Grace to the Different

By a wonderful providence, God had a friend invite me to drive down with him to the initial organizing meeting of The Gospel Coalition - Michigan Chapter. What a delight to fellowship with many brothers in a freezing basement room warmed by the fire of the gospel!

One particular brother, Eric Russ, is a church-planter in Detroit...Lead Pastor of Mack Avenue Community Church in Detroit. He spoke on two non-negotiables of church-planting: (1) gospel-clarity (and the culture's blurring pressure) and (2) horizontal reconciliation...this is what I want to highlight. His exhortations in this area were stirring for my soul. His thesis was basically that the reality of vertical reconciliation (i.e., our being made right with God) should be necessarily evidenced by horizontal reconciliation. What was so challenging to the status quo thinking of my own heart was how he explained this "horizontal reconciliation." Simply put, Eric thundered in that little room the need for us to reach out to those who are different from us (e.g., because of handicaps, color, socio-economics, cultural differences, etc.) BECAUSE GOD DID LIKEWISE FOR US!

He was absolutely right. I was as different from God as I could be, when He rescued me through the powerful story of what His Son had done for me. And not different in an attractive or valuable way, different in an evil, worthless way. Meditating on Romans 5:6, 8 and 10 helps me to remember:

"While we were still weak...while we were still sinners...while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his son."

In light of His reconciliation of a sinner like me, how much more should we talk to people unlike ourselves with this powerful message of grace (2 Corinthians 5:18-21)!

I'm grateful for the Spirit speaking through this new friend of mine, urging me to think about people different than myself...but who have the same need that I had when I encountered the Savior. I pray that my heart will yield to the urging.

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Come Fellowship in the Gospel this May 3-4, 2013.
Early Registration is thru March 1st at www.FG13.org.

Your Life is Calling

"Only let each person lead the life that the Lord has assigned to him, and to which God has called him." 1 Corinthians 7:17

Isn't it wonderful how the Lord assigns each of His people to a life and, what is more, calls them to it?

Before you consider the actual details and contours of your life, Christian, consider the reality of your spiritual life. Despite God's knowledge of you--your total depravity, rebelliousness and hatred of Him--He bought you back at the great cost of His Son's slaughter. He knew you intimately, and showed you the costliest of mercies anyways.

Now consider the Lord's intimate knowledge of you: your hopes and struggles, your strengths and weaknesses, your needs and desires, your past and your future. Given this knowlede, He then plans out a life of behaviors and actions and beliefs and decisions you will engage in. He gives you this life and then provides you a particular venue in which to live it out. To say it another way, He assigns you to the life He has designed specifically for you. This God who always does what is good, who always acts lovingly toward His people, who desires for you to have in increasingly greater dependence on Jesus, has carefully stitched together a life for you. And it is not just a meaningless drudgery of an assignement, it is also a calling. He has called you to live this life as a mission, a mission of speaking about and living a life reflecting what Jesus Christ has done for you.

How do you view the circumstances of your life? Do you see the difficulties and sacrifices as a disappointment, an unfortunate accident or as a platform from which to celebrate your redeemed life?

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Join us at www.FG13 as we examine our lives of Standing & Striving in a Faith that Transforms. Early Registration until March 1st @ www.FG13.org.

The Reputation of the Church - Part 2

I've been thinking about these words with which Paul charged Titus:

"This is why I left you in Crete, so that you might put what remained into order, and appoint elders in every town..." Titus 1:5.


What was out of order? Was it simply that elders were not appointed or was it something else? The language that Paul chooses is evocative. To "put into order" is a verb meaning to "thoroughly set straight." What is interesting is that this word was used by medical writers about doctors setting straight broken bones or crooked limbs so that they would heal or grow properly. Thus--to run with the metaphor--the Cretan church was trying to walk on legs that were broken and needed to be set straight.

But I come back to my original question: What was out of order? What needed to be straightened out? What problems were there in the church that Titus was left to fix? At least these three are seen in the text: (1) The absence of spiritual leaders, (2) the presence of false teachers with reprehensible lives, and (3) church members who had been influenced by the false teachers.

And these three things resulted in the Cretan believers not being devoted to good works or (to say it another way) not living holy lives. You see, they were following the leading of men who were "unfit for any good work" (v16). Shamefully, the Church in the various Cretan towns throughout this large island shared the infamous reputation of its non-believing inhabitants: "always liar, evil beasts, lazy gluttons" (v12). Paul underscores this dishonorable reality by simply writing: "This testimony is true" (v13). 

