Why Get Tattoos? Soli Deo Gloria!

One of the questions that is posed is this:

If you know that tattoos are a touchy subject and people will have issues with it, why would you still get a tattoo? Aren't you just being rebellious and self centered?

The interesting thing is that it is always put on us, who want tattoos, as the ones being selfish and rebellious by getting tattoos. The exact same things were said as Isaac Watts wrote beautiful hymns to be sung in the churches. He was rebellious and looking to self and no one wanted to play his hymns in their services. The same thing was said of those who wanted to play drums and electric guitars in the church services back in the day. It is always put on those who don't stick to tradition of the church but continue to be progressive as rebellious and selfish. Should we just give in then to those who are uncomfortable with tattoos, new hymns and drums in worship through song? Or, should we be active listeners, careful with our liberty and do all to the glory of God?

I wanted to just give some examples of what one should think of before getting a tattoo and the process I have gone through.

Soli Deo Gloria: For the Glory of God Alone

This thought of Soli Deo Gloria was one that the Reformers continually fought for. Before the Reformers, Rome had put forth the thought that the highest calling for any individual was to be clergy of the church. The Reformers highly disagreed saying that all of life is worship and any man or woman's life and occupation is the calling of God and should reflect God's glory. Taking the Scriptures for what they said about life, the first question posed in the Westminster Larger and Shorter Catechisms is:

Q: What is the chief end of man?
A: Man's chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him for ever.

This first part of the answer is taken from the following Scriptures: Ps. 86:9; Isa. 60:21; Rom. 11:36; I Cor. 6:20; 10:31; Rev. 4:11

So, when we ask, "Why get a tattoo?" the first answer needs to be, "to glorify God." This seems stupid to some, but is a reality for those who take God's glory very seriously. But, what does it mean to glorify? To glorify something in the Greek and biblical context, means that when doing something or thinking of someone it means to have a good opinion concerning one, resulting in praise, honour, and glory. Paul, and the other authors, point to the fact that what we do and what we see should always result in a good opinion of God so that we praise and honor God.

So, how do I glorify God in my tattoos?

1. Humble to the Authority God Has Put Over Me and With Me

I used to be a youth director at my previous church. One of the things I always did when kids would see my tattoos and say that they wanted one is I would tell them to go straight to their parents to discuss this. Their parents are their authority and they should honor them. My first tattoo came at the age of 18 and I was in college. Legally, I could do whatever I wanted to. Spiritually, I wanted input and and the "go ahead" from my father (who was a pastor for most of his adult life). I went to him in submission asking for his permission. He told me that he appreciated my submission to his authority and that, although he personally didn't like tattoos, I could do whatever I wanted to in regards to getting a tattoo. He gave me some things to think about in regards to the tat, such as placement and design, but allowed me to make the decision. To be honest, when someone says I am being rebellious getting a tattoo, it really angers me. The reason is that I was a very rebellious child in many ways, but I was most submissive in getting my tattoo than in any other way in my childhood.

If you are out of the house and on your own and single. Truly think through the fact that you will probably have a spouse some day. Think through the fact that they might hate tattoos and have to "deal" with your art on your body. This doesn't mean to not get one, but very careful on what you get and where so that it doesn't become a hindrance in your future marriage.

If you are married you are under obligation to go to your spouse, your body is theirs. Every tattoo goes through my wife first. She has denied me more than people know on tattoo designs, and I have shown my love for her by knowing my body is hers and that I will not get anything, or change anything, on my body that would make her uncomfortable or hinder her love for me. I completely submit everything to her in regards to my body so that I die to self and live for Christ through her. My wife loves tattoos and loves my new one and can't wait for it to be finished. She literally gets excited for them and does not cringe in any way. Let me say this again, if your spouse does not like tattoos, for whatever reason, do not get one because you are in sin. Glorify God by submitting to the authority God has over you.

2. Glorifying God, by Knowing Your Audience

Know who God is sending you to and know also those around you and their view on any subject. I have thought about this for the future. I have thought, "What if God sends me to a tribe that has pagan thoughts on tattoos in some remote part of the world?" Or, what if I become friends who truly stumbles over the fact of tattoos because of his old self? I will make sure that I do what I can to cover the tattoos in these instances. Even to the fact of using cover up make-up to make sure my exposed tattoos are covered up if I were to go to the jungles or a tribe that has those connotations with tattoos. The reason is that my tattoos are not to "make a statement" or to make a true weaker brother stumble (to get a reading on what I mean by this read this post here). If I preach to a mass audience where I know that it could trip some people up, I will do my best to cover them. But, I will also do my best to know the audience I am teaching to. This is why I also ask ahead of time what to dress like when I go to preach and teach at venues I am not familiar with. I don't want to show up in a suit, when everyone is in shorts, nor do I want to show up in cargo pants when everyone is in suits. I don't want my tattoos to become part of the message I am preaching if they are not the point. I want Jesus to be exalted where I go, not frivolous things like my tattoos, what I wear or what I eat or drink.

3. Glorify God By Getting the Right Design

Most people, when thinking of tattoos, think that they must get one that in some way has a Christian message. I don't. As long as the message or the design doesn't directly point to something contrary to God, like a naked woman, I don't care what someone gets because all lawful things point to God. When I get my tattoos I glorify God because I can see the artist and their creativity and see how that points to the amazing grandeur of the creativity and artistry found in our God and Creator. The same thing happens when I buy a piece of art, look at the sunset or stand at the foot of amazing architecture. These things do not have to have some message about God for them to glorify Him.

The correct thinking is to have these things and their beauty point you to the true beauty in God and cause you to praise and honor Him, not the artist or builder. This same mind set should happen when you eat good food, have great sex, make money, spend time with your kids, pick out something to wear or eat good food. One should understand that all these things point to the glory of God, as does a tattoo. Now, do we all like the same food, same art or same activities? No. So, I don't care if you don't like tattoos because you think they are ugly. This doesn't mean I can't glorify God in something you find distasteful. Same thing applies when you wear your ugly Christmas sweater with bells on it. You find it amusing and cute, I find it ugly and disgusting. You can glorify God in it, I want to throw up on it. Most of the things in this life that one can glorify God through, others will not be able to. But, we should not discount others merely because we don't "get it" or don't like it. Nor should we think we can only glorify God in things if they have God's name, Scripture references or a Jesus fish on it.

So, why do I get tattoos? Is it out of rebellion or selfishness? No. It is because I find the great beauty and artistry found in tattoos to be a shadow of the great beauty and artistry found in my Creator, Sustainer and Redeemer. Through my tattoos I get to praise Jesus. You might hate them, which is fine, but don't think that I get them out of rebellion, it is quite the opposite.

“Worthy are You, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and because of Your will they existed, and were created.”
Revelation 4:11

Sing to the Lord a new song;
Sing to the Lord, all the earth.
Sing to the Lord, bless His name;
Proclaim good tidings of His salvation from day to day.
Tell of His glory among the nations,
His wonderful deeds among all the peoples.
For great is the Lord and greatly to be praised;
He is to be feared above all gods.
For all the gods of the peoples are idols,
But the Lord made the heavens.
Splendor and majesty are before Him,
Strength and beauty are in His sanctuary.

Psalm 96:1-6

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Biblical Defenses Against Tattoos

Besides my last posts on "Making a Brother Stumble" and "The Leviticus 19:28 defense" the other two widely used defenses against tattoos would be, "Aren't you ruining the temple of God?" and "Aren't you being worldly?" Besides these arguments, I don't know of any other problems people have with tattoos. If there are other arguments that you have yourself, or that you have heard, please let me know and I can address them.

