Grace is Flowing

Welcome to the New Year – 2012! This is a year of new opportunities. What really are “opportunities” for the Christian? If our theology is right, opportunities are God’s unique demonstration of His sovereign, wise, and good ways in our lives. Or, in other words, God at work! This should be the highlight of our lives this year.  It should be what we talk about most. It should be what is at the forefront of our thinking the moment we awake. In every circumstance of life opportunities become the answer to the question, “What is God doing, and how can I be a part of it?”

Part of what a Christian (or “little Christ) should demonstrate is someone who lives to do the will of the Father. The Father is always about His will and His glory. We too should be people who live for His glory (1Cor 10:31). Seeing God, all that He is and all that He is doing should be the passion of our living this year. Many believers when asked about what God is doing in their lives cannot answer the question with a definitive example of some way God has revealed Himself and worked in a circumstance. They give details of what they have done and try to add a little God to that, but cannot talk about the work of God in their life. We are often very man-centered in our thinking.

Make this year a year of opportunity. Live everyday with the sole purpose of seeing God at work and glorify Him by jumping on board with what He is doing. The result will be a life that remarkably imitates Christ–which is what life is really all about!

I know this may be a bit late, but I thought since good choral music is sometimes hard to find, it may be beneficial to list some of my favorites.  So, if you are looking for some good choral music for Christmas–next year, here’s a great place to begin:

1. Love Divine, Illumine Our Darkness: Christmas at St. Olaf – very good!  I like “Keep Your Lamps” St. Olaf Records
2. Christmas – Los Angeles Master Chorale and Sinfonia Orchestra, Paul Salamunovich, conductor – Unbelievable choral sound – gotta hear Magnum Mysterium -  growing all-time favorite – RCM – see it here
3. A Carnegie Hall Christmas Concert: Kathleen Battle, Frederica von Stade, Wynton Marsalis, and Andre Previn – Wonderful singing and good variety – Sony – see it here
4. Christmas Star: Carols for The Christmas Season – The Cambridge Singers – Just good! – Collegium – see it here
5. A Christmas Festival: John Rutter and The Cambridge Singers – Collegium – see it here
6. Carols From The Old and New Worlds: Paul Hillier – director – many traditional English, Bavarian, Austrian, and American Carols – delightful – HMU – see it here
7. A Festival of Carols: Robert Shaw Chorale and Orchestra – of course, anything by RS is solid.  RCA – see it here
8. Christmas with the Academy: Sir Neville Marriner – all of the good ones on one CD – RCA – see it here
9. Songs of Angels: Christmas Hymns & Carols – Robert Shaw Chamber Singers – Very refreshing – Telarc – see it here
10. King of Glory – A Men’s Choral Christmas Celebration – I add this in because of a couple of pieces: The King of Glory, and In the Bleak Midwinter – SMS -

Here are a couple just for fun:

1. Mel Torme Christmas Songs – really, much better than Sinatra or Buble – Telarc – see it here
2. When My Heart Finds Christmas – Harry Connick, Jr. – Columbia – see it here
3. James Galaway’s Christmas Carol – wonderful pieces with flute (duh) choir and orchestra – RCA – see it here
4. Carpenter Christmas Portrait – really, that has to be in your stash somewhere. – A&M – see it here

 

Hope you all had a very Merry Christmas.  I trust that you will find this New Year to be one that is blessed by God’s great grace that flows fresh everyday!

Grace to you!

Back in the late summer I got a phone call from an elder at a church who was asking about a particular young man who might be a good candidate for their pastoral search.  I listened intently so I could possibly help them in their search.  In the middle of the conversation, he stopped and asked me, “What about you?  Would you be interested in possibly becoming a candidate?” My quick response was, “No, thank you!  I am fine where I am and what I am doing.”

I really was fine, I wasn’t just trying to be nice.  But God began an interesting work in my heart.  It was a little before that time when I had several doctors tell me that I needed to slow down a bit and possibly even change jobs from what I was doing.  God was beginning to steer Cindy and me a new direction.

