The Gator Wrestler

This fall, I’ve read – and now recommend – three books.

A Praying Life, Paul Miller

Paul Miller’s A Praying Life: Connecting with God in a Distracting World was one of those books that winds up being simultaneously encouraging and challenging. I was encouraged because of its honesty. As an easily distracted person who often de-prioritizes prayer, I appreciated Miller’s honesty about the struggles of prayer. Miller’s book is also turning out to be very practical in terms of the strategy it lays out for a praying life. I read the book a month ago and my prayer life in the morning and throughout the day has been radically changed. Highly recommended for everyone, but especially those who struggle with guilt over the state of their prayer life.

Deep Church, Jim Belcher

Belcher’s Deep Church: A Third Way Beyond Emerging and Traditional deals with current trends in (primarily American) churches. I grew up in a traditional Baptist church, but have always been intrigued by the questions raised from those in emerging church camps. Where’s authentic community? Are we ignoring social justice issues? However, I’m often uncomfortable with how far the pendulum swings away from traditional orthodoxy. Belcher attempts to find a third way, listening to the questions of emergents, while continuing to be rooted in orthodox Christianity.

Counterfeit Gods, Tim Keller

And finally, a not-so-surprising pick for my favorite book of 2009. Tim Keller tackles modern idolatry in Counterfeit Gods: The Empty Promises of Money, Sex, and Power and the Only Hope that Matters. If you read Keller’s stuff online or listen to his preaching, there’s not a lot of brand-new stuff in the book. However, the succinct delivery points right to how easily we replace the worship of Jesus with the worship of many good things and how desperately we need the gospel of Jesus. Keller’s three recent books – The Reason for God, The Prodigal God, and Counterfeit Gods – will be the books that I give out more than any other.

Every other Saturday morning, I get together with a group of 4-5 men and talk about the Gospel. It’s one of the highlights of my week. For the past month, we’ve been working through The Gospel-Centered Life, a fantastic curriculum from the pens of Bob Thune and Will Walker. Last Saturday, we hit this part of Lesson #2:

Now, to reveal your tendency toward performance, pause and answer this question: As God thinks of you right now, what is the look on his face? Do you picture God as disappointed? Angry? Indifferent? Does his face say “Get your act together!” or “If only you could do a little more for me!” If you imagined God as anything but overjoyed with you, you have fallen into a performance mindset.”

After reading that, we wrestled for 30+ minutes with whether God was truly “overjoyed” with us. Most of us pictured God as a father or coach who wasn’t entirely happen. “If you could just get this thing straightened out…”, “Nice work, but try to get do this differently…”

Is God overjoyed with his children? If God judged us on our own righteousness, we’d fall short in both deed and character. In other words, if God’s love for and joy toward his children is based on their behavior and obedience, he will never be overjoyed. Our sin-stained behavior keeps us far from perfection. We will never be “good enough” to earn God’s approval. In fact, all our deeds are like filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6) and earn us God’s wrath (Ephesians 2:3). If everything was based on our performance, God would simply be the angry father who yells a lot and is never happy.

But here’s how Thune and Walker continue:

“Because the gospel truth is: In Christ, God is deeply satisfied with you. In fact, based on Jesus’ work, God has adopted you as his own son or daughter (Gal. 4:7)! But when we fail to root our identity in what Jesus has done for us, we slip into performance-driven Christianity.”

The Gospel changes everything. Through Christ’s substitutionary work, we are clothed in his righteousness and he took the punishment for our unrighteousness himself on the cross. Jesus took the guilt and gave us a new identity as God’s sons and daughters. Because Jesus’ work is sufficient and God is satisfied with it, he’s satisfied with those who put their trust in the work of his Son. We are no longer ultimately judged on our performance or righteousness, but on Jesus’ work.

I have four kids. My kids behave well at times and at other times they disobey. I correct their behavior, disciplining them when needed, and always praying their heart is continually shaped to love God. While I am by no means a perfect father, one thing that never changes is my heart toward my kids. I will always love them. I will always be glad that they are my sons and daughters. And it has absolutely NOTHING to do with their behavior. It is because I am their father and they are my children. Since they are in my family, my love for and joy in them will be there. Always.

