Category: Ecclesiology (The Study of the Church)

Ecclesiology is so named because of the two words from the Greek: ekklesia – “church, called out of” and logos – “study of.” The study of the church as a biblical and theological topic is referred to as Ecclesiology. The New Testament presents various images that the early church struggled with as it sought its self-understanding in light of the gospel and controversies.

20 Questions to Ask in Getting to Know Your Mentoree/Disciple by Bobb Biehl

*(Adapted from Bobb Biehl, Mentoring, pp. 197-200)

1)    What do you see as your top three strengths in rank order?

2)    What ten specific measurable things do you want to get done before age 65?

3)    What do you consider your lifework?

4)    What are your three deepest personal needs which make you potentially vulnerable…morally, ethically or legally?

5)    Which three people threaten you most personally? Why?

6)    Who are the three people who are (or could be) your mentors/disciplers?

7)    Who are three people who could be your mentorees/disciples?

8)    What is your “preferred ideal hope-to-have-someday” title (president, doctor, teacher, friend, encourager, leader, etc.)?

9)    What three things would you most like to change about yourself if you could? Why?

10) What three things are you most committed to doing before you die?

11) What three things do you feel are your greatest roadblocks in your life at this point?

12) In what three areas would you most like to grow personally in the next one to five years?

13) What one to three things are keeping you from being as close to God as you would like?

14) How do you picture yourself in ten years, ideally?

15) What one subject would you most like to share from your heart of hearts that you have never been able to put into words?

16) What have been your life’s: a) Milestones? b) Traumas? c) Questions?

17) How would you describe your general style of leading?

18) How would you describe your relationship with each of your immediate family members when you were growing up?

19) What three relational bridges do you need/want to rebuild?

20) Who are your five closest friends? Why?

* Bobb Biehl is an Executive Mentor. His personal dream is “Strengthening Christian Leaders Internationally”. In 1976, he founded Masterplanning Group International. As its president, he has consulted personally with over 500 clients. In that time, he has met one-to-one with over 5,000 executives (board members, senior executives, and staff members) and invested an estimated 50,000 hours in private sessions with some of the finest leaders of our generation. His clients are primarily: For-profit corporations; Government agencies; Large or fast-growing churches and Nonprofit organizations. Bobb is a proven “Behind the Scenes” leader. He consistently brings practical / proven insight to the process of Leading, Managing, and Living life. His experience is reflected in all of the practical proven tools available on this web site … each designed to make you an even stronger Christian leader.

What is Biblical Mentoring? By David P. Craig

Mentoring: What it is and Why it’s Practice is Crucial

“Mentoring is a relational experience in which one person empowers another by sharing God-given resources.” – Paul Stanley & J.R. Clinton

“Discipling is a relational process in which a more experienced follower of Christ shares with a newer believer the commitment, understanding, and basic skills necessary to know and obey Jesus as Lord.” – Paul Stanley & J.R. Clinton

“A discipler is one who helps an understudy (1) give up his own will for the will of God the Father, (2) live daily a life of spiritual sacrifice for the glory of Christ, and (3) strive to be consistently obedient to the commands of his Master. A mentor, on the other hand, provides modeling, close supervision on special projects, individualized help in many areas—discipline, encouragement, correction, confrontation, and a calling to accountability.” – Ted Engstrom (The Fine Art of Mentoring)

“Mentoring is a process of opening our lives to others, of sharing our lives with others; a process of living for the next generation.” – Ron Lee Davis

“If you are planting for a year, plant grain.

If you are planting for a decade, plant trees.

If you are planting for a century, plant people.” – Old Chinese Proverb

  • More time spent with fewer people equals greater lasting impact for God. – Principle of Mentoring from the Life of Jesus
  • Some Biblical Examples of Mentoring: Moses mentored Joshua, Naomi mentored her daughter-in-law, Ruth, Ezra mentored Nehemiah, Elijah mentored Elisha, Elizabeth mentored her cousin Mary. Barnabas mentored Paul and John Mark, Paul mentored his spiritual son Timothy. Paul also mentored Priscilla and Aquila, who in turn mentored Apollos.

