Renew

When people ask me if I'm optimistic or pessimistic about the future, I say, "Both, of course!" I'm very optimistic about the grace of God triumphing over evil. In the end, God wins. Evil will be banished and righteousness will prevail. Leland Ryken describes the scene of the new heaven and new earth portrayed by the apostle John: The climactic vision of Revelation is this vision of heaven. It is pictured in symbolic terms--as a transformed or new place and as a city that combines features that no earthly city can possess. The emphasis is on motifs of permanence and transcendence; splendor; the bliss and perfection of the citizens of the city; the beauty of the place, freedom from intrusions of sin; absence of fallen experience; the banishment of all evil; the satisfaction of all human needs and longings; the life-giving, light-shining presence of the Lamb... The garden of perfection at the beginning of the Bible is here completed in a city of perfection. I'm very...

Last night was 'Family Movie Night' at Redlands . We had our dinner as usually at 6 pm, followed by a special Spring Break edition of our normal mid-week gathering. It was "a break form Spring Break," complete with popcorn, candy, and Lord of the Beans on the "big screen." We learned the importance of using your gifts for the glory of God and the good of others. Just in case you don't have plans for your Spring Break weekend, I thought I would recommend some movies that you can actually watch with the kids (or your parents) and may have missed (or need to watch again): 1. Chariots of Fire This is still my favorite movie. Recently, the kids, Heather and I watch it for the first time together. The race scenes still get my heart pumping. What struck me this time was the scene when Eric Liddell reads verses from Isaiah 40 while athletes’ greatest efforts come to nothing. In light of the recent fall of dictators and the threat to empires, the scene became f...

Eric Metaxas' biography of Dietrich Bonhoeffer made my top ten list for books last year. It is actually the best biography I've read in a long time. ( Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand comes in a close second.) Metaxas has been criticized for presenting Bonhoeffer as too evangelical. Here is his reply, in classic Eric Metaxas style. Critics have said that you paint Bonhoeffer as "too evangelical." I thought that you portrayed the whole of Bonhoeffer's theology, even quoting lengthy excerpts from his books. How do you respond to this criticism? I find the criticism hilarious on the one hand and tragic on the other. Bonhoeffer and any other serious Christian is less concerned with being an "evangelical"—whatever that really means—than with being a Christian, a devoted disciple of Jesus Christ. One thing I have said over and over: I never set out to paint any portrait of Bonhoeffer other than what I saw, for good or for ill. That some seem to think that I ha...

Felipe Assis, pastor of CrossBridge Miami , wrote a top 10 list for Gospel preachers. I think it is well worth reading even if you're not a preacher. He notes that "most sermons among the most famous evangelical preachers of our day could be preached by Dr. Phil, Deepak Chopra, and Oprah without a problem." This, of course, is a problem. Whether you are preaching in a pulpit, teaching a Sunday School class, explaining Scripture to your children, evaluating a sermon, or just reading the Bible on your own, this list will help. You know you’re preaching the gospel effectively when… 1. In your prep you are able to see Jesus in light of every text and every text in light of Jesus. Jesus is the hermeneutical key to unlock every text because every text fulfills its main purpose when it reveals Christ. He said so himself (Lk 24:25-27,44). 2. Your reasoning sounds deep to mature Christians and simple to non-Christians. Both groups of people are not used to see Jesus in the Bible...

I've found Tim Chester's comments about well-intentioned idealism below extremely helpful. Having been an assistant pastor for over a decade, I can relate and I'm ready to put down the stick and get busy building. I love idealists. The gospel calls us to be holy, gospel-centred, loving, missional people and to be holy, gospel-centred, loving, missional communities. Given the choice, I’ll always take an idealist over a pragmatist. But ideals can be misused. People can use ideals as a means to criticize other people. They become a stick to beat people up. Too often people use talk of ideals to hide a critical spirit or even to portray a critical spirit as a godly attitude of uncompromised integrity. Here’s a man who sees himself as a man with ideals. He has a clear vision of how church should be. But he does not nothing about it except stand on the sidelines and criticize what others are doing. He feels good about himself because he’s uncompromised, but the reason he’s uncomp...

Valentine's Day is Monday (heads up to all the husbands!). Seventeen years ago, Heather and I were married. Little did we realize what was in store for us. She describes our marriage as the most broken and beautiful thing she has ever known. She's right on both accounts. We are both learning day by day how to love as we've been loved--facing the truth, extending grace. On our wedding day (December 18, 1993), when the 'Bridal March' began to play, the music suddenly stopped and Heather's recorded voice came through the PA system. It was one of those 'you could have heard a pin drop' moments--a gravitas moment--and no one felt the weight of her words more than me. I come to you today, down this aisle, dressed in white hoping you will find me beautiful. My brother is beside me, ready to give me away. Derrick has been the most important man in my life, until I met you. In the few minutes it takes for us to march down the aisle, you will hold my hand in yours...

Written by Terry Rayburn Thursday, 03 February 2011 00:00 I am a big fan of expository preaching and teaching. To preach the Word of God verse by verse and "give the meaning" is one of the highest forms of honor to God's Word, and the most fulfilling food to the sheep...unless… …it is devoid of Christ and His Grace. "The Law was given through Moses; grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ." (John 1:17). Jesus is the true Bread of Life. Even the most accurate and well-delivered exposition will leave malnourished sheep hobbling along the path with their ribs sticking out, if that Bread is not a part of every meal. Preachers and teachers, please don't let a sermon or lesson leave your lips, without our precious Savior and Lord, and His wonderful Grace, being an integral part of it. Perhaps Mr. Spurgeon's little story will help make this point clear: A young man had been preaching in the presence of a venerable divine, and after he had done he...