Yes, I moved.  Cause I enjoyed WordPress enough to host it myself.  So, I got a new domain name.

To go to the new spot for the blog, go to the big-lettered link below.

The NEW and IMPROVED “Reformation of a Messenger Boy”

Pastors are right about this much: The election season is a unique moment in a church’s life, but not because the pastor has the chance to lobby for his candidate. No, the Christian preacher has the unparalleled opportunity to act as the only sane person in a nation mad for power, the only voice in an ephemeral season filled with lies and half-lies to speak abiding truths — that elections (even “the most important in a generation”) come and go, that princes (even “the most gifted in a lifetime”) appear and pass away, that nations (even “the greatest in history”) rise and fall.

-Mark Galli

Absolutely great stuff.

One of the funniest Simpson’s intro’s ever.

“Don’t Waste Your Life” by Lecrae from the new Rebel album, with clips from the “Don’t Waste Your Life” sermon by John Piper.

We are most fully ourselves when Christ most fully lives in us and through us…

-Andrew Peterson

If you haven’t yet seen this, you need to check out The Rabbit Room.

Andrew Peterson is the Proprietor of the website, and by his own description:

The Rabbit Room is a place for stories. For artists who believe in the power of old tales, tales as old as the earth itself, who find hope in them and beauty in the shadows and in the light and in the source of the light.

It’s always so encouraging to see Christian Artists who are actually concerned about artistry and creativity for the Glory of God, rather than simply being popular or making money.

If you’re a podcast-lover Peterson has also recently started doing a Rabbit Room Podcast.  Good stuff.

The Rabbit Room on iTunes

The Rabbit Room RSS Feed

p.s. Peterson also has a new album coming out soon.  Should be good.

I don’t know where the video clips are from, but this is the best full version of the song I could find on YouTube.

Anyways, “Sometimes by Step”, sung by Rich Mullins with over-dubbing done by Bebo Norman.  Great stuff.

Lyrics:

Sometimes the night was beautiful
Sometimes the sky was so far away
Sometimes it seemed to stoop so close
You could touch it but your heart would break
Sometimes the morning came too soon
Sometimes the day could be so hot
There was so much work left to do
But so much You’d already done

CHORUS:
Oh God, You are my God
And I will ever praise You
Oh God, You are my God
And I will ever praise You
I will seek You in the morning
And I will learn to walk in Your ways
And step by step You’ll lead me
And I will follow You all of my days

Sometimes I think of Abraham
How one star he saw had been lit for me
He was a stranger in this land
And I am that, no less than he
And on this road to righteousness
Sometimes the climb can be so steep
I may falter in my steps
But never beyond Your reach

CHORUS

And I will follow You all of my days
And I will follow You all of my days
And step by step You’ll lead me
And I will follow You all of my days
And I will follow You all of my days
(Sometimes the night was beautiful)
And I will follow You all of my days

These things are just hilarious.

This is just too good.

The final session has completed.  This last session was on Church Discipline and Church Growth, by Dr. Tom Ascol.

Tom spoke on the two forms of Church Discipline, Formative and Corrective, as well as the two forms of Church Growth, Numerical and Spiritual

Formative Church Discipline is something that should happen all the time within the church.  It is that educational, instructional learning that every member of a Church should be experiencing.  Corrective Church Discipline, then, is necessary when when formative discipline is not happening in a member, and when that member remains unrepentent of his/her sin.

He made a very good point about corrective discpline in that it is NOT in response to sin, but rather in response to a lack of and unwillingness to repent of that sin.  It should be done in love and with reverence, never out of hatred or spite.

In talking about Church Growth, Tom made the point that in the current evangelical culture we exist in, where the Church Growth Movement has run totally amock, we sometimes are too reactionary and that we SHOULD seek for numerical growth, but Biblical Numerical Growth.

In addition, Tom spoke of the Spiritual Growth that should be happening in a church, wherebye her members are made more like her Savior.

Finally, Tom made a Biblical and Historical connection between Church Discipline and Church Growth.  If Church Discipline is not happening, then Biblical Church Growth is not happening.  Likewise, if a Church is practicing Biblical Church Discipline, then some form of Biblical Church Growth should be expected.

Overall, very good session and good conclusion to the conference.  I’ll try to put together a summary of my thoughts of the conference maybe later today or tomorrow.  Until then, enjoy the quotes and pictures.