These two arguments that are easily shown to be illogical when looking at the Christian walk overall, and are really a response by people who don't like tattoos and want to proof text to try and show great biblical knowledge of the subject.


Aren't You Ruining the Temple of God?

Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body.
1 Corinthians 6:19-20

This passage's focus isn't on smoking, drinking or tattoos (which this verse has been used to take issue with each one of these). This passage is about the Corinthians use of prostitution and how that outward act, is actually spiritually sinful because you have now become one flesh with another, instead of God who bought you with a price.

Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?
1 Corinthians 3:16

This passage speaks directly toward one building their temple upon the foundation of Christ or the foundation of idols. Paul tells the Corinthians that they must seek to build their temple of God upon the true Cornerstone and the true foundation which is Christ, not upon the many idols found, not only within Corinth, but within their own selfish ambitions and desires. Specifically, Paul says not to build your foundation upon your own work instead of the work of the Christ. Again...nothing about tattoos.

Or what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; just as God said, “I will dwell in them and walk among them; And I will be their God, and they shall be My people."
2 Corinthians 6:16

This passage is specifically speaking on being unequally yoked to unbelievers and the point God makes is that His temple has no business with idols, so therefore, we, who are the new temple of God should not be yoked with those who do not love God. Again, nothing to do with tattoos.

One can see that we are yes, the temple of God and we are to take this seriously. We are to devote ourselves to what the original temple was devoted to, to shine the glory of God to all. This is our purpose. We are to show off the God of Abraham to all people in our outward response to our God.

I, as with others with tattoos, have decided to do some decoration in God's temple to make it as beautiful as we can. This is the same reason that women wear make up and why you shouldn't wear clothes from the 1950's. Just as you can glorify God with what you wear, so you can with tattoos as well. One isn't destroying the temple of God with tattoos, just decorating it. If one thinks you are destroying the body because you might get "ink poisoning" then the same thing could be used on why not to eat sugar, fats and caffeine because all these things can lead to ways in which your body could decay. Ink poisoning is very rare with tattoos and isn't even a defense. It would be like someone having an issue with you driving a car because you might get in an accident and die or destroy the temple of God.

Aren't You Being Worldly?

Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever.
1 John 2:15-17

Usually the one that brings forth this argument thinks they have an open and shut case in regards to tattoos. It is their height of argument, saved to put the nail in the coffin. But what is John speaking of? John actually defines what love of the world is. He defines it as:

the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world.

It is really idolatry shown through lust of the things in this world, not getting tattoos. Now, can a person getting tattoos be worldly? Yes, of course, they can decide to go against their parents and get one, a wife or husband can ignore their spouses wishes and get one because they have a lust for their own life ahead of those in their authority or those that they have become one flesh with. When I was 18, living in my father's house, I went to him to ask his permission to get my first tattoo. I was "of age" and could legally do what I wanted to, but instead went to my father and asked permission. He said, "although I don't like tattoos, I have no issue of you getting one if you want to." Since I have been married, all thoughts of tattoos go through my wife first and prayer to Christ in my decisions. It is through submission that I get my tattoos, not through pride or rebellion.

Some will still say, "Okay, but aren't you just being like the world when you get those?" Being a part of a culture isn't wrong and it isn't worldly. Again, John told us what is worldly in the direct context of his teachings. His reason for writing that passage was to get followers of Christ to do the will of God and worship and give Him glory, instead of following the lusts of the world and giving self glory. If merely getting a tattoo is being "of the world" then so is buying a big house, driving a car, wearing a suit (or not wearing a suit), putting on make up, wearing cowboy hats in Montana and wearing a Seahawks hat at Qwest Field. That's what the world is, and we look like the world, so it must be sin. No. We are just displaying the culture that we live in.

This is what Christ did. He lived among those and wore and looked like what the culture reflected. That's why Jesus probably had a beard, wore sandals and a funky long robe and undergarment. Because that was what his culture reflected. He would look very different if he were walking amongst us today. Don't think Jesus has some dress on if he visited us today. He would be a representative of our culture, as are we. What you wear or look like doesn't make you worldly, it just reflects your culture. When we went to the South last year, it was funny what that culture reflects down there. 8 out of every 10 women were wearing those velour jogging suits. It made Stacy and I laugh because no one would be caught dead in one of those up here in Seattle. It was definitely a part of their culture.

Just because tattoos haven't been a part of the culture that you grew up in, doesn't make it worldly. Sadly, I sometimes wish I could use that logic so I could make more fun of those that wear velour jogging suits and call it sin.

These are the main arguments against tattoos and hopefully you can see how shallow these arguments are. We are to be the temples of God, living in our culture, displaying the glory of our God. If we were to take these verses as some would want, they would actually take on the dogmas of another major religion: Islam. They dress and do much of the same things that Mohammad's culture took on. That is what Christians are trying to do as they make these Scriptures their proof texts against tattoos, how people dress or look like in general.

I just can't wait for them to start wearing long robes so that their theology fits their practice.

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Jesus Loves Me and My Tattoos

I recently have added to my tattoo repertoire and this one is the one I am excited about most. Has a lot of meaning behind it and will look amazing when done. It will be one of those tats that when someone says, "your tat looks pimp" I will just have to respond by saying, "I know." I put up the first pics of the outline on Facebook and was then emailed the following from someone that I don't know personally:

Out of curiosity, would you consider yourself a Christian? I'm curious to know your thinking on getting tattoos in light of Leviticus 19:28...

Now, this seems to be an honest question and so I will not respond in a sarcastic light. As long as honesty is prevalent, I will respond in like form. Which sucks for my readers, but for the questioner, is out of respect.

So, here is the verse in question:

You shall not make any cuts in your body for the dead nor make any tattoo marks on yourselves: I am the LORD. (NASB)

Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor print any marks upon you: I am the LORD (KJV)

These two really sum up the correct translation of this Old Testament verse. It seems pretty cut and dry that one should abstain from tattoo marks or print marks on the body. But is it?

In Bible interpretation, one of the first things you must seek is context. If you don't look in context you will make some grave errors. One of the easiest ways to point this out, in an elementary form, is that the Bible says, "There is no God." Of course context shows that the verse actually says, "The fool says in his heart, "There is no God." They are corrupt, their deeds are vile; there is no one who does good." (Psalm 14:1) I know that is basic, but so is the look at our verse above that mentions tattoos or marks on the body.

It is widely believed among Biblical scholars that Leviticus 19:28 refers to an ancient practice in the Middle East of people cutting themselves and rubbing in ash when in a period of mourning after an individual had died. It was a sign of respect for the dead and a symbol of respect and reverence and a sense of profound loss for the newly departed; and it is surmised that the ash that was rubbed into the self-inflicted wounds came from the actual funeral pyres that were used to cremate the bodies. In essence, people were literally carrying with them a reminder of the recently deceased in the form of tattoos created by ash being rubbed into shallow wounds cut or slashed into the body, usually the forearms. This rite would have been part of a culturally accepted process of grieving. (via Tattoo Culture Online)

Not only was this the practice but we also see that cutting was a practice by the prophets of Baal while Elijah mocked them on Mount Carmel. (1 Kings 18).

It seems as though the practice had to do with actual worship to another god or gods. Even in the verse that is brought up in Leviticus 19:28, the verse is pointing to some sort of ancient practice of cutting for the worship or honor of the dead, not in the mere deed of cutting or tattooing oneself.

