Tag: Bible

“The Great Evangelical Recession: 6 Factors that will Crash the American Church… and How to Prepare” by John S Dickerson

~ Bob Hayton ~ 3 Comments

The Great Evangelical Recession by John S DickersonBook Details:
  • Author: John S. Dickerson
  • Category: Church Life
  • Publisher: Baker Books (2013)
  • Format: softcover
  • Page Count: 256
  • ISBN#: 9780801014833
  • List Price: $14.99
  • Rating: Must Read

Review:
The sands are shifting. The times are changing. And like an ant on the edge of a sand trap, the American Church can sense something is happening. Ask any observer of Evangelicalism — inside the Church or out — and you will hear some explanation for the problem. Some point to our own failings, and others point at the encroaching tide of secularism. It’s our smug self-satisfaction, or it’s the bold advance of the homosexual agenda. But something is wrong, and change is afoot.

Although many recognize that times are changing, few see anything as dramatic as a recession on the Church’s horizon. But this is exactly what author John S. Dickerson expects. His book The Great Evangelical Recession paints a stark picture of what the American Church will face in the next 20 years. Dickerson draws on his experience as a first-rate journalist as he uncovers six trends which together spell the end of church as we know it. And by the end of the first half of his book, the reader will be convinced that, whether we like it or not, change is coming. But Dickerson is more than just a journalist: he is also the senior pastor of a growing church in Arizona. He offers the Church six corresponding solutions to the big trends that are targeting us as Christians in the 21st Century. And while his solutions are not easy, they have the potential to transform the Church in ways that will enable it to stay true to its mission no matter how devastating the cultural changes may be.

The Looming Recession

Dickerson compares the state of Evangelical Christianity in America today to the days before the recent financial recession that shook our country. Evangelicals in America have long been assumed to be a powerful juggernaut – a force to be reckoned with. Various polls put our numbers at between 25 and 40% of the population. But this sense of health and vitality is misplaced. Dickerson points to several pollsters who from a variety of perspectives and with independent measures all place the size of Evangelicalism at between 7 to 8.9% of the population — about 22 million strong. What makes this picture all the bleaker is that the Church is losing a high percentage of its young people and failing to keep pace with the growth of the general population.

Not only are we smaller than we thought, but we are increasingly aware of how the values we hold dearly are held in utter contempt by more and more people in the general population. The pro-homosexual movement in America has turned the tide in American thought in an unbelievably short time frame. And the trend is toward a normalcy of same-sex marriage and the increasing inability to even entertain debate on the question. By virtue of this one issue alone, the Church will become even more hated and marginalized in the years to come.

Faced with threat from without and a decline in numbers, the Church cannot afford to be so divided, but that is another trend which is building today. The polarized populace, split down the middle when it comes to politics, reflects the Evangelical church today, too. Politics, theology, and cultural traditions are a few of the many causes which separate the church in its most vulnerable time. And we are also becoming more and more hindered by a lack of funds. The older, faithful generation of givers is passing off the scene. And while larger institutions are able to continue, the Evangelical church will soon be realizing the same trouble that plagued mainline denominations years ago. The bankruptcy of the Crystal Cathedral, points to a bleak future, as this trend-setting church went belly-up, so too will many Evangelical institutions which are so beholden to the Almighty Dollar.

This bleak picture is often ignored or explained away by evangelical church leaders, who are sometimes too insulated from their location within Christian America, Dickerson contends, to truly be objective when it comes to evaluating the state of the Church. Dickerson hopes through his book, to encourage Christian leaders to own up to these problems facing us and to be willing to reevaluate how and why we do what we do. His solutions are not novel, nor are they edgy, but they may prove to be radical.

A Blueprint for the Future

In the final half of the book, Dickerson unveils his blueprint for our future. And it is here where the author gets emotional and starts preaching! He calls us to “release the way American church was done in the 20th century” in order to “rebuild and restore a culture of discipleship” (p. 186). And he chides, “We have gotten so much better at church than Jesus of Nazareth” (p. 187). He wonders “Will we spend the next decade working harder and harder at fundraising — or working harder and harder at disciple making?” (p. 174). His solution boils down to discipleship, one-on-one evangelism in the context of real life, and an emphasis on leaders training people to disciple others. He wants to bring back churches from the business-mindset toward a biblical one. Part-time, vocational ministers are both more biblical and more sustainable in light of the future financial difficulties sure to come.