Last night after dinner, we read the story of the Lost Son in The Jesus Storybook Bible (go buy a copy now if you don’t have it). The story is familiar. The younger son asks for his inheritance before Dad is in the ground, takes off, blows it on wine, women, and song, and winds up eating “piggy food” (in the words of Sally Lloyd-Jones). Realizing the error of his ways he returns home to beg Dad for a job as a servant.

But Dad’s been sitting on the front porch, waiting for his boy to return. Yes, his behavior is as bad as it can get. Yes, the relationship is seemingly as good as over. Yes, he’s out a third of his net worth because of a greedy, dishonoring son. But he’s waiting because it’s his son.

And when Junior shows up down the driveway, Dad runs to him, smothers him with culturally-inappropriate affection and throws a party. He’s OVERJOYED! Why? Is it because of his son’s behavior? No. It’s because this is his son.

When we return to God the Father by repenting of our sin and trusting in the work of Jesus, the Father will always be overjoyed with us. We will continue to battle indwelling sin and our Father will call us to change, but the blood of Jesus covers us, the stain is removed, and we are forgiven. The Father loves his wayward children. Many have said it: “There is nothing you can do to make God love you less and there is nothing you can do to make God love you more.”

Our obedience then flows out of a love for God. We don’t obey to earn God’s approval; we obey because God has approved of us in Christ. Tim Keller points this out often, calling it the difference between religion and the gospel. Religion says, “I obey; therefore, I am accepted.” The Gospel says, “I am accepted; therefore, I obey.”

Why do we struggle to see a God overjoyed to have his lost children reconciled to himself through the work of Jesus? We think we must earn it. We don’t understand the depths of the Gospel.

In the closing scenes of “Saving Private Ryan,” Tom Hanks’ character, Captain John Miller, has been fatally wounded, giving his life to save Matt Damon’s character, Private James Ryan. Grasping Ryan’s hand, he says, “James … earn this. Earn it.” The scene then cuts to an elderly James Ryan who, filled with doubt, asks his wife if he’s led a good life and is a “good man.” His life has been lived wondering if he’s performed “good enough” to earn the sacrifice of Capt. Miller and others.

Even if it was possible, we wouldn’t be able to earn the sacrifice of Jesus on our behalf. We live out of a gospel response, knowing that Jesus earned salvation for us. We don’t – and can’t – pay him back.

The Father is overjoyed with his children because his Son’s work is perfect, complete, sufficient, and eternal. Through the death and resurrection of Jesus, we’ve been brought into God’s family and he is overjoyed with that.

According to this article, Portland, OR is a “church planting graveyard.” I’ve heard the same thing in regards to Madison countless times during the last five years.

Caleb Crider lists five “church plant killers.”
1. Importing what “worked” back home.
2. Focusing on the surface level rather than dealing with the underlying theology.
3. Resorting to trite slogans and tired cliches.
4. Bringing money into the equation.
5. Going it alone.

Having been planting in Madison for nearly 6 years, I’ve seen a near steady stream of guys coming from Texas and Atlanta (why do most church planters come from Texas and Atlanta?) with a lot of vision, a lot of money, a proven track record, and some catchy slogan (“A Church That’s Different”).

They last 2-3 years and then are gone. What’s the lesson?
1. Don’t assume that because it worked in Texas or Atlanta, it will work in Madison. In fact, if it worked in Texas or Atlanta, it probably won’t work in Madison. We’re different here.
2. Don’t assume that money will equate to people. I know quite a few planters who have spent ridiculous amounts of money on flashy mailers and commercials. We’re too skeptical for that.
3. Don’t be a lone ranger. Develop a missional team as you’re in transition. And you’re wife better be 100% called to this as well.
4. Don’t make assumptions about “felt needs.” Go after idols rather than surface needs.
5. All of the “church plant slogans” have been used over and over and over again here. Don’t rely on a tired or cheesy slogan.

