Charles

Welcome to the September/October issue of Equip for Ministry. We hope that you will find it helpful and encouraging. There are a number of conferences and training events listed for your information and the solicitation of your prayers. You will also find numerous beneficial resources through our advertising and articles.

We continue to hear comments such as: “What CE&P has to offer is the best kept secret in the PCA.” The word “secret” always puzzles and confuses us because through staff and regional trainers, we are constantly in local churches, training and consulting. Plus, we try to keep churches aware of our resources through our seminars, brochures, website, etc.

Our Christian Education and Publications mission statement is to help you “know the Lord, know the Word, know the world, and know yourselves.“ Christians are constantly bombarded with things of the world that seek to hurt us, knock us off course, or trip us up in our Christian lives. We do not live in a vacuum, we either confront the world or it confronts us. Although, thinking biblically and strategically should be our strong suit, trends reveal that we generally think much the same as non-Christians. One of the sad results of that is it is not always easy to distinguish Christians and non-Christians.

Several participants at our recent PCA General Assembly thanked us for challenging them through the pages of Equip for Ministry to read and think biblically. I have always appreciated when someone says, “You have certainly made me think.” Of course thinking is not an end in itself but a means to knowing and serving the Lord better. If we encourage readers to that end, then we have succeeded in our mission.

In the early part of the 20^th century, the church retreated from the world, isolated itself from challenging the ideas and issues of that time, and as a result became irrelevant to the world. Instead of challenging the world and penetrating it with the Gospel of truth, the church withdrew its influence and walled itself off from the world. However, God raised up great men of reformed and evangelical faith such as J. Gresham Machen, Carl F. H. Henry, Billy Graham, John Stott to sound the call of the Gospel in the marketplace. Since the 1940s a few more Christians have emerged from hiding to do the same, but in miniscule numbers.

Christians must be disciplined to think holistically about life. They must become kingdom-oriented people who not only can come alongside one another for encouragement and stimulation, but can also confront the world and its ideologies. We must not attempt to preach and teach the Gospel in a vacuum. People must understand how the Gospel penetrates all areas of life. We cannot hide our lights under a basket.

The lead article in this issue, “A Better Way to Handle Abuse”, was written by Ken Sande, the director of Peacemaker Ministries. He has helped a number of our PCA churches and institutions deal with conflict from a biblical perspective. We have sold Peacemaker materials in our bookstore for a number of years and worked with Ken in our conferences. Although the article recently appeared on PCANews.com, we chose to print it because local church leaders need to deal with this topic in the context of their ministry. We addressed the issue at our 2002 Children’s Ministry Conference, but it needs to be considered more broadly. Read the lead article and encourage others in your church to do the same.

“In Case You’re Asked” continues to address basic questions relating to authority, truth, and the Word of God. The topic of the “sufficiency of Scripture” has much significance to us, but it can also lend itself to some abuse, if we are not careful. The four main book reviews in this issue are carefully chosen to build on that theme. They should be high on your priority list of books to read.

We continue to be challenged by which books to review in Equip for Ministry. We receive many fine books well deserving of reviews, but because of limited space, we have to make choices. We pray about which books we believe to be strategic for you in your life and ministry. We do offer broader selection of books through our CE&P bookstore, which is accessible by phone and the Internet (1-800-283-1357 and www.cepbookstore.com).

Reading is simply one of those things that we must do if we are to grow spiritually and learn more clearly how to think God’s thoughts after him. In one of the books reviewed, Engaging God’s World, Cornelius Plantinga reminds us that we do not automatically think like a Christian nor do we automatically know what to think about. We must learn and encourage others to do the same. I coined a phrase several years ago, “If we only think what we have thought, then what we think is what we have thought.” We must be growing in our thought and Christian life. Thinking biblically and living out those thoughts are God’s avenues for challenging the world’s ways.

Our prayer for this issue, as with all others, is that you will take the time to read the content and then find means of living more fully and wholly for the Lord. Our mission and calling are to serve the Lord’s purpose to this generation. We will be grateful for any opportunity to challenge and assist you in this calling.