Mentor #1 – Who Is Your Paul or Elizabeth?

  • Do you have a spiritual mentor who is pouring his/her life into you the way Paul poured his life into Timothy or Elizabeth poured her life into her cousin Mary?
  • Do you have someone you can go to for wise counsel?
  • Do you have someone who is a godly example for you and a model worth imitating?
  • Do you have someone who lives out biblical values and spiritual maturity?
  • Do you have someone with solid skills that can help you improve where you are weak?

THE JOB DESCRIPTION OF A MENTOR

(Adapted from Ron Lee Davis, Mentoring, pp. 50-51, unfortunately out of print)

A willingness to spend the time it takes to build an intensely bonded relationship with the learner.

A commitment to believing in the potential and future of the learner; to telling the learner what kind of exciting future you see ahead for him or her; to visualizing and verbalizing the possibilities of his or her life.

A willingness to be vulnerable and transparent before the learner, willing to share not only strengths and successes, but also weaknesses, failures, brokenness, and sins.

A willingness to be honest yet affirming in confronting the learner’s errors, faults, and areas of immaturity.

A commitment to standing by the learner through trials—even trials that are self-inflicted as a result of ignorance or error.

A commitment to helping the learner set goals for his or her spiritual life, career, or ministry, and to helping the learner dream his or her dream.

A willingness to objectively evaluate the learner’s progress toward his or her goal.

Above all, a commitment to faithfully put into practice all that one teaches the learner.

“Be what you would have your pupils to be.” – Thomas Carlyle

“A mentor is not a person who can do the work better than his followers. He is a person who can get his followers to do the work better than he can.” – Fred Smith

“In truth, the deepest dimensions of the Christian life cannot simply be taught in a classroom or a book. They must be heard, seen, studied intently, handled, lived, and experienced in order to be proven and assimilated.” – Ron Lee Davis

Mentor #2 – Who is Your Barnabas?

  • Do you have someone in your life to encourage you?
  • Do you have someone to believe in you, support you, and guide you?

Encouragement: “is the kind of expression that helps someone want to be a better Christian, even when life is rough.” – Dr. Larry Crabb

“A person is never more like Christ than when full of compassion for those who are down, needy, discouraged, or forgotten.” – Chuck Swindoll

Lessons From Barnabas:

1)    He was generous with his finances (Acts 4:32-37).

2)    He reached out to Paul when everyone else was skeptical about him (Acts 9:26-31 & 11:25-30).

3)    He spent time with Mark when he had failed (Acts 15:36-39)

The Results of Barnabas’ Encouragement:  If it were not for Barnabas we would not have Paul’s epistles nor Mark’s gospel; nor the rapid spread of the gospel.

 Four Key’s to Barnabas’ Life (Acts 11:24):

1)    He was a man of integrity.

2)    He was a man full of the Holy Spirit (John 14:16-17, 26).

3)    He was a man full of faith.

4)    He was teachable. (Acts 13:43, 50)

#3 Mentoree – Who is Your Timothy or Mary?

  • Do you have someone in whom to invest your own life?
  • If married, you should look at your spouse, children, or grandchildren as “Timothy’s” or “Mary’s,” but is there anyone outside your family in whom you are investing?
  • You then, my child, be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus, and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others. –  2 Tim. 2:1-2

 What Mentoring is in a Nutshell?

Relational – The you in v.2 above refers to Timothy and the me refers to the Apostle Paul. People learn how to better love and follow Jesus in the context of a focused friendship.

Personal – The basics that Timothy learned from Paul were mediated through his unique personality, gifting, and style.

Theologically Grounded – Paul is faithfully delivering what he himself received from many witnesses or marturon (“martyrs”). In the first century a martyr denoted a public witness to the truth. The meaning of the word martyr into its present meaning is evidence that Christian truth-telling could be terminally costly. In the Greek the word entrust means making a secure run to the bank to deposit a treasure.