Kevin DeYoung blogs at DeYoung, Restless, and Reformed and continually offers up some great content. It may help that the church he pastors sits across the street from that fine bastion of scholarship that is my alma mater, MSU.

Ockham’s Razor in its simplified form states that the simpler solution is usually better. Applied to biblical reading and interpretation, it means that the simpler reading or understanding is usually better. The New Testament was written to be read aloud to normal people who would have heard the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, the letters of Paul and Peter, and even John’s Revelation and got it.

Since we live two millennia later, it’s more than a little difficult to step into their shoes and “get what they got,” but we must try. The question that must be asked of the Bible is this: “What would the original HEARERS [since most 1st-century people were illiterate] have understood from this text.”

DeYoung and Stein focus on the Gospel of Mark, applying the “Simple is Best” axiom. This Sunday, I preach on Revelation 12, John’s vision of a woman giving birth and a dragon ready to consume the baby. Not so simple.

But how does the “Simple Is Best” rule fit here? If there’s one book of the New Testament where this rule is helpful, it’s Revelation, given all the misapplications of immediacy that have cropped up time and time again in regards to this concluding book of the Bible.

How would a dock worker in 1st-century Smyrna, increasingly being harassed for his faith in Jesus, who heard this letter/vision being read, have received this fantastic imagery? Would he have just walked home that Sunday shaking his head, wondering why the elders hadn’t chosen to read The Sermon on the Mount again?

Christian bookstores, websites, and churches are filled with a lot of end times silliness. I’m convinced that our Smyrna stevedore would have heard this passage, identified with the conflict, and rejoiced (v. 12), that the dragon is defeated. There would have been hope, not fear, as these words were read:

“Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God. And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death.” (Rev. 12:10-11)

My favorite thing about Michael Moore is that he wears a Michigan State ball cap. Regardless of who you are, there’s an instant measure of credibility that can be drawn out of me by the logo on your cap. I’m a sucker for the white “S” on a field of green. Bonus points if I see you with an old English “D” on blue.

Last night I read this article about Moore’s new film on capitalism. Like many, the article finds an easy target in Moore’s reliance on puns, sarcasm, shady video editing, and trick questions.

The only Moore film I’ve seen is Canadian Bacon. I have this weird thing against documentaries and mockumentaries, but love the idea of invading Canada.

As I read the article, Moore’s tactical approach seems to parallel many preachers.

1. Write for those who love you / preach to the choir. Moore’s films appeal to those on the left … and the further the better. Those on the right HATE the man. Michael Moore will never convince hardcore conservatives of anything. (On the flip side, Rush Limbaugh will never convince hard core liberals of anything.) My Madisonian friends love Michael Moore. My rural Wisconsin friends refuse to watch or listen. Moore has the fortunate position of making films that his fans will continue to eat up and support. But he’ll never change the minds of conservatives.

Many preachers preach for those who love them. From personal experience, it’s fairly easy to write a sermon that will appeal to those who sit in the pews every week. (It’s also a quick way to boost one’s ego.) It’s much more difficult to engage those who have been dragged or coerced into church attendance for the week and are hostile to your message.

2. Rely on puns and sarcastic humor. Again, this will likely amuse and rally the troops, but it will rarely convince the skeptical. (I realize that Jesus, Paul, and the Hebrew Scriptures all widely used puns and other literary humor.)

There is a type of humor that mocks and belittles your opponent and there is a type of literary humor that is amusing and winsome to opponents. If you want to convince the skeptics, use the latter, not the former. I’m sarcastic. I like puns. After all, seven days without a pun makes one weak.

But Paul relied on something else when he preached. “And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. And I was with you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling, and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.” (1 Corinthians 2:1-5)

So I must ask myself: When I preach, am I…

1. Humble or Arrogant? Do I point to Jesus as great and myself as His servant or do I point to myself as great and Jesus as my servant?
2. Attacking or Engaging? Do I set up straw men or engage the people I live among and have coffee with? Do I attack people or do I go after their faulty beliefs?
3. Gospel-Centered or Humor-centered? Is my passion to see people believe the gospel or is my passion to get people to laugh at my jokes and like me?
4. Winsome or Alienating? Am I addressing the concerns and objections of the skeptical? Or am I just implying you’re wrong and bad if you don’t buy this?