The context provides further emphasis of this tragedy. Notice that the qualifications for elders specifically requires a man to be "above reproach." This is found in successive verses  vv6 & 7). The remainder of the qualifications (in vv6-9) are an exposition of what is above reproach and thus to be seen in elders (e.g., a faithful husband to one wife, a lover of good) and what is reproachful and thus not to be reflected in elders (e.g., not arrogant, violent or greedy). The implication? The leaders of the church needed to have a good reputation, one that was markedly different than those from the non-believing community.

What is more, the leaders would begin to have a sanctifying effect on the rest of the church (Chapter 2 will bear this out). The reason that the false believers didn't have the capacity to sanctify the faith community is that they had no teaching that had the power to genuinely purify anyone. Paul says they had defiled minds and were "empty talkers" (vv10, 15). They had only deception at their disposal, not words of power. Put simply, they did not have the gospel. If they had truly known God, they would have come into that relationship through the life-giving message of Jesus' life, death and resurrection. Their lives revealed that they did not know God (v16) and so the gospel was not possessed or taught by them. The result was that the true believers were not sanctified and continued to live lives stained with their old nature. 

Can you relate to these mixed up Mediterranean Christians? They were genuine converts but continuously falling back into the habits of their pre-conversion lives. Does this characterize you?

Praise God, that the powerful, transforming grace He gives to converts souls is the same grace He gives to continue His sanctifying work in the church. He does this by faithfully preserving the truth of the gospel [i.e., the truth that provides "hope of eternal life...[from] God our Savior" (vv1-3)] generation after generation through pastoral church leadership. This is seen by the fact that elders must "be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it" (v9). This is a powerful sanctifying force that continuously changes the course of peoples' lives and rescues reputations.

So what was "out of order" was that the reputation of Jesus Christ was marred by the Cretan church living unholy lives. What needed to be "straightened out" was both their sinful lives and establishing the only means by which those lives could be set right: the teaching of the sanctifying gospel.

Paul knew Cretan Christians living holy lives was possible. It is also possible for us today. But there is still only one way...placing ourselves under the regular instruction of biblical teaching that centers on the person and work of God our Savior.

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This Fellowship in the Gospel is about practical sanctification in the lives of believers. The theme is "Standing and Striving: A Faith that Transforms." 

Register today at www.FG13.org.

The Reputation of the Church - Part 1

What if the church has the same reputation as the society in which it is found? What if when people talk about the sinful people in a certain neighborhood, they don't make an exception for the people of the church? What if, in effect, the word of God is reviled because of the lifestyle of Christians in a faith community? What if, the Christians' poor reputation results in the opponents of the cross having evil to say about Christ's church?

Our church is currently studying the Book of Titus. This is an excellent place to find answers to address the situations described above. Paul left Titus on the Island of Crete to fix just such a church. Actually many such churches. All of them with the same basic problem: they had the same behavior as the unbelievers on the island.

Paul said much to Titus about how to go about this colossal task, but let us focus first on the mission Paul describes at the opening of the letter. Consider Paul's mission as he was commissioning Titus in that same mission. He lays it out in the opening:

"Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, for the sake of the faith of God's elect and their knowledge of the truth, which accords with godliness, in hope of eternal life, which God, who never lies, promised before the ages began and at the proper time manifested in his word through the preaching with which I have been entrusted by the command of God our Savior." Titus 1:1-3

Paul's mission as an authoritative servant was "for the sake of the faith of God's elect and their knowledge of the truth." Some important things to note in this phrase. The first thing is that faith and knowledge of the truth are inextricably linked. People of weak faith need to be encouraged with the truth. Peter describes ineffectual Christians as "having forgotten that [they were] cleansed from [their] former sins" (2 Peter 1:9). But the opposite is also true. As Christians become intimate (again?) with the truth, their faith strengthens. This is critical for Titus to meditate on as he was faced with an island of churches filled with people not growing in their knowledge of the truth, filled with people of weak faith . That is why they were so susceptible to false teaching with devastating results. Paul speaks of "empty talkers and deceivers...upsetting whole families" (1:10-11). The churches were being taught doctrine that was empty, devoid of the power to change. Thus, the reputation of Cretan believers was indistinguishable from that of the non-Christian islanders (1:12-13). Paul's mission communicates to Titus that a knowledge of the truth was the cure.

