From Disgrace to Amazing Grace September 13, 2007
I have been involved with church music ministries for the last 15 years, and I don’t think that six weeks have past without either performing, or being asked to perform the most popular hymn ever written: Amazing Grace. This song has been featured in almost every hymn collection published since its inception, and as of today, itunes has 150 different versions available for download. [1] With such popularity you would think the hymn’s enigmatic writer, John Newton, would be more celebrated today.
I hope that will change with a new biography written by Jonathan Aitken entitled, “John Newton: From Disgrace to Amazing Grace.” Like most people, I knew Newton was a seafaring slave trader in his younger years and that he had a remarkable conversion experience at sea during a terrible storm, but I didn’t realize that his life was the kind of epic adventure you would normally associate with a Cecil B. Demille movie.
Aitken’s biography is one of the most compelling historical books I’ve had the pleasure to read. It is thorough, well researched without being dry, and written by a man who knows something about “being lost but found,” since Jonathan Aitken became a believer while serving time in prison for perjury in an infamous London trial. Throughout the pages of Newton’s life you are confronted with a man that knew the depth of his sin, but by God’s grace, lived to preach, write and sing about God’s forgiving grace found in Jesus Christ.
Newton was brought up by a very devoted Christian mother who catechized him, prayed with him, and forced him to memorize scripture until he was six, when she died of tuberculosis. His father, however, was a very distant and stern sea captain. Young Newton rebelled and from the period of his teenage years onward began to fight against all authority figures, often becoming his own worst enemy. By the time he reached the age of 11, his father felt he was ready to begin his career at sea, and Newton’s journey from a young seaman, to gang-pressed navy midshipman, to slave trader, to becoming one of the most influential evangelical preachers of his day began.
As a husband, friend, and pastor, Jonathan Aitken, lets you come face to face with Newton himself, since much of the book is taken from Newton’s own personal journals, which were extremely detailed, warm, and just plain authentic. It becomes painfully obvious why he had such a profound impact upon the stoic religion of his day. Although Newton was an extraordinary scholar who taught himself Greek, Hebrew and Latin, he was able to preach, pray and write songs for worship that the common man could relate to. He didn’t put on any airs, and attempted to give dignity to the lost, the least, and the last through his pastoral ministry. When his autobiography became a best seller, it just confirmed his popularity with the average working man. “Here is a man of God who knows what it is like to struggle with the flesh and temptation, and yet finds forgiveness, grace and mercy in the Lord,” said many a dockworker.
While his life was far too multi-faceted and interesting to recount it all in this review, I will mention three things that jumped out at me that I think the present church can learn from:
He was ecumenical. John Newton had a rough road to ordination in the Church of England. It took him six years of toil, because of his fondness for the preaching and evangelical leanings (enthusiasm) of George Whitefield and John Wesley. Newton was close friends with Independents, Presbyterians, Methodists, Dissenters, and Baptists. He worshiped with them often, and had no difficulty preaching from their pulpits. In fact, when he was finally ordained and given a pastorate, all the surrounding non-Anglican churches and clergy soon welcomed him, and sought to collaborate in various ministries for the betterment of the city and its people. This didn’t mean he was soft on scripture. He held firmly to his beliefs, but was able to find common ground with brothers from different traditions to further the Kingdom.
He was progressive. John Newton created many church practices that had not been a part of regular ministry in his day. He created a weekly prayer meeting that grew so large he had to utilize the great house of Lord Dartmouth (his benefactor). He created a children’s ministry (unheard of before this) that met weekly to pray, sing and learn from the Bible. He wrote songs for them to sing that would help them memorize scripture. This ministry had such a profound impact upon the countryside of Olney that many churches sent their children to this ministry. At its height it grew to 200 children! Today this may seem normal, but it was a radical invention for his day. In the established church, it was very uncommon to hear hymns in public worship. Psalms may have been chanted as part of the liturgy, but new songs set to well known melodies and accompanied in a simple fashion were considered very low-brow by 18th century English standards. Newton, along with his troubled friend and poet, William Cowper, wrote several hundred hymns in the common vernacular that were simple to sing, easy to memorize, and yet profoundly theological and deep. They were not written for the erudite elite, but for the people in his pews. He saw music as a powerful learning tool. He took Paul’s words to “admonish and teach one another through psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs” seriously, and the church has not been the same since. Newton thought “outside the box” before the phrase had a chance to become cliché.