I think I screwed up the video for this session, so you’ll have to content yourself with the mp3 when it is made available.  Rath Dé ort!

Church Discipline is absolutely necessary for Church Health.

Church Discipline is the process of maintaining and training the principles and practices of Jesus Christ in the Church.

Church growth is that which happens in the life of the congregation when the Lord manifests his blessings.

The Faithful practice of Church Discipline…has often been followed with wonderful seasons of Church Growth.

Our modern forgetfulness of Church Discipline practically screams out a ‘Practical Atheism’

When a Church takes the name of Jesus Christ and yet refuses to obey the simple, clear teachings of Christ that church is at best clouding over the glory of God in Christ.

We should never expect Revival to come without Reformation.

Soli Deo Gloria!

Very good message on Biblical Church Membership by Brother Tom.  Below are some highlights. (followed by the usual video and photographs)

The Church is a priority in God’s application of the Redemptive Work of His Son until Christ returns.

Excuses normally used to leave churches are not excuses to leave, they’re excuses to grow!

Church Membership IS Biblical.  And, because it is Biblical, it is vitally important.
-    It is created and planned by God

7 Lines of Reasoning in Support of Church Membership

1.) Because of the Example we have in the N.T. of Believers
2.) Church Membership is a necessary presupposition of Church Discipline
3.) The Metaphors of the Church in the N.T. require individuals to be definitely connected to the Whole of the Assembly
4.) The Relationship in the NT that exist between the Pastors and the People they serve
5.) A Biblical distinction between “insiders” and “outsiders”
6.) The existence of lists using in the Early Church
7.) The Exhortations we find in N.T. letters to Believers to mutually edify each other

We are called to follow Christ together with our Brothers and Sisters in Christ.  We are to be in Covenanted Community with our Family Members in Christ.

Church Membership is a means of Grace God gives to His children

Jesus Christ loves the Church

• If He loves the church, how can we Love Him but not Love what He loves?

This session was preached by one of my pastors, Pastor Steve Garrick, on the Foundation of the Church, namely Jesus Christ.  I’ve provided a few quotes below for your digestion, as well as the video of the sermon and some pictures, like always.    Enjoy!  Slán go foill!

1 Corinthians 3

Is it acceptable for us as Human Beings to define the Church to begin with?

Your Christology determines your Ecclesiology.

The Church is evaluated on this basis: Have I preached Christ?

Calvinism, if I can use that word, is necessary in understanding the Church.

I fear that if I put my notes up from this session I will erroneously portray what Tom spoke about.  So, I’ll just include a couple of quotes and then pictures and I would strongly encourage you to view the video below.  It was one of the most fair, gracious, and knowledgeable presentations of the Emergent Movement I’ve yet heard.  Well worth your time to watch and listen to it.

Just because you can’t know everything doesn’t mean you can’t know anything.

Evangelicalism is more American than Evangelical.

Their chastened epistemology becomes un-hinged subjectivism. [speaking of the Emergent Movement]

Emergents today find themselves the unabashed Liberals of tomorrow.

Any Church that marries the culture today becomes a widow tomorrow. [paraphrase provided by Mike Woodall]

My notes verbatim from “Evangelim and Church Growth” by Jason Montgomery: (remember, my words, NOT JASON’s    )

Did Jesus have to die for the Church to grow?  (first question)

This is a question that needs to be considered by every faithful preacher of the Word of God.
The Gospel is absolutely unexpected.
The Word of the Gospel should not be received by anyone in the World.  This is foolishness to the World.
-    the world depends on its own word

If you want something that works, preach the Gospel!
-if you wanna be innovative, PREACH THE GOSPEL!!!