This elder went on to say, “Would you pray about it and consider tossing your name in the search?”  I said I would, and didn’t think too much about it further, accept to actually pray about it.  The elder mentioned that he would be in Greenville in a couple of days and wondered if he could sit down and talk with me.  I said, “Of course, I’d love to talk with you.”  Two days later, after a long day at work, Cindy and I thought we would rendezvous at a local restaurant and grab a bite to eat.  We chose to sit outside and was finished with our meal when we spotted two children with their mom looking expectantly at every car that pulled into the parking lot.  The mother mentioned they were looking for their cousins who were to arrive any minute.  Not long after that, a van pulled into the parking lot and out jumped this family.  There were hugs and kisses for everyone.  It was quite a reunion.

A few minutes later, a man tapped me on the shoulder and asked me, “Are you Eric Sipe?” I said, “Yes, I am…” He introduced himself as the elder of the church who had called me two days earlier.  Coincidence?  I don’t think so.  God was at work.

After many phone calls, texts, emails, video calls, face-to-face meetings and a candidacy, by God’s design, I have accepted the call to become the pastor of Calvary Bible Church in Columbus, Ohio.  Yes, “Go Buckeyes!”

We are still working out the details as all transitions will have it–there are plenty of details.  But overall, the people of Heritage Bible Church have been very supportive and so many people have written, emailed, sent texts, FB, and Twitter messages stating they have prayed for some time for the good people of Calvary Bible Church.  This has been truly remarkable. God has shown special care to us, to the people of Heritage and to the people of Calvary Bible Church.

Transitions are never easy.  There is no book written to cover all the needs of a transition and so many people get confused, hurt, or fearful during these times.  God has already shown such kindness and we are not expecting anything less during this transition.  Our hope and trust is in our Savior, who has led us all the way.

Pray for:

1.  The people of Heritage Bible Church.  They are some of my dearest friends.  I will miss them greatly.  At the same time they heard my announcement, Matthew Hoskinson announced that he will be candidating at the First Baptist Church of New York City.  It literally is the first baptist church of NYC.  So, quite possibly, Heritage will be facing two pastors who will be leaving.

2.  The people of Calvary Bible Church.  They too are in transition.  Anytime a new pastor comes in, changes are made.  Personalities change things automatically.  Things just won’t be the same–for any of us.  These times are often unsettling and can stir up fear.  We always fear the unknown and any new guy bears that reality not only of himself, but for the people he ministers to.

3.  Cindy and Me – yes, we need your prayers.  Moves are never fun.  Things get broken and damaged.  Packing and unpacking can be tedious and tiring.  Going from the south to the north…no more sweet tea, (which I never drink anyway…); and leaving long-time friends who are very, very dear–will all be very real in the next few weeks.  However, to see God at work in three different strategic cities, in three different strategic churches, and in three different groups of His people is an absolute thrill.  That is not anything I want to ever get tired of or ever take for granted.  Life is all about God, who He is and what He is doing in His world.  It’s all about Him!

So, a transition is what we all face in the next several weeks.   Like everything else, we need God’s great grace daily to persevere.  May His name be praised!

Grace to you!