He was proactive. Though not an immediate movement of his ministry, as he continued to grow in grace, Newton became heavily involved in the abolition of slavery and many other causes by mentoring and encouraging Christians involved in government, trade, and social welfare; viewing the Gospel not only as the means of salvation, but in the broader sense of seeing it as the A to Z of life, which includes the restoration of human dignity.
Much more could be said about the amazing journey of John Newton, but I’ll just recommend you pick-up a copy of Aitken’s biography, snuggle up in a comfy chair, and take the time to get to know the man himself. There is great wisdom to be learned from the dead guys. I’ll leave you with the words he was quick to state whenever he had a chance: “I am a great sinner, but Christ is a great savior.” That about sums it up.
Reprinted from: Semper Reformanda
[1] Two of them are mine since I’ve recorded it twice. One can be found under the band, Bezalel, while the second can be found on my solo album, Tales of Thomas: Hymns Revisited and Remixed.
Can you trust the Gospel?
No doubt you have heard of “The Lost Tomb of Jesus,” the Discovery Channel’s incendiary new documentary, which aired this past March. There was a colossal media buzz around its airdate. Who can be surprised at all of the media attention? Filmmaker, Simcha Jacobovici is claiming to have found the family tomb of Jesus, and what’s more, he was likely married to Mary Magdalene and had a child named Judas. Scintillating stuff, but what does this all mean? Here is a documentary making claims that are in conflict with historical Christian belief. The film’s experts employ scientific evidence, DNA information and statistical reports. Is this truly a compelling, scientific discovery, or is it pseudo-scientific, CSI- meets- The Da Vinci Code style filmmaking? What is the Christian to make of this?
There are reasons to doubt the claims of the documentary. One big reason has to do with the statistical evidence. Jacobovici claims, basically, even though all of the names on the ossuaries (stone boxes used for housing the bones of the deceased) are common enough, it is the fact that they are clustered together that makes it likely to be Jesus’ family tomb. They focus especially on Mary Magdalene. Director Simcha Jacobovici declares on the official website as “the latest in New Testament studies” what he assumes throughout the film, namely, that Mary Magdalene was known by the same name as the one inscribed on the ossuary, Mariamne (a form of Mary.) He explains the importance of this on the website using an illustration from the Beatles: Suppose, in the future, the burial sites of George, John and Paul are found. There isn’t enough evidence to claim it is the Beatles, right? However if there’s a fourth tombstone that says Richard Starky (Ringo’s real name) then the evidence is more compelling. That is great, but the documentary’s claim that Mariamne is Mary Magdalene in itself is suspect (see the Discovery Channel website for an article about a claim that the ossuary is inscribed “Mary and Martha” not what Jacobivici claims at all)
Even if the ossuary is inscribed as the documentary suggests, “Mariamene e Mara,” the link between the two names Mariamene and Mary Magdalene, come from the Gnostic gospels, specifically the “Acts of Phillip.” The “Acts of Philip” was written much later than the canonical gospels (perhaps as late as the early third century) and is not considered to be as trustworthy. Jacobovici draws on these non-canonical writings and their image of Mary Magdalene as a powerful figure in the early church, implying that she had a “special” relationship with Jesus. The website has a blurb on a handful of these Gnostic writings and each ties in information about this important Mary in a way that is intended, no doubt, to make your imagination soar.