God is sovereign and controls all things that come to pass. That is a basic belief of the Christian faith. Or is it? God knows all things, we say. But, does he really? In Titus 1 Paul writes, “For there are many who are insubordinate, empty talkers, and deceivers especially those of the circumcision party. They must be silenced, since they are upsetting whole families by teaching for shameful gain what they ought not to teach.” This is one text which reminds us of the necessity to teach sound doctrine. Paul writes about the consequences of false teachings. They have a negative impact on relationships, upsetting whole families and, by implication, broader social units.

Paul’s words are important to us because in our pluralistic postmodern context, we are encouraged to believe that we can create our own reality. But if we have a wrong view of God, our view of ourselves will be flawed since we are his image and likeness. From those two faulty views grow all kinds of weeds and thorns that will choke and destroy other relationships. When we are wrong about God, every other major truth is affected-Scripture, the Trinity, Christ, the atonement, eschatology, God’s requirements for us, and reality itself.

In the March/April issue of Equip for Ministry we reviewed John Frame’s No Other God, A Response to Open Theism. We encouraged you to read and study that book because it deals with a topic that sadly is becoming more popular, especially among those who call themselves evangelicals. Though the church has dealt with this issue in the past, it still exists. It has several different names: “open theism,” “free will theism,” or “open view of God.” Like Frame, I do not accuse those who teach this of being intentionally heretical, but their teachings are wrong and distort God. They are capably articulate, but even granting them the benefit of the doubt that they are trying to be biblical, we still must conclude that they are in error.

They maintain that those who have a traditional view of God are not considering all of Scripture, and that when we do read the passages on which they build their case, we are turning cartwheels to make everything work according to our traditional system. Their teaching strikes at the heart of who God is and who we are. It challenges his sovereignty, his foreknowledge, and man’s “free will.” From there it challenges the sufficiency of Christ’s death and what it accomplishes. Can we really believe that God did not know whether Jesus would sin or not, that the Protestant Reformation would take place, or the September 11 disaster would happen?

Open theism begins subtly with the idea that God has humanlike characteristics that are not emphasized in traditional teaching. As the proponents develop their “movement in theology,” they have simply bought into a paradigm or model of God that differs from our Calvinistic and view of God. They claim that God does not know beforehand what is going to happen because to know would require his control to see that those things actually happened and that would infringe upon man’s free will. As Clark Pinnock, an advocate of open theism states, he is a “self-limited God.” He does not know all things, only the past and the present. He does not control all things to his predetermined end because so much depends on what man does. He doesn’t know beforehand who will or will not be saved. He can predict the future, only in part, because the future is not yet known. He is changeable and will alter his plan according to what man does; hence man has the ability to change God’s mind, determine the course of history, and play on God’s “humanlike” emotions.

I believe these teachers are reacting to an extremely deterministic view of God that makes man less than responsible for his actions, because God has predetermined all things. As you read Openness of God or The Case for Freewill Theism, you cannot miss their caricature of the sovereignty of God. According to their representation of the traditional view of God, it does not matter what man does or does not do. God is set in his ways and man’s actions make no difference. God does not even have serious interaction with man. Human decisions make no difference in their paradigm. Richard Rice, an open view of God advocate, frequently refers to God’s actions in relation to man as dynamic not static. That is, God is open to persuasion and change, even altering his plans, depending on man’s actions. He is not a stern, inflexible, all powerful God. Rice writes, “What he actually decides to do depends directly on the actions of human beings.”

What this really means is that God, like man, reacts to circumstances and those circumstances determine God’s course of action. Sound familiar? It is not a new teaching. It has been around for a long time under different names. For example: libertarianism, which teaches that man has total free will to choose and decide what he is or is not going to do. He has the freedom and often the power to make those choices, hence the designation “free will theism.” Another name for the open view of God is Socinianism, a sixteenth and seventeenth century heresy that challenged the traditional view of God, the Trinity, and the atoning work of Christ on the cross.