His emphasis on streamlining church to be more discipleship focused also comes with a call to being noticeably good to the increasingly foreign culture that surrounds us:

We must stop acting so surprised that a pagan society, with its many tribes, would be hostile toward us. It’s time we stopped firing arrows at the hostages we’re called to rescue. It’s time we start going into the darkness with undeniable goodness. It’s time we sacrifice ourselves as Christ did…

The hostilities we encounter today — and in the coming decades — may seem severe to us. They are often soft next to the hostilities encountered by Christ, by Stephen, by Paul… Will we respond with self-sacrificing genuine love and concern, as Christ and His apostles did? Or will we respond in self-defense, fear, and reaction, as human nature does? (p. 149)

He also calls the church to a more tangible unity: “we no longer have the luxury of dividing ourselves internally” (p. 162). He calls us to draw firm lines at the edges of our movement and not stand for denials of Scriptural authority, but he also calls us to charitably allow for differences in the non-essentials, theological, political and practical.

In his conclusion, Dickerson draws parallels with the Reformers who looked at how church was done in their era and were not afraid to correct it with the Bible. “The Reformers before us abandoned comfort and convenience to boldly lead Christ’s church. If we wish to lead His church now, we must abandon many comforts from the 20th-century church paradigm” (p. 220-221).

Evaluation

This is a well-written and eminently readable book. I found the premise both captivating and alarming. Dickerson marshals the evidence well and includes numerous vignettes that flesh out the abstract concepts under discussion. He displays a command of the literature analyzing evangelicalism, and is a true insider to the movement. His unique mix of journalist and pastor, positions him well to write this book. And his thoughts on a cure are spot on. I was struck by how simple and biblical they were, yet how practical and relevant. And these are no mere social theories. One can see that for the last several years, the author has been seeking to implement these very principles in his own church of five hundred.

As more and more people flock to mega-churches of every variety, we are losing our ability to see the bigger picture. My church and yours may be growing, but small church after small church is folding. How many new converts to Christianity do you know? How many new disciples are in your congregation? Are you too busy with the latest Christian fad to notice the sputtering state of American Christianity?

Many will miss Dickerson’s message, and some will ignore it. I encourage you to pick up his book and think through it. You may disagree with some of his solutions, but you can’t fault him for trying. This book is a valiant attempt to warn the Church of its coming dark days, and it isn’t all doom and gloom. Dickerson presents a hope-filled view of the future that is tethered to the Biblical commission to make disciples. May we heed his message before it is too late!

Let me also offer a plug for an interview of the author by Trevin Wax — it will help give you a better sense of where the author is coming from, than my sympathetic review can.

Author Info:
John S. Dickerson is senior pastor of Cornerstone Evangelical Free Church in Prescott, Arizona. An award-winning journalist, his work has earned dozens of honors, including one of the nation’s highest, the Livingston Award for Young Journalists, given by Tom Brokaw and Charles Gibson. The Arizona Newspaper Association named Dickerson “Journalist of the Year” when he was just 24. John routinely publishes op-ed columns in some of the nation’s largest newspapers and is a sought after speaker. He lives with his wife and children in Arizona.

Author’s Website:
  • Johnsdickerson.com

Book Trailer:

Where to Buy:
  • Christianbook.com
  • Amazon
  • direct from Baker

Disclaimer:
Disclaimer: This book was provided by Baker Books. I was under no obligation to offer a favorable review.

Reformation Gems 5: Wolfgang Musculus on Questioning God

~ Bob Hayton ~ 2 Comments

Reformation Gems are excerpts from selections contained in the Reformation Commentary on Scripture, a new commentary series from IVP which gathers the best Reformation-era comments on the text together all in one set. The volumes in this commentary series resurrect long-forgotten voices from the Reformation age and in so doing they recover the piety and vivacity of that era. I hope that by sharing some excerpts from this series, I will edify my readers and promote this important commentary series.
 _  _  _  _  _  _  _  _  _  _  _  _  _  _  _  _  _  _  _  _  _  _  _  _  _  _  _  _  _  _  _  _ 

Today’s selection comes from the Reformation Commentary on Scripture: Volume X (Galatians, Ephesians). Wolfgang Musculus, whom I’ve quoted before, made some observations about questioning God’s wisdom and God’s plan. Believers in every era grapple with questions about God’s fairness when it comes to the fate of those who never hear the gospel. People in today’s skeptical age are all the more eager, it seems, to question God’s actions and judgments or even doubt his very existence. Musculus displays a confident trust in the goodness of God and I think his comments are worth repeating for people in every age.