Fiction is fine, but when it comes to facts, the Biblical gospels are our best and most accurate source of knowledge about Jesus, not the esoteric Gnostic writings. That is why Mark D. Robert’s new book, Can We Trust the Gospels? is so timely. If the gospels really are as trustworthy as Robert’s purports, Jacobovici’s documentary has some problems. Why did Joseph of Arimathea donate his tomb, if Jesus’ family already had one? Why would the Jesus family tomb be in Talpiot, not in Nazareth? How did Jesus’ body get from the first tomb to the second? The issues are not merely logistical, for Jesus to have had a wife and family just doesn’t fit in with his life and mission, as we know it from the gospels.
Mark D. Roberts spends a good amount of his book addressing The Da Vinci Code phenomenon and its fallacies as it relates to the Gnostic writings found in the Dead Sea Scrolls and the Nag Hammadi library. For this reason I believe it will be useful to the Christian who is baffled by this noteworthy documentary. It also can equip the believer to defend the historical Jesus to non-believers who are interested and baffled too.
At the end of the day, it is better to trust what is historical and time-tested. Not what is new, exciting, and sells. Perhaps the filmmakers have followed the obvious money trail pioneered by Dan Brown ,and put their focus on catering to Westerners who have begun more and more to correlate entertainment and information and don’t seem to care much which is which.
Kristen Jeffrey lives in Seattle, WA, with her husband, Daniel, where she spends her spare time reading, participating with the worship team at Crosspoint Greenlake where she attends, and enjoying the outdoors. She has a degree in English from the University of Washington and is currently working towards a MA in Teaching English as a Second Language at Seattle University.
Love Your Neighbor: Thinking Wisely About Right and Wrong
Living in turbulent times, it is becomingly increasingly difficult to navigate the ethical challenges confronting a believer living in post-Christian 21st-century. Love Your Neighbor: Thinking Wisely About Right and Wrong, by Norman Geisler and Ryan Snuffer, is a welcome resource in a time where relativism and personal freedom blur the biblical lines of morality. Examining a variety of issues from a biblical perspective, Geisler and Snuffer acknowledge within each a difference of opinion within Christendom. Rather than resorting to hard-line absolutes, this book acknowledges that there are many views that are consistent with the attributes of God.
Geisler is Dean of Southern Evangelical Seminary and co-author of over 70 books including such classics as Christian Apologetics, Why I Am a Christian, When Critics Ask and the four-volume Systematic Theology. Snuffer teaches philosophy and religious study at Mountain State University. His teachings at the university keep him informed on the latest ethical debates, especially those concerning biomedical issues. Together, Geisler and Snuffer bring a wealth of biblical knowledge along with an ear to the latest conversation regarding moral and ethical controversies.
Love Your Neighbor serves as a concise, but deep, introduction to Christian ethics. Beginning with an analysis of the biblical basis of morality drawing from both the Old and New Testament, it defines and contrasts competing philosophical approaches to ethics, pointing out the fallacies and failures of each. Laying the groundwork of biblical morality serves as the foundation for the rest of the book.
Examining a handful of issues ranging from personal to social may seem overwhelming to accomplish in one volume. Yet, Love Your Neighbor manages to do so without reading like a textbook. Personal issues such as lying, cheating, stealing, homosexual sin, heterosexual sin, pornography and divorce are all handled with truth, compassion and grace without sacrificing the loving correction of God’s word. The pages devoted to these subjects would be enough to justify a recommendation. However, it is the author’s crafty handling of controversial social issues is what sets this book apart as unique and an absolute must-read.
While issues like homosexuality, abortion and capital punishment have been hi-jacked by religious conservatives (and therefore, the mainstream church) many other issues have been pushed aside. The church has been deafeningly silent on such issues as civil disobedience, poverty, economic justice and ecology. Here, Geisler and Snuffer bravely tackle the issues biblically without pandering to either side of the political debate. This non-partisan approach will be certain to open the eyes to many who have either ignored these issues previously or written them off as non-essential to living to glorify God. Hopefully, the dialogue on these powder-keg subjects will intensify and this book can be the springboard for the church to be at the forefront of the conversation.