Intentional – All of us are involved in hundreds of unintentional relationships. However, in the case of Paul and Timothy we see a relationship that was established for a specific purpose.

Transformational – Mentoring involves study; reflection; action; and receptivity.

Reproducible – who will be able to teach others.

 The Power of Multiplication

(adapted from Keith Philips, The Making of a Disciple, p. 23)

Year                        Evangelist                        Discipler

1                        365                                     2

2                        730                                    4

3                        1095                                    8

4                        1460                                    16

5                        1825                                    32

6                        2190                                    64

7                        2555                                    128

8                        2920                                    256

9                        3285                                    512

10                        3650                                    1,024

11                        4015                                    2,048

12                        4380                                    4,096

13                        4745                                    8,192

14                        5110                                    16,384

15                        5475                                    32,768

16                        5840                                    65,536

 

*Keith’s chart compares the numeric difference between one person coming to Christ a day and one person a year being discipled to maturity. Catch the vision and start making disciples now!

Book Review: Gospel-Centered Discipleship by Jonathan K. Dodson

Brilliantly Integrating the Gospel in all of Life

In 2009 I took a core group of leaders with me from San Diego to Dallas, Texas for an Acts 29 Boot Camp. The highlight for all of us while we were there was hearing Jonathan Dodson give a Biblical Theology on the Person and Work on the Holy Spirit from the Old and New Testament. I knew great things were going to come from this man’s life upon hearing him speak.

I hope that this will be the first of many books that Dodson writes integrating the gospel with all of life. What he does in this book in a very cogent manner is demonstrate the strengths and weaknesses in “traditional” discipleship and shows how the gospel should not be bifurcated, but central to the pre-Christian and post-Christian’s understanding of discipleship. He makes a great case for the “Great Commission” becoming the “Gospel Commission” and shows how repentance and faith in the context of community are constants in the gospel-graced disciple of Christ.

Tackling discipleship biblically, theologically, and practically Dodson has given pastors, church planters, and all kinds of Christians a wonderful handbook for understanding biblical discipleship, and how to practically live out the gospel in the context of community.

The best part of this book is how it exalts the gospel of Christ by pointing to a grace based discipleship that doesn’t err toward the extremes of self-righteousness, nor of antinomianism, but simply living out one’s new identity in Christ. According to Dodson, discipleship is our identity in Christ and everything else we are is related to our distinct roles as a disciples of Christ.

Our new identity in Christ has three distinct aspects that are developed in the book: rationality, relationship, and being missional. He also demonstrates that we must not err on the side of being only vertical (pietistic), nor horizontally oriented (missional). We must seek to diagonally balance the vertical and horizontal aspects of our identity in Christ — the head, heart, and hands aspects of discipleship in the context of community.

I highly recommend this book as one that will increase your understanding of, and application of the gospel – no matter how long you’ve been a Christian. It is one of the best books on discipleship to come out in a long time.

*Jonathan K. Dodson (M. Div; Th.M, Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary) serves as a pastor of Austin City Life in Austin, Texas. He has written articles in numerous blogs and journals such as The Resurgence, The Journal of Biblical Counseling, and Boundless. Dodson has discipled men and women abroad and at home for almost two decades, taking great delight in communicating the gospel and seeing Christ formed in others.

Profiles of a Convert, Disciple, Worker & Leader

WHAT DO CONVERTS, DISCIPLES, WORKERS, AND LEADERS LOOK LIKE?

((Adapted from Leroy Eims, The Lost Art of Disciple Making, pp. 184-186)

 Profile of a Convert:

  • Gives evidence of possessing new life (2 Cor. 5:17)
  • Attitude toward Christ is now favorable.
  • Attitude toward sin is unfavorable.

