Tebow's Gospel

Someone sent me this tidbit from an SI article on Tim Tebow's faith. Say what you want about his choice of colleges, Tebow is the real deal. The more I read about him, the more I'm impressed. The part of the article that caught my friend's attention was something Tebow's Dad said about the gospel.

We've been talking about the gospel the last couple of weeks at Maury Hills. Specifically asking, what is the gospel? Many define it in broad terms, mixing the story of Jesus with doctrinal positions or church traditions. The Bible defines it simply as the death, burial and resurrection of Christ. Nothing more and nothing less. To take anything away from that or to add anything to it is to preach a different gospel. Tebow's Dad gets it...

Founded in 1985, the Bob Tebow Evangelistic Association boasts a staff of 45 Filipino pastors who have preached the Gospel to more than 15 million. The ministry has also helped start 10,000 churches and opened an orphanage that houses more than 50 children.

Under the heading What We Believe, the BTEA's website details the conservative brand of Christianity it is spreading. The ministry espouses a literal interpretation of the Bible ("This is to say the written Word of God is totally without error of any kind"), supports the teaching of Creationism ("We believe God created the heavens and the earth ... out of nothing in six 24-hour days") and is convinced of the inevitability of the Rapture followed by a seven-year tribulation period. "During this time the antichrist will appear," says the BTEA. Some will be saved, but "many will be martyred."

Asked if there is any wiggle room for people nagged by doubts about, say, the creation of the world in six days or the imminence of the Rapture, Bob strikes a warm, inclusive note. "You don't have to believe everything I believe to be saved," he says. "You just need to believe in the Lord Jesus and trust him to give you the free gift of eternal life, and you can figure out Genesis and all that other stuff later."

Sunday Reflections

Great Sunday today! Beautiful weather and awesome worship. The last two Sundays we've sung "Only By Grace." It's a great fit with the message of Galatians. Also noticed how great the praise team sounded on "Blessed Jesus." We've got some awesome voices there and I appreciate their dedication in leading our worship.

Spoke on Galatians 1:6-10 which begins with... I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel--which is really no gospel at all. Wow! We asked "What is this different gospel?" and "What is the gospel?" In short, the gospel is the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus. Period. A different gospel is anything that adds to or takes away from that!!

Galatians is stretching a few of us and that's good. The message of grace can be frightening for those of us who've not heard it preached that much. As one member related to me, "When I was growing up we never heard sermons on this book for fear of where it might lead."

We prayed for our shepherds during response time. It was powerful to see the congregation affirm these men by gathering around them to pray. Please continue praying for them, their families and their leadership of this church. We've already had our first meeting and I can tell that this is going to be a great group of shepherds.

It finally looks like vacation season is winding down! We had a lot of our regulars back in town and we also had several new families worshipping with us. Second service was packed! We're adding more chairs this week.

The List

Someone called today and wanted a copy of "the list" from Sunday. I thought I'd go ahead and post it here as well. This is from my introduction to our study of Galatians...

How would you finish this sentence? If I want to be a really good Christian then I must _________. What would you put in that blank? I’m sure a few of you have some answers swimming around in your head that might fit, but I’m guessing that many of you are thinking right now, “I can’t answer that question....there’s not enough blanks!” That's because many of us here at this church grew up in churches or a religious environment where the answer to this statement is endless.

To be a really good Christian you must…attend every time the doors are open, three times a week preferably, don’t swear, don’t drink, don’t smoke, don’t associate with people who do, don’t listen to rock and roll music, don’t go to R-rated movies, don’t play cards, don’t use music in worship, take the Lord’s Supper every week, have a daily quiet time, pray, memorize Scripture, give regularly, men-wear a coat and tie to church and kept your hair short, women-don’t wear slacks to church and be modest, neither of you can wear shorts on Sunday, no mixed swimming, no dancing, only use the KJV, go to a church that’s sound in the faith, don’t clap, don’t raise your hands, don’t show excessive emotion in worship, do everything decent and in order, no eating in the church building, no women praying, no women teaching boys over the age of 13, be baptized in the right way at the right time in the right church by the right person, go to a church that has the right name on the sign, don’t mess up, read your Bible and pray to God you make it!

That's just to name a few. I’m sure you could come up with more and the answers vary depending on which fellowship you were raised in. Yours may include things like you must speak in tongues, show evidence of baptism of the Holy Spirit, believe in predestination or once saved/always saved. The list is literally endless and it’s no respecter of denominations.

Would it shock you for me to tell you that it’s also dead wrong? That there’s really only one answer to the question of what it takes to be a really good Christian. And I hear the objections now, “But what a minute! There are some good things in that list you rattled off, sure some of its traditions that we don’t fool with anymore, but you mentioned some really good practices for Christians!” I agree. But anytime we start using our practices to define our acceptability before God or our righteousness or justification, then we’ve gotten off message. And it’s wrong. Paul would say we’re teaching a different gospel, which is really no gospel at all.

Sunday Reflections

Kicked off the Galatians series today. I'm really excited about this study. The message is awesome and one that's still needed. God, free us from legalism and performance-based spirituality!

I enjoy doing "intros" to new series and I always sense a little excitement about the upcoming messages. It's just that after I introduce a series I always fear that the rest of the messages won't live up to the hype. Oh well, we'll see. The material is certainly powerful enough in its own right. I just have to bring it to life and help it speak to today with the same boldness that it spoke 1,960 years ago.

We welcomed two new people to Maury Hills. We introduced Rick Richardson. He's a pharmacist who grew up in Linden, TN (just down the road from my hometown). He's been in a Columbia for a while and has been attending for the last few months. We also introduced Jessica Dodson. She just moved into town from Virginia and she's employed at the Tennessee Children's Home. We welcome both to our MH family!