Here is the excerpt from Musculus’s work originally published in 1561 (with key sentences bolded for emphasis):

God Chose to Save People by the Preaching of the Gospel.

Wolfgang Musculus: Some people ask whether God could not call his elect by a secret and hidden breath of his Spirit, without uttering a word. My answer is that nobody doubts that he can. So in that case, why did he choose to use preaching? Because that is what he wanted to do. Because the world in its wisdom did not know God, he wanted to save believers by the foolishness of preaching. If you ask why he chose to give the law of the letter to his people at Mount Sinai, inscribed on tablets of stone, rather than put the law of the Spirit in their hearts, what better answer could be given to you than to say that that is what he wanted to do? If you want to call the will of God into question and think that he ought to explain it to you, ask the devil to be your judge, because he will side with you against God and you will appear to be wise and righteous with him while God is condemned for being stupid and unjust. This is my answer to those who ask what becomes of people who have not heard or who lived before the preaching of the gospel was spread throughout the world and think that it should not have been deliberately delayed until the last days. A godly and faithful person adores what God has said and done and does not get upset or call him into question. He gives glory to God’s wisdom and righteousness even when he does not understand why God has done things one way and not another…. (pg. 259-260)

About the Reformation-era author: Wolfgang Musculus (1497-1563). Viennese pastor, reformer and theologian. Musculus was an advocate and writer for the cause of reform, producing translations, biblical commentaries and an influential theological text, Loci communes sacrae theologiae (Commonplaces of Sacred Theology), outlining a Zwinglian theology. Musculus began to study theology while at a Benedictine monastery; he departed in 1527 and became secretary to Martin Bucer in Strausbourg. He was later installed as a pastor in Augsburg, eventually performing the first evangelical liturgy in the city’s cathedral. Though Musculus was active in the pursuit of the reform agenda, he was also concerned for ecumenism, participating in both the Wittenburg Concord (1536) and discussions between Lutherans and Catholics. (pg. 429-430)

Learn more about this commentary series at the Reformation Commentary page at IVPress.com, or check out this sampler (PDF). You can pick up a copy of Reformation Commentary on Scripture: Volume X (Galatians, Ephesians) at any of the following online retailers: Christianbook.com, Amazon, or direct from IVP. You may want to consider becoming a member with IVP and getting the entire series on a subscription discount of more than 40% per volume.

Disclaimer: This book was provided by IVP. I was under no obligation to offer a favorable review.

Bob’s Best Books of 2012

~ Bob Hayton ~ 1 Comment

I’m quite late this year in compiling my list of the top books I read or reviewed this past year. Better late than never! There were many great books that came across my desk, and I couldn’t begin to read all of them, although I wanted to. The following titles represent the very best of the books I did read or review in 2012, and I’m happy to recommend each of them for your consideration.

Bob’s 10 Best:

A New Testament Biblical Theology: The Unfolding of the Old Testament in the New by G.K. BealeBest “Theology” book — A New Testament Biblical Theology: The Unfolding of the Old Testament in the New by G.K. Beale (Baker). This book technically doesn’t qualify for my list. I’m only 2/3 of the way done with its 1,000 pages! But it has been so rewarding that I just couldn’t fail to include Beale’s masterpiece in my list. The last couple years I’ve been grabbing everything I can find by Beale, having finished his Temple and the Church’s Mission. This book is the fruit of his years of careful study and reflection on the biblical text. It is biblical theology par excellence. For more on this book, see this book excerpt or listen to Mark Dever’s interview with him. My review is forthcoming available here.

