Crabb on the need for involvement in people’s lives

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Since college I have appreciated the writings of Larry Crabb. Today I read a note from a friend in which he included an excerpt from Crabb’s book, Inside Out. I have pasted in below a smaller portion of the excerpt where Crabb makes the point that exposition alone is not enough for our pastoral work. This is one of the chief concerns of this blog. We must be involved in the oversight of souls not just proclamation. Proclamation is crucial but it is supposed to be wed with real, personal involvement with our people.

Perhaps it is time to screw up our courage and attack the sacred cow: we must admit that simply knowing the contents of the Bible is not a sure route to spiritual growth. There is an awful assumption in evangelical circles that if we can just get the Word of God into people’s heads, then the Spirit of God will apply it to their hearts. That assumption is awful, not because the Spirit never does what the assumption supposes, but because it has excused pastors and leaders from the responsibility to tangle with people’s lives. Many remain safely hidden behind pulpits, hopelessly out of touch with the struggles of their congregations, proclaiming the Scriptures with a pompous accuracy that touches no one.

May God give us the grace to move boldly, graciously, with the Gospel into the lives of our people. Anything less fails to be pastoral ministry. Lord willing, I will speak to this issue at this upcoming conference at Union.

Kids’ Bible Dictionary

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Kids’ Bible Dictionary, by Jean Fischer
(Barbour, 2009), pb., 159 pp.
Ages 8-12

This is a colorful and well-illustrated dictionary which aims to define and explain key people places and things which children will encounter as they read the Bible. Each entry ends with scriptural references where you will find the word or concept.

The author is careful in her definitions, knowing she is writing for children. For example, in the entry on Tamar she states that Amnon “behaved badly toward her” (2 Sam 13). I think that is well done.

This will be a fine resource for helping children as they read the Bible. It is not as theologically deep, however. This is tricky with a children’s resource, but I think the notes and information in the ESV Children’s Bible are a good example of more theological depth while still being accessible. For example, the entry for “propitiation” does not refer to God’s wrath. Instead the word is defined as “a way of making things right.” Now, on one level I am just glad they have an entry on propitiation. But, then it would be better if it explained that the reason things needed to be made right is that God, being holy, is angry with sin.

Also, the entry on “salvation” was less than what I hoped for. It focuses on us being “cleaned up” with much less emphasis on our guilt and the punishment we deserve. It is also “decisionistic”, telling children to pray a certain prayer (words given), saying, “Pray this prayer: … Now you have received salvation!” This concerns me because it can suggest to children that salvation is just a mechanical process.

In the end, this is a useful resource, though more is needed in theology.

Sergeant York and the Great War

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Sergeant York and the Great War: His Own Life Story and War Diary, Alvin York
Originally edited by Tom Skeyhill, 1930
Edited by Richard “Little Bear” Wheeler
(Vision Forum, 2005), hb., 209 pp.

Originally Skeyhill edited York’s diary into publishable form and in this edition Wheeler has included photographs and some history of World War I. I like the story of York and I love introducing my boys to heroic men, so I was excited about this book. However, it was a bit of a disappointment.

Wheeler notes in his introduction that Skeyhill had not corrected York’s grammar or spelling. He felt this authenticity “draws the reader into the life of Sergeant York.” If the errors were limited this might be OK, but they were so great and numerous as to make the reading ponderous. Also this edition is very repetitive which made it boring in several places. My boys often asked, “Haven’t we read this part before?” I would even double check only to discover that the same points and stories were simply repeated in concurrent chapters. Better editing could make this a more useful book.

Concerning editing, it was not always clear what came from the editors and what was from York himself. At several places it clearly noted “Editor’s note:”. But it was often not marked when it returned to York. At other places it seemed certainly to be the editor (based on spelling, etc.) but it was not marked. Again, more careful editing would be helpful.

Parents should also be aware that the doctrinal positions of York at times seem questionable. His discussions of conversion sound works oriented at times. This may in fact be simply due to his lack of training and failing to communicate clearly. But you need to know this as you communicate to your children! Also he seems to suggest that his fellow soldiers who showed no concern for God were spiritually fine because they meant well. Again, my point here is not a critique of York’s beliefs (it may be unclear, etc.) but what we communicate to our children as we read.