God takes nobodies and makes them into somebodies in his own economy.
The Gospel is not some amazing sign that the world is expected to be enamored with.
-    we are in danger of operating out of an understanding of the Gospel, as well as an understanding of people that are taught in the Word of God.
-    People DON’T LIKE JESUS
3 Observations from the Passage (1 Cor. 1:18-2:5)
“The Gospel of the Cross of Christ arrives in unexpected offense”
“The Gospel of the Cross of Christ delivers un unexpected impact”
“The Gospel of the Cross of Christ in proclaimed in unexpected weakness”

The Gospel of the Cross of Christ arrives in unexpected offense
-The Gospel not only lacks cultural sensitivies
-In fact, it has cultural insensitivities
-it is counter cultural!
-it is folly to those who are perishing
-we go into the world to destroy unbelief
-man does not tell God what Truth is
-man fancies himself a god in his own right until they see God
-no man can stand before God and say that He did not make His Truth available
-His glory HAS been made available!
-you want Drama?  Set the Gospel on stage.
“What men are wanting us to do is come and stroke their idols”

The Gospel of the Cross of Christ delivers an unexpected impact
God uses the foolish things!
“From the world’s perspective we are no prize.  Yet from a heavenly perspective, these are the kinds of people God endeavors to save”
God does not target the world’s elite with His Gospel

The Gospel of the Cross of Christ is proclaimed in unexpected weakness
Paul’s logic warns us against separating the message from the methods
Celebrity evangelism shows that we are in danger of losing sight of the power of the Spirit driven Gospel

Ephesians 4:1-16 :  Tom Ascol

The notes are working a little better this time.  These are my notes verbatim (forgive any misspellings or mistakes.  Anything in quotes are from Tom that I was able to type out fast enough to make sure I heard right.  Everything else are simply my notes and if you ask anyone who knows me, me hearing ain’t always the best. 

The Gospel is Good News
It is what God has done for us.
Paul always goes from Creed to Deed
The emphasis in Ephesians has application yes, but its about doctrinal truth
For a church to walk in a way worthy of its calling is to….. (didn’t get the last part)

The Community of Faith (in the Church)

Some churches are very active in being involved with the works of the kingdom, yet when doctrine is spoken of, they glaze over
-like a man with long arms and legs but a tiny head

Then some church over-emphasize Doctrine and have a problem with fleshing out that doctrine
-like a man with a huge head and little tiny arms and little tiny legs

“Both are a perversion.”

Every member is to work on unity in the church

First, a right understanding
-unity can be very easily misunderstood
-unity is NOT mere toleration
-”toleration of gross and fragrant sin is not unity, it is an unholy conspiracy”
-Neither is unity coercion
-individual Christians will be at different levels of maturity
-Uniformity is NOT to be coerced
-Uniformity also is not mere outward
What Unity IS
-essential agreement that Christians share in mind, heart, will, and purpose
-God is the Creature of Unity, who cause is to exist in the life of the local Church
-This is to be maintained through the bond of peace
-He regenerates individuals who are brought into the Church
-what Christ has done on the Cross has crushed the dividing line that we would have had between us

“One significant reason that so many churches do NOT taste this kind [of God-honoring] unity is that so many churches are filled with unregenerate church members”
-this is especially so in the SBC

There can be NO unity between amongst a group of believers and non-believers
-this is a huge reason why so many churches grasp for substitutes for Biblical Unity

How do we promote humility within ourselves?
-be honest with yourself

We should be long-suffering with one another

We are to love one another as God has loved us
-He sent and sacrificed His Son
-God’s love is not dependent upon our performance, but rather on the performance of One who has already done the job!
-this knowledge sets us free to love!

The Church ought to be a community of Love!

Christian Unity is a Fact and a Duty
-When we are saved, we are joined together in Christ with our fellow brothers and sisters
-Yet we also have a responsibility to work on our unity

Jesus prayed for our Unity
-He did this on the Eve of His Death
-Unity is a Biblical Teaching, it’s a Biblical Reality, it’s a Biblical Responsibility

The Church is considered by Paul as being One Body

Christian unity is based upon Jesus Christ
-because we have One Lord, we are to preserve the Unity that the Spirit has provided for the Church

Christ designed Diversity
“Unity is not Uniformity”
“Where there is not Diversity in the Local Church, something is seriously wrong.  In fact, it may be the mark of a cult, instead of a mark of the church of Jesus Christ.”

All of God’s People are given gifts to encourage and edify the Body

A balanced Church will have as a stated goal to have every member exercise their God-given gifts
When a body is functioning as it should, in unity, with diversity, what will be the result?
The Church will experience Corporate Growth and Maturity
-    Doctrinal Stability
o    We are to no longer be Children

• Children are naturally unstable
• “Balanced Churches produce Balanced Christians”

-    Loving Devotion
o    To Truth and to People
o    We are to love Truth yes, but we are to also love People
o    One of the blights to us is that too often we are known as loving Truth way more than People
o    We are to Love Truth AND People
-    Practical Service
o    We must recognize our relationship to Christ
o    We must recognize our relationship with the Body
o    We must recognize our Responsibility as an Individual within the Body

Excellent session from Pastor Larry.