Frame quotes Robert Strimple, of Westminster Theological Seminary (Escondido), “But Socinianism also held to a heretical doctrine of God. The Socinian doctrine can be stated very briefly, and it must be contrasted with both Calvinism and Arminianism. Calvinism (or Augustinianism) teaches that the sovereign God has foreordained whatsoever comes to pass, and therefore He foreknows whatsoever comes to pass….The Socinians insisted that it was a contradiction of human freedom to believe in the sovereign foreordination of God. So they went ‘all the way'(logically) and denied not only that God has foreordained the free decisions of free agents but also that God foreknows what those decisions will be. That is precisely the teaching of the ‘free will theism’ of Pinnock, Rice, and other like-minded ‘new model evangelicals.’ They want their doctrine of God to sound very ‘new’ very modern, by dressing it up with references… but it is just the old Socinian heresy rejected by the church centuries ago,” (No Other Gods, page 33, 34). This is a good example of the importance of knowing church history. This teaching has been dealt with in the past and the conclusion can be helpful today.

In case you’re asked, being Christians of a biblically reformed Calvinistic persuasion, we respond, yes, we believe that God is the sovereign Lord who determines all things whatsoever that come to pass or he would be less than God. Yes, we believe that man has been given certain responsibilities and his actions can make a difference in how God’s plan plays out; yet, man cannot thwart the plan of God. Yes, we are certain that God does reveal himself as having certain humanlike characteristics, such as emotions, thoughts, and feelings. Christ, the second Person of the Trinity, has particularly experienced in his incarnation, all of our emotions, temptations, and limitations. Hence the writer of Hebrews states, “we do not have a high priest [Jesus] who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need,” (4:15, 16).

Because we are not God with unlimited abilities, we cannot always understand everything from a logical, rational perspective. But that is not a problem because we know that God’s ways are not our ways. We are aware that he is above logic, reason, and all parts of his created order, while being present within it. When we realize that God is the supernatural sovereign God, we are not bothered by not knowing everything that God knows. In fact, it is really refreshing not to have to believe that we have to know all things.

Does God know everything that will happen? According to the open theists, not before it takes place. Does God ever change his mind? Absolutely, they say. They even quote Scriptures to prove it. If man’s actions and behavior were totally foreknowable by God, then man would be less than free because God would have to see to it that those actions actually happen. But we believe that God is sovereign and controls everything in this creation, including man and his actions. Yet, we also believe that man is responsible for his actions before God. God does know all things, even the number of hairs on our head. He knew that Jesus would live a sinless life and not fail in his mission of going to the cross to die for our sins.

While we realize that these teachers claim to emphasize the part of God with which we can relate, the human side, we totally disagree with the extreme positions they take to get to that point. And, while we emphasize the sovereignty of God, we also realize that he is our personal God with whom we can interact with the deepest intimacy and love.

Welcome to the July/August issue of Equip for Ministry. We believe this issue contains helpful articles, reviews, tips, and news items that will inform and encourage you in your local church’s ministry. I have asked Dick Aeschliman to develop the lead article which highlights some excellent thoughts of the late Dr. Donald J. MacNair in The Practices of a Healthy Church. Dick is CE&P’s Resource Coordinator and a trainer and consultant to local church leaders. He has been working with us in training elders and deacons for a number of years and is sensitive to the challenges and opportunities that God has set before those leaders.

The chapters selected from MacNair’s book demonstrate the tendency, especially among elders, of falling into one of two extremes: “lording over the people,” or being so laid back the church lacks direction, mobilization, and coordination. Finding the right balance for the leadership needed by a particular church at a particular time is not always easy. Our experience over the years is that effective leaders need the right attitude about their role but they also need training. This is consistent with Paul’s instruction in the book of Ephesians.

Having the right tools for training and knowing how to use them effectively requires much prayer and commitment. Regular check-ups of our leadership skills are a must if we are to be effective “under shepherds.” We need to be sound in the faith but we also need to understand people in order to come along side, encourage, and care for them. It is much easier to follow trusted, respected, and competent leaders. The best way to build that trust relationship between leaders and followers is for the followers to know that the church leaders genuinely care for them.