The portion describing York’s heroism in the Argonne Forest was good (though still repetitive). A pared down version of this which came some sampling of his earlier life and his war efforts would be more useful. The photos and timelines are good resources. I would recommend this book as a resource to “dip into” rather than a book to read straight through.

Reading Fiction

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I have frequently at this blog commended broad reading including fiction and have defended and advocated the reading of fiction in other venues. I was pleased then to find (via Justin Wainscott) this article by Mary DeMuth titled, “Why Should Christ-Followers Read Fiction?” DeMuth deals with common arguments against “wasting” one’s time on fiction.
I also recommend Doug Bond’s lecture “Teaching Truth with Fiction.” Bond’s fiction is wonderful and I have commended it often at my other blog.

So this summer take up some good fiction and read. If you don’t have any ideas on where to start with your fiction reading I mentioned some last summer in a post of ideas for summer reading. Here are a few more fiction books that I have greatly enjoyed:
A Tale of Two Cities, C. Dickens
The Lord of the Rings, J. R. R. Tolkien
John Buchan’s novels: The Thirty-Nine Steps, Greenmantle, Mr. Standfast, Courts of the Morning, Huntingtower, etc.
In the Reign of Terror, G. A. Henty
Frankenstein, Mary Shelley (a more profound book than movie representations suggest)
The Great Divorce, The Chronicles of Narnia, etc., C. S. Lewis

The list could go on and on (feel free to suggest some in the comments). There are many good options. Take up and read!

Readers’ Greek NT, Again

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I am really enjoying reading my copy of The UBS Greek New Testament: A Reader’s Edition which I have already commended. Along the way I realized another potential use of this edition. I did not at first realize that it has a glossary at the back of all words occurring more than 30 times in the NT. This makes it also a great way to review your basic vocabulary. Since this glossary is 22 pages long, then by reviewing one page of vocabulary each day you will rehearse this essential list in less than a month. You would then cover this list more than 16 times a year at this slight pace.

This is my favorite single tool for using and learning NT Greek.

Here is the Church

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Here Is the Church, by Anita Reith Stohs
Illustrated by Kathy Mitter
(Concordia Publishing House, 2009), hb., 32 pp.
Ages 2-5

This simple little book is aimed at young children to encourage their engagement in the worship of the church. It begins with the well-known little children’s rhyme:

Here is the church, and
Here is the steeple,
Open the door to
See all God’s people.

It then continues the rhyme walking through the key parts of a Lutheran worship service. Coming from a Lutheran publishing house it of course reflects that theological understanding. However, most of it will fit orthodox evangelicals in general. Comment is made, for example, on prayer, choir, congregational singing, Bible reading, preaching, communion, baptism, and an offering. I particularly liked the closing bit addressed to parents where the author encourages parents intentional teaching of children about what goes on in corporate worship. She goes on to encourage family worship as well.

In a day when the church is so often minimized or disparaged, it is great to see a children’s book like this. The inside cover front and back also have Eph 3:21 printed. This is a very thoughtful, though simple, book for children to help them understand what goes on at church. It will be a good resource.

I would like to see my own denominational publisher produce something similar in a Baptist vein.

Preaching Apocalyptic

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Last week Justin Taylor posted a link to a booklet by David Helm on Preaching Apocalyptic. I have printed it and looked it over. It looks really good and I commend it to other preachers. Interestingly, the Sunday before this was posted Chad Davis, one of my fellow pastors, preached on Daniel 7, an apocalyptic passage. Chad’s sermon is a good example of handling these difficult passages well. Even though he had not had yet seen Helm’s booklet he made several of the same points in his introduction. Rather than getting bogged down in speculations about things the scripture does not tell us, Chad pointed us to the grand truths which are the key concern of the text- evil powers will continue to rise and assault God’s people, and we must hold fast knowing that the day will come when Christ will subdue the all powers and crush his enemies.