We had a couple of responses today. One in the first and another in the second. Please keep Marvin in your prayers this week. Pray that God would give him strength. Also lift up Melinda as she wrestles with some struggles.

One of the things I love about our church is the way we handle responses. I love to see people come to the front and gather around those asking for prayer and put a hand on their shoulder or kneel beside them. It's powerful to see the church at work!

The teens took off on the Mystery Trip today. Since they've probably arrived I guess I can reveal the location. They went to Washington D.C. They'll be doing some service work for a local church and will find time to catch a Nationals game and go to the Smithson. Pray for their week.

Today was promotion day for our children's ministry. I was standing outside Bigtime as the kids were coming in and saw a couple of Kindergartners excited about moving up to the "big" kids room. My oldest moved up to Crew 456 which makes me feel old. She's growing up fast.

That's about it. No small group tonight so I hung out with the family. We grilled venison steaks and chicken and enjoyed some of our homegrown vegetables. I'm a farmer now you know! We've got okra, tomatoes, cantaloupes, watermelons, squash, zucchini and corn. After dinner the girls went outside and played in the rain. Good times.

Waddling On

The nineteenth-century philosopher Soren Kierkegaard once told a story about a village inhabited by ducks. On Sundays the ducks would waddle out their doors to the church down the street. They waddled into the sanctuary and squatted on their favorite pews. The duck choir would waddle in, and the duck pastor would waddle up to the pulpit and open the Bible. And he would read, "Ducks! God has given you wings! With wings you can fly! With wings you can mount up and soar like eagles. No walls can confine you! No fence can hold you! You have wings. God has given you wings, and you can fly like birds." Excitedly, all the ducks shouted "AMEN!"--and then they all waddled home.

An accurate depiction of today's church?

Sunday Reflections

It was good to be back home yesterday. Lots of people asked about the trip and I had several who talked about going next year or want to help with whatever long-term efforts we establish there.

Spoke on the responsibility of wealth. A topic greatly influenced by Belize. The bottom line is that we have incredible wealth in this country and with that comes responsibility. Specifically to do good, be rich in good deeds, be generous and willing to help (1st Timothy 6:17ff)

It was one of those sermons where the compliments (if they come) are a little awkward. The best one was "Russ, that was well...it was...well...you know." And I did. Like most American Christians I too struggle to the Bible's teachings on money, maybe that's why it contains all those warnings about riches.

We didn't offer a formal time of response Sunday, but during second service we took time out to pray for a couple who've requested our prayers. Tyler and Sara Borne are facing some difficulties and they are looking to God for strength and courage. Please add lift them in your daily prayers.

After worship we had my niece's one year old birthday party and then spent some time hanging out with our friends. That's one of the reasons I love this church and this community. We're blessed with some great friends! Those don't come easily for preachers because a lot of churches don't allow it. They want the preacher to be friends with everyone, but its simply not possible. Ministers can be acquainted with as many people in the church as possible, but they also need to form some close friendships with a few. It's healthy on a personal level, family level and spiritual level. So if your preacher doesn't have some close friends where he doesn't always have to be in "pastor mode" then encourage him to get some. That's my mini-soliloquy for the day.

Join us next Sunday, July 12th for my series called "Freedom!" It's about overcoming legalism and discovering what it means to be free in Christ.

Declaration of Independence

Some Americans celebrate the 4th by reading the Declaration of Independence. I read it this morning, but not because of the holiday. I was doing a little research for my upcoming series on Galatians. It got me thinking of another Declaration of Independence. This one from the Springfield Presbytery. I appreciate the ideals expressed here. It's one of the reasons I still answer "non-denominational" when people ask "What kind of church is Maury Hills?" (note...to keep the length of this post reasonable I only included select items, you can read the entire document here )

Last Will and Testament of Springfield Presbytery

The Presbytery of Springfield sitting at Cane Ridge, in the county of Bourbon, being, through a gracious Providence, in more than ordinary bodily health, growing in strength and size daily; and in perfect soundness and composure of mind; but knowing that it is appointed for all delegated bodies once to die; and considering that the life of every such body is very uncertain, do make and ordain this our last Will and Testament, in manner and form following, viz:

Imprimis. We will, that this body die, be dissolved, and sink into union with the Body of Christ at large; for there is but one body, and one Spirit, even as we are called in one hope of our calling.

Item. We will that our name of distinction, with its Reverend title, be forgotten, that there be but one Lord over God's heritage, and his name one.

Item. We will, that our power of making laws for the government of the church, and executing them by delegated authority, forever cease; that the people may have free course to the Bible, and adopt the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus.

Item. We will, that each particular church, as a body, actuated by the same spirit, choose her own preacher, and support him by a free-will offering, without a written call or subscription--admit members--remove offenses; and never henceforth delegate her right of government to any man or set of men whatever.

Item. We will, that preachers and people cultivate a spirit of mutual forbearance; pray more and dispute less; and while they behold the signs of the times, look up, and confidently expect that redemption draweth nigh.

Item. We will, that our weak brethren, who may have been wishing to make the Presbytery of Springfield their king, and wot not what is now become of it, betake themselves to the Rock of Ages, and follow Jesus for the future.

Item. We will, the Synod of Kentucky examine every member who may be suspected of having departed from the Confession of Faith, and suspend every such suspected heretic immediately, in order that the oppressed may go free, and taste the sweets of Gospel liberty.

Springfield Presbytery, June 28th, 1804