On My Walk 102: A New Old Thing

When I was first saved my first instinct about what to do with my new life was not unlike the first instinct most new Believers have; tell everyone about Christ! In the months and years immediately following my New Birth my desires settled into two priorities; to help Believers tell everyone, and telling everyone myself.

My work in Evangelism began with the writing of a document called "Ministry 180" in which the idea that ministries need to build up believers to work outside of the confines of church buildings to reach those who are outside of church buildings. I didn't have a clue about HOW to reach these people, but I sure knew where they were and where they weren't. I knew without a shadow of a doubt that prostitutes, drug dealers, and murderers didn't just show up at church services on Sunday to find out about Jesus without some serious motivation.

So I had this document, a burning desire in my heart, and not a clue what to do with any of it. It turns out I wasn't alone. My beloved friend Cory called me up and asked me if I had heard of a particular evangelism training organization, and if I had heard of this or that training material. We both enrolled in the organization and went through the training.

Now we had half a clue about how to speak to the Lost, but we were still really green. So we found some other believers who were doing the work and hit the streets. We were each amazed by how you really can engage people about sin, life, death, eternity, judgment, righteousness, and the Gospel when you haven't built a relationship with them. We quickly learned you truly can preach the Gospel to every creature in the world!

We knew we wanted to help Believers do what we had become passionate about. So we launched a ministry called The Cross Current(TCC). We would help the Church engage the culture using the hot topics of the day, science, philosophy, and history. We would literally give them conversations to have with the Lost people they know that would lead them to the Gospel, and if there were tough or heated questions we would take them on their behalf. I was sure I had found my life's work.

We built a radio program and podcast that would teach and give real-life examples of real conversations we had on the streets of Canadian cities so listeners could hear how they really go. And not only that, but they could hear that these conversations are real and possible to be had right here in Canada! The radio show was the hub of the ministry. It gave us credibility with people on the street, and exposure to the Church.

The radio show was sexy. It took a lot of effort and time to produce. I found myself working on the radio show during my coffee breaks, lunch, and every minute of my evenings just to keep up. As much as we felt God was using the ministry, He didn't seem to be providing labourers who would help carry the load. We did have a growing team of people who would go out on the streets, but we could not seem to keep workers interested in the radio program. While the show was popular with listeners, the team that went out on the streets just didn't seem to get it.

Amidst the effort to keep the show on the air and of high quality, Cory and I though we were extremely close friends started to drift apart doctrinally. He would say I moved, and I would say he moved. Perhaps we both moved somewhat. By the Summer of 2010 it was clear that Cory and I were preaching two entirely different things and both of us calling what we preach the Gospel.

How could this happen? We were an organization that had trained hundreds of people to share their faith together. We had engaged thousands of people with the Gospel personally, and countless thousands through the radio show and podcast. We had a 22 page Statement of Faith which we had worked exceedingly hard at refining. It was true though. We were at an impasse. Once I got the courage up to challenge the situation the end was inevitable. He wasn't going to move, and neither was I. When that was finally spoken, the President of TCC asked the Vice President of TCC to resign, and I did.

It has been about 2.5 years since these events went down. Without the requirement of writing and producing I've returned to the simpler work of Street Evangelism. It has been a marvel to me to see how much I still need to learn, after having been part of a team teaching so many others how to do the work. I've found that many of the "sexy" things we found so helpful with TCC are really not all that helpful on the street. I've found that gentle, simple, and clear presentations of the Truth are much better for the work than strong logical arguments.

Recently God has been bringing a group of men together in my city to do a work very similar to what I had hoped to do with TCC. The Brother who seems to be drawn to lead the effort is a lot like by beloved friend Cory, but he's older and more mature than either Cory or I were back when we put TCC together. The same passion is in him, but the desire to not move unless clearly led of God is something I admire in him, and which also gives me calm. This time there are three of us instead of just two. This time we have a history of 6 or 7 years of local street ministry that we can build from.

It would seem that God is not done using me in the work that fires my heart with passion. It would seem that He has a new, old, thing for me to do. Perhaps this time I will be more faithful with it, and less industrial.

On My Walk 101: The Basic Difference

Is your theology saddled by your hermeneutic,
or is your hermeneutic saddled by your theology?

My wife and I have been looking for a new place to fellowship since Easter of this year. The search has gone from disheartening to infuriating to sicking and back again... we've been learning some very important lessons though. I've also been loosing my appetite for argument.