I commend this pamphlet and sermon to you as helpful resources as we seek to preach faithfully the whole counsel of God.

The Twelve Ordinary Men

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The Twelve Ordinary Men 6pk (Arch Books), by Kelly Skipworth
(Arch Books, Concordia Publishing House, 2009), pb., 16 pp.
Ages 4-9

The Arch Books Bible Story Series has been around for more than four decades. I enjoyed some as a child and we still have some older ones. They are typically faithful to the text, tell the story in simple language, and are written in poetic form. This book is one of the latest installments in this series.

This book aims to introduce children to each of the twelve disciples and succeeds. With some disciples there is not much information and the author acknowledges that without stretching to make something up. There are a few quibbles. Thomas’s doubting is the only thing highlighted though he makes some other very positive statements elsewhere in John’s gospel. Then, it is said that Simon the zealot put away his sword to follow Jesus when in fact Jesus told his disciples at one point, “whoever has no sword is to sell his coat and buy one” (Luke 22:36). And certainly Peter still had a sword at the Garden of Gethsemanee.

However, overall these are small quibbles. The book is not intended to give a deep treatment but to provide a brief, catchy overview of these 12 men. In this, the book succeeds well.

Amazing Tales for Making Men Out of Boys

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Amazing Tales for Making Men Out of Boys, by Neil Oliver
(William Morrow, 2009; previously published in the UK by Michael Jospeh, 2008)
Hb., 364 pp.
Ages 6+

We just found this book at Sam’s tonight, but I wanted to go ahead and mention it because I love the concept. Just note these lines from the back cover:

Stories of heroism, exploration and sacrifice that will inspire boys to be courageous, honorable and open to adventure. TALES OF BRAVE AND SELFLESS DEEDS used to be part of every boy’s education. We grew up sharing stories with our fathers, uncles and grandfathers of how great men had lived their lives, met their challenges, reached their goals and faced their deaths. Becoming a young man was about comradeship and standing by your friends whatever the circumstances. And it meant that sometimes it was more important to DIE A HERO THAN LIVE A COWARD’S LIFE.

Yeah!! How can a book that says this not be good! This is exactly what I want for my boys. In the book the author recounts D-day and Omaha Beach, the Charge of the Light Brigade, the Alamo, Shackleton’s Journey, Scott in the Antarctic, John Paul Jones, and Thermopylae and other stories.

I think that the cover could be done better, but I am excited about this book and my 7 year old asked on the way home when we would begin reading it.

P.S. The trailer for the book is well done also! Note the comment that morals are handed down through good stories. This is a key point that was well understood in days past but often forgotten today.

Difficult Ministry

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This week I came back across some scribbled notes that had come to mind in the midst of a sermon.I find sermons to be very stimulating to my thinking.A main point will send me off thinking of application in different areas.So, while listening to a sermon on 1 Samuel on a time of difficulty in David’s life, I began to ponder the difficult places of ministry so many brothers find themselves in from time to time.I am not actually in a difficult place at the moment, but I often talk to brothers who are.Thinking of them in light of the text this is what I jotted down:

Is it the Lord’s will that I suffer so at the hands of difficult people?That I labor to so little result amongst non-responsive people?Would not the Lord use me?Is such pain and uselessness the will of God?

Consider Moses, the promised Deliverer.He ended up fleeing for his life which led to 40 years of watching sheep in the desert.Yet, God was at work preparing him for use.

Consider also David, the promised King.He had to suffer rejection, conspiracies against his life, living on the run and hiding in caves before God placed him on the throne.

Consider also Jesus, Himself, who accomplished his great work precisely in the midst of his great suffering.

God is at work, and we must relinquish the demand to see the results in our own time.We may be blessed to see the work of God flourishing in our hands (and if so do not fail to recognize what a blessing that is!). Or we may be called upon to labor faithfully never seeing the result.Either way let us labor faithfully, believing that what we see is not all there is (2 Cor 4:16-18). Let us trust God and say “Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain” (1 Cor 15:58).