Tried With Fire

Spurgeon doesn't mince words when it comes to the necessity to preach the gospel. I wonder if this sermon would get him in trouble today? Wherever there is found a man, there is the minister free to preach! The whole world is our parish—we know of no fetter upon our feet, and no gag upon our lips. Though kings should pass laws, the servants of Christ can bear the penalty, but they cannot disobey their Master; though the Emperor should say the Gospel should not be preached by any unauthorized denomination in France, as I have heard he has said of late, we care not for him. What cares the Church for a thousand Emperors? Their resolutions are mockery; their laws waste paper! The Church never was yet vassal to the State, or servile slave to municipalities, and powers, and she neither can nor will be. At all the laws of States, she laughs and utterly defies them, if they come in the way of the Law of Christ which says, “Teach the Gospel to every creature.” Brethren, I say, the Chu...

China's Reforming Churches: Mission, Polity, and Ministry in the Next Christendom , Bruce P. Baugus - editor, Reformation Heritage Books, May 2014, 320 pages. China's Reforming Churches is a collection of essays which covers the history of Presbyterian missions to China, the current state of the church with its challenges and opportunities, and the potential indigenization of the reformed faith in China. The writing is more scholarly and theological than typical missions stories, but this gives the necessary depth to accurately depict the complex nature of China's church and culture. It's easy for Western Christians to see the Chinese church through the lens of one of four narratives: the   persecuted church , the   needy church , Christian China , or the missionary church. [99-103] While all these aspects are true, a single one does not give the whole picture, and to think those would distort the true nature of the Chinese church. This book offers a more in-dept...

"While we do not know why God allowed the Communist Revolution to occur, we can describe some of the surprising results for the Western mission to China and Reformed faith in China. One consequence, for example, is that it purged China of theologically liberal Western missionaries. Since then, many orthodox evangelical missionaries have returned to China, but relatively few theological liberals have. However tragic the expulsion of orthodox men and women from China was, the very real danger posed to the church in China by Western liberal theology was checked. Likewise, however much we may mourn the destruction of much good Christian literature and the theological famine the Communist Revolution produced, it also rid the country of most of the harmful Christian literature as well, leaving the Chinese church with one main document: the Bible . From my perspective, this appears to be a significant reason the church in China as a whole, even the state sanctioned Three Self Church, h...

We were privileged to have Dr. M. David Sills of SBTS and Reaching and Teaching International and Brother Paul Washer of HeartCry Missionary Society at our annual theology conference. The audio is available here (scroll to the bottom of the page) and worth every minute of your time. I had only seen clips of Brother Washer on YouTube and listened to sermons online. Some would mislabel him only a fire and brimstone preacher, but his passion is the glory of Christ. He gave the unvarnished, ugly truth of our condition apart from God so that the glories of Christ in the gospel would shine like diamonds in comparison. When he spoke, I think he made eye contact with almost everyone who was there - as though he was speaking to each one of us personally.  His intent was not to guilt us into action but show the beauty of Jesus Christ so our love for Him would propel us to go across the world,  across the street, or even across the room. Dr. Sills is an excellent and engaging teac...

(God willing, I will continue with the Heidelberg catechism next week, but my heart is so full from the the conference on missions.  These are Mary Ann Paton's last words, wife of John G. Paton.) "You must not think I regret coming here, and leaving my mother. If I had the same thing to do over again, I would do it with far more pleasure, yes, with all my heart. Oh, no! I do not regret leaving home and friends, though at the time I felt it keenly." Soon after this, looking up and putting her hand in mine, she said, - "J.C. wrote to our Janet saying, that young Christians under their first impressions thought they could do anything or make any sacrifice for Jesus, and he asked if she believed it, for he did not think they could, when tested; but Janet wrote back that she believed they could, and" (added she with great emphasis) " I believe it is true! " In a moment, altogether unexpectedly, she fell asleep in  Jesus, with these words on her...

Our annual theology conference on  The Theology of Missions is this coming week-end, Feb. 17-19.  In addition to Dr. M. David Sills  from SBTS, Paul Washer will be speaking on"The Gospel We Proclaim and an Introduction to HeartCry Missionary Society" at a 2nd session Friday evening.  If you're interested in attending, the conference starts at 7 PM (dinner at 6 PM). There are two sessions on Saturday morning starting at 9 AM, and two sessions on Sunday beginning at 10 AM.  More info here.

To celebrate his 200th post, Michael at Made Free is giving away 2 copies of Christ and Hm Crucified by Jon Cardwell. Here is a review by Michael and another review by the InkSlinger. There's still time to enter the giveaway for Josiah's Reformation . The providential winner will be chosen on Wednesday at noon. Get a free PDF  version of Bloodlines by John Piper. A free audio version of the classic, Knowing God by J.I. Packer, is available  this month at  Christian Audio . Our church, Grace Baptist Chapel , is holding its annual theology conference on The Theology of Missions, Feb. 17-19. The speaker will be Dr. David Sills who is a former missionary, evangelist, and church planter in Ecuador and now on the faculty of SBTS. There will be a session Friday evening with dinner provided, 2 sessions on Saturday including breakfast, and 2 sessions Sunday morning. If you're interested, please feel free to attend.

Today's sermon was from Hebrews 6: 13-20. One thing that stood out to me was Pastor Ryan's description of Jesus as our forerunner. The levitical priest was a representative but not a forerunner but Jesus leads the way so that others may follow. He mentioned we are so familiar with these things that we don't grasp the incredible message that we can come near to God in all His holiness because of Christ. There is no veil anymore. That would have floored the early Hebrew converts. I feel like I am one "who has fled for refuge" and I have One who is my anchor within the veil, an anchor that is sure and secure. This afternoon I listened to Michael Oh's message from the 2009 Desiring God pastor's conference on "Missions as Fasting". It was convicting because I want to be safe, I want life to be secure, and part of me, deep down inside, wouldn't mind a modest version of the American Dream. But would I be willing to lose it all for the sake of the g...