The authors of Love Your Neighbor: Thinking Rightly about Right and Wrong deserve accolades for writing this essential book. Teens, college-age students and adults alike will be challenged, encouraged, enlightened and informed on the many ethical issues we live with everyday. Psalm 119:105 says that God’s word is a “light to my feet and a light for my path.” Geisler and Snuffer tackle the issues and, in an age of ethical darkness, point us back to the light and path.
Stripped: Uncensored Grace on the Streets of Vegas May 16, 2007
You know the commercial – sensual backdrop – good looking people tossing drinks back, maybe splashing in the pool, embracing in the moonlight – fade to black with the words, “What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas.” You have to admit, this is clever marketing. Las Vegas is just one of those notorious cities that conjure up all kinds of things in my mind: gambling, sex, prostitution, nude dancing, drugs, elicit affairs, fat Elvis, gangsters, and of course…CSI.
Until now, the grace of God is not one of the things that have crossed my mind when considering Vegas.
In his new book, Stripped: Uncensored Grace on the Streets of Vegas, Pastor Jud Wilhite shares compelling stories of renewed lives that he has witnessed while pastoring Central Christian, one of Sin City’s largest churches. While our culture looks at Vegas and sees the epitome of sin, God looks at Vegas and offers love, grace, mercy and restoration, according to Pastor Jud.
Stripped has been one of the most personally convicting books I’ve come across in quite a while. Like most Christians, I admit that my beliefs and behavior do not always walk hand-in-hand. I’m a hypocrite and sinner. As a Christian, I boldly confess that salvation comes by grace through faith in Christ. Our God is gracious and desires to see mankind repent of their ways and trust in his son. And yet I often write people off as hopeless, beyond saving. Thankfully, Jesus does not see us this way. And Pastor Jud’s stories are proof positive of this.
You think your counseling ministry is hard. Try adult entertainers, drug dealers and thieves, teenage junkies, and more. Pastor Jud is in the trenches and the stories of God’s uncensored grace have thankfully not just stayed in Vegas, but are reaching the hearts and minds of other Christians which can only bring encouragement.
Jud quotes Irish rock star, Bono, discussing the radical nature of God’s grace:
This idea of “holding out for grace” permeates every page of this book. Above the author’s office, hangs a giant wide-angle photo of Las Vegas with the words, “Grace City” emblazoned across it. It’s a bold way of stating that everything is redeemable through the love and power of our God and his amazing grace. Check this book out. It’ll do your heart good.
Author: Brian Thomas is the Director of Music and the Arts for Kaleo Church in San Diego, CA. He also owns and operates the Christian worship label, Semper Reformanda Records.
CAN YOU KEEP YOUR FAITH IN COLLEGE? January 6, 2007
My church recently planted a new church next to the campus of San Diego State University where I lead worship every Sunday. It has been a few years since I graduated from college, but I can still recall the difficulties of that major life transition. As I’ve met and ministered to these young men and women on campus this past semester, I have been reminded of these challenges: moving away from the security of home and family, meeting new people, finding a new church, being challenged on what you believe by faculty and peers, the pressures of fitting in, parties, sex, academics, and of course…dorm life.
I recently came across a great book by Abbie Smith called Can You Keep Your Faith in College?, Abbie gathers together 50 college students to write essays on college life as a Christian. They openly discuss the ups and downs, pressures, perceptions, and challenges that a Christian college student faces on campus. The fact that this subject is written by actual college students living in the academic trenches helps to give this book credibility. I’m sure parents, pastors or professors could write a helpful book on the “dangers of college life”, but it just wouldn’t carry the weight and urgency that come from hearing from your own peers.
I think most young men and women cannot wait to get out of the house when they graduate from high school. The idea of calling your own shots is alluring, but it also comes with an incredible amount of responsibility - and this is something that is learned by experience. I found most of the writers that shared their experiences in this book to be extremely open about their struggles and sin, and I found this refreshing and not something you read too often in Christian literature.