Recently, a church planter dear friend asked me to comment on his preaching. As I wrote him, it was a good reminder to myself about my own preaching. So, I thought it may help others as well. I don’t think of myself as a pro at this, and often have Sunday night thoughts like, “Who in the world do I think I am preaching to anyone? I need to just sit down and be quiet.” Do you ever feel that way–especially after you feel pretty sure you just bombed it royally? Well, join the club. Maybe this will remind you or encourage you–hopefully it won’t discourage you.
1. Continue to hone your points to make them short and understandable. You had three good points and they flowed out of the text well. Part of making them short and understandable comes from how you tie them into each other. This is where it seemed to me a little dis-jointed perhaps. This will come with more experience and a consistent tweaking of your transition sentences. Learning how to “flow” your messages is one of the hardest things to do. I still struggle with this, but as you put the message together, keep reading and re-reading your text to make sure that the transition sentences are clear and to the point and then connecting. You are improving in so many ways, but I think this is one area that you can specifically work on that will help in your communication.
2. Illustrate – This is another area that I struggle with. When you illustrate, use illustrations that many will be able to connect with and then even state the connection clearly. I enjoyed the illustrations that you used but it took a little of my own thoughts to connect with what you were saying. Stating the connection will more clearly give precision to your words.
3. Application – perhaps the most difficult. Everyone struggles with this. How does this apply to real life? Some of this will come more and more clear to you as you get older and more experience. I already see a growth in your preaching here. Getting down to where the rubber meets the road is very important. I think the message of the gospel could have been even more clearly stated in your application. You talked about the gospel, but it is important that you not think that your audience knows automatically what you are saying when you use that term. It is really used loosely today and I think it needs to be very clear in the application especially. State the good news and the reason for the need of good news clearly and make precise application for each hearer as you can.
4. Make good eye contact. Let your mind and heart land on the individual. You have a tendency to look “quickly” over the audience and then back to your notes. Work hard at taking time to make good eye contact with many of your people so they sense your love for them as individuals. Do what you can do to draw them into your preaching. Let the love of Christ for you shine out of you and into them through your preaching. This will happen as you ask God to energize your heart to love them–each of them. Speak God’s truth into their lives while you preach–this will help you look at them with care in your eyes.

Hope this helps some. I know I struggle with each of these things and often feel like I don’t do it well myself. So, I preach these things to myself often.
Let me know if you need any clarification and at the same time, don’t beat yourself up with these words. They are meant to encourage your heart.
Grace to you!

I don’t know if you have seen this. I hadn’t, until a friend told me about this. It is the great Pastor C. H. Spurgeon speaking on the topic of music and in particular their reason for having their own hymnal.

Spurgeon‘s congregation produced a hymnbook called “Our Own Hymnbook.”  In his autobiography, he writes:
“None of the collections already published are exactly what our congregation needs, or we would have cheerfully adopted one of them. They are good in their way, but we need something more. Our congregation has distinctive features which are not suited by every compilation—not, indeed, by any known to us. We thought it best to issue a selection which would contain the cream of the books already in use among us, together with the best of all others extant [existing] up to the hour of going to press; and having sought a blessing upon the project, we set about it with all our might, and at last we have brought it to conclusion. Our best diligence has been given to the work, and we have spared no expense. May God‘s richest benediction rest upon the results of our arduous labors! Unto His glory we dedicate Our Own Hymnbook.
The area of our researches has been as wide as the bounds of existing religious literature – American and British, protestant and Romish, ancient and modern. Whatever may be thought of our taste, we have exercised it without prejudice; a good hymn has not been rejected because of the character of its author, or the heresies of the church in whose hymnal it first appeared; so long as the language and the spirit of it commended the hymn to our heart, we included it, and we believe that we have thereby enriched our collection. The range of subjects is very extensive, comprising not only direct praise, but doctrine, experience, and exhortation, thus enabling the saints according to the apostolical command, to edify one another in the spiritual songs.” (C. H. Spurgeon Autobiography, Volume 2: The Full Harvest 1860-1892. Edinburgh: Banner of Truth, 1973; rpt. 2006, pp. 154-55.)

Interesting…

Much has been said for years about music that is used in the church for the purposes of worship.  I have always thought it good and even wise for a church to select music that is not based on one hymnal because many hymnals are very incomplete.  I frequently had trouble choosing a hymnal and often supplemented the hymnal so that many other Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs could be sung.  Seems like this has been a difficulty in churches for many years.  I also like the breadth of the range of subjects that he lists that were appropriate for his people.  Good shepherding demands a care for the soul, and choosing music for the church is an integral part of that soul watching.  I am always amazed at how many pastors refuse to take this kind of care with the music of the church.  Most will say things like, “I don’t know music…” and thus intimate that their ignorance gives them a reason not to deal with soul watching in regard to music.  That same pastor would not tolerate ignorance in other areas of church health or theological study, yet will continue in ignorance in this key area of soul watch.  I am glad for this example set by Spurgeon.  Let’s take good care of the souls of our people and of each other.