Christ-Centered Biblical Theology: Hermeneutical Foundations and Principles by Graeme GoldsworthyHonorable Mention — Christ-Centered Biblical Theology: Hermeneutical Foundations and Principles by Graeme Goldsworthy (IVP). Another biblical theology gem is this work by Graeme Goldsworthy. This book focuses on the method Goldsworthy developed and used over the last several decades. It is the reflection on a lifetime of work by a faithful Bible teacher. Everyone won’t agree with all of Goldsworthy’s particular emphases, but his recovery of the Old Testament for Christian preaching is his greatest gift to the church. This book fleshes out where his inspiration comes from and makes for a great read. Read my review for more on this book.

Invitation to Biblical Interpretation: Exploring the Hermeneutical Triad of History, Literature, and Theology by Andreas Kostenberger and Richard PattersonBest “Commentary & Reference” book — Invitation to Biblical Interpretation: Exploring the Hermeneutical Triad of History, Literature, and Theology by Andreas Kostenberger and Richard Patterson (Kregel). I still joke about the beginning of this volume. 13 pages of endorsements – 39 in all. I think the publishers got carried away a bit in their excitement about the title. But just picking up this volume and leafing through it is all it takes to agree with them. It is the most useful work on hermeneutics I’ve ever seen, arranged beautifully, indexed and then full of applications and practical exercises. I’m sure it will soon find a wide use in college and seminary classrooms and a warm welcome in Bible institutes and Sunday Schools everywhere. Read my review for more on this book.

Bloodlines: Race, Cross, and the Christian by John PiperBest “General Christian Interest” book — Bloodlines: Race, Cross, and the Christian by John Piper (Crossway). John Piper shares his own experiences with racism in the deep south, in this moving book. He challenges the conservative church to wake up to its nascent racism and do some serious soul searching. Particularly intriguing is Piper’s explanation of the five points of Calvinism and how they should make us more loving and accepting of minorities, rather than proud and condemnatory. His characteristic passion bleeds through every page of this well named title. Read my review for more on this book.

Accidental Pharisees: Avoiding Pride, Exclusivity, and the Other Dangers of Overzealous Faith by Larry OsborneBest “Christian Living” book — Accidental Pharisees: Avoiding Pride, Exclusivity, and the Other Dangers of Overzealous Faith by Larry Osborne (Zondervan). It takes a certain personality and special gift to be able to tell people that they are really a self-righteous Pharisee at heart, and do so with a smile on one’s face. Larry Osborne disarms the reader even as he performs delicate heart surgery. So many of us have a tendency toward exclusivity, legalism and better-than-thou-ism. Osborne helps us to see what lies at the root of this tendency and simultaneously encourages and challenges us to pursue the radical freedom that Christ extends to us. Read my review for more on this book.

The Astonishing Adventures of Missionary Max by Andrew ComingsBest “Missions & Church Life” book — The Astonishing Adventures of Missionary Max by Andrew Comings (Engage Faith Press). This title would have won my fiction category, but I needed a missions or church title. This is the best book that most of my readers haven’t heard about. It’s a first novel, and published in a serial format. It does have a certain comic book character, but the writing is top-notch. Edge of your seat stuff, seriously, with a real Christian message. I think I described the story as Indiana Jones meets David Livingstone, and that about sums up this exciting title. Read my review for more on this book.

Matthew Henry: His Life and Influence by Allan HarmanBest “Church History & Biography — Matthew Henry: His Life and Influence by Allan Harman (Christian Focus). For a true story of a godly man, this book is hard to beat. Almost everyone has heard of Matthew Henry, or at least used his commentary, which is easily the most widely printed and accessible Bible Commentary ever. But few of us know much about Matthew Henry the man. This book is a very readable account of Henry that will educate and inspire the reader. Read my review for more on this book.

 

The Meaning of Marriage: Facing the Complexities of Commitment with the Wisdom of God by Tim KellerBest “Childrens & Family” book — The Meaning of Marriage: Facing the Complexities of Commitment with the Wisdom of God by Tim Keller (Dutton). I listened to the Audible.com audio version of this book, and I enjoyed it so much I bought the hardback copy too. Anything by Keller is worth reading but his thoughts on marriage are priceless. He brings a unique blend of Biblical wisdom and realistic reflection sprinkled with insights from popular culture and research. I’ve read scores of books on marriage but this stands alone. It’s counter-cultural for both the world and its secularism, and the Church and its baptized romanticism. For more on this book, see this book excerpt. My review is forthcoming.