In my favorite essay, Regrets and Grace, Sara T. mentions how she experimented with things she had never done before and is now living with the shame and guilt of her sin. Most of her peers told her that all religions were the same and not to worry about it, but Sara came to see the clear difference between Christianity and all other religions – and that difference is grace. She mentions that the best gift she could take away from her college experience was coming to grips with the grace she had received in Jesus. Other religions base their experience with God on a “If I do this, then you will do that,” or “If I say this, then you have to give me that” basis. But our Father in heaven’s kindness does not work like this:
“When the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of our righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy” (Titus 3:4-5).
I am going to use this resource in my college ministry and I would heartily recommend this book to high school or college students, parents, and churches that minister to college students. College life may challenge your faith, but it is also a great opportunity to deepen your faith as you come into your own as an adult.
Brian Thomas is the Director of Worship and the Arts for Kaleo Church in San Diego, CA. www.kaleochurch.com
Chazown: A Different Way to See Your Life November 13, 2006
Author: Craig Groeschel
The prospect of finding one’s ultimate purpose in life is simply unfathomable to most people. With so many throughout history and today on an existential search for something beyond the mundane, it is easy to become discouraged with the day-to-day. We all struggle with this, even as Christ followers. Thankfully, as Craig Groeschel details in his book Chazown: A Different Way to See Your Life
The clarity exhibited in Chazown is refreshing. There are times and places for deep philosophical wanderings on one’s purpose, but there is also time for simplicity. Beginning with three circles, Groeschel explores how one’s core values, spiritual gifts and past experiences intersect to find the center of one’s Chazown. Personally, I found this very helpful and somewhat enlightening. It becomes easy to disregard certain parts of life, especially tainted pasts, as something that can actually enhance one’s effectiveness. Scanning the memories of my life, I found myself understanding how I can uniquely use both the good and the bad to realize God’s ultimate purpose for me. Visual guides allow for the reader to tangibly understand the possibilities. The book functions as a sort of journal to jot down answers to key questions that Groeschel presents throughout the book. To further the experience, one can log on to Chazown.com and continue their journey more deeply, creating a sort of webpage to write and better understand how God is working in their lives.
The most introspective area of the book is the Five Spokes of Chazown. Groeschel challenges one to probe deeply into five areas of life that must be examined in order to continue on with the Chazown established in earlier chapters. These spokes, relationship to God, relationship with people, financial health, physical health, and life’s work, are all particularly important for Christians in today’s society. Groeschel emphasizes the importance of accountability in the area(s) where one may struggle, thus allowing for one’s dream to become a healthy reality. With a simple in-book quiz, one can identify which of the five areas may be of the most concern. This part of the book was truly humbling. It is easy to walk through life and not question how something as simple as my eating or spending habits may effect how I live out God’s purpose for my life. While Groeschel suggests that people move forward through the book to the areas where they may struggle, I found it more helpful to read through each spoke, even those that may not have been as applicable. In each spoke, there were areas where I discovered I could better myself even more, and give myself more whole-heartedly to God.
While the information and assistance that Groeschel presents in the book is certainly helpful for a person at any point on the journey through life, the writing style and information seem particularly suited for a younger crowd. The format is not traditional. The pages are often short, with artwork and quotes added in for emphasis. Throughout the book, certain words or quotes are highlighted or even capitalized to emphasize a particular point. It is definitely a book that is relevant to today’s youth oriented, emergent culture.
Although the book is a great bedside read for younger folks, it is universally applicable to Christians and non-Christians. Following a similar pattern to The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren, readers are encouraged to seek out Truth, a Truth that is most satisfied in God. Bible verses are used occasionally, but the concepts are simple and helpful for anyone trying to navigate their way. In fact, this book seems to be even more appropriate for those that may still be exploring what God and faith are all about, and how those intertwine with their walk. As I read this book, I thought of several people that may find encouragement in the detailed plan that Groeschel lays out. When there is so much confusion in life, especially in times of spiritual discovery, it is helpful to have a starting point, a workbook, or just a voice that is expressing similar dilemmas and thoughts, as Groeschel does. His humor about his own foibles and accomplishments are helpful at reminding one that we are all fallible, but all valued and desired by God for a unique purpose.
