According to Darrin Patrick, a church planter in St. Louis, MO, this is the best church planting video of the year…I tend to agree with him.
Archive | December, 2010
Reconciling the Bible with Science?
Over the past year there is a group of people that have been wrecking havoc within evangelicalism. This group’s purpose seems to be to reconcile the Bible with science. This certainly is nothing new, as people have been trying to do this for centuries. However, this group has gotten quite the following through their website and their Twitter account. This group none other than Biologos.
According to the Biologos website the groups mission is:
“The BioLogos Foundation is a group of Christians, many of whom are professional scientists, biblical scholars, philosophers, theologians, pastors, and educators, who are concerned about the long history of disharmony between the findings of science and large sectors of the Christian faith. We believe that the Bible is the inspired Word of God. We also believe that evolution, properly understood, best describes God’s work of creation. Founded by Dr. Francis Collins, BioLogos addresses the escalating culture war between science and faith, promoting dialog and exploring the harmony between the two. We are committed to helping the church – and students, in particular – develop worldviews that embrace both of these complex belief structures, and that allow science and faith to co-exist peacefully.”
Being how it is the end of the year there are plenty of people out there compiling their “Top 10″ lists for 2010. Colin Hanson, of The Gospel Coalition, published his list recently and the number nine story is about Biologos.
Hanson’s summary of this last year is right on:
“National Institutes of Health director Francis Collins launched BioLogos in late 2007 with money from the John Templeton Foundation. This year BioLogos reignited the evolution debate among Christians in earnest. The controversy began last spring. Venerable Old Testament scholar Bruce Waltke resigned from Reformed Theological Seminary-Orlando after recording a video for BioLogos in which he said Christianity risked becoming a cult if the “data is overwhelmingly in favor of evolution.” Then BioLogos picked a fight with Al Mohler, a young earth creationist. Neither side appears willing to retreat.”
Here are a couple of observations. First, and I’m sorry, there is no way I am going to pick a fight with Al Mohler on my best day. In fact, there aren’t too many out there should either. The only reason to pick a fight with Al Mohler is to make a name for yourself through humiliation. I believe that is what Biologos and some of their authors have done—made a name for themselves through humiliation.
The bigger deal here though is the fact that this group cost one of the best OT scholars out there his job. Waltke takes a theistic evolution approach to creation. Seemingly this is not a new position for him, but for whatever reason that are not so clear, he felt like he needed to resign his position at Reformed Theological Seminary once Biologos published a video that was not set correctly contextually. He has since found employment at Knox Theological Seminary, which is the educational arm of Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church (founded by D. James Kennedy).
I think we are going to see plenty more from Biologos in 2011. One of their noted biblical scholars is Peter Enns, formerly of Westminister Theological Seminary. Enns is not without controversy himself. Enns pens a weekly article for Biologos and is obviously one of their top scholars that will be putting more information on their site.
The bottom line is that groups like Biologos undermine the Scriptures by trying to explain the Bible with science instead of trying to explain science with the Bible. This cuts directly against the grain of biblical authority.
For more interesting articles on Biologos see the following links:
So What About Santa Claus?
Being that it is Christmas I thought I would post something more than just the simple Merry Christmas or another reiteration of the Christmas story. Don’t get me wrong, these things are good and appropriate, but by now we have all read them dozens of times today.
This last week Mark Driscoll wrote a blog post for the Washington Post that he also posted to his own blog on the topic of Santa Claus. Most Christians tend to demonize Santa as some fictitious person that draws ones attention away from Christ. Driscoll does well to point the believer to the fact that Santa is indeed a real person and instead of rejecting or receiving him, Christians should redeem him.
You can get the whole story on the Mars Hill Church blog, “What We Tell Our Kids About Santa”.
Merry Christmas to you and to your family!
The Importance of Church History
How did the church fathers understand and interpret Charles Darwin and evolutionary science? Well that is easy, because Charles Darwin was not even born until some 1500 years after the church fathers! The church fathers obviously did not even know about Charles Darwin and his evolutionary thinking!
One of the things that I learned in seminary and has been reinforced since graduating is the importance of church history. I have found it extremely helpful in things that I am studying or things that I might be thinking through to ask the question; “what did the church fathers believe on this?” or to ask “how did the church fathers interpret this?”