Never thought Michael Moore would teach me about preaching…

On Sunday I preached a ridiculously complex sermon on a minor Old Testament character who’s mentioned in the Psalms and receives major treatment in the book of Hebrews. Melchizedek is neither easy to spell or easy to preach on. You can read about him in Genesis 14, Psalm 110, and Hebrews 7. It shouldn’t take you long to figure out why this wasn’t an easy message to preach.

So I appreciated Jon MacIntosh’s list of Criteria one should ask after preaching:

Biblical – were you faithful to the text?
Gospel-centric – did you point your listeners to the gospel and it’s implications?
Missional – were you aware of and sensitive to the presence of non-Christians?
Applicable – was your sermon helpful?
Authentic – were you yourself?
Authoritative & Pastoral – was there a unique combination of what Tim Keller calls warmth & force?
Compelling – did you capture and hold your listeners attention?

If you’ve visited the site recently, you’ve noticed that there’s been a noticeable lack of posting. The summer’s been busy and I’ve been traveling. The plan is to reignite the blog in September. Until then, you can follow me on Twitter at www.twitter.com/joshmontague.

I use this blog to cover a lot of territory. It can be a forum to lay out some thoughts, disseminate news about our church and family, or—on occasion—rant about the Spartans.

When we began to plant Living Hope Church, we had a faithful team of prayer supporters who received a monthly email or print newsletter about our family and ministry. Since then, this blog and my twitter feed (www.twitter.com/joshmontague) have become the routes for those prayer warriors to keep in touch.

As LHC has grown, people within the church are now praying regularly (or perhaps irregularly). So at least quarterly and, Lord willing, monthly, I’ll post a list of prayer requests for those who faithfully pray for Living Hope Church.

Here are five for June:

1. Discipleship. We’re linking people together at LHC in groups currently called Triads. These are groups of 3-5 that meet regularly for prayer, Bible study, and encouragement. Pray that the gospel sinks deep into these groups and permeates our lives.

2. A Building. We’re still meeting at the Verona Senior Center, despite the average age of our church being about eleven. Ah, the beautiful irony. Finding a building to lease in Verona or Southwest Madison is not easy, but we keep looking. As we begin to stretch the capacities of the Center, pray that a place opens up for us to transition into.

3. Our Mission Groups. We run two groups that are structured to engage our community. Gray’s Theology meets once-a-month on Thursday to introduce and discuss a topic with a wide cross section of people from the Madison area. Philosophilm meets once-a-month on Sunday evenings to view and discuss a movie and its intersection with our worldview and theology. Both groups are unique opportunities for us to connect with people outside the Christian bubble.

4. Volunteer Organization. I was encouraged Sunday afternoon when we had a Children’s Ministry meeting and people showed up without my begging, pleading, and cajoling. People are hungry to see the church move forward in some key strategic areas. Please pray that this team continues to lead us well in this vital area.

5. Dane County Partnerships. Over the last 2 months, I’ve talked to a half dozen church planters who are contemplating or planning on moving to Madison. There’s a wave of church planting on its way here and my prayer is that Living Hope can be strategic about how we see the Gospel go forward in Dane County. We want to be a resource and help for those intent on seeing the good news of Jesus transform lives and a community here.

So that’s how you can be praying for us this month.

Paul writes this in Philippians 1:19: “…for I know that through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance”. God sovereignly works by His Spirit through the prayers of his people. Amazing.

This week my wife and I are celebrating our 12th anniversary with a long weekend in downtown Chicago. We’ve done the touristy thing (Scenic Riverboat Tour), hit some museums, and eaten well (my favorite = Cafe Iberico). It’s been a great, relaxing time. We’re heading to the Art Institute today and will be back in Verona tomorrow.

I’ve got a few blog posts to write upon returning. Look for some action on this blog next week.

This Sunday at LHC, we dive into a two month study of the book of Philippians. We’re titling this one “The Pursuit of Happiness.”