Note, however, that not just any truth will strengthen a believer's faith (and powerfully affect his reputation), but only the kind of truth that issues forth in the "hope of eternal life." Only the truth about a Savior who has secured eternal life for his people will cause their faith to be able to stand when they are assailed with deceptive, satanic doctrine that "ought not to [be taught]" (1:11). Help the church to mature in their understanding of what Jesus has already accomplished for them, remind them of their present standing with God because of Christ, and encourage them in the hope of their future with Him. Do this and one-by-one the church will begin to distinguish itself from the rest of the community. People free from guilt, growing in the experience of Jesus' ever-present love, and joyfully awaiting His return act different. And that was what the ultimate goal of Titus' work on Crete was to be...a church with a reputation markedly different than the world around it. 

Think on your own reputation. If you sometimes muddy your identity as a Christian by your behavior or you've upset your whole family by your empty leadership, the culprit is your sinfully weak faith. If this describes you, begin by meditating on the truth of the gospel of Christ and the blessed results that flow from it. Growing in your understanding of this most significant truth will build up your faith and begin to distinguish you as a man set apart from the world.

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Have you registered for Fellowship in the Gospel yet? Early Registration ends March 1st. Go to www.FG13.org

A Men's Conference on Practical Holiness

I'm bursting with excitement for the upcoming Fellowship in the Gospel Men's Conference. The keynote speaker is Dr. Bryan Chapell, chancellor & professor of practical theology at Covenant Theological Seminary in St. Louis, Missouri. He is also a renown expository preacher who carefully handles the Scriptures, deftly connects the fallen problem of the biblical characters with his listeners, and gracefully shepherds them to hope in the Savior.You may know him most from his wildly-helpful book, Christ-Centered Preaching.

However, I have asked Dr. Chapell to speak to us on the great need for Christians to be actively pursuing holiness while avoiding a legalistic approach, to pursue holiness by grace, which happens to be the title of another of his books. The conference theme is Standing & Striving: a Faith that Transforms. Come and enjoy three keynote addresses on the dual truths of standing firm in the faith of what Jesus has accomplished for you and striving to apply that faith in a practical way leading to practical sanctification. You will no doubt recognize the language of Philippians 1:27 as the genesis of the conference theme.

If you are not familiar with Fellowship in the Gospel, it is a gospel-centered conference designed to minister specifically to the local churches of Michigan. This is the 3rd biannual conference which meets on the years in-between T4G. The dates are May 3-4, 2013. Early registration pricing is available until March 1st. You can register online at www.FG13.org.

If you've never attended, you should visit the website (www.FG13.org) and sample past conference keynote addresses or the many rich and helpful past break-out sessions. For instance, you could listen to:

• Pastor Josh Waltz (Preaching Pastor at Parker Hill Bible Fellowship in Colorado) who spoke in 2009 on Gospel-Centered Leadership OR
• Rico Tice (Associate Pastor at All Souls in England) who spoke in 2011 on Recovering the Gospel: the Ancient Message of Power & Hope.

The goal of the conference is to offer preaching, teaching and other resources that are painstakingly screened and selected so that what is offered to the men is distinctly gospel-centered. Along the way, we hope you will develop lasting and wonderful friendships in the faith. So come join us May 3-4, 2012 and Fellowship in the Gospel!

In Christ,

Jeff McKeever
Pastor of Men's Ministry
Berean Baptist Church of Livonia
Jeff@BereanLife.org
www.FG13.org

"Where is the promise of his coming?"

In light of Rob Bell's recent denial of the existence of hell, I have been spending time in 2 Peter. Consider these two quotes:

"...scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires. They will say, 'Where is the promise of his coming?'" 2 Peter 3:3-4.

"...the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment until the day of judgment." 2 Peter 2:9.

Men will deny the reality of Christ's return. This equates to their denying the reality of God's impending judgment on sin. As a result, such men will scoff at the idea of a place of eternal torment, scoff at the notion of God's furious and unending wrath for sin coming to bear on those who reject His redemption offered in Jesus. Two results come from such heresy: (1) they will give themselves over to their sin, as they fear no consequence from it and (2) they will entice others with a "gospel" that is false and leads to destruction rather than life.