As I have been reading for an upcoming class on biblical creationism one of the books that I am reading is called Coming to Grips with Genesis: Biblical Authority and the Age of the Earth
Understanding how the church fathers understood something can give us insight into how we could perhaps interpret or understand something. Mook, quite wisely, had this to say about using the church fathers for our interpreation:
“Christians should be aware of the great cloud of witnesses in Church history, and a judicious use of the fathers can be both relevant and edifying. And even though the Christian’s highest and final authority should always be Scripture, the more knowledge of Church history one has, the better. In being tutored by the fathers, we will be better armed to discern and respond to the novel theological heterodoxies in their day and ours.” (pg. 25)
Let me point you to one resource that is extremely helpful in processing all that the church fathers had to say and write. InterVarsity Press has published the Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture. The set is not yet complete, but for the volumes that are available, they look at how the church fathers responded and interpreted the Text of Scripture. Take a look at it on the IVP site and you’ll get a better understanding for what I am talking about. (These resources are also available through Logos 
).
Music: Gift or God?
There are not many things that encourage me more than a faithful churchmen. Bob Kauflin is an example of one such man. Bob Kauflin is director of worship development for Sovereign Grace Ministries.
On Bob’s blog, Worship Matters, he posted some notes today from a speaking engagement that he had back in November of 2010. The gist is that he was looking at music and asking the question “Is music a gift or is it a god?”
I love Bob’s summary:
Music is useful, but not necessary.
Music is good. But Jesus is better.
Music is a gift, but not a god.
Music isn’t my life. Christ is.
If you want to be encouraged and uplifted regarding music, worship, and the church then I suggest you head over to Bob’s blog and get reading. Bob also has written a great book that shares the name of his blog, Worship Matters: Leading Others to Encounter the Greatness of God.
My Continuing Education…Class #2
This last summer I started another degree. This time around I am working on a post-graduate degree, a doctor of ministry. A doctor of ministry has some similarities to a Ph.D. but is a little more practically oriented and doesn’t typically include learning foreign languages or taking comprehensive exams. Since I work for Northland I am able to do this degree for free through them…so I figured why not?
My first class this last summer was on biblical counseling. Coming up in January I will be doing the second course towards this degree; a class on biblical creationism. Creation studies are interesting to me because I teach a class on the Pentateuch, which of course includes the book of Genesis and the foundation for a literal six day creation.
For this course we have two professors and they are both creation scientists from Answers In Genesis, the ministry founded by Ken Ham. The first professor is Dr. Jason Lisle, an astrophysicists and the second professor is Dr. Terry Mortenson, an author and lecturer. With all of their qualifications I’m looking forward to learning from these two men.
In total I need to read seven books (about 2000 pages) for the reading portion of the class and then I need to write a 30-35 page paper. I have already read three books and have started on the fourth (books are listed at the bottom of this post). For the writing project I am going to read and write a formal critique of John Sailhammer’s book, Genesis Unbound. In this work Sailhammer chronicles a unique view that focuses on the Hebrew language. This is consequently the same view, or closest to the view, that John Piper holds to. With Piper being one my heros of the faith it makes this project very interesting and appealing to me.
These are books that I need to read for this class. Perhaps as time permits and ambitions allow I will post some reviews of these works at a later time.
Coming to Grips with Genesis: Biblical Authority and the Age of the Earth
Taking Back Astronomy: The Heavens Declare Creation
Ultimate Proof of Creation
The Young Earth: The Real History of the Earth – Past, Present, and Future
The New Answers Book (Answers Book Series)
Already Gone: Why your kids will quit church and what you can do to stop it
The Great Turning Point: The Church’s Catastrophic Mistake on Geology–Before Darwin
A Crazy New Instrument, PVC Style
I saw this over on Stephen and Mark Altrogge’s blog and thought I would post it here for your entertainment. Speaking of entertainment, my wife and I are currently entertaining ourselves by watching Elf!