Profile of a Growing Disciple:

  • As a follower of Jesus Christ, places Christ first in the major areas of life and is taking steps to separate from sin (Luke 9:23; Romans 12:1-2).
  • Continues in the Word through such means as Bible study and Scripture memory; is regular in applying the Word to life with the help of the Holy Spirit (John 8:31; James 1:22-25; Psalm 119:59).
  • Maintains a consistent devotional life and is growing in faith and intercessory prayer (Mark 1:35; Hebrews 11:6; Colossians 4:2-4).
  • Attends church regularly and demonstrates Christ’s love by identifying with and serving other believers (Psalm 122:1; Heb. 10:25; John 13:34-35; 1 John 4:20-21; Galatians 5:13).
  • Is openly identified with Jesus Christ where he or she lives and works, manifests a heart for witnessing, gives testimony clearly, and presents the gospel regularly with increasing effectiveness (Matt. 5:16; Col. 4:6; 1 Peter 3:15).
  • A learner who is open and teachable (Acts 17:11).
  • A visible follower and learner of Jesus Christ, and demonstrates consistency and faithfulness in all of the above areas (Luke 16:10).

Profile of a Worker

  • Evidences growth in the virtues and skills outlined above (1 Peter 3:18).
  • Shows a growing compassion for the lost and demonstrates ability to lead others into a personal relationship with Christ (Matt. 9:36-38; Rom. 1:6).
  • Being used of God to establish believers who have become disciples, either personally or in a discipling group context (Col. 1:28-29).
  • Is currently engaged in the task of making disciples (Matt. 28:19).
  • Regular intake of the Word by all means and the quiet time are now regular habits (Philippians 4:9).

Profile of a Leader 

  • Is an equipped worker who evidences growth in the virtues and skills listed above.
  • Has been used of God to help disciples become workers.
  • Is banding and leading workers in evangelizing the lost and establishing believers.
  • Displays faithfulness and integrity in balancing life and ministry.

Time Element: Convert to disciple – 2 years; Disciple to worker – 2 years; Worker to leader – 3 years.

9 Steps To Take While Waiting for a Pastoral Call

I had a very clear calling to pastoral ministry when I was seventeen years old. The steps below written by a veteran pastor are steps that I took by default – however, I could have benefited from Dave Harvey’s book immensely in my pastoral journey which began over thirty years ago [DPC]:

 What to DO While You Are WAITING for Your Ministry MARCHING ORDERS from God

by David T. Harvey

 *Start Now

A man listening for a call is never a man sitting still. A key sign of the summons is godly ambition that’s been channeled into action. That’s why, as a leader responsible for weighing in on external call issues, I’m not just looking at who a guy is and what he might do. I’m looking for what he’s already doing. That helps me gauge the degree of aspiration as well as desire— “If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task” (1 Tim. 3:1).

Brothers, there’s a lot you can do right now to prepare yourself in the summons (God’s call on your life to ministry – Harvey defines a “Summons” as: “a call away from one thing and into another”). Here are some ideas to get you started. For each one, I’ve included some specific “next actions” you can take.

(1) Be honest about your desires. If you “aspire to the office of overseer,” tell your pastor. If you don’t have a pastor, find a good church and get a pastor. It’s not humble to remain silent about your dreams. You’re not Mary treasuring “up all these things in [your] heart” (Luke 2:51). It’s far more profitable to share your dreams. Evaluation from others is going to happen eventually; why not let it start now?

A practical step: Write your pastor and share your sense of call and desire for ministry. Invite him to lunch to specifically discuss his feedback on your letter.

(2) Pray. Do you consistently pray about your calling?

A practical step: Schedule regular times of prayer, perhaps even personal retreats, where you’re able to both stoke your sense of call and lay it on the altar before the Lord.

(3) Start Serving. Calling is revealed in service. A young, called guy so often wants to find a role right now that matches his gifts. But at this stage, the summons is not a warrant to flex your gifts; it’s an invitation to be a servant wherever you’re needed. Feel called to preach to the masses? Great—go teach in children’s ministry. It’s a great place to start.

A practical step: Go to your church leaders and say, “Where does our church need the most help?” Then do whatever they need you to do. Serving in obscurity can do more to shape a future leader than a dozen years of combing evangelicalism for the perfect position.