Ever since Genesis, we have been reproducing “after our kind” (Gen 1:21,25 et al).  This same idea is made into a pattern in the New Testament when we are told to make disciples.  Disciples are followers, learners, and imitators.  They imitate who they follow and learn of their teaching and their lives are changed–they are made into the likeness of the person they follow.  Peter and his named friends were disciples and were identified with Christ–even though he denied it.  It was undeniable–even though he tried.  He later repented of even trying to deny it and went on to be a major spokesman for Christ.  What a change it was for him to stop talking about himself and talk of Christ.  His letters speak of this change of heart by the grace of God in Christ.  Paul also understood this and became a discipler and even exclaimed “…to give you in ourselves an example to imitate” (2 Thess 3:9).

This has to be a priority of a pastor.  A pastor (or, my favorite word, shepherd) must be one who disciples–that is, one whose very life can be imitated as he imitates Christ.  Christ had twelve immediate disciples–that is, men who were with him non-stop.   I like what Matthew Hoskinson said in a recent message on this topic: “Spend increasing amounts of time with a decreasing amount of people.”  This is a great picture of a discipler.  Go with those who are going!  Train other people.  Pastors should be training other men and eventually they should work themselves out of a job!

Start with small things.  Help your men take ownership of the church in small, but significant areas.  They can open doors and welcome people, they can usher, they can set up chairs, they can organize things, and they can even come up with their own ideas as to what they can do!  God has gifted men with different gifts–find out what they are (which happens only when there is time spent with them) and then put them into jobs that will exploit those gifts.  Give them training and vision in those areas, but let them do it!  They have the Holy Spirit, just like you do!

Next, train deacons and elders.  Spend time with them as a pastor and let them see your heart and life. Speak Christ into their heart and life.  Choose or write some studies that will enhance their giftedness and equip them.  This will be time well spent and you will begin to imitate Christ. Go over the qualifications of elders and deacons and search their hearts to make sure they are qualified according to Scriptural qualifications.  Alexander Strauch has an excellent tool for study for both the elder and deacon. Ask them questions–hard questions.  Ask their spouse good questions.  Watch their children and their interaction with them.  What does their community life look like?  Do they pay their bills on time?  Are they hospitable?  Many more questions can be asked here, but don’t be afraid to ask.

Be aware, though.  If you really believe in discipleship, you will no doubt disciple someone who eventually becomes better at it than you.  This is a good thing.  God has given some men some terrific gifts and sometimes they can seem intimidating, but know that they need discipleship as well.

If pastors don’t train men, do we leave it up to the seminaries?  I think they do a reasonably good job educating them, but I am not sure that an educational institution can take the place of discipleship–especially in the realm of the local church.

2Tim. 2:2 “And what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.”  Good advice!  Let’s do it!

This is not an article about children’s ministries in the formal sense.  It is about the children of people who are in ministry.  Missionaries and church planters often struggle with many things, but having children and seeking to start a church or minister in a foreign county is one of the biggest struggles.  I personally think that next to being a husband, being a father is the most difficult thing in all the world to do–and do effectively.

It all starts with the fathers.  You’re thinking, “Here it comes again, guilt trip!!”  This is not intended to heap up guilt as much as it is to remind us all what is important and rearrange our lives accordingly.  I am amazed at just how often missionary men or church planting (or pastors in general) have no idea what is going on with their children.   God’s discerning grace is all important here, for there is certainly no such thing as a magic wand or formula to follow.  However, there are some things that a father might want to take a long look at that makes room for God’s grace to work.