The name of the message was “The Pastoral Office and Church Growth”.  Working from Ephesians 3 and 1 Timothy 3, the primary point that Larry made was the point of 1 Corinthians 3, namely that the minister is called by God to plant and water and rely on the Lord to provide the increase of the fruits of his labor.  Ministers are NOT to worry about the number or rear-ends in the seats on sunday morning (my words, no Larry’s ), they are to preach and teach the word and trust the Lord to use it as He sees fit.

Well, my notes are not copying over from Word correctly so I’ll give you a few highlights.

The politicians, the governments, the educators are not guardians of the Truth, the Church is.

Pastors are to concern themselves exclusively with planting and watering

They are field laborers.  They can only work in the dirt.  They cannot make the rain fall from the sky, nor can they make the plants grow, nor can they make the seeds germinate.

A Pastor’s focus is on what God commands him to do, not on the job that God does!

God is Sovereign both on the Minister’s Labor as well as the increase of the Minister’s Labor

Pastor’s must ultimately rely on the Lord to provide visitors, repeat visitors and members

God’s Glory and the Members Spiritual Good are the concerns of the Pastor

The Church informs the Family, not the Family the Church

And here are some photos, followed by the video of the message.

Great devotional on Psalm 118 by Pastor Chris Marley.  Below are some of the notes that I could type, as well as some pictures and the video.

update: The mp3 is now available.

God’s Elect are not exempt from turmoil
-    the Christian’s life grows from suffering
-    Sometimes there are storms from within as well as from without

Psalm 118:18
-    God will discipline us, but never give us over to spiritual death.
-    He chastens His Church, but does not give her over to death

Pastors need to preach the Truth from the Pulpit (great line, “It’s not like we’re running for governor!”)

We need to keep calling ‘em back to the Cross.  Christ and Christ alone, there is no other entrance into the church, there is no other way to be saved.

God has chosen the Styrofoam of the world (us) to glorify himself

As promised, we have live video up at:

Reformation of a Messenger Boy

or here:

UStream.tv Live Video Feed

Also, I’m live-twittering.

I’ll have a post regarding the current Devotional Psalm once the session is done.

Videos

• “Devotional Psalm – Psalm 118″ (Pastor Chris Marley)
• “The Pastoral Office and Church Growth” (Pastor Larry Vincent)
• “Church Growth and Ephesians 4″ (Dr. Tom Ascol)
• “Evangelism and Church Growth” (Pastor Jason Montgomery)
• Founders Ministries Info (Dr. Tom Ascol)
• “The Emergent Church” (Dr. Tom Ascol)
• Q&A Session (Dr. Tom Ascol, Pastor Jason Montgomery, Pastor Steve Garrick, and Pastor Chris Marley)
• “Church Growth and the Foundation of the Church” (Pastor Steve Garrick)
• “Biblical Church Membership” (Dr. Tom Ascol)
• “Growth and Discipline” (Dr. Tom Ascol) (no video for this session)

Photos (on Flickr)

Audio:

• “Devotional Psalm – Psalm 118″ (Pastor Chris Marley)
• “The Pastoral Office and Church Growth” (Pastor Larry Vincent)
• “Church Growth and Ephesians 4″ (Dr. Tom Ascol)
• “Evangelism and Church Growth” (Pastor Jason Montgomery)
• “The Emergent Church” (Dr. Tom Ascol)
• “Church Growth and the Foundation of the Church” (Pastor Steve Garrick)
• “Biblical Church Membership” (Dr. Tom Ascol)
• “Growth and Discipline” (Dr. Tom Ascol)

Finally, this current economic crisis just might help Christians to focus on another issue — retirement.  Where in the Bible are we told to aspire to years and decades of leisure without labor?  There is nothing wrong with saving for what the world calls retirement.  Indeed, that is just good stewardship.  Furthermore, there is nothing wrong with workers enjoying the fruit of their labor.  But Christians should think of retirement as an opportunity to be redeployed for Kingdom service.