(4) If you’re in college, pursue a vocational direction. Moving directly from college into full-time ministry is the exception, not the rule. Don’t assume you need a degree that will directly relate to ministry.

A practical step: Be a disciplined, well-balanced student. Pursue excellence and immerse yourself in the ministry opportunities that come with college life. Don’t hide in your Christian group—engage the campus as a witness for Christ. Learn to think and persuade from a biblical perspective. Choose someone who you think is a humble influencer of others, and ask a lot of questions.

(5) Pursue counsel and evaluation. Are you actively and consistently pursuing the wisdom of men who know you and sense of call?

A practical step: Keep taking your pastor out to lunch—invite his ongoing insight into your personal life. Also, cultivate accountable fellowship with wise men your age and older.

(6) Study. Are you deepening your theological well through a systematic study of sound doctrine and biblical theology?

A practical step: Ask your pastor for a book list to study. Then make a plan for how and when you’ll complete that study—and give it to your pastor so he can follow up with you.

(7) Mature. How does your life presently line up with the qualities of an elder as found in 1 Timothy and Titus? Where do you need to grow?

A practical step: Seek regular accountability and correction from those closest to you. If you’re married, begin with your wife. As Wayne Grudem says, “It is not optional that [pastors’] lives be examples for others to follow; it is a requirement.”

(8) Get your house in order. The path to pastoral ministry is often a sacrificial one. You may need to live lean and flexible. Are you prepared to make sacrifices to pursue your call? I know a number of men, for example, whose ability to act on an opportunity has been blocked by excessive debt. You should also care for your wife as you explore your call. If she doesn’t [confidently agree with your calling], then preparing for ministry means hearing her reservations, carefully considering her reuluctance, and humbly responding to her observations.

A practical step: Get rid of all the debt you can, and stay that way. If you’re married, make sure your call is an open conversation your wife can have whenever she wants. Explore any concerns she may bring. Discuss any objections with trusted friends and a wise pastor.

(9) Patiently persevere. Are you committed to waiting for God to bring you into ministry rather than anxiously brokering your own opportunities?

A practical step: Pursue a vocation that you can live on and grow in. Develop employable skills so you won’t be depending on the ministry for survival.

*Adapted from Chapter 10 of David T. Harvey’s excellent book published by Crossway entitled Am I Called?. David T. Harvey is responsible for church planting, church care, and international expansion for Sovereign Grace Ministries, having served on the leadership team since 1995. He has a D. Min. from Westminster Theological Seminary, is the author of When Sinners Say I Do, and is a contributing author to Worldliness: Resisting the Seduction of a Fallen World.

Book Review: Am I Called? By David T. Harvey

Great Handbook For Helping You Confirm Your Calling to the Pastoral Ministry

 Dave Harvey has done a great service to the church-at-large- as well as for individual Christian men who are wondering whether or not God is calling them to serve the church in full time pastoral ministry. I finally have a book that I can hand out without any reservations to those who come to me and ask, “How can I know for certain that I have been called by God into the pastorate?”

In three parts: a) Approaching the Call; b) Diagnosing the Call; and c) Waiting, Harvey mines theological, and exegetically based advice with a plethora of helpful bullet points, questions to ask, evaluations, and practical steps to take as one wrestles with and pursues God’s vocational calling to the pastorate.

I especially appreciated how Harvey focused on applying the gospel to an individuals life and how he addressed key issues like character development, service and affirmation from the local church, and the importance of working with a plurality of leaders in the context of a local church – alongside the necessary theological training.

One of the highlights for me was reading the biographical stories at the end of each chapter on the pastoral calling in the lives of some well known and unknown pastors of history: Thomas Scott, Charles Simeon, Lemuel Haynes, Martin Luther, David Martyn Lloyd-Jones, James Montgomery Boice, Charles Haddon Spurgeon, John Bunyan, and John Newton.

I highly recommend this book for young men who are wondering if they are called, those pastors who are struggling with their calling, and pastors and elders who are looking to invest in young men to develop as future pastors and church planters in the context of planting gospel driven churches around the globe.