When men alter the gospel so as to remove any mention of the penalty and judgment on sin, it nevertheless remains true. This leaves the unrepentant, lawless man in the most perilous place, as hell is real and awaits them. But for those who have heard the old powerful gospel and believed, they revel not in their sins but in the fact that they have escaped God's wrath for those sins. For those who have heard the good news of Jesus taking the wrath in their stead, they set their hope on the sure promise that "there will be richly provided for [them] an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ" 2 Peter 1:11.

Rob the gospel of the reality of hell, and men will never see their need for such rich provision as they will never see their grave danger. With Love Wins, Rob Bell does the greatest damage to every soul that believes the lie that no judgment, no penalty, no wrath, no eternal hell awaits those without a Substitute Wrath-Bearer.

In God's providence, the first plenary session of Fellowship in the Gospel, will feature Rico Tice's message on "Recovering the Offense of the Gospel" focusing on the reality of hell. Such a timely message...I hope to see you in May.

Early Registration Pricing Ends March 31st...so hurry and register you and a friend at www.FG11.org/registration.html.

Evangelistic Musings in Light of "Christianity Explored"

Rico Tice co-authored Christianity Explored which is a 10-week evangelistic Bible study through Mark's gospel. Rico is the keynote speaker at Fellowship in the Gospel 2011 this May.

Cliff at our church has led it 3 or4 different times. Tonight was the 2nd week of the study that I am leading (for the 1st time). The format is not ingenious. The "marketing" of it is not slick. However, it is honest. Everyone knows what they are going to get: a Bible study in order to examine some basic questions about Jesus, a Bible study that will include reading the Bible themselves and being prepared to talk about questions concerning that reading. When I first learned of this study I thought: Could sharing the gospel really be this easy? Inviting people to a non-threatening "discussion" to explore Christianity? Would anyone be interested? Would anyone come?

Experience alone is telling me that it does "work" in the sense that some people do in fact come when they are invited. Will anyone be saved through this course? I can't say that for sure. What I can say is that it is providing a venue to share the gospel with people. This caused me to think about my own involvement in evangelism. I've always thought I wasn't very gifted at it. Despite my ease of talking to people, I've never felt very artful at leading conversations to spiritual issues.

As this study continues, so does my introspection. Convicting questions are arising. Maybe the problem with my involvement in evangelism has little to do with not having the right program or promotions. Maybe the problem all along has been my lack of faith or perhaps even being ashamed of the gospel.

God's plan includes saving people from all tribes and nations. What if it really is the gospel that is the power of God unto salvation? What if I need to simply engage people to see if anyone is willing to hear it? My recent experience is telling me that these things are true. Ands, as it turns out, they bear out what I read in the Scriptures. God's man goes and tells men God's message of salvation. Sometimes they reject him. Sometimes God uses that message to transform them.

As I ponder, I am led to this: I'm thankful for the fact that the very good news with which I've been entrusted, tells me that there is no penalty I will ever face for my failures to carry it. This gives me freedom. It empowers me to change course. It give me hope that God can indeed use me in evangelism...despite what I have failed to do up to this point.

Fellowship in the Gospel International 2011 (Mexico City) BONUS DAY 8

Well, God specifically gave us two desires of our hearts by delaying our flight by one day. One thing we were a little sad about was the fact that we missed getting to know the Hornbrooks at the beginning of the trip because of their attendance at Sam's Mom's funeral. The other thing was some of the guys had wished we did more physical work for them.

God heard us. We had a full day of reglazing their windows (about half done) and painting the exterior of their home. It was a great day of work and fun. It was also an extra day of being with our dear friends. We were able to solidify our friendship with our partners in the gospel. We love this family. It was sad to leave them. We prayed around them in the courtyard of their home and then finally headed off to the airport.

It was a great trip. God is good. Pray for the effects of the trip to be long-lasting and transformational: for Chelangos and Gringos alike.