Today’s crisis in the financial system should not be a threat to the long-term health and vitality of our economic system.  There is cause for concern, but no justification for panic.  Rather than hit the panic button, spend that energy thinking about how Christians should glorify God in our economic lives.  We should watch the developments and debates in Washington and New York with interest, but we should investigate our own hearts with even greater urgency.”

- Al Mohler

The whole of the post can be read here.

Today’s “Music Wednesday” features Trip Lee and his song “Dig In” from 13 Letters.

The more I hear these guys‘ music, the more I love it.  Musically, are there anything better than songs about Christ and His Word?

LYRICS:

Yes sir, everyday got to jump in the text
‘Cause He’s the better way, yeah, the Son is the best
That trash: I’ll pass on the pump and the vest
Got the sword of the Spirit, I run to the text
I run to the best answer for every question
It’s got every teaching, every lesson,
That we could ever need for reppin’
Jesus, yes sir, He’s a blessing
We got to read His Holy Word
To deny this bible’s so absurd
I deny my pride, and God is first
So I got to dive inside His Word
What other way could we know how to live this thing?
It’s inspired by the Spirit, man
So listen man, the very Word of God is in the scriptures, man
We got to see its God breathed, and it’s His will for all creeds,
All races, all nations, Genesis to Revelation
So get up in it if you want to know
His will revealed through the Son and more
It’s real, but you’ll feel dumb to go
Without it as a Saint it will stunt your growth
But bro you supposed to grow much closer
To Jehovah bro He wrote you
All we need to grow as soldiers
And show other folks, we ‘posed to
So grab your pen, pencil, highlighter, and your commentary
And dig deep in the scriptures, Jesus with us He can carry

Hook:
Bible, check; spiral, check, highlighter check
Now dig (dig in it), dig (dig in it)
You want to know Him? Got to dig (dig) dig (in)
You want to know Him? Got to dig (dig) dig (in)

Verse 2:
Where all my cats who know the bible’s solid?
Grinding off in bible college, getting it in with Psalms and Prophets
Becoming urban bible scholars
Yearning, learning all the knowledge
Then putting it to use now that you got it
We need it, must read it, Jesus He is pleased with solid doctrine
Where all my cats who get up in the Word and love it?
Not just when they be up in the church in public
But in private they dive in, it be on they mind, they be thinking of it
We need that, read that, see that Jesus gets the glory He deserves
And the only way we can know His ways is if we stay up in His Word
He inspired it through writers they was carried along
The Spirit inspired the bible so all its merit is strong
Yes sir He breathed it Theopneustos
So if you trying to move close
Then get it, live it, give it to some faithful men that you know
Hope your passion is real passionate
Everybody in the faith got to master this
He ain’t just write the Bible for the Pastor kid
So how we all gon’ slack with it?
We got to get up in it heavy and be ready to live it out
This is for my Christians in it trying to figure scripture out

Verse 3:
It may seem hard to understand at times
But depend on the Lord He handed down
Scriptures pointing to Himself don’t just try to stack knowledge to cram in your mind
It ain’t about knowledge you stack or all the doctrine you pack
Inside your mind man God’s design was not just for you to find the facts
Don’t be like them Pharisees, man they knew the scripture good
But from the looks of things apparently they ain’t know all that they should
The Jews was searching the scriptures looking for life, the eternal kind
But for certain they was missing Christ John 5, verse 39
But don’t get twisted man they intentions was great
But they was missing the faith, they had it twisted mistake
So get up in them right, they a witness of the Christ
Search it learn it then stick it in your life
Listen to the Christ’s works and person
And perfect is a description of Him right?
Then pass it along to some faithful dudes
So cats will get strong and convey the truth
To others we love to discover truth and pass to our other brothers
Did I st-stutter? We got to follow Christ and His Father and the Spirit inside us guides us in the Word that’s the model

Barring any mishaps, I hope to provide a live-video stream of the upcoming SBFC-SW conference through ustream.tv.  The first message is on Thursday at 3:30 PM CT, and I’ll post a link to our ustream.tv page, as well as have an embedded video right here on the blog, for anyone who cannot attend and who would like to watch the messages.  I’ll also save the videos after the broadcast, and will make them available to view at a later date.

These guys were genius.