Book Review: Loving the Way Jesus Loves by Phil Ryken

Jesus’ Loves Like No One Else – Perfectly! 

One of the biggest battles that we all face (if we are honest with ourselves) is that we are incurably selfish, self-absorbed, and idolatrous at the very core of our hearts. In Paul’s letter to the Corinthians he addresses this core reality that leads to all the problems or symptoms affecting the church due to this foundational problem – a lack of love for God and for one another. Phil Ryken has written a very convicting, and yet practically helpful book that exegetes from the context of 1 Corinthians 13 (Biblical Exegesis) but also walks you through the Gospels (giving a Biblical theology of love) and demonstrates how Jesus exemplifies the genuine love that is being described in Corinthians.

The reason that this book and applying this book and the Bible is so challenging is captured well by Ryken mid-way through the book where he writes:

“Unfortunately, many of our attitudes and actions are exactly the opposite of what they ought to be, and as a result, our hearts are constricted. This is one of the reasons why 1 Corinthians 13 is such a challenge for us. All of the things it tells us that love does are almost impossible for us to do, whereas all of the things it tells us that love never does are things we do all the time. This is because we love ourselves more than we love other people or even God.”

Ryken brilliantly and helpfully shows how Jesus does what we can’t do – love perfectly like Him. He shows how each aspect of love in 1 Corinthians 13 (e.g., patience, kindness, not envious, etc.,) is modeled from the Gospels in the life, death, resurrection, and future coming of Christ and how we can be receivers and reciprocators of this kind of love. Though the book is very convicting, it is also very encouraging because it demonstrates that in the gospel – even when we fail to love like Him – he never fails to love us in the deep ways described in 1 Corinthians 13.

I highly recommend this book in order to come to a deeper understanding of godly love, Christ’s love for us, and how to grow more in your love for God and others. Ryken has given us a Biblical Theology of love manifested in Christ, and reiterated in Paul’s letter to the church at Corinth – something we desperately need to apply in today’s church as well. One of the great features of the book is that it contains a very thorough study guide in the back of the book for discipleship or small group discussion.

*I received a free copy of this book by Crossway Publishers and was not required to write a positive review.

What Does A Biblical Disciple Look LIke?

*11 Characteristics of A Biblical Disciple by Francis M. Cosgrove

(1) A disciple is a learner – open and teachable. – Proverbs 9:8-10; Matthew 4:19; John 6:60-66.

(2) A disciple puts Christ first in all areas of life. – Matthew 6:9-13,24,33; Luke 9:23; John 13:13; 2 Corinthians 5:15.

(3) A disciple is committed to a life of purity and is taking steps to separate from sin. – 1 Corinthians 6:19-20; Ephesians 4:22-5:5; Colossians 3:5-10; 1 Thessalonians 4:3-7; Titus 2:12-14.

(4) A disciple has a daily devotional time and is developing in his or her prayer life. – Psalm 27:4; 42:1-2; Mark 1:35; Luke 11:1-4; 1 Thessalonians 5:17-18; James 1:5-7; 5:16.

(5) A disciple demonstrates faithfulness and a desire to learn and apply the Word of God through hearing it preached and taught, reading it frequently, Bible study, Scripture memory, and meditation on the Scriptures. – John 8:31; Acts 2:42; 17:11; Colossians 3:16; 2 Timothy 2:15

(6) A disciple has a heart for witnessing, gives his or her testimony clearly, and presents the gospel regularly with increasing skill. – Matt.28:18-20; Acts 1:8; 5:42; 14:21-23; 22:14-15; Rom.1:16; 1 Cor.15:3-4; 1 Thessalonians 2:4.

(7) A disciple attends church regularly to worship God, to have his or her spiritual needs met, and to make a contribution to the body of believers. – Ps.122:1; Acts 16:5; 1 Cor.12:12-27; Col.1:15-18; Heb.10:25

(8) A disciple fellowships regularly with other believers, displaying love and unity. – John 17:22-26; Acts 2:44-47; 4:31-33; Ephesians 4:1-3; Hebrews 10:24; 1 John 1:1-3

(9) A disciple demonstrates a servant heart by helping in practical ways. – Mark 10:42-45; Acts 6:1-4; 2 Corinthians 12:15; Philippians 2:25-30; 1 Thessalonians 2:8-9

(10) A disciple gives regularly and honors God with his or her finances. – Haggai 1:6-9; Malachi 3:10-11; 1 Corinthians 16:1-2; 2 Corinthians 8-9; Philemon 14

(11) A disciple demonstrates the fruit of the Spirit by an attractive relationship with Christ and those he or she relates with. – Acts 16:1-2; 1 Corinthians 13:4-7; Galatians 5:22-23; 1 Peter 2:18-23; 2 Peter 1:5-8

*Adapted from Essentials of Discipleship by Francis M. Cosgrove, pp. 15-16

What Does A Healthy Follower of Jesus Look Like?

Ten Traits of a Healthy Disciple of Jesus Christ

((Adapted from Stephen A Macchia, Becoming A Healthy Disciple, pp. 18-19)

(1) Experiences God’s empowering presence. The healthy disciple understands the role of the Holy Spirit and lives daily with a fresh reality of His power and presence. But the Helper the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, He will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. – John 14:26

(2) Engages in God-exalting worship. The healthy disciple engages wholeheartedly in meaningful, God-focused worship on a weekly basis with the family of God. But the hour is coming and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship Him. – John 4:23

(3) Practices the spiritual disciplines. The healthy disciple pursues the daily disciplines of prayer, Bible study, and reflection in the quietness of one’s personal prayer closet. Remain in me, and I will remain in you. – John 15:4

(4) Learns and grows in community. The healthy disciple is involved in spiritual and relational growth in the context of a safe and affirming group of like-minded believers. When they did [obey Jesus], they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish. – John 21:6

(5) Commits to loving and caring relationships. The healthy disciple prioritizes the qualities of relational vitality that lead to genuine love for one another in the home, workplace, church, and community. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. – John 15:12-13

(6) Exhibits Christlike servanthood. The healthy disciple practices God-honoring servanthood in every relational context of life and ministry. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. – John 13:15

(7) Shares the love of Christ generously. The healthy disciple maximizes every opportunity to share the love of Christ, in word and deed, with those outside the faith. For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. – John 3:16

(8) Manages life wisely and accountably. The healthy disciple develops personal life management skills and lives within a web of accountable relationships. As long as it is day, we must do the work of him who sent me. John 9:4

(9) Networks with the body of Christ. The healthy disciple actively reaches out to others within the Christian community for relationships, worship, prayer, fellowship, and ministry. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you have sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. – John 17:23

(10) Stewards a life of abundance. The healthy disciple recognizes that every resource comes from the hand of God and is to be used generously for kingdom priorities and purposes. Unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. – John 12:24

Book Review – Heralds of the King: Christ-Centered Sermons in the Tradition of Edmund P. Clowney, Edited by Dennis E. Johnson

Sermons that Manifest the Centrality of the Person, Work, and Presence of Christ

 One of my greatest concerns in the times in which we are living is seeing more pastors, theologians, and the rank and file Christian allowing cultural pressures to influence them more than the influence of Christ from the Scriptures. As I am currently looking for a church to become a part of I am astounded by how many “protestant” pastors can preach a sermon that neither begins or ends with Christ. As a matter of fact, most of the sermons I’m hearing could be preached by a non-Christian, and in what even passes for “church” God doesn’t even have to show up at all.

I would urge, plead, and even pay preachers to read this book. What people need – including Christians – is more of Jesus – His death, life, teachings, work as Prophet, Priest, and King – in short His person and work. Jesus said that all of the Scriptures pointed to Him (that means all of the Old Testament and New Testament, see John 5 and Luke 24).

In this book we have some excellent examples of former students of Dr. Edmund P. Clowney who preach in the Christ-centered mold. The book has a good balance in that it incorporates sermons from the Law, the Prophets, the Psalms, and Several New Covenant genres. Before each sermon begins there is a brief tribute to Edmund Clowney demonstrating how he influenced the preacher in his pursuit of personally loving Christ and preaching sermons that show us the Savior’s Person and work on our behalf.

In Part 1: “The Law” we have the following sermons –

“Living in the Gap” based on Genesis 17:1-14 by Joseph V. Novenson

“The Girl Nobody Wanted” based on Genesis 29:15-35 by Tim Keller (this is my favorite sermon in the book – it is a masterpiece on how to preach Christ from the Old Testament and how to apply it to our lives in the 21st century)

“Lord and Servant” from Genesis 43 by Brian Vos

“Rock of Ages” based on Exodus 17:1-7 by Julius J. Kim

In Part 2: “The Prophets” we have these sermons –

“Surprising Love:” on 2 Samuel 9 by Charles D. Drew

“Thorns and Fir Trees” based on Isaiah 55:13 by the late Harvie M. Conn

“No Condemnation” from Zechariah 3 by Iain M. Duguid

In Part 3: “The Psalms” we have only one sermon (I would have liked to have had at least two or three from this large section of Scripture including “Lament” and “Praise” genres) –

“Beauty in the Sand” by William Edgar based on Psalm 90

Part 4: “The New Covenant” we have the following sermons –

From Luke 1:5-25 “When God Promises the Impossible” by Dennis E. Johnson

“Soul-Ravishing Sightings” based on Luke 9:28-36 by Joseph F. Ryan

Arturo G. Azurdia III preaches the final sermon in the book based on Hebrews 1:1-3 entitled “The Greatness of God’s Ultimate Word.”

I highly recommend this book for all preachers, and for those who listen to preachers and love Jesus. I would encourage you if you are reading this review, to ask your pastor if he has read this book, and if not, to get him a copy – to encourage him in preaching in a more Christ-centered manner. Christ-centered preaching is hard work. However, when you hear it, or do it – you sense the presence of God in a powerful way. When I started preaching in Christ-centered manner it was as if a huge millstone was taken off my back. I think most preachers want to please God and help their flock from God’s Word – but they have not been well trained in Biblical Theology, or in Christo-centric preaching.

Edmund Clowney and all the preachers represented in this book are preaching to give glory to God and to let their hearers experience Jesus in worship. I think most preachers today are preaching to be liked, and meet felt needs – but no one can meet our needs like Jesus – and what we need more than anything is what these preachers do in this book – lead us to worshipping Jesus!

I constantly find myself when listening to modern preachers asking the question, “Where’s Jesus in this message?” Edmund Clowney always asked, “Where is my Savior?” His primary concern was always to reveal the presence of Christ in all of the Scriptures – since this is what Jesus mandated. I believe that if you ask these questions of yourself, or your preacher and Jesus is nowhere to be found, then it is not “Christian” preaching. What we desperately need today is to hear Jesus speaking to us from the Word of God by the voice of his heralds. All the preachers in this book do a wonderful job of leading us to the presence of Jesus and to worshipping Him.

Other Books that I would recommend to help you in Christo-centric preaching are:

Edmund P. Clowney’s: “Preaching Christ in All of Scripture;” “The Unfolding Mystery: Discovering Christ in the Old Testament;” and “How Jesus Transforms The Ten Commandments.”

Alec Motyer’s “Look to the Rock: An Old Testament Background to Our Understanding of Christ.”

All of Tim Keller’s books (e.g. “King’s Cross” based on his expositions on the Gospel of Mark). And anything by Sidney Greidanus (e.g., “Preaching Christ from the Old Testament”), or Graeme Goldsworthy (e.g.,“Preaching the Whole Bible as Christian Scripture”).

I hope that this movement of Christ-centered preaching continues to spread, and grow and bring about a new reformation of the gospel, and the desperately needed revival that is needed around the globe.