But, even with all this thought, it still says not to do it. But now we come to context of the verse. This chapter, and even the book of Leviticus is set up in many ways as a complete shadow of Christ, in the laws and regulations for the nation of Israel. Therefore, we must look at these laws and separate them from civil laws and moral laws. The question really is, "Which laws are binding only on the nation of Israel, and which ones are still binding on us today?" The reason this is the question at hand is because there are many laws put into effect in Leviticus that we break all the time. Look at some of these:

1. You can't eat shrimp or other unclean animals (Leviticus 11)

2. You can't wear polyester or other garments with two kinds of material mixed together (Leviticus 19:19)

3. You can't shave the corners of your head's hair or shave your beard (Leviticus 19:27)

These are just three proofs that something else is at play here. We would though also say that there are some things in Leviticus that we should follow, such as not making our children prostitutes and not going to mediums and spiritists.

So what is the difference? The difference comes in the practice themselves. Are they for the nation of Israel or for all people for all time? Meaning, is there a moral grounding in the law that is to continually be forbidden?

The answer for Tattoos is "yes and no." But, I believe that the answer to most laws in the Old Testament and our actions in our lives are a "yes and no." Think of this. Are there ways to make money for the glory of God or the glory of self? Are there ways to have sex for the glory of God or for the glory of self? Are there ways to eat or drink to the glory of God or for the glory of self? And when I say, "glory of self" that is the essence of worshiping a false god, which is ourselves. We find this very clearly in Romans 14:23 when it states,

...and whatever is not from faith is sin.

If one gets a tattoo to worship another god, then that is sin. If someone eats meat to worship another god, that is sin. But, if someone gets a tattoo or eats for the glory of God, then that is fine in the eyes of God and he actually loves it, because it is done to show worship to our God.

The verse has even more thought put towards it when we find that Jesus Christ himself has some sort of marking on him when he returns to put a beat down on all pagans and their gods.

Out of his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. "He will rule them with an iron scepter."He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS. "

Revelation 19:15-16

If tattooing is considered evil, I hope that same person doesn't wear polyester and has a pretty rad beard down to their knees with some ratty hair. This is the crux of the matter in dealing with Leviticus 19, but I will also put up another post on how I can bring glory to God in getting a tattoo and defend tattoos against other arguments in the New Testament. Such as, "Isn't your body a temple?", "Aren't you being worldly by getting tattoos?" and "Aren't you making those who are against tattoos stumble?"

The body of Christ needs to do all things for the glory of God. Tattooing is no different and neither is picking out a shirt to wear for the day or whether or not to eat a hot dog at Costco.

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New Christian T-Shirt That Will Never Sell

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Why Thesis 1, of the 95 Theses, is the Most Profound

The most profound statement ever made outside of Scripture has to be found in the first of the 95 Theses stated by Martin Luther.

Our Lord and Master Jesus Christ, when He said Poenitentiam agite (Repent Ye), willed that the whole life of believers should be repentance.

This first thesis is truly deeper than any thought recorded and has the most impact for any believer for the following reasons:

1. Humility

When one is a repentant man, one has to realize that he is continually wrong. This continual understanding of wrongness, drives the man to humility. Paul said he was the chief of sinners and least of the apostles, showing the lead in how we should understand our sin as it relates to others. We are not above others, but we should see as our least among our brethren. Thesis 1, is truly amazing, because it drives us to humility.

2. Our Problem

When one is constantly in need of repentance, it shows that we are constantly in torment over our sinful state, showing our lack in ourselves. Repentance not only gives one humility, but it shows the utter lack of good within themselves. When one is continually being shown their sin, it shows the truth in God's word that says that "none are good, no not one" and "all our good deeds are like filthy rags." When one lives a life of repentance, it is a life that continually sees their lack, not their fullness in themselves.

3. Our Solution

Notice who says, "Poenitentiam agite." Is it not our Christ? When one lives a life of repentance, they are driven to humility, see their lack of righteousness, but are also driven to understand their need for a Saviour. When one repents, they don't merely turn from sin, but they turn to their Saviour. A life of repentance, is a life that is full, not because of their own goodness, but in the goodness of the One they turn to. A life of repentance is a thankful life that is lived out because of the gift and love of the Saviour to save them from utter despair of realization of a life lived out wickedly.

and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory,
1 Peter 1:8

“But now I come to You; and these things I speak in the world so that they may have My joy made full in themselves.
John 17:13

For these three succinct reasons, which many books could and have been written on, I believe that the words of Luther are most profound and ones that came only after a man was caught up in self-righteousness found that,

For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “But the righteous man shall live by faith.”
Romans 1:17

This man, realized in himself was a torn up worm who needed to continually repent to see his Christ more clearly. For that, I thank him, but to God alone I give glory.

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Obedience or Obligation? Gospel vs. Religion

Recently I have received some comments from an anonymous person that is probably either an atheist or agnostic. Either way, they do not understand how I can say that I believe that ones inside influence or heart of man matter when dealing with the outward works of man. Seemingly, they find it hard to believe that this "trickery of the mind" really matters or is helpful and really doesn't find it much different than religion.

He actually went as far as to say that because I believe in the grace of the cross that must mean that my God will be happy if I remain in "grace" without real changes in my behavior. Which is interesting because Paul received the same questions when he preached on grace:

What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase?
May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it?
Romans 6:1-2

Now, I know that when speaking to a non-believer in Christ and the authority of the Bible their will be a bit of an unwinnable war between us. So, what I am not trying to do is win them to my side, but explain why I believe that it truly is a big deal to understand a life lived out because of grace instead of a life lived out to receive grace. One is the gospel and the other is historical and contemporary religion. There is a vast difference and it is shown quite clearly in the Scriptures.

Christ tells us this:

“Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.
“Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
“For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”
Matthew 11:28-30

“If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.
John 14:15

For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not burdensome.
1 John 5:3

These statements are a big deal. Ones that I found very hard to understand while dealing with being a religious person hoping that my good works would at some point catch the attention of my Creator.

The real understanding of the cross and it's abundance is not trickery or some sort of mind games. It is real and one that is derived from the Spirit opening up, not only the mind, but the affections of the heart to the One who died for me. The outcome of this affection comes true obedience to the Christ, not some sort of obligation to pay him back in some sort of quasi payment plan.

We actually see this happen in real life as well which prove that this obedience out of gratitude and love is not mere mind games and trickery, but real obedience that isn't burdensome.

Why is it that God sets up pictures for us through our lives that depict what a real relationship with him is like? Think of these. Christians are called the bride of Christ, pointing to marriage and God is also called our Father, pointing to the structure of family.

When thinking of marriage and family, true obedience coming out of love is always distinguished from a mere obligation to be paid because one is a spouse or a child.

When thinking of my marriage, I do those things that please my wife because I love her. I do these things out of gratitude for her love for me and our close relationship through the knitting of souls in marriage. I will at times do the dishes, buy her flowers, take her out, clean up after myself, make the bed, etc. not because this is an obligation in marriage, but because I love her. I want to please her, I want to make her happy and do those things which bring her pleasure. These things are not burdensome, but are done because of my deep rooted love for my wife. I have asked my wife, "If I cheated on you, would you divorce me?" She responded, "although it would be hard, I would do all I could to stay married and honor our marriage and God." Now, do I go off cheating on her to take advantage of the situation? Or, do I understand how much I love her and how much she loves me and honor her?