We hope that the summary of these chapters will challenge you to study MacNair’s book, and that those who do not hold a leadership position at this time will be challenged to pray for and encourage your church leaders. I have found that congregations who regularly uphold their leadership in prayer rarely come to cross-purposes with them. The mutual commitment of leaders and followers is necessary for the church to minister strategically and effectively.

The Equip Tip by CE&P Regional Trainer Susan Spradlin regarding an effective classroom learning environment will be particularly valuable for teachers of children. Susan’s experience as a teacher, trainer, and consultant comes through clearly in this helpful Tip.

“In Case You’re Asked” deals with a topic that we hope has not noticeably infiltrated the PCA. “Open theism,” present in some evangelical circles, is causing confusion and discussion. It was a “hot topic” at the annual Evangelical Theological Society meeting last fall. We need to be aware of what it is and how to respond if the opportunity presents itself.

The five books featured in the review section were carefully chosen, as usual, to encourage your reading in several different directions and levels. A Family of Faith will take you through some important topics as they relate to evangelicalism. The Connection Gap will encourage you to think more intentionally about relationships, an important topic for ministry in today’s fragmented culture. The Communion of Saints is also connected with the importance of believers in their interdependent relationships in the church. Finding the Will of God is a topic that has concerned Christians from the beginning. This book will be extremely helpful to those who take the time to read it. The Pocket Dictionary is a helpful resource tool for teachers and students.

We have also highlighted some of CE&P’s activities during the spring months. These are for your information as well as items for prayer. The ministry of Christian Education and Publications is totally dependent on the churches and individuals that God raises up to support this ministry, financially and with prayer. We are increasingly aware that “it is not by might nor by power but by my Spirit says the Lord of hosts,” (Zechariah 4:6). Equip for Ministry is one of our main resources for communicating with individuals and churches. If you would like an extra copy for a friend please let us know. You can also visit our website, (www.pcanet.org/cep) and link to our Bookstore, Video Library, and other helpful resources.

Welcome to this issue of Equip for Ministry. We believe we have included materials that will interest you and benefit your Christian life and ministry. Our main theme is prayer. Could there be a more vital and essential need in our lives than prayer? The author of the lead article, Archie Parrish, a PCA teaching elder on staff with Mission to North America, has worked with us on numerous occasions. His emphasis on the relationship between prayer and renewal or revival hit the mark. He has helped many individuals and churches to become more involved in active praying. He is also partly responsible for the 50 Days of Prayer that you will read about in this issue.

His thoughts in “Praying the Psalms” are challenging and his suggestions for application are right on target. He naturally chose the Psalms as the format for prayer and his thirty days of prayer ideas and sequence will be workable and helpful to those who want to develop a more consistent and disciplined prayer life.

This issue contains some unusually valuable and helpful book reviews. You will not only want to read the reviews but you will be challenged to read the books. Teaching for a Change by Norman DeJong is a vitally important book for those involved in discipleship or Christian education. The Power of Team Leadership presents some of the most practically helpful ideas and applications on that topic. Each pastor and church leader will want to read it. Preaching in a Postmodern World will also challenge every preacher and teacher. The challenge to communicate clearly with today’s world cannot be overstated. For personal growth, reading through The Institutes of the Christian Religion by John Calvin, would prove to be a valuable exercise. The Analysis of the Institutes will encourage you in that endeavor. The review of Os Guinness’s The Journey offers an unusual experience for the reader. It can help you in your personal life and witness. Finally the book Disciplines of a Godly Woman will be something that every Christian woman should read.

The “In Case You’re Asked” article is another attempt to look at the basic doctrines of the faith in light of today’s world. God’s special revelation in the Scriptures is our foundational point. There we start and there we end or we will run off track.

You will also appreciate reading the Equip Tip as it focus on the importance of relationships and the obstacles to developing good relationships. It is a timely topic for the postmodern world that is crying out for meaningful relationships.

The articles on CE&P activities including the conferences will keep you aware of some of the ministries that CE&P coordinates. They can also serve as a reminder to pray for us, that we might “Serve the Lord with gladness” and “Serve His purpose to this generation.”