Luther
On a recent trip to Florida I decided to take some movies with me to watch on my iPad. One of the movies that I took, which I have watched a few times, is the movie Luther. Quite honestly I don’t know how true to life it is as I have never done a bunch of reading on Luther, but from what some of my Luther friends tell me it is a good representation of this mans life. The story line of this movie is the fascinating tail of how Luther helped start the reformation.
One storyline I found described the movie like this:
The movie, Luther, is a biography of Martin Luther, the 16th-century priest who led the Christian Reformation and opened up new possibilities in exploration of faith. The film begins with his vow to become a monk, and continues through his struggles to reconcile his desire for sanctification with his increasing abhorrence of the corruption and hypocrisy pervading the Church’s hierarchy. He is ultimately charged with heresy and must confront the ruling cardinals and princes, urging them to make the Scriptures available to the common believer and lead the Church toward faith through justice and righteousness.
The most famous of quotes of Martin Luther and the climax of this movie is at the point when he is asked to recent of his writings. He replies:
Unless I am convinced by Scripture and by plain reason and not by Popes and councils who have so often contradicted themselves, my conscience is captive to the Word of God. To go against conscience is neither right nor safe. I cannot and I will not recant. Here I stand, I can do no other. God help me.
If you have not seen this movie I would encourage you to watch this as a family and reflect upon the courage of this monk and praise the Lord for Luther’s obedience to the Scriptures. It is available for rent or purchase through iTunes and on sale through Amazon.com. I am sure I will have more to write as I continue to reflect upon the life and ministry of Martin Luther.
A Life Update
It has been a while since Michelle and I have given a big update as to what is going on in our lives. Believe it or not, we have been up at Northland International University for over a year. It was on November 2, 2009 that we loaded up and pulled out of Philadelphia and left the sweet people of Grace Bible Church behind.
The last year has not come without major adjustment for both Michelle and I, but we both can look back at this transition in life and ministry and totally see the Lord working through it all.
In the space that allows here I want to just hit some major things going on with us or around us that we care about and are passionate about.
- One of the most important things for us in this transition was finding a church in which we can serve and use our gifts to the glory of God. The Lord led us to Immanuel Baptist Church in Kingsford, MI where we are members. Michelle is very active with the music ministry and I have been doing some technical things for the church and also teaching an adult Sunday School class on what a healthy church is.
- Last summer I officially started a doctorate degree. I took a class in counseling, which was beneficial for me to take, and now this January, I will be taking a class on biblical creationism with two scientists from Answers in Genesis.
- Michelle and I have taken numerous trips over the last year; some short and local and others not so much. Recently we returned from Orlando, FL where Michelle was in a financial aid conference for part of the week. I flew down and met up with her mid-week and spent the rest of the week visiting friends, family, and Disney (thanks to the hook-up from my aunt and uncle). Michelle has been able to visit back home with her folks and spent some time in Philadelphia twice over the last year. We went to Munising, MI for a weekend (thank you Dillabaugh’s), a weekend in Chicago (thank you Branks’), a few days in Moorhead, MN visiting Jack and Cathy Klem, and a couple of trips to Traverse City, MI to see my Mom and brother. All in all we put some miles on the Trailblazer this year!
Going into this holiday season Michelle and I are gearing up for a big road trip. We are leaving home on December 21 and heading for Traverse City. We will be there a couple of days and then will head to Chesapeake, VA and spend some time with Michelle’s parents. Then from Chesapeake we will head to Raleigh, NC for some more time with Michelle’s extended family and then we will eventually land in Philadelphia, PA for the new year celebration with our friends and family at Grace Bible Church.
We are excited to see the things the Lord will do in us and through us in this next year. I pray that the Lord receives all the glory!
Sola Deo Gloria!
Can I be saved if I am living in constant, secret sin?
In my Sunday School class we were recently talking about issues of perseverance and security of salvation. We got into a good discussion about if someone can be a believer if they are are living in open, unrepentant sin. I saw this video over on Justin Taylor’s blog and thought it appropriate to share.
HT: Justin Taylor
About Me
I am a follower of Christ, a husband to Michelle, and an employee to Northland International University. I married the love of my life in May of 2009 one week after I graduated from seminary with a Master of Divinity degree. I am now pursuing a Doctor of Ministry degree and desire to serve the church through education and discipleship.
Book Review Teams