The same is with Christ. I don't do good things because if I don't he won't love me. I do the things of Christ because of the great love he displayed for my sake on the cross and the resurrection. This is not trickery of the mind, but a correct understanding of the gospel. If it was mere trickery, then what is the difference between a husband who does things for his wife's pleasure out of love and the one who does those things so the wife won't divorce him and take half of his money?

The same can be seen within the structure of the family. As a parent, I don't want mere obedience, no parent truly does. Now, is it nice when our kids are obedient instead of unruly? Yes, but does this prove that they love us? Not at all. You can have two kids that do the same chores with perfection and one could be doing it because they love you and the other could be doing it to stay out of trouble or with the hope of a greater payment in allowance, treats, privileges, etc. And, for the parent, this is a huge deal. When my son does things for my wife because he wants to see her happy, even in little things like making his bed, it is a vast difference if he is doing them so he can get ice cream. One shows a deep understanding of love for his mom, the other shows that he is merely doing the chore to receive payment. The difference is like having a wife that maintains the house because she loves you and a maid that comes in once a week and barely knows you and could care less about you (besides receiving a paycheck).

This is the same with Christ. God doesn't want obedient children that just want to stay out of trouble (hell or judgment) or to receive God's gifts of a good life (which may or may not happen). God desires for the person's heart to be changed in a loving understanding of the depths of redemption that was paid on their behalf. He isn't using trickery of the mind, but is changing the heart to be knitted to his own. This is why when someone understands this love of God, God's commandments are not burdensome. Because God's love and approval of me, has nothing to do with my obedience, but of Christ's obedience.

The proof is found directly in the Bible. Just look at David vs the Pharisees. To be honest, the Pharisees were far superior to David in outward works. David was an adulterer, murderer, depressed and sort of skitzophrenic in his relationship with God. But David was a man that was said to be a man after God's own heart. Why? Because he knew that God was his redemption and although he tried his hardest to live that out, he knew himself to be a sinner in need of help from his Father and future Bridegroom.

On the other hand, you have the Pharisees that were close to perfect on the outside, but Christ called them white washed tombs and sons of the devil. Why? Because they did their works out of obligation for payment of eternal life and God's gifts, not because they loved God.

This isn't trickery. This isn't some sort of mind game. This is true biblical love that is shown in God's work on our behalf, so that we could display his work to others.

King David puts it this way:

Sacrifice and meal offering You have not desired;
My ears You have opened;
Burnt offering and sin offering You have not required.
Then I said, “Behold, I come;
In the scroll of the book it is written of me.
I delight to do Your will, O my God;
Your Law is within my heart.”
Psalm 40:6-8

But, when you think of this: didn’t God say that burnt offerings and sin offering were required? But notice that David says he does these things not to earn God’s favor but does it because he delights to do God’s will, because he loves God.

On the other hand, you have the Pharisees who did good works for payment from God. Jesus had this to say to them:

‘This people honors Me with their lips,
But their heart is far away from Me.
‘But in vain do they worship Me,
Teaching as doctrines the precepts of men.’ ”
Matthew 15:8-9

Jesus wants your heart, not merely your works. But know this: out of a heart that loves God and desires him most, good works will come.

If there is a difference in those relationships that we deal with daily, then we must ask why is there a difference and where did it come from? It came from the God who created us for his glory to do his will because he first loved us.

This isn't some mind game that is made up. This isn't trickery. This is real obedience to One that I love and adore. To him, that makes all the difference, to the homeless guy who gets fed, it doesn't matter...he just wants food.

So, although it looks like the same thing to someone who does not know God, they don't know the heart of the man. So, although two people can be doing the same good works and both look holy, one of them could be doing it out of a loving obedience and the other out of obligation for payment.

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The Church Are My Homeboys Gear

I am not sure why I am doing this...but I designed something that is grammatically terrible, but theologically true. If you want to purchase something take a look at the storefront...enjoy your shopping.

Contend Earnestly Trinkets Link

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Derek Webb Uses "Vulgarity" With His Eyes Closed

My buddy David, over at Calvin and Calvinism, pointed out this video by Derek Webb. The song is on worrying more about language and such, than the "stuff" that matters more. Now, as I am definitely not a language Puritan, not sure that this is the right venue, meaning a public one, to show off his language skills. I am sure that Derek and I would get along great over a beer and shooting the ...uhhh... stuff about culture and Christ and the contextualization of the gospel. But, just not sure if cussing in public is the right thing for us to promote.

I say this and I am still going to put up the video and the lyrics. As usual, let the comments fly, and to all you anonymous commentors that I know will comment (maybe not now)...chicken. So, enjoy, but know that there are a couple of words that could be offensive to the viewing public even though they are used in the right context. The song is called "What Matters More" off of his album "Stockholm Syndrome".



Click "read more" to view the lyrics.


You say you always treat people like you like to be
I guess you love being hated for your sexuality
You love when people put words in your mouth
'Bout what you believe, make you sound like a freak

'Cause if you really believe what you say you believe
You wouldn't be so damn reckless with the words you speak
Wouldn't silently conceal when the liars speak
Denyin' all the dyin' of the remedy

Tell me, brother, what matters more to you?
Tell me, sister, what matters more to you?

If I can tell what's in your heart by what comes out of your mouth
Then it sure looks to me like being straight is all it's about
It looks like being hated for all the wrong things
Like chasin' the wind while the pendulum swings

'Cause we can talk and debate until we're blue in the face
About the language and tradition that he's comin' to save
Meanwhile we sit just like we don't give a shit
About 50,000 people who are dyin' today

Tell me, brother, what matters more to you?
Tell me, sister, what matters more to you?

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Machen on Biblical Inerrancy

I have been reading Nichols' book entitled, "Ancient Word, Changing Worlds: The Doctrine of Scripture", and I came to a quote from Machen from his book, "Christianity and Liberalism" which I found to be very helpful and insightful. Remember that this book by Machen was written in 1923:

This doctrine of "plenary inspiration" has been made the subject of persistent misrepresentation. Its opponents speak of it as though it involved a mechanical theory of the activity of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit, it is said, is represented in this doctrine as dictating the Bible to writers who were really little more than stenographers. But of course all such caricatures are without basis in fact, and it is rather surprising that intelligent men should be so blinded by prejudice about this matter as not even to examine for themselves the perfectly accessible treatises in which the doctrine of plenary inspiration is set forth...

The modern liberal rejects not only the doctrine of plenary inspiration, but even such respect for the Bible as would be proper over against any ordinarily trustworthy book. But what is substituted for the Christian view of the Bible ? What is the liberal view as to the seat of authority in religion?

The impression is sometimes produced that the modern liberal substitutes for the authority of the Bible the authority of Christ. He cannot accept, he says, what he regards as the perverse moral teaching of the Old Testament or the sophistical arguments of Paul. But he regards himself as being the true Christian because, rejecting the rest of the Bible, he depends upon Jesus alone.

This impression, however, is utterly false. The modern liberal does not really hold to the authority of Jesus. Even if he did so, indeed, he would still be impoverishing greatly his knowledge of God and of the way of salvation. The words of Jesus, spoken during His earthly ministry, could hardly contain all that we need to know about God and about the way of salvation; for the meaning of Jesus' redeeming work could hardly be fully set forth before that work was done. It could be set forth indeed by way of prophecy, and as a matter of fact it was so set forth by Jesus even in the days of His flesh. But the full explanation could naturally be given only after the work was done. And such was actually the divine method. It is doing despite, not only to the Spirit of God, but also to Jesus Himself, to regard the teaching of the Holy Spirit, given through the apostles, as at all inferior in authority to the teaching of Jesus...