People are usually skeptical when it comes to the “personal growth” section of the bookstore, which Chazown would fall under. But this book is a valuable tool. Rather than focusing simply on “self”, it reiterates the necessity to make our ultimate vision God. We are all tempted to force a vision that may not be what is truly suited to the unique vision God has for us. God places marvelous value on each of our lives. Once we begin to see ourselves as God sees us, as unique masterpieces to do His good works (Ephesians 2:10), we become able to see our true Chazown and bring it to fruition.
Preparing Him for the Other Woman
Moms wield great power with their sons. As a mother of two small boys, I often forget the powerful influence I have with these future men. When my oldest son gets hurt, he wants me, even if his father is right beside him. When he has emotional pain, he makes a bee-line straight for my arms because he knows he’ll be comforted and it’s safe to cry. Moms shower their boys with love. We have a unique power to comfort, encourage, listen, pray with, and instruct our boys toward God and his awesome plan for them as men.
In her book, Preparing Him for the Other Woman
From a mother’s perspective, Shepherd emphasizes the importance of using every opportunity we have to train our sons while they are living in our home. Only a mother can teach her son:
ú to understand a woman’s heart
ú how to express his love
ú the power of purity
ú what God says about being a man of his word
ú the importance of providing for his family
ú how to be a godly leader
ú how to be accountable
ú how to be a hero
ú how to learn the art of affirmation
ú to resolve conflict
ú to find a good wife
ú to have a real relationship with God
Many boys are confused about the role of a man. This is why our impact as mothers is so pivotal. In the culture we live in, our sons get their information from television, radio, magazines (your Victoria’s Secret catalog or the fashion magazines in the grocery store checkout stand), video games, internet, etc. The ability moms have to shape our sons by pointing them to God and living that out will directly affect the man he will become. Boys love their moms and we have a great influence in their lives. Shepherd understands this well and uses God’s great wisdom to guide us in guiding our sons.
Shepherd’s heartfelt stories and examples are right on. I found myself laughing and crying while reading her stories. She even breaks down age groups in each chapter and gives specific methods for training our sons with great practical examples, like: when your son does something to show that he loves and understands you, affirm him by telling him how much it means to you. Or, “make it a priority to be available to your son whenever he is willing to open his heart to you. Your availability to your son is an important way to affirm your love for him.” Also, don’t be afraid to say you’re sorry. “If you embarrass your son or hurt his feelings, offer him a sincere apology.” These are just small glimpses of Shepherd’s examples and wisdom for mothers. This is a must read book that I’m certain mothers will pass from one mom to another. It is clear that God has given Sheri Rose a great insight into raising boys that we all can learn from.
TWO GOSPELS - Rick McKinley’s Beautiful Mess November 7, 2006
“What do you mean ‘two gospels?’” you might be saying to yourself. You might be expecting me to go into some weird new (or actually not so new) heresy of there being more than one gospel.
What I am speaking of is an interesting observation, explained more fully by Rick McKinley in his recent book This Beautiful Mess (Multnomah Publishing, 2006). McKinley, pastor of Imago Dei Community in Portland, Oregon, writes of the gospel of Jesus and the gospel about Jesus. McKinley explains it like this:
• The Gospel of Jesus–this is the announcement of the kingdom and his loving actions in his earthly ministry. Traditionally practiced in more liberal churches with a high emphasis on social justice, mercy ministry, political activism, social work and community service.
• The Gospel about Jesus–his work on the cross, his resurrection and how we can receive forgiveness through faith. Typified by most conservative churches with a high emphasis on proclamation of the gospel, personal conversion and obedient living.
