Christ-Centered Biblical Theology Coming in May

Graeme Goldsworthy is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors when it comes to seeing the unity of the Bible, and he will release a new book in May called Christ-Centered Biblical Theology. 

In case you missed it a couple weeks ago, I talked about what it means to be a biblical theologian. A biblical theologian is concerned with the grand narrative of the Bible, taking parts and relating them to the whole. Biblical theology, for the minister or the average saint in the seat on Sunday, is vital because it keeps each individual story in perspective and helps guard against taking passages out of context. Coffee mugs at Christian bookstores are notorious for this.

In an interview with Collin Hansen on the Gospel Coalition blog, Goldsworthy talked about biblical theology’s importance for pastoral ministry. I think laypeople can learn from this too:

A sound biblical theology should prevent the misuse of Scripture, such as when texts are relieved of their biblical context and allowed to mean something quite other from what they mean in that context. When Scripture is treated as a lucky-dip of texts that assumes Christians stand in one, flat, undifferentiated relationship to all biblical texts, it can be made to mean anything we like. This is no basis for a sound and faithful pastoral ministry. I understand pastoral ministry to be the valid application of biblical truth to the various situations that arise and affect individuals and whole congregations. Biblical theology provides the means for understanding every part of the Bible in its final canonical context. Biblical theology, then, is at the heart of the pastor’s correct understanding of how Scripture can be thus applied to people’s lives. I also believe that the main emphasis in preaching should be the regular exposition of Scripture. Expository preaching, as the norm, really requires biblical theology in the preparation of sermons. Ideally, everyone who has the task of teaching the Bible to others should understand something of biblical theology.

When I told a friend and co-pastor about Goldsworthy’s new book, he said, “Maybe eventually this kind of book will replace classic systematic theology books in Christian colleges.” There is nothing wrong with systematic theology, as far as it goes, but if the only way we think about the Bible is in compartments (creation, atonement, Holy Spirit, end times, the Church, etc.) we will always study doctrines in isolation from each other. The Bible will then become a book of doctrine, rather than God’s story of redemption in the world.

What is your experience with biblical theology? Do you find that is the heartbeat of your personal ministry, whether a pastor, teacher, or small group leader?

What I Have Learned in My First 11 Weeks of Seminary

I attend seminary at Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary, through their online program. The online aspect is not ideal, but it is functional for me and my family. So far, I’m learning (I hope). More than anything, I’m being exposed to scholarship and lots of reading the average person wouldn’t read (not even me).

I have learned two very important lessons in the first eleven weeks of this semester. First, I am totally not an academic. (Can’t you tell after I used the word totally?) God has given me a shepherd’s heart, not a professor’s heart. I love to teach doctrine, but I love to herald the good news more. I love to dig into finer points of theology, but I love to motivate and challenge to pursue holiness more. Seminary is pricking and prodding my academic skin, which is thin and frail.

Secondly, in general, it takes a lot of work for me to focus when I read. Don’t let this blog fool you, I am not that smart. It is hard for me to comprehend anything above a college football article on ESPN.com. I often find myself reading the same sentence three or four times. Seminary is pushing me to rely on the Holy Spirit to control my literary ADHD when it comes to the teleological argument and the neo-orthodoxy movement.

I love to read and write, it just takes a different shape in my personal time and here on the blog than in an academic setting. Thankfully, because of the cross, God’s grace is abundant, fresh, and powerful. And its fountain doesn’t run dry over seminarians like me.

One Thought on the C.J. Mahaney Issue

For those of you who are not aware, some severe charges have been leveled against C.J. Mahaney. These charges can be summed up in one word: pride. Tim Challies has written a helpful reflection on the situation and how Christians should respond.  Ligon Duncan also pens his reflection and he includes some links that will help you catch up on the story.

My only thought is personal: I am asking the Lord to keep me from any appearance of pride, specifically a resistance in my heart to correction and rebuke. I have been deeply troubled by these sins in my life because they are present and real (as my wife can attest). By grace I am seeking to put them to death.