It is not true at all, then, that modern liberalism is based upon the authority of Jesus. It is obliged to reject a vast deal that is absolutely essential in Jesus' example and teaching--notably His consciousness of being the heavenly Messiah. The real authority, for liberalism, can only be "the Christian consciousness" or "Christian experience." But how shall the findings of the Christian consciousness be established? Surely not by a majority vote of the organized Church. Such a method would obviously do away with all liberty of conscience. The only authority, then, can be individual experience; truth can only be that which "helps" the individual man. Such an authority is obviously no authority at all; for individual experience is endlessly diverse, and when once truth is regarded only as that which works at any particular time, it ceases to be truth. The result is an abysmal skepticism.

The Christian man, on the other hand, finds in the Bible the very Word of God. Let it not be said that dependence upon a book is a dead or an artificial thing. The Reformation of the sixteenth century was founded upon the authority of the Bible, yet it set the world aflame. Dependence upon a word of man would be slavish, but dependence upon God's word is life. Dark and gloomy would be the world, if we were left to our own devices and had no blessed Word of God. The Bible, to the Christian is not a burdensome law, but the very Magna Charta of Christian liberty.

It is no wonder, then, that liberalism is totally different from Christianity, for the foundation is different. Christianity is founded upon the Bible. It bases upon the Bible both its thinking and its life. Liberalism on the other hand is founded upon the shifting emotions of sinful men.

J. Gresham Machen, Christianity and Liberalism, pgs. 73-74,76

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An Evening of Eschatology: Piper, Storms, Wilson, Hamilton

HT: Foedus Theologus

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How Should We Then Live?

I have heard so much about this book that I finally had to pick it up and read it because of me love of Schaeffer's earlier works, which you can find my reviews here on those. I am not sure what I was expecting, but what I found was really a regurgitation of earlier works to be adapted to a film series that Schaeffer and his son were going to do. Not that the book was bad, it just wasn't anything new from Schaeffer's earlier works.

The book is based off the passage found in Ezekiel 33:1-11,19 where you will find the title in verse 10 and then the answer to the question in verse 19:

1Again the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
2Son of man, speak to the children of thy people, and say unto them, When I bring the sword upon a land, if the people of the land take a man of their coasts, and set him for their watchman:
3If when he seeth the sword come upon the land, he blow the trumpet, and warn the people;
4Then whosoever heareth the sound of the trumpet, and taketh not warning; if the sword come, and take him away, his blood shall be upon his own head.
5He heard the sound of the trumpet, and took not warning; his blood shall be upon him. But he that taketh warning shall deliver his soul.
6But if the watchman see the sword come, and blow not the trumpet, and the people be not warned; if the sword come, and take any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at the watchman's hand.
7So thou, O son of man, I have set thee a watchman unto the house of Israel; therefore thou shalt hear the word at my mouth, and warn them from me.
8When I say unto the wicked, O wicked man, thou shalt surely die; if thou dost not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand.
9Nevertheless, if thou warn the wicked of his way to turn from it; if he do not turn from his way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul.
10Therefore, O thou son of man, speak unto the house of Israel; Thus ye speak, saying, If our transgressions and our sins be upon us, and we pine away in them, how should we then live?
11Say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel?
19But if the wicked turn from his wickedness, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall live thereby.

This book is good for those who have never read Schaeffer. He, as usual, masterfully shows through the rise and decline of nations how their thought of God has been determined and shown it through a nation's art and culture. He walks through early Rome, the Middle Ages, the Reformation, the Renaissance, the Enlightenment, etc. to show how the belief in God, or lack thereof, was shown through music, theatrical playwrights, paintings, and even architecture. He really sums up well whole cultures throughout history to show the flow of thought as a whole.

As with all of his books he focuses primarily on the arguments posed by those who ascribe to non-absolutes and shows how this thought has ruined, and will continue to ruin, the reason for man and the value of man. After he shows how these people have portrayed their beliefs in all of culture, he breaks down the reason why the belief in the Christian God makes more sense and is a reality.

Even if one isn't a Christian, the flow of culture that is shown by Schaeffer is not a grind but a real joy to read. He shows this over and over again in all of his books the reality of the impact our cultures have on our thinking and values.

Although I do recommend the book, I would then quickly follow up with his earlier works which give even greater detail. But, I will also say that I enjoyed the fact that this book included pictures of the art and people that Schaeffer spoke about. Usually I would be googling those different aspects of art and film that Schaeffer mentioned because of how much detail he sometimes goes into when referencing different pieces in history. This part I much enjoyed about this book.

Recommended

Buy from the following:

Crossway Books

Westminster Books

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Will America Fall Like Rome?

I have been reading Schaeffer's "How Should We Then Live?" and he comes to the point towards the end of the book of the problem with modern modern man...which is another way to say before his time, postmodern man. He is showing the rise of this man throughout the history of cultures around the world. As he does this, he comes to the point of where he saw the United States in the mid 1970's, which is when the book was written. The sad thing, is that this country looks a lot like Rome when it fell. Here is where Schaeffer is making his point from:

Edward Gibbon (1737-1794) in his Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire (1776-1788) said that the following five attributes marked Rome at its end:

1. A mounting love of show and luxury (that is, affluence)

2. A widening gap between the very rich and the very poor (this could be countries in the family of nations as well as in a single nation)

3. An obsession with sex

4. Freakishness in the arts, masquerading as originality and enthusiasms pretending to be creativity (I put some pictures that I took from the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art so you could see up close the absurdity)

5. An increased desire to live off the state

This was Schaeffer quoting Gibbon back in the 70's. How far we have come in a mere 30 years to show that Schaeffer was noticing something even then what was coming. I just wonder how close we are to calling ourselves Romerica. (click read more to look at SFMOMA Pictures.

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Faith and Reason: Do They War Against Each Other?

This morning I was having quite the discussion based on this quote by one of my favorite theologians, Martin Luther:

"Faith must trample under foot all reason, sense, and understanding. "

Now, some (I don't think all the guys I was discussing this with would take it this way) take this quote and use it for some help in an understanding that our faith isn't reasonable or logical. But, this is not what Luther was trying to get across. We must take Luther in his context and whom his fight was against. His fight was against Rome who was taking their theological constructs from Aristotle and Aquinas. Both of these men put revelation (Scripture) and reason on an even playing field. In actuality, they usually would put reason completely above Scripture in any competing argument.

So, when Luther is speaking of things such as reason and logic, he is not speaking about throwing them out all together, but making sure that they keep within the context of the revealed faith in our Scriptures. A clearer quote from Luther came from a debate Luther had where he said that,

Reason is a whore

This is clearer because reason is not sinful or wrong in it's context it should be used in. If used inappropriately beyond the confines that God has placed it in, one can then abuse what God has made to be good. Think of sex within the context of this quote. Sex is not wrong in the correct, godly context, but taken outside of the bounds which God has placed it, one becomes a whore.

So, should we have a reasonable faith? Yes. God calls us to. There is never a story of faith in the Bible that was a blind faith, or one without reason. We are even told that Abraham was going to sacrifice Isaac because of his understanding that God would raise him from the dead (Hebrews 11:17-19). He wasn't blindly walking up the mountain to sacrifice his son to an unreasonable and irrational god.