I've always enjoyed banter. You know, good hearted strong discussion with lots of back and forth, good points, intensity and laughter. I also very much enjoy a good "argument" that is a well made persuasive case for a position, idea, opinion or theory. I love to be challenged to think about things. I love to experience how other people think about things. I'm fascinated by the the very process of learning and that of the forming of opinions.  I've been willing to argue with people in order to pull an "argument" out of them. Or to help them see how something isn't actually true. I'm tired of it though. I'm not tired of critically examining things, or of deep discussions but the plain truth is the Bible tells us how to deal with false teachers: mark them and separate from them. I don't need to argue with anyone. If they have false theology and they are not open to discussion then my only responsibility is to protect myself and those whom I care for from their teaching. That's it.

So that's been my state of mind for the last week or so, and it is the state of mind I was in when I had the opportunity to communicate with a Reformed Calvinist Pastor of a local assembly which I was interested in based on their website. The website had a reasonable enough statement of faith, and many sermons but nothing that really stated what they believe the Gospel is or how someone comes to be saved. So I emailed the Pastor with a few questions. While I was waiting to hear back from him I kept digging for answers about his theology. Google + perseverance revealed that he was in fact a Reformed Calvinist of the Lordship Salvation flavour. I was a bit ticked off. I complained to my good friend about how it is frustrating that one has to be a private investigator to find out what Pastors preach at their pulpits. I went on complaining about how if they really believe something is true why don't they clearly say so and let everyone know about it easily on their website. My frustration was actually about how we really want to find a place to fellowship and not having one is eating away at me. My dear friend told me that he knew of this Pastor and that I could expect clear and straight forward answers to my questions from the man. And that's exactly what I got from him. I'm pleased to state he gave me exactly that. Yet he gave me much more than just that. He gave me a simple and clear explanation of why I do not agree with the Reformed Calvinist Lordship Salvation proponents; I am very, very, thankful.

I had explained that we hold to the Grammatical-Historical Hermeneutic exclusively, from cover to cover of the bible. In his email he explained his hermeneutic this way:

We are passionately committed to a Grammatical-Historical-Theological approach to interpretation. Meaning is to be derived from context and the overall unfolding of God's plan of redemption.

It may be a subtle difference: I develop my theology and my view of "God's plan of redemption" by using the Grammatical-Historical Hermeneutic. That is: grammar and the meaning(s) of the words from the period of history they were written in (not today's meanings and usage) tell me what the context is, and this determines my theology and doctrine. Whereas the Reformed Calvinist Lordship Salvation proponent uses their theology and doctrine to inform the grammar and to select which meaning the words have.

I simply cannot imagine a reasonable excuse to use my theology to control my interpretation of the Text. How could I hope to objectively find truth? How could I prove my own theology false? It sure would make studying the Bible easier though... easier but I'd never be able to tell if what I'm learning is actually true or not. What if I were a new believer and didn't have any theology? How could I study the Bible in that case?

Using the Grammatical-Historical Hermeneutic is hard work. I don't have any easy answers I can reference from a Systematic Theology book. I have to work each thing out line by line, precept by precept. You know what though? I wouldn't have it any other way.

The truth is however, that many of the most controversial topics are plainly explained in the Text. I love when I can read my theology straight out of the Bible without explanation, such as:

• What's the true saving Gospel? 1Cor 15:1-11. 
• What is true saving faith? Rom 4:1-25.  
• Will all truly saved people live godly, fruitful lives and persevere until the end? 2Pet 1:5-9. 
• Did Christ die for everyone or just for the Elect? 1Jn 2:2 
• If Christ died for everyone doesn't that make Universalism true? Lev 16:1-34. 
• Does God only save those who submit to the mastery of Christ over their lives? John 3:14-17. 
• Does regeneration precede faith? John 1:10-13. 
• Doesn't one need to first be regenerated in order to believe? John 3:3-17, Num 21:8-9. 
• Do we have access to faith by grace or access to grace by faith? Rom 5:1-5 
• Is the Believer eternally secure or can we loose our salvation? Jn 5:24, Jn 6:40, Jn 10:27-30, Phil 1:6, Eph 1:13-14
• Does Repentance mean to "turn from sin" and have a "changed life"? Luke 17:3-4 

These are just a few of the easy answers we have directly from Scripture. No deep study required. Are these not the very same questions that the "Grammatical-Historical-Theological approach to interpretation" make very complicated to answer? Check out the list of things that the author of the book of Hebrews calls "elementary principles of Christ" or the very basics of our Faith. Paul calls these things "milk" that is all the immature can tolerate and make use of. Heb 6:1-2 Are these things elementary work using your hermeneutic? If they are not the things that a babe in Christ can study easily using your hermeneutic then I suggest that is a big sign that there's a problem with it.

This is the basic difference between myself and most of the churches we checked out over this past Summer. Not all are Reformed Calvinist or Lordship Salvation, though most are, but all that we've found so far put their theology into, or onto their hermeneutic.

So here's my question for you today: Has your hermeneutic put a saddle on your theology, or has your theology put a saddle on your hermeneutic?

On My Walk #100

By my count this is the 100th post at OMW with the label/tag "On My Walk" attached to it. I hadn't been counting until today, but it's interesting in some strange way.

As I've been writing the series entitled "The Debater's Potter" I've been wondering about how hardcore Calvinists might receive it if they came across it mid series. Would they write it off as being something from a nut case? A half-wit theologian? It seems I should put a "Statement of Faith" here on the blog, and so I'm going to.

Now, statements of faith shouldn't convince readers that the source is orthodox or to be regarded as faithful and reasonable. Why not? Because very few people/organizations actually follow their statements of faith. I'm currently looking for a place to fellowship and I can tell you from vast experience this is sadly true. Statements of Faith offer readers the ability to quickly and easily disqualify sources of information. If someone puts something false in their statement of faith they may not actually be following it now, that' true. However, at the very least, it shows they have a disregard for the truth. 

So my own Statement of Faith will be a resource for readers with two purposes. One to disqualify me easily, for those who choose to believe something other than I do. The other purpose is to be a resource for understanding where I'm coming from when I write something that may be seen as inflammatory by some. I don't know if people will use the statement as I intend it to be used, but I think it's time to have one nonetheless.

That's what's in the path on my walk this week.

A Friend's Funeral

Today I attended the funeral of a friend.  Chris and I served together in the Canadian Forces (now the Royal Canadian Airforce) for 15 years. We worked along side each other, we took each other's positions as one or the other moved. We didn't always get along, but we always respected each other. I knew what drove Chris, where he was coming from, and how he was likely to be in any given situation, and I suspect he knew me in the same way.

Chris retired first, and then came back as a Reserve member, then I retired and didn't come back. The last time I saw Chris he was driving by me sometime in March of this year. It was late, a little after 5pm and he was in his uniform driving home from work. That time of year is personnel review time, and I smiled and waved. We shared a quick glance, but there was a full conversation in it. He was tired and had been working late to try to get caught up. We both knew I could feel his pain, and his pride in doing right by his people, and we both knew I was glad I wasn't the one who had the kind of day he must have had. When you know someone for that long, well you just know them. A glance is all it takes to get everything across.

Since then I've wanted to call Chris to have a coffee, but you know how that goes. Intentions never get anything done. I never did call him, and we never had that coffee. I never got to tell him that I'm proud he was continuing on and that I know he was doing right by his people. I never got to tell him that I'm proud he was doing a great job.

Today I sat as far from my old military colleagues as I possibly could. I did look over and sort of long to be part of the family again, but I wasn't there to see them.

As I sat there looking at Chris' flag covered coffin I couldn't believe his body was really in it. His dress uniform hat was laying on top. I had worn that hat once, when he discovered that mine was dirty just before I was to go see the Wing Chief Warrant Officer. I was just going to wear my hat, but Chris gave me that look and said "I don't knooow Kevin... " Even now I can hear his voice in my head; a bit of gravel in it, chastising me and warning me of impending doom.

The military Chaplain started to speak, and to be honest I really don't feel like getting into what he said. It was a mix of Roman Catholicism and humanism... He did however pray in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, so while I didn't actually agree with a lot of what he said I couldn't help but say my amen.

I'll be heading out to preach the Gospel to lost sinners on the streets of my city tonight. My heart is heavy, my stomach is sickly, I'm exhausted.

I know that Chris had heard the Gospel from me, and from at least one other Brother. What I don't know is if he ever actually believed it. The Chaplain made it seem like Chris was the Lord's servant, and would be welcomed home. Perhaps he knew something I didn't about my friend.

That's the day I've had.

Thoughts From Prov 19:11

Prov 19:11

The discretion of a man makes him slow to anger, And his glory is to overlook a transgression.

This passage hit me like a ton of bricks on Tuesday, and yet instantly removed a great burden from my shoulders!

As I've been reading "The Potter's Freedom" I've gone from being offended to being insulted to being impatient to being down right angry! Not with the author's position at all. My response has not at all been like he portrays his detractors. I'm not offended at God's Sovereignty or His Authority or His Power or anything like that.

If you've been reading the series "The Debater's Potter" then you know I've been offended because everything the author accuses his chosen opponent of he does himself. That after all the pages of praise from his peers (and fans?), very lengthy introductions, and 4 chapters the author has yet to have produced an argument for his position, a convincing argument against his opponent, or even given me any serious pause to think. Momentarily the author made an interesting argument which caught me ever so briefly. I'll be covering this in