I cannot do it on my own. Neither can C.J. Great grace is required. Thankfully, in Christ and his gospel, great grace is provided–to me, C.J., and anyone who would believe. Let’s be praying for C.J., Sovereign Grace Ministries, and our own hearts.

Charles Spurgeon on Preaching Christ from the Whole Bible

Don’t you know, young man, that from every town, and every village, and every hamlet in England, wherever it may be, there is a road to London…So from every text in Scripture, there is a road to the metropolis, Christ. And my dear brother, your business is when you get to a text, to say, now what is the road to Christ?…I have never yet found a text that had not got a road to Christ in it, and if I ever do find one…I will go over hedge and ditch but I would get at my Master, for the sermon cannot do any good unless there is a savour of Christ in it.

-Charles Spurgeon

Some Things I’m Learning Right Now

I work full-time as a privately supported pastoral intern at my church.  I am coaching small group leaders and have duties with our small group ministry, but most of my days are consumed with learning.  Seminary will “officially” start on August 22 when I begin my first online class through Liberty Theological Seminary. But in reality, “seminary” has already begin.  Here are a few things God is teaching me right now:

• Make prayer integral and central to my life and ministry.
• Treasure Jesus, and when you don’t feel it, beg for it.
• Be organized.
• Soak up knowledge, but index it (whether book, article, video, etc) in a way that can be remembered and not just.
• God desires that his Church be shepherded in a certain way as laid out in Scripture.
• I am easily distracted.
• I don’t know everything (even though I can pretend I do).
• A life-long lesson: information should lead to transformation (and that should be the framework for my input).

And here’s what I’m reading:

• The Valley of Vision by Arthur Bennett
• A Call for Spiritual Reformation by Don Carson
• The Reformed Pastor by Richard Baxter
• Church Planter by Darrin Patrick

What is Jesus teaching you?

Baxter on the Nature and Motive of Personal Oversight for Pastors

Puritan pastor Richard Baxter gives pastors five keys to personal oversight and eight keys as to why personal oversight should be given in his classic text The Reformed Pastor:

The Nature of Oversight

1. Take heed to see that the work of saving grace be thoroughly wrought in your own souls.
2. Take heed to keep your graces active, and that you preach to yourself the sermons you study, before you preach them to others.
3. Take heed so you don’t unsay with your life what you say with your mouth.
4. Take heed so you don’t commit the sins you preach against.
5. Take heed so you don’t lack biblical qualifications of an elder.

The Motives of Oversight

1. Take heed to yourselves, for heaven is there to win or lose, and souls will be happy or miserable for eternity.
2. Take heed to yourselves, for you have a depraved nature, and sinful inclinations just as others do.
3. Take heed to yourselves, because the tempter will supply more temptations than he does to others.
4. Take heed to yourselves, because many eyes will fall upon you, and there will be many to observe your falls.
5. Take heed to yourselves, because your sins are more severe than other men’s.
6. Take heed to yourselves, because such a calling as ours require greater grace than other men’s.
7. Take heed to yourselves, for the honor of your Lord and Master, and of his holy truth and ways, lies more on you than on other men.
8. Take heed to yourselves, for the success of all your work depends on it.

- Richard Baxter, The Reformed Pastor, (Carlisle, PA: Banner of Truth Trust, 2001), pp. 53-86.

Blogging isn’t a top priority right now…

There’s a lot going on in life. If there was a top 5, blogging wouldn’t make the cut. Of course, I’m blogging right now, so I’m making this a priority for the next three minutes.  October has been a crazy, long month for us.

Lately, I’ve been raising support to work as a pastoral intern at our church. You can read more about that here. Things are steady with the fundraising, but it is hard to find time and energy some weeks. Two weeks ago, I found out my job with the State of Nebraska is in jeopardy. The State is initiating a layoff plan, and I am not so high on the seniority list.  Because of this I’ve been preparing by looking and applying for new jobs. Lastly, Carly and I are moving soon (a complete blessing).

Whew. Talk about a whirlwind month. Would you pray for us?

God is still glorious and majestic. I want to see and experience him for all he is. Everyday.