What one finds as they search the Scriptures and then tests them to the things of this world is a rational, reasonable God. This God is who gives us our reasonable faith so that we can trust in him. One does not take a blind leap of trust or faith. Faith without reason is foolish, reason without faith is pointless and damning. The reason I say that it is foolish is that no one should trust in something or someone without a reason. Why should we trust in Christ and his cross? Because God has given us reasons to do so. Do we always understand these reasons? No. But we do have reason and rationality to believe and trust in the Scriptures and the God who speaks through them. This also goes with someone who has intellect and reason but no faith. They are damned and without hope, because their reason and rationality aren't directed to the one who underlines their whole life of worship.

These two aren't warring but must work together. We even have the definition of faith in Hebrews that points to reason and logic within the person that has faith:

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.
Hebrews 11:1

Assurance and conviction do not come about through the air, but through a reasonable understanding of whom or what you are putting your faith and trust in. This is why when reason tells us something that seems to contradict the Bible we must put our attention on the reasonable God who is infinite. Our faith is reasonable and logical, but when life doesn't make sense in our finite minds, we must have faith in our infinite God.

Know that I am not saying one can merely come to God through reason, but one cannot come to God without a rational reason for doing so. One doesn't just one day wake up from being an Atheist to a blood bought Christian.

If you want to think about it this way. Today I am putting faith in the building that I am in. I have faith that it won't collapse on my head because of my minute knowledge in engineering and architecture and my experience of being in this building everyday. This is a reasonable faith not a blind one.

One will also notice how God tells us to report on this faith:

but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence;
1 Peter 3:15

Peter uses the term "apologia" which of course is where we get the use of apologetics, which means to make a defense. Actually in the Strongs it says, "to make a reasoned statement." The term was used for courtrooms where something was defended with evidence and reason. One wouldn't walk into a courtroom and tell the jury, "just believe me."

Neither would God. He is always giving us more and more reasons to believe in Him. He has given us reasons and logic and rationality to have faith in him and he has never asked to follow blindly.

This doesn't mean we'll always understand or have a depth of knowledge in any given situation, but we can have faith in those times because our God has always been faithful and just and he alone is the evidence and reason to believe in those times.

If he didn't give us evidence and assurance then we would never believe the following:

...for He Himself has said, “I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you,”
so that we confidently say, “The Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid. What will man do to me?”
Hebrews 13:5b-6

When someone asks why you believe, never tell someone to "I just believe" or to "I had to take a leap of faith" because God has never asked you to do so.

Check out this short video on this topic as it gives a great summation in under 4 minutes: Faith vs Reason

HT: Mark at Here I Blog

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Have I Missed the Point of the Gospel?

This post really sucks. Just to warn you, I don't make much sense in this post, but is really just blog entry that has a lot of different points and thoughts. Sorry in advance for the weirdness and thoughts that are all over the place.

As I sat in church yesterday, listening to the gospel message being put forth by one of the Soma elders Jeff Vanderstelt, I started to wonder if we have missed the point of the Gospel. The reason is because of the powerful message put forth by Jeff, not despite his message. Jeff spoke about the three aspects of the Gospel, which was to save us, is saving us and will save us. Meaning the Gospel has happened is powerful for the past, present and future. I will have to say that my understanding of the gospel has been mainly focused on what it has done and what it will do, but very little in the great understanding of it's affects for today. I believe in the power of what Christ did on the cross, but I wonder if I believe in the power of Christ's resurrection for myself today, to live it out to others. I just wonder if we, if I, have missed the point of the gospel.

The past five years, it seems as though my process of works has been self motivated. I also believe that I am not alone. What I have found after thinking about yesterday is that my life has been about defending doctrine and telling others about Jesus. Now, this sounds great on the surface, but is a real danger and pride bearer for anyone left to his own flesh.

Because the focus has been on defending doctrine and telling others about Jesus, I have spent little time on my life with Jesus. How does his gospel truly affect my life? How does he affect my relationships with those that do evil against me? How does he affect my times of monetary struggles? How does he affect me to reach out to the hurting? How does he affect me to be a good husband? How does he affect me to be a good father?

What this is really saying is am I truly affected by the gospel so that I can then affect others deeply for the gospel? Am I making disciples or am I merely yelling at others and telling them how they are wrong and what they should do different?

Instead of asking myself if I have been saved and what are the fruits of my salvation, I only ask others this, then challenge what doctrines that I believe that they have mistaken to be unorthodox. Now, don't get me wrong, I believe sound doctrine and telling others about the gospel is important, but if it comes at the expense of never having one's life transformed, it does little good for you personally for eternity. One can have great doctrine and still not know Jesus. One can be saved and in heaven only to find that the person who told them about Jesus stands condemned because they were never circumcised in the heart, only bent in the mind to spew truths.

I just wonder sometimes: Have I missed it? As we look at the life of Christ and the words of Him, we need to see that he truly has done it all for us and that we can never measure up, but God looks at us as though we have measured up because of the righteousness of Christ, not anything within us. So, instead of me trying to measure up by having all the right answers (doctrines, orthodoxy, orthopraxy), serving in all kinds of ministries, memorizing Scripture, telling others about Jesus from afar, I now am seeing that what I must do. Yes, continue to do some of those things, but also get my hands dirty and dig deep and make disciples. Because if we are not making disciples, which is a word that is deeper than having someone say some weird sinner's prayer, then are we really a disciple ourselves?

I mean, we are told that we will suffer in this world, that some will hate us, that we should love those whom are our enemies, that we should help the poor and that we should imulate Christ and incarnate him to others, that would we should carry one another's burdens, that we should care for each other. Are we, am I, doing this? Or am I masking ministries, writings and sermons as what a real Christian does? Do I really think that because I serve in many areas of the church that that is what makes me a mature Christian? Because what did those Christians base their salvation on in the Middle Ages where churches met in a stone house with no tracts or Youth Group? Am I spending too much time focusing on the lack of perfect orthopraxy of other ministries instead of looking at the lack in myself and the fullness of Christ?

I used to not help out with the local single women's shelter because the place would send women to any local church instead of taking a stand on certain doctrines that I hold dear. Instead of incarnating Jesus to these ladies and showing them Jesus, I would stand afar and scoff at other churches who were helping them. Who looks like a Pharisee and who looks like Jesus in this? Again, knowing that doctrine is still very important, but, honestly, who cares if a church hands out gas cards to get people at their church and then helps out the poor? It's better than scoffing at those churches who are desperately trying to be the hands and feet of Jesus.

What I am trying to say through this is that Christ tells us that "Go, therefore" which really means, "as you go, make disciples." In every day life, those that God has put around me, I need to make disciples for Christ. The only way to do this is to understand that the power of the resurrected Christ has been given to me, his Son, to live like I believe God is in control and has given me a past, present and future hope in his righteousness, grace and mercy.

The first question that I am asking myself: Am I a disciple? Am I truly affected by Christ and his gospel? Am I in the battle or am I merely someone who strategizes for the battle without ever entering it?

The second question: Am I making discples or am I merely pointing fingers at others who are trying?

Or, Am I a Christian living like Jesus did or am I a Pharisee who tells everyone else what they should be doing?

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Jesus Loves Hip Hop

With all the hype coming up and around guys like Lecrae, Trip Lee, Tedashii and Flame and hopefully Celestine soon, you knew there would be haters. Men like Piper, Driscoll, Dever and even my close friend James White (haha) have in their own ways supported what is being dubbed Holy Hip Hop. But, for whatever reason you have guys and people out there that have an issue with Christians listening to hip hop, and even Christian Hip Hop at that. I have heard some really stupid comments, such as,

When someone rolls by and hears the rapping they don't know it is Christian so they will think it is just another secular artist that is being sexually explicit

Really? This is the excuse? Someone might think ill of you? What should make us throw up isn't the type of music someone listens to but their lame attempt to say they are Christian and hold their culture as a higher standard than another. Because this is exactly what someone is doing when they have to say that hip hop culture is evil and Jesus can't impact it in a positive way.