McKinley proposes that a synthesis of these two gospels together are the actual true gospel: you cannot have one without the other and have it be the true gospel. Imbalance on either end leads to bitterness, despair and division—one needs only to look at the political battles waging as election day looms near. On one side you have liberals proudly proclaiming themselves as progressives, sensitive to the lower and middle class, against the war on terror and characterizing their opponents as “the religious right.” Against them are the conservatives, the flag-waving, Bush-loving, war-supporting, Bible-thumping rednecks who pit their “family values” against “the religious left.” What remains is not only a fractured country but a divided kingdom. What you are left with is no gospel at all.
The gospel that Christ himself lived and preached is a seamless combination of both “gospels.”
McKinley writes:
“If all we value is the salvation gospel, we tend to miss the rest of Christ’s message. Taken out of the context of the kingdom, the call to faith in Christ gets reduced to something less than the New Testament teaches. The reverse is also true: if we value a kingdom gospel at the expense of the liberating message of the Cross and the empty tomb and a call to repentance, we miss a central tenet of kingdom life. Without faith in Jesus, there is no transforming of our lives into the new world of the kingdom.”
The reality of the kingdom, however, as described by Jesus is not one or the other. A full-orbed perspective on the kingdom, how it has been ushered in and how it should advance is the ongoing work of His people in “this beautiful mess” we call the kingdom of God. It’s about proclamation but it also about reconciliation. It’s about conversion but it also about showing mercy. As a means of helping the kingdom advance, the redeemed live in tension between the perfect world to come and the present world that is in need of redemption. Until that day of consummation arrives, the church plows ahead in kingdom living–serving, loving, ministering and living out the faith we have been given.
Rick McKinley’s new book is out, This Beautiful Mess: Practicing the Presence of the Kingdom of God
Book Preview-Confessions of a Pastor September 8, 2006
“In acts of mutual confession we release power that heals … humanity is no longer denied, but transformed. The followers of Jesus Christ are given the authority to receive the confession of sin and to forgive it in His name.’’–Richard Foster, The Celebration of Discipline
“Confess your sins one to another and pray for one another, that you may be healed.”-James 5:16
The concept of confession of sin to one another in most Protestant circles is meet with, at the very least, indifference. At its worst, it is met with outright rejection. “That sounds Catholic to me,” they may argue. “I don’t need to confess my sins to anyone but God.”
The need of an outlet for confession is the motivation behind mysecret.tv, recently featured in the New York Times:
The LifeChurch founder, the Rev. Craig Groeschel, said that after 16 years in the ministry he knew that the smiles and eager handshakes that greeted him each week often masked a lot of pain. But the accounts of anguish and guilt that have poured into mysecret.tv have stunned him, Mr. Groeschel said, and affirmed his belief in the need for confession. (read the article)
Pastor Groeschel has written a book of his own confessions appropriately titled Confessions of A Pastor: Adventures in Dropping the Pose and Getting Real With God. Described as “the dark side of a pastor’s life,” Groeschel states bluntly “I have to work hard to stay sexually pure, I hate prayer meetings, sometimes I doubt God , and I can’t stand a lot of Christians…”
Unlike the users of mysecret.tv, Groeschel writes without the protection of anonymity–a bold and refreshing move considering how we tend to forget that pastors are real men who share the same struggles, face the same temptations and have the same dark secrets that we all have.
Holy (wholly) Hypocrite March 1, 2006
At a recent gathering, I sat down with a relative who is not a believer. This man has been three times divorced, he left his first wife to fend for herself and raise three kids and avoided child support. His children now grown, two have kids out of wedlock, one is a former drug addict and that’s just the beginning. Anyway, as we sat down, he preceded to give me advice on how to have a good marriage and how to raise children. With my head cocked to one side, I thought, how do I respond to this guy? What gives this guy the right to lecture anyone on either of these subjects, when he’s failed so miserably in the very areas he’s suggesting. I ended up listening to him and not pushing the point of his track record. Later, I felt a certain self-righteous, “who does this guy think he is attitude” about the circumstance.
It was only later I saw how wretched a sinner I am with my judgemental, self-righteous attitude.
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