Fellowship in the Gospel International 2011 (Mexico City) Day 7 - Part 2

In the Metropolitan Cathedral across the square (Zocalo) from the City Government Building there is an item of particular note. The first is the large crucifix with Jesus having dark skin and knees bent to the right (as you're looking at it). The legend goes like this: the priest's habit every morning was to kiss the feet of the crucifix. One morning he noticed that Jesus' knees were bent to one side which caused him to think something was strange and so he did not kiss it, this so-called "miracle" was to warn the priest as someone had put poison on its feet to try and kill the priest, thereafter the skin turned "miraculously" dark.

After the market, Justyn took my place on the back of the motorcycle and we went over to Joel's house for an awesome dinner (our 7th in a row...so much for the diet). Thankfully Gary didn't die from trying to breathe water on the ride over because of my mascot joke (sorry Gary, but it's true...zebras do get their sides torn out by lions). We dined and laughed, got a tour of the 3-story home, went out on the rooftop and got a great view of the volcanoes and mountains...all while the motorcycle cop stood watch by our vans. Joel and his wife were so hospitable and fun. We really had a wonderful time. Two beautiful Christian friends.

Now it was Von's turn on the motorcycle. We headed over to the Basilica. There's actually two basilicas: the original and a new one built in the70's. Sam pointed out the most striking visual of a statue of Pope John Paul II next to the old basilica which is severely sinking. It was difficult to walk through the old basilica as it is sloping to the front left corner so badly. The architecture and artwork of the arched ceilings and small side chapels to the various saints were stunning as you would probably expect.

A legend regarding the Basilica (that the former Abbot of the Basilica along with many others question due to apparently forged documentary evidence which was produced after the fact to try to "verify" the miracle) goes like this: Mary appeared to Juan Diego, who was an Aztec convert to Christianity in December of 1531. She requested that a shrine to her be built on the spot where she appeared, Tepeyac Hill. Diego had been tending the gardens at the time and brought a gift of flowers collected in his cloak to give to the bishop when he reported Mary visit. When he opened his cloak to present the roses it revealed the image of Mary imprinted on the inside of the cloak—this cloak is now worshiped as a relic in the new Basilica.

As we entered the new Basilica we saw a few people walking on their knees as penance for their sin. It was one of the saddest things we had seen. People worshiping idols instead of the living God and trying in vain to atone for their sins instead of trusting in the perfect life and sacrificial death of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Fellowship in the Gospel International 2011 (Mexico City) Day 7 - Part 1

Since the beginning, Monday has been slotted as the sightseeing day, but we got the most unexpected blessing. Joel is a member at Iglesia Nueva Vida and is "Director for America" ("America"= North, Middle & South Americas) in the Mexico City Government. His office is in charge of "General Coordination of International Relations," and his boss reports directly to the Mayor. Of course, the mayor of the 3rd largest city in the world (1-Tokyo, 2-Seoul) is a pretty big deal. Anyways, we planned on visiting El Zocalo which is the square in downtown Mexico City (2nd in size only to Red Square in Moscow) and the Mexico City Cathedral, the market for souvenirs and if there were time...the Basilica.

Traffic and parking is pretty difficult, but Joel had us park the two mini-vans right in front of City Goverment Building facing the square and the cathedral. Policemen took the vans away to park somewhere. We were escorted into the building past scores of scowling policemen. We were taken right up to the 3rd floor to a conference room for coffee and light refreshments, were given some tourist gifts, and saw photos of the mayor with other famous mayors: Bloomberg in New York, Daly in Chicago as well as with the president of Spain. Next we were led through Joel's boss' office up a few wooden steps and out the window facing the square onto a terrace with probably the best view in the city of the square, cathedral and presidential palace. We truly felt like VIP's...but just wait.

Joel's assistant then escorted us to the famous stairwell that the mayor takes pictures on with VIPs. We got a couple of pictures of the whole team on this stairwell. Onlookers were trying to figure out who these slovenly dressed Gringos were. As we walked outside, the vans pulled up and everyone piled into the vans...that is except me. I rode on the back of the motorcycle that a uniformed policeman who would be our escort for the day. It was a great ride to the market. I was really enjoying soaking in the city...that is until the flatbed truck turned in front of us and clipped the left handlebar. The officer calmly straightened out and kept us from being knocked over. We arrived safely at the marketplace which was very large with an open air central area. After Tom & Chris marveled at the Pittsburgh Steelers poncho, we all scattered to do our souvenir hunting.

Well, it looks like we might actually be leaving today. So I'll finish off Monday's report from the airport. Pray we make it out soon.