So, am I supposed to believe that if you love music that sounds like Barry Manilow and the Beatles that it is more godly? Am I supposed to believe that your mullet and confederate flag is less idolatrous than hip hop? Just because someone dresses different than you, listens to different types of music, sags their pants, and lives in the inner city doesn't mean that you should look down on their culture. It just happens to be different than yours because they don't drive a minivan with a Jesus fish and "my kid was student of the month at my all white school" bumper sticker.

Please wake up. Hip Hop, just like any other music can be used for the spread of the Gospel or the spread of idolatrous self worship. The Beatles said that they were bigger than Jesus yet no one is calling out those bands that sound a lot like them or play similar licks or instruments. The fact is, Holy Hip Hop is going to the places that you would never imagine living or even visiting. They are going into the urban areas giving these idolatrous kids something to look outward to (Christ) instead of looking around them at the treasures of this world. They are spreading hope, not through Obama, but through Christ. They are speaking of the cross and the resurrection of Jesus, instead of whores and rims.

The sad thing is that some think that this isn't godly. They think that Hip Hop cannot show forth the light of the gospel. They put their culture, whatever it is, above another's. And to be honest, it sounds a lot like Hitler and Germany. I know that is extreme, but honestly it has the same root. One is spreading the gospel, which happens to be Holy Hip Hop and the other is spreading religion that gives us culturally okay methods to use and not use based on their crap opinions. Just look at the different methods that were used to reach the different cultures in the writing of the New Testament. Depending on who they were writing to, they would draw on different things. John, when speaking to Greeks, used a term "logos" that would draw them to understanding. Paul, when speaking to Jews, would use the Law and it's requirements to show them the grace found in the cross of Christ.

I love when people say that they believe this because we are not to be of the world. They say this with a straight face when their clothes and music look exactly like the dude cheating on his wife, hooked on porn, beating his kids and has money as his idol as he works more than he comes home. What is the difference? Oh, one is comfortable for them, the other is out of their comfort zone. No one is asking them to spit rhymes and buy the albums, the hip hop guys are just asking them to pray for their mission and that the gospel will be shown clearly to those others are too scared to reach out to.

I would really like somone to point out to me biblically, why Holy Hip Hop is wrong. I would like to know how saying it is wrong is not culture idolatry and superiority. Jesus came and immersed himself in culture and the Pharisees were pissed that he was sitting and befriending sinners. Maybe you need to ask yourself: Do I look more like Jesus or a White Washed Tomb?

Below is the lyrics to Shai Linne's song called "The Cross (3 Hours)" which has more theology in it than the sermons most have heard in the last year.

Verse 1

There’s something you gotta see, journey with me
It’s approximately 30 A.D.
In the land of Israel- the city of Jerusalem
But on the outside there’s screams and loud cries
Through faith, this scene can be seen without eyes
The mean shout lies and seem to sound wise
As we inch through the crowd, we need to be cautious
A Roman execution, men on three crosses
But all the focus is on the one in the center
The gate closes behind you- no one can enter
The sight you behold is so odd, you’re stunned
The man hanging on the cross is God the Son
12 noon, it’s pitch-black because the sunshine’s lacking
Your minds can’t fathom this divine transaction
As slowly the sound becomes mostly drowned
You realize that you’re standing on holy ground

Bridge

So forever will I tell
In three hours, Christ suffered more than any sinner ever will in hell (4x)

Chorus

It’s where we see Your holiness- at the cross
We see that You’re controlling this- at the cross
We see how You feel about sin- at the cross
Your unfathomable love for men- at the cross
It’s where we see Your sovereignty- at the cross
We see our idolatry- at the cross
We know that there’s a judgment day- from the cross
May we never take our eyes away- from the cross

Verse 2

We’re now in the realm of the sublime and profound
With God at the helm it’s about to go down
The Father’s wrath precise will blast and slice
The priceless Master Christ as a sacrifice
Willingly, He’s under the curse
To be treated as if the Son was the worst scum of the earth
The scene is the craziest
Jesus being treated as if He is the shadiest atheist
How is it the Messiah is in the fiery pit
As if He was a wicked liar with twisted desires?
The One who’s sinless and just
Punished as if He was promiscuous and mischievous with vicious lust
The source of all godly pleasure
Tormented as if He was a foul investor or child molestor
How could He be bruised like He was a goodie two-shoes
who doesn’t think that she needs the good news?
He’s perfect in love and wisdom
But He’s suffering as if He constructed the corrupt justice system
We should mourn at the backdrop
Jesus torn like He’s on the corner with crack rock with porn on His laptop
What is this, kid? His gifts are infinite
But He’s hit with licks for religious hypocrites
He’s the Light, but being treated like
He’s the seedy type who likes to beat His wife
He’s treated like a rapist, treated like a slanderer
Treated like a racist or maybe a philanderer
Jesus being penalized like He had sin inside
Filled with inner pride while committing genocide
I could write for a billion years and still can’t name
All of the sins placed on the Lamb slain
But know this: the main thing the cross demonstrated
The glory and the holiness of God vindicated

Bridge

Hook

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Why Harambee Convinced Us to Stay

So, now that we have visited Harambee because of all the reasons stated in my last post, what is keeping us here? I want to just put up some of our thoughts on what we have noticed about the church as a whole after we have attended Sunday morning, missional groups, met with elders and leaders and attended the men's retreat. These observations are God's ways of calling us to stay and dig in at Harambee.

1. Christ Centered, Heart Gripping

This is the biggest thing we have noticed. It is all about Jesus. The sermons are full of the glory of Christ instead of just tagging him at the end of the sermon. Christ, the cross and the glory of the Trinity are shown as the fulfillment of every sermon and how it should impact our hearts, minds and actions. These things aren't just put at the end of the sermon as a quasi alter call for those sinners in the audience to repent. The whole sermon is a calling for believers and non-believers alike to repent and live a life of repentance by peeking into the throne room of Christ and his completion of each passage or topic preached. Because of this focus, your heart is assaulted and you leave knowing your shortfall, but with the hope of the work of Christ for you. The cause for change isn't because I desire to make God happy with me, live a better life, get rid of this sin or that sin, the cause for change is happening because I desire to live for the sake of the One who incarnated himself on a rescue mission for my soul. Quite the difference and one that is not just found in the sermon, but in the very lives of the congregants and shown in the music, the discussions and in the kids gospel classes as well.

2. Purposeful to Exalt Christ

I used to scoff at those churches that were emerging and missional. Was told that they didn't know how to do church. I have to say that Harambee is the most purposeful church I have ever been to. Each week for the Sunday gathering the service is scripted to show the flow of the Christian walk. This is what has historically been called liturgical worship. Now, when most people hear this, they think boring and repetitive. Not so here. The service is set up like this:

Songs of Repentance (with corporate Scripture reading)

Songs of Hope (with corporate Scripture reading)

Scripture reading for our sermon and prayer for our kids

Sermon

Reading of Nicene Creed

Communion with songs of confession

Songs of Celebration with all of our kids present with us to see the glory and joy found in the fullness of the gospel

This is a gathering with a purpose. Not to mention the preaching and music are simply amazing.