You might have a friend that needs encouragement in his or her prayer life, or you might want to be sure your church leaders read the content contained in this issue. Pass your copy on them or help them acquire a copy of their own.

As we develop each issue of Equip for Ministry, our purpose is to include materials that will challenge you to think and edify you that process. In each issue we attempt to highlight some aspect of our ministry in order to keep you informed and aware of our need for prayer as we implement those ministries. We try to focus on a broad range of topics and issues, which is characteristic of Christian Education and Publications’ whole ministry. We do attempt to be as audience focused, as humanly possible, and it is interesting to see how the Holy Spirit leads us in each issue. The personal words of testimony and encouragement mean much to us.

Welcome to this issue of Equip for Ministry. Putting together these bi-monthly issues is one of our most enjoyable challenges at Christian Education and Publications. At times we wonder, given who we are in the PCA and our particular role in the great commission, are we touching on the right areas? Are we sensitive to the readers? Are we bringing together the most helpful and practical ideas and methods that Christians and Christian leaders should be aware of? Are we writing and thinking only for ourselves, preaching to the choir, as it has been said, we regularly ask? We know that we cannot be all things to all people in every issue but with our entire publication, training, and education ministry we are committed to helping raise up a generation of adults and youth who are self-consciously intentional in understanding and applying biblical truth to the challenges of daily life.

When I was a pastor, my philosophy of ministry was to preach and teach God’s Word to His people which required as much knowledge and involvement in their lives as possible. I found it challenging and helpful to know those people. It helped me in my preparation as well as method of ministry. It is not as easy to minister to strangers. The shepherd knows his sheep. But the shepherd also knows something of the environment in which the flock lives. “Knowing the Word and knowing the world” has been my motto because I believe we are responsible to bring God’s Word to this world in a way that promotes understanding, commitment, and discipleship.

One adjustment I had to make years ago when I became the Coordinator of CE&P was that I no longer had the ongoing geographic contact with the people. I do not always know the particular circumstances as I preach and teach in various PCA churches, and do not have the encouragement of seeing immediate results. The Adversary often tries to discourage us and convince us that we are not accomplishing much. I often console myself with Paul’s words to the Corinthians, that he plants, Apollos waters, but God gives the increase.

What does this testimonial have to do with Equip for Ministry? Simply that in the past several months we have been encouraged from the responses from our readers. There is a book in the review section written by a PCA teaching elder. He sent me a copy with a letter thanking me for encouraging him (through writing articles in Equip and addressing those issues in other settings) to write the book. A missionary told me that he reads every word of the magazine and especially appreciates the book reviews. Another missionary shared that some of the topics in EfM challenged him to develop a biblically reformed approach to Christian education on the field. A ruling elder in an organizing church wanted to learn more about some of the things he was reading in EfM and traveled to Atlanta to discuss them. These are just a few examples.

Responding to questions and feedback, we have reformatted the Changeless Truths section. In Case You’re Asked… deals with doctrine without a lot of theological jargon. While we hope to encourage pastors, the immediate target audience of this feature is the adults and youth of the church. If we use technical terminology in that section, it is because we believe it is important to the topic at hand. We want to be sound, helpful, and encouraging. Christians need to know how to talk about their faith today without being intimidated and without apologizing.

We want to promote biblically reformed Christian education in all of our ministry at CE&P. I was deeply disappointment when a minister friend of mine said to me, “I am not doing Christian education in our church; I am now the minister of adult discipleship.” I had to ask him what the difference was? He should have known better. Christian education, at least from our perspective, is making disciples who think biblically. That effort requires the cooperation of the church, home, and school. In this issue we asked Robert Rogland, a teaching elder and member of our CE&P Committee who is involved in Christian day school, to write about that.

We have reviewed several books that we believe are extremely important and helpful in accomplishing our task-especially Chuck Colson’s book, John Frame’s timely and masterful book, and Nathan Lewis’ helpful, reader-friendly book. We have also included some information about a number of important events and resources that we believe you need to be aware of.

Please know that our objective is not simply to produce a magazine but rather to provide a publication that encourages you to think and live more like Jesus Christ. With that objective, we dedicate this and each issue to the glory of God.