlet on your arm. Flashbulbs popping. The young auteur. In reality, most of us just use our Macs to surf the Internet and send e-mails. (64-65)

In the words of the not-as-esteemed Larry the Cable Guy, “I don’t care who you are. That’s funny!” But the humor isn’t just for funny-sake. It’s for drilling down into some of the reasons many erroneously think the way they do about church. Something Why We Love The Church does well again and again. Take Kevin DeYoung on the penchant for our Bradgelina-esque, short-sightedness when it comes to change:

What the church and the world needs from us, we imagine, is to be another Bono – Christian, but more spiritual than religious and more into social justice than the church. As great as it is for Bono using his fame for some noble purpose, I just don’t believe that the happy future of the church, or the world for that matter, rests on our ability to raise up a million more Bonos. With all due respect, what’s harder: to be an idolized rock star who travels around the world touting good causes and chiding governments for their lack of foreign aid, or to be a line worker at GM with four kids and a mortgage, who tithes to his church, sings in the praise team every week, serves on the school board, and supports a Christian relief agency and a few missionaries from his disposable income? (223)

(Oh, DeYoung and Kluck, you had me at “hello.”)

In the end, you realize its easy for us to take pop shots at the church from the cheap seats when most of what we know about the issues originate from books written by people with an agenda to pass, a survey to promote or a program to push. DeYoung and Kluck do an admirable job exposing some of the conclusions from more well-known critics (e.g., Barna, Viola, MacLaren) while holding the banner for the Church Historic – one that is both organism AND organization. Again, I wanted just as much to applaud as to turn the page. So…

If you struggle with the church, read this book.
If you struggle finding a church, read this book.
If you don’t like organized religion, read this book.
If you like Jesus but not his people, read this book.
If you think the “house church” movement is the only way to go, read this book.
If you think the church should be all about social justice, read this book.
If you think the church need to be revolutionized, read this book.
If you the church is on its last leg in America, read this book.
If you love the church, read this book.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m so fired up I think I’ll put the computer down and applaud…

God is using our network to influence and shape the church planting culture through both solid theology and contextualizing the gospel. We will not waver on either of these commitments. We won’t water down our theology to reach more people and we won’t attack the culture in the name of Christianity.

For as long as I can remember in my ministry, I have tried to champion the idea that the church should be robustly theological in what it does while being relevantly intersected with the culture it hopes to reach. Needless to say, the A29 guys are my kind of people.

So I would be lying if I told you anything but that I’m very grateful and pumped that my church and A29 have crossed paths. Frankly, the story God is writing upon the hearts of our elders, in particular, and the church as a whole is amazing in and of itself. While I would be the first to say that we have, and will, intentionally try to learn about how others do church from a myriad of different people and movements in evangelicalism (and outside of it), I think there have been many who serve in “Willow Creek-model” churches (read seeker-sensitive churches) that look in bewilderment at our church. It is likely because, initially, our church took the same path as theirs, but now we return from Chicago not due to a Willow Conference but The Gospel Coalition. Indeed, one of the great personal “moments” for me  that spoke of my church’s journey happened while I was in Chicago. One of my good friends, finding out that I was in the Windy City, contacted me asking where I was because he was on his way to Chicago and wanted to meet up. He likely assumed that if I was there for church-related stuff then surely I would be at Willow, right? Well, while he was at Willow (speaking at one of their main sessions I might add) I was across town gathering with our executive staff as we heard pastors and scholars talk about the need for gospel-centered ministry. Let me add, I would have no problem attending something at Willow I felt would benefit my leading the church (I have in the past and likely will at some point in the future), but some would look at our church’s last few years and exclaim, “Boy, how times have changed,” but the truth is, our church was always a little different.

I remember a church consultant telling us that we were the “most theological church” he had ever been around in his circuit of fast-growing, contemporary, attractional churches. At first I thought that to be a sad commentary on other congregations because I didn’t feel we were doing anything special. Why wouldn’t theology (literally, the study of God) be important to leaders of a local church? I will never forget what  theologian A.W. Tozer once said, “What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.” We didn’t need convincing of that truth. Our executive staff has always believed  a sound, biblical theology blesses the church, not holds her back. On the contrary, to do anything less is both unwise and ungodly. That’s why, for example,  everyone must read a brief theological primer before becoming a small group leader at our church. It’s why we spend weeks from time to time teaching about doctrines (we just finished a five-week series on ecclesiology last Wednesday). It’s why our teachers (from student ministry up) gather every week to listen to a doctoral level seminary class on gospel-centered preaching. And why we will be taking most of our staff (including preschool, elementary, junior high and high school ministries) in an eight-month study of Wayne Grudem’s Systematic Theology (yes, the 1,200+ page book) in the fall. Being theological isn’t something we do, it’s who we are. Unfortunately, to some churches who have elevated the pragmatic to an almost idolatrous level, those examples may seem impractical if not ludicrous. I could go on about other areas where God is growing us – our desire to be gospel-centered, to be missional to our community and so on  – but I share this to help some outside our walls see that when Acts 29 approached us asking if we might host their Houston Boot Camp, it only seemed natural for us to say, “Yes. Absolutely!” In my mind, these guys were our kind of people…and  the truth is, they always had been.

So this September, when hopefully hundreds, if not a thousand or so church leaders descend upon our campus to hear some of the best and brightest pastors in the Acts 29 Network talk about the need to be doctrinally  sound, theologically robust and gospel-centered in order to more effectively accomplish the mission of Jesus in the world, the least surprised (and most grateful) in the room will be those of us on staff.

September can’t get here soon enough! Welcome A29! Here’s to a great partnership for the church, for the gospel!

We must not exploit our faith by advertising it as a technique for achieving earthly satisfactions. The Faith is not a recipe and not a program. It is a Way. Recipes and programs are made to help you carry out earthly jobs successfully. But a way is something you walk in.
- Harry Blamires

If you believe what you like in the Gospels, it is not the Gospel that you believe but yourself.
- Augustine

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