Lady Jane Grey by Simonetta CarrHonorable Mention — Lady Jane Grey by Simonetta Carr (Reformation Heritage). This is a beautifully produced book on a true Christian heroine. I don’t remember hearing the story of Lady Jane Grey before, or at least realizing that she viewed her suffering as a persecution for her faith. This book includes a touching letter written by Jane to her sister exhorting her to continue in the faith despite what trials may await her. This is a truly inspirational title that I’m thrilled to be able to have my girls read. Read my review for more on this book.

The Last Temple by Hank Hanegraaf and Sigmund BrouwerBest “Fiction” book — The Last Temple by Hank Hanegraaf and Sigmund Brouwer (Tyndale House). With this title, I had to go back and read the first two books in the series first. I wasn’t sure what to expect with Hanegraaf’s series and was pleased to find it wasn’t a polemic against other end times positions so much as it was a very well conceived story in its own right that does follow a partial preterist interpretation of the Book of Revelation. The attention to detail bring the years before A.D. 70 to life as we follow the characters around the Roman world, from Rome to Alexandria, on sea and over land, to dungeons, arenas, and even to the cross itself on a hillside in Judea. We are inside and outside Jerusalem in the years leading up to its devastation, and the story is believable yet mysterious and keeps you guessing until the end. It’s a rewarding tale in its own right and also serves to show how the Book of Revelation may have been understood in its own day. For more on this book, view the book trailer. My review is forthcoming available here.

All the Rest:

In 2012, I reviewed 24 books — bringing the total of my book and media reviews to 139 from more than 35 different publishers. I slowed down my pace of reviews this year, probably due to the pace of life speeding up (we had our sixth child last year). You can see all my reviews listed here. I did read 47 books, and you can see that list at Goodreads.

For my previous “Bob’s Best Books” lists, see below.

Additionally, if you are an avid reader, you may want to follow my reviews or friend me on Goodreads or LibraryThing.

Do you now or have you ever believed that homosexuality is a sin?

~ Bob Hayton ~ 8 Comments

changeinbeliefAl Mohler sees the writing on the wall. A “new Moral McCarthyism” will soon be asking each Christian this question: “Do you now or have you ever believed that homosexuality is a sin?” Based on our answer, they stand ready to denounce us as backward, hateful bigots.

Mohler’s comments come in the wake of President Obama announcing that Pastor Louie Giglio would pray the invocation at his upcoming inauguration. A quick about face happened when a liberal watchdog group uncovered the fact that Giglio once preached an “anti-gay” message. It turns out that Giglio’s message was standard, orthodox Christian teaching on homosexuality, and hardly anti-gay as such things go. The Christian message has always been that all sinners need salvation, and to be a man or a woman, is to be a sinner. Sin comes in a variety of flavors, and homosexuality is just one of many. Sure some Christians have been more hateful and more vocal about that sin than others, but faithful Christian pastors, have always been careful to condemn the sin, and remind everyone that we are all equally guilty of offending a holy God.

Russell Moore commented on the outcry that the NY Times and others helped to circulate, as follows:

After a couple of days of firestorm from the Left, Giglio announced this morning that he would withdraw.

Here’s why this matters. The statement Giglio made that was so controversial is essentially a near-direct quotation from the Christian Scriptures. Unrepentant homosexuals, Giglio said (as with unrepentant sinners of all kinds) “will not inherit the kingdom of God.” That’s 1 Corinthians 6:9-10. Giglio said, “it’s not easy to change, but it is possible to change.” The Bible says God “commands all people everywhere to repent” (Acts 17:30), the same gospel, Giglio says, “that I say to you and that you would say to me.”

The Christian faith in every expression has held for 2000 years that sexual immorality is sinful. This same Christian faith has maintained, again in every branch, that sexual expression outside of conjugal marriage is sin. And the Christian faith has maintained universally that all persons are sinners and that no sinner can enter the kingdom without repentance. This is hardly new.

The “shock” with which this so-called “anti-gay” stance is articulated by the Left is akin to the Pork Producers Association denouncing a Muslim Imam’s invitation because he is “anti-agriculture” due to Koranic dietary restrictions.