Not only is the Sunday gathering purposeful, but if you ask why the church does anything, it is always purposeful. From church planting, community development, family Sundays (where there is no childcare to have the whole family present during worship to show how church is done worldwide), partnering and taking overseas trips to develop local churches, to the individual member taking ownership for the purpose God has put them into the church for. It is astounding to see what this church does without care if the attendance will go up. They keep planting churches with members, sending members off to team up with new plants, etc. because they care more about where Christ is calling them, than what the attendance is week in and week out.

I have yet to find something that Harambee has that is done just because they have "always done it this way." They truly are men and women who gather under the flag of Semper Reformanda: Always Reforming. All for the Glory of God Alone.

3. Gospel Saturated Transparency

We have only been at the church for 3 months but this has been interesting to see. No apologies for past sinful lives. No apologies for struggles within the person. Just honest discussion on how God has restored, or is restoring the sinner for the glory of God. We have seen this from the pastor preaching, unveiling struggles he has, to the time of testimony where real lives have been exposed to show the glory of the Gospel and its transforming power. Women have shared past sins and past/present struggles openly and honestly so that the church as a whole can come alongside them and love them and see the work of the Spirit in their lives. They open up because they know that they aren't going to be judged, but are going to be loved. This is because this church has been saturated with the gospel and the response is found in lives that desire community with a family.

We have seen it in the Sunday gathering but we have also seen it within our interaction with individuals. Whether it is from our missional leaders to discussions with men on the retreat, it is apparent that these Christians desire deep relationships to penetrate the heart with gospel living. It has allowed myself and my wife to open up and expose our hearts like we have not done in a long time, knowing (or hoping at this point) that it won't be used against us, but will be used to pray for us and come alongside us.

This is where we are with Harambee. We are excited to see what God has in store for us here. We are still in the infancy stage with them, but already see a huge difference and see the gospel clearer and clearer the more times we interact. Our hearts are already being drawn to Christ closer because of their witness and we thank God for them, and can't wait for God to continue to show us his greatness through them.

This is why we are not sneaking out the back door. This is why our journey is just starting with them. This is why God has already started to knit our hearts to them.

May God be glorified and Harambee be humble always seeking out the will of our God for the sake of the cross.

Amen.

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Why We Chose Our Church

As of last June, my family decided to leave our church of over 5 and half years. I served in many different capacities in the church, but we felt as though it was time for us to move on. I am not going to air my "dirty laundry" here, but know that I take leaving a church very seriously, so that alone should tell you that we left over some things we felt were a huge deal in the scope of things.

For these posts I am going to delve into why we chose the church we are currently attending and then also why we are going to stay here and become members. So it is sort of "Why we walked through the front door?" and then "Why we aren't sneaking out the back?"

First, the church that we have decided to dig into is called Harambee in Renton, WA. Harambee is simply a Swahili name meaning, "Together Pushing Forward." It is located in the heart of downtown Renton, about three blocks from one of the most, if not the most, diverse High Schools in Washington State. Renton High School is 36% Black, 33% Asian, 16% Hispanic and 15% White. This is actually one of the reasons we chose Harambee is because of the diversity that is found in the area that they minister. That is a little about where they are, but let's get into why we chose Harambee in the first place.

First, they are affiliated with Acts 29. The pastor that started Harambee, Mike Gunn, was one of the three that started Mars Hill alongside Leif Moi and, of course, Mark Driscoll. Mike is still an elder and our primary teaching pastor, but gets paid as the Acts 29 International Director.

When we left our church we really wanted to be associated with Acts 29. We had another opportunity to look into a church plant in downtown Bellevue, a suburb of Seattle where my business is located, but decided that it wasn't what we were looking for and it was just too far from our community where we live. As we searched the area for Acts 29 churches, there were some others, but none were as close as Harambee (little less than 20 min from house), nor as urban as Harambee.

First, we wanted to be a part of Acts 29 because they are Reformed, missional, complementarian and hold those things that are essential in a closed hand and those things that are secondary in an open hand. The Nicene Creed (closed hand) is read each week at Harambee showing those things that we fully embrace to be orthodox Christianity. Harambee and Acts 29 are very dedicated to the word of God and being theologically astute without giving up what it means to be immersed into culture every day of our lives.

We also desired to be associated with an Acts 29 church because of the focus of glocal missions. Meaning, they fully believe that we need to be missionaries to the communities we are a part of, to show them Jesus, and we also need to be equipping foreign people to make an impact on their own communities through church planting. They don't ask the white dude to go and set up shop in Africa, they send the white dude to help raise up local guys to plant churches in their own areas abroad. This is a huge difference and one that I fully support and see supported through the whole book of Acts in the life of Paul.

The way that Harambee specifically showed us how they are impacting the community around them came about in three ways specifically.

1. The Hall

The Hall is an after school program (held at the church building) for the local high school kids to hang out, be mentored, get help with school and just old school discipleship. There is no secret message of Jesus being forced to them. There is no helping in English class by making them read the Bible. It is just a place to serve the community, specifically the youth of Renton, that usually find themselves in trouble if left to themselves. Below is a video of the Hall and what it is striving to do. It has just been taken over by Matt Topping who is going to take it to new heights and also is being joined up by a Christian Hip Hop artist named Celestine (video below) with a ministry (Cry Out) that aids inner city youth through music and mentorship. To put it bluntly...we are very excited in what Matt and Celestine have in store for The Hall.

2. The Refuge

The Refuge is a place that aids the area's homeless. The Refuge takes place at the church building on Saturdays to feed, give health care and just a place to chill out for the homeless in the community.

3. Missional Community Groups

This is not small group Bible study. This is a time to come together to pray for each other, to disciple each other, to go over biblical questions and studies and also to strategize how to impact the community that each one meets in. This is the extension of the church. This is where one will find aid spiritually and physically and one that becomes family instead of merely a group that meets to go through a study and part ways. These people will serve together and grow together. When someone is in the hospital from the group, the group supports, when someone has a baby from the group, the group comes alongside. There is no need for a churchwide program to "deal" with these issues, but these issues are handled like a family would handle them. We have just started one with an elder at Harambee and have enjoyed our time together and have already been able to start to aid our community. Not only is this going to be made up of people from Harambee, but also those who attend church elsewhere and those who just want to know more about who Jesus is. The groups function as the hands and feet of the church to the local communities spread throughout South Seattle.

4. Right Focus

We chose Harambee because it has the right focus when dealing with the day to day in church life. Instead of having program after program that was formed in the mid 50's, it allows the missional groups to function organically on how they want to serve. Harambee doesn't have a different program for every little thing or every person that attends church. Harambee, instead, makes the parents responsible for the upbringing of their children, so they teach them how to do so. Harambee makes the husband and the wife responsible for their actions and roles, so they drive them into missional groups together, instead of studying separately. Harambee drives the singles into missional groups to study alongside married people and others so that they learn how to be Christ centered.

By doing this, the main function of Harambee is Sunday morning and the night of your missional group. They are very simple. They don't have program after program that takes up all your time, making it impossible to love your family and your community.

Through all these things, Harambee got us in the door to see what they were about. Little did we know that this would be the place that we would dig our heals into and try and call family. We have only been at Harambee for 3 months, but it feels like Christ has been doing open heart surgery on us since we started.

These four things were the central reasons we chose Harambee. The next post will deal with why we are so excited about Harambee and why we are starting to find it a place to call home.

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