1. Seek Christ and pursue humility that only He can give.
2. Watch closely the heart of your children.  Look into their eyes and look for the rebellious heart to show itself.  If you look carefully, God will show you.
3. Learn to say, “I was wrong.”  You will sin, but you have the privilege of modeling repentance–what more could your child need?
4. Love your wife.  Lead your wife.  Learn your wife.  This is easier said than done, but grace is available for this.
5. Read your environment!  What is the atmosphere of your house? Do your children like to be with you?  Do they like to be at home?  Is it a safe place for them to talk and share their thoughts and ideas?
6. Listen, listen, and did I mention that you need to listen to your children?  Listen to what they don’t say as much as what they do say and even listen to how they say it.  They may not be able to articulate it so you fully understand it at first.  That’s OK, isn’t it?  After all, you don’t know how to say it right all the time either do you?
7. Don’t assume anything.  This often gets us in trouble.  We should always ask them questions that will give us their feedback and then let them be right–after all, they are people too.
8. Use your spouse’s ears.  Somehow, one child is always easier to understand than the next.  So you may need to use another pair of ears.  This means that you need to be in a good loving relationship to your spouse and able to understand her too.  Hmmm….it all works together, doesn’t it?
9. Use other eyes.  Give the freedom of people around you in ministry and especially extended family member (such as grandparents or aunts and uncles) to give input into how you are doing with your children.  Parents who are defensive of their children are typically not good learners of their children.  The problem with blind spots is that you don’t see them.
10. Depend upon God’s grace.  You will not always do it right–that’s OK–isn’t it?  Do you have the capability of doing it wrong?  The answer should be yes–if you’re honest.  Then use God’s grace to change.  Grace is flowing–bathe yourself in it and love your children.

Not many people put these together in one sentence.  Young men and their families who embark upon the church planting adventure rarely if ever stop to think about suffering.  I don’t think this is true just with church planters, I think it has something to do with youth.  Young people don’t usually add suffering into the equation of life.  I don’t blame them, I just observe this–in my own life and then in the lives of many church planters that I have spent time with.

What about suffering?  Well, there are a number of reasons that church planters in particular suffer.  First, invariably when the church planter begins his voyage, there are a number of things that often happen somewhere along the way in the early stages.  I have observed moving truck breakdowns, car wrecks, blood clots or other health issues, complications with babies, inability to land a job, parent health issues, inability to get an apartment or a home right away, and the list goes on and on.  Most of the time, because of God’s great grace, the church planter and his dear wife have no idea that they are in the middle of suffering.  God’s grace does that!    I can remember our very first church plant in Germany.  On the day of our first service ever, our oldest son–not quite one year old–fell off the bed and got a concussion.  We had never seen a concussion before, but somehow new that the throwing up wasn’t normal.  We had only been in Germany for a few weeks and had no idea what to do.  Cindy took him home (an attic room in which we were staying with or co-workers) and had no idea who to call and how even to call her mother in the states.  Finally, God gave her the idea to call a Canadian friend who was already at church–she was a big help–and off they went to a children’s hospital downtown.  That night as he lay there pretty still and even lifeless, God really worked in my heart a brokenness that I’ll never forget.  It was life changing.  It was also suffering.

God uses two things in all of us to help mold us: people and circumstances.  In church planting, He knows how to use both in such a way that works a distinct brokenness  that works a dependence upon Him and a great knowledge of who He is and what He is doing.  This is vital to the work of a church planter–especially if he is going to build a church that is alive with the person and work of Christ.

I am always amazed at the words that Christ spoke to Annanias when Paul, then Saul, first came to Christ.  Acts 9:16 says, “For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.”  I would have thought it would have been a good time for Christ to say, “I will show him how to have the right philosophy of ministry, or the correct doctrine, or the greatest method of evangelism/discipleship–and just how great a conference speaker he will be.”  All that is inescapably missing. He must suffer.  So, church planter, missionary, pastor, friend, we too must suffer.  Enjoy the company.  Christ also came to suffer unspeakable suffering so that we might have life.  He is our trail blazer–our pattern–let’s follow Him with great joy and confidence–full of grace and truth.  God’s grace is flowing and is more than sufficient–especially in the middle of suffering.

I know what you’re thinking.  I misspelled the word–”Eric, it is FELLOWSHIP, not FOLLOWSHIP!”  Um, well, the word I am talking about is indeed a made up word and it is the word “FOLLOWSHIP!”  Sorry.  But, can we talk about it?

The “Followship” are those within the church who follow the leadership.  So, as usual, it’s a kind of a play on words, but hear me out.

I have said this for years and I think it bears repeating: “Good leadership in a church demands good followship; and good followship demands good leadership!”  This idea stems from several combined sources.

1.  The One-Anothers that I talked about in an earlier blog must be taking place in a healthy body of believers.  That is, leadership is entering the lives of the followship and speaking the gospel into their lives, but the followship is listening and speaking back into the lives of the leadership.  Paul talks about this within the bounds of marriage where he says, “Submitting yourselves to one another out of reverence for Christ” Ephesians 5:21.  This should not be a new thought then when we carry that idea into the church.  Philippians 2:1-4 gives some clear commands on how we are to treat one another.  So, let’s keep that thought in motion and explore another stream of thought.

2. Good leadership has some crucial and vital roles.  Elders/Overseers/Shepherds are soul watchers.  Hebrew 13:17 gives some stunning realities that leadership in the church of God–yes, human beings with all of their warts and personalities, actually give an account of their shepherding to God and they are to “keep watch over your souls.”  Now, Peter reminds the leadership that they are not to be “lording it over those allotted to your charge…” 1 Peter 5:3, so we begin to see some vital roles take shape that God has designed for a shepherd.  They are a bit breath-taking.

3. Let’s go back to the Hebrews passage for a moment.  Here, the writer is giving some vital roles of the followship–words like “obey…submit…obey..” are all words that are not heard much or accepted much.  They are words that really involve trust.  Trusting in God first.  The writer of Hebrews has just spent 12 chapters putting together a glorious picture of all that Christ as High Priest has accomplished for us and the satisfying results of this Salvation!  Now, he is giving at the very end of his letter some short but important imperatives–obey and submit to your leadership.

I like what Mark Devers says in his book “Nine Marks of a Healthy Church” about this.  He says: “It is often said that trust must be earned…’Show me your competence to lead, and I will give you my trust by following.(p. 228)’”  There is a ring of truth to that, but in all areas of life God has placed us under fallible, sinning human beings who are to lead and we are to follow–no where is this better seen than in a body of believers called the church.  This is the role of the followship!

Now, there are several ramifications of this idea that are important to follow-up, but I will reserve that for a later post.  Right now, I just want to ask you, “Are you having good followship?”  This is a two-way question: Is leadership doing its job of leading and is followship doing its job of following?

I came across this years ago and just recently read it again.  I couldn’t help but see in my own life the way I live to please myself.  Richard Baxter has said it better than any of us could, so I’ll let him tell it.

The Ten Marks of a Flesh-Pleaser

by Richard Baxter
Romans 13:14 But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.
The signs of a flesh-pleaser are these:
1. When a man in his desire to please his appetite, does not do it with a view to a higher end, that is to say to the preparing himself for the service of God; but does it only for the delight itself. (Of course no one does every action consciously with a view to the service of God. Nevertheless, the general manner or habit of a life spent in the service of God is absent for the flesh-pleaser.)
2. When he looks more eagerly and industriously after the prosperity of his body than of his soul.
3. When he will not refrain from his pleasures, when God forbids them, or when they hurt his soul, or when the necessities of his soul call him away from them. But he must have his delight whatever it costs him, and is so set upon it, that he cannot deny it to himself.
4. When the pleasures of his flesh exceed his delights in God, and his holy word and ways, and the expectations of endless pleasure. And this not only in the passion, but in the estimation, choice, and action. When he had rather be at a play, or feast, or other entertainment, or getting good bargains or profits in the world, than to live in the life of faith and love, which would be a holy and heavenly way of living.
5. When men set their minds to scheme and study to make provision for the pleasures of the flesh; and this is first and sweetest in their thoughts.
6. When they had rather talk, or hear, or read of fleshly pleasures, than of spiritual and heavenly delights.
7. When they love the company of merry sensualists, better than the communion of saints, in which they may be exercised in the praises of their Maker.
8. When they consider that the best place to live and work is where they have the pleasure of the flesh. They would rather be where they have things easy, and lack nothing for the body, rather than where they have far better help and provision for the soul, though the flesh be pinched for it.
9. When he will be more eager to spend money to please his flesh than to please God.
10. When he will believe or like no doctrine but “easy-believism,” and hate mortification as too strict “legalism.” By these, and similar signs, sensuality may easily be known; indeed, by the main bent of the life.

Wow, how convicting!  Let us be people of repentance and serve our Savior!