In fact, by the standards of this controversy, no Muslim imam or Orthodox Jewish rabbi alive can pray at a presidential inauguration.

Ed Stetzer wonders how America will respond to this latest example of the shunning of religious people from the townsquare:

This can be an important moment as America, the media, and President Obama’s administration to consider a simple question. Are people of faith no longer welcome as they continue to hold the beliefs they have held since their foundation? Must they jettison their sacred texts and adopt new views to be accepted as part of society? If they do not, will they be marginalized and demonized even as they serve the poor, care for the orphan, or speak against injustice?

Moore doesn’t wonder but declares, “When it is now impossible for one who holds to the catholic Christian view of marriage and the gospel to pray at a public event, we now have a de facto established state church.”

Moore goes on, and I encourage you to read his entire piece on this subject. But I think you get the picture. To even hint that you ever have believed or held that homosexuality is anything but commendable, upright behavior, is to break today’s moral code. If there is no forthright and frank repentance or clarification, then you are out of the “in club.” You are outside the bounds and not fit to speak in the public square. No, not even to merely pray at a public event.

Mohler’s piece explains this point further, and he also demonstrates that Giglio’s withdrawal was more of a dis-invitation than cordial back-out. Giglio was not so much saving face as standing by his principles, and ensuring that this furor dies down so as not to encourage a misunderstanding of the gospel. Maybe Giglio should have made a bigger to-do about his harsh treatment by the McCarthyites. Maybe he should have been firmer. There could be merit to these reflections, but we are not Giglio and don’t need to go there.

Instead, I think we should ponder why this takes us by surprise. Some aren’t surprised, but most are. We have been lulled to sleep by the compatibility of Protestant Christianity with America’s self-help capitalist gospel. We have been sold a bill of goods by well-intentioned practitioners of the American Christian cult. The cult that equates freedom and democracy, lady liberty and all she stands for, with the cross of Christ and the Bible’s gospel. No, the America which once taxed Baptists for not participating with the official state church in Massachusetts and elsewhere, the public which reveled in the printed tabloid’s lurid details of the public sex-lives of Alexander Hamilton and other leaders, and the humanistic upper class which once embraced Charles Finney and Billy Sunday’s religious appeal to reform the brutish man’s spirit by taking away his brandy — that is much like the America we find today who so readily condemns anyone who doesn’t embrace moral relativism and the libertarian virtue of the time.

Christianity in America today is far less persecuted and far more lightly treated than it has been in most other times and places around the world. We have enjoyed an exceptional period of freedom and ostensible public respect. But such a time is soon to end. Now fewer Americans believe homosexuality is a sin, than those who don’t. And this drastic change in the public’s perception has come about in just a few short years. Meanwhile, the church has hemmed and hawed and often evolved in its views along with the culture and our current president. But as Mohler reminds us, the time for thin-skins and hesitation is past. We risk having no gospel at all, if we do not address homosexuality as sin.

So even as the faithful determine to not give in to culture’s demands on this front, we should be mindful, as Joe Carter reminds us, that Jesus has promised us that the world will hate us. We shouldn’t be surprised. And in light of such a knee-jerk tendency to be alarmed over any expression against homosexuality, we Christians should be especially careful in how we phrase our answer to their incessant question. We will too readily be misunderstood. Christians need to stand against homosexuality, but not as a goal in itself. We need to stand for morality, but not bereft of the grace and mercy which make Christianity unique. We must be resolute but not compassionless.

Christians everywhere, in pulpit or pew, in the office cubicle or the backyard party, need to be ready for “the question.” We can’t be afraid to “come out of the closet” with our views on this vitally important matter. Being ready means being informed, and we should be well read on the condition of homosexuality, and armed with careful and Christian reflection as to its cure. We need most of all to know the gospel and how it speaks to people everywhere, straight and gay. And we need to be broken and humble rather than cocky, defensive or stand-offish. We need to be the very heart and mind of Jesus when it comes to answering this question. We need to speak His words, in His manner and with His winsomeness. May our careful speech woo the lost to Christ. And may the darker these days get help us to draw closer to the light of truth and be ever more effective as an outpost in this sin-darkened world (Phil. 2:15-16).