You Just Can't Make This Stuff Up...

This arrived in my mailbox, by Divine Humor, on April 1st. I am not making this up, and this is not an April fools joke.

Baxter and the Reformed Pastor - Reflections on 133-146

As usual, I am amazed at how relevant Baxter's work is. So much of what he writes about has immediate correlation in our modern context! This chapter deals with some of the pitfalls common to preachers. First, Baxter deals with pride and humiliation. He points out an important aspect of reformed living - repentance always follows sorrow. But this logic only works one way. If we are truly repentant, we will have a deep, Godly sorrow for our sin. But being sorry for sin does not necessarily lead to repentance - there has to be an actual change in behavior! This seems to parallel the words of the Apostle. There is a worldly sorrow, which leads only to death, and there is a Godly sorrow which leads to repentance. By examining these we can judge our own hearts. If we come to the Lord continuously, agonizing over the same sin, we may not be truly repentant. Sometimes, we want our sin and forgiveness. We want to continue stroking our lusts while receiving God's forgiveness and acceptance. Baxter doesn't work out his theology very well here - in light of modern "once saved, always saved", Baxter probably sounds like an Arminian. I won't dissect his soteriology here, but would only point out that his observations are correct. Namely, how can we as pastors decry sin and urge repentance when we haven't repented ourselves? If we do not see a benefit sufficient to change our lives, why urge it on others?

PRIDE - Baxter lists this as the pastor's cardinal sin. It leads, in Baxter's observation (and in mine!) to several fruits: a dictatorial nature (137), preoccupation with wardrobe and fashion (137), selection of texts and sermons that will stroke our ego (137), in short, pride makes us seek our own and our own glory, rather than God and His glory (138). I can think of times when all of these have been true in my life, and the TV is filled with those who's entire ministry is based on these evil fruits. Pride can also lead to envy of other ministers (139), censorship of those whose opinions differ from our own (140), leading to a binary approach to all other ministries - we must either lend the victory of idea to the other (injurious indeed to our pride!) or condemn all the ministry of the one who holds the opposing view (141). Pride is also overly sensitive, and does not allow us to admit mistakes (141), causes us to curry favor with those whom we deem beneficent to our standing (to the point of sugar-coated reproof and dissimulation) (142), and causes a pure contradiction: "The very design of the gospel is to abase us; and the work of grace is begun and carried on in humiliation....it is a contradiction in terms to be a Christian and not be humble." (143).

The rest of the chapter is just as enlightening, but this section alone is so heavy, i think we might all meditate on it for a while.

On Public Scripture Reading

New Testament reading? Old Testament reading? Public Scripture reading? Some good advice, here!

All Aboard for the SBC Annual Conference

As you know we have included in the pastoral internship at Redeemer, a trip to the SBC's annual meeting. This year the meeting will be held in Louisville KY, on June 23-24.

If you are able to come please RSVP to me as soon as you can. The church will pay for your airfare and hotel stay, unless we stay at Jim's place! Let me know who's in...

Interview with Denny Autrey is Up!

Brothers,

My interview with Dr. Autrey is up and running on the Alethia blog. I look forward to hearing your feedback.

Assignment:

1. Listen to the interview
2. Write a brief reflection (very brief is fine) on the blog or through email

I hope this is beneficial.


BTW--Dr. Autrey said that he would be happy to let us interview future chapel speakers before or after chapel...I'll keep you posted on upcoming interviews and topics.

Kicking Off the Internship in 2009

Brothers,

I hope that Christmas was refreshing and encouraging to you all. I am looking forward to being with you again on a regular basis this Spring in the Internship.

Let me give you some upcoming dates and reminders:

First, we will be reading Richard Baxter's The Reformed Pastor this Spring. If you do not have the book yet let me know. Our first reading assignment will given at our Monday meeting (Jan.19th).

Second, we will be meeting at Chick-Fil-A on Monday, Jan. 19th at 6:45am for our bi-weekly sermon/service review. Also, I'd like for us to be thinking about our personal walks with the Lord, and asking for prayer from one another. Lord willing our times together will provide encouragement and accountability as we walk through life together.

Third, our next interview with Dr. Denny Autrey, the dean of SWBTS in Houston has been finalized. It will be on Wednesday, January 21st at 2:00pm on the SWBTS campus. I know that this will exclude some of you from attending, but this was the only time Dr. Autrey had open in the near future. So, I will be posting the interview ASAP so that you can listen to it. I'd like for everyone to write a brief reflection of the interview on the blog after you listen, just so I know that you did and that you've thought about it. Lord willing it will be worth your time!

Please let me know if you have any questions. Also I would ask you to pray for me as I lead a meeting this Friday night with area pastors. I'm hoping that the Lord will encourage those who attend and that relationships will be built for future ministry opportunities. I'd love to have you guys attend if my living room were bigger...it's going to be packed as it is.

Thank you and I look forward to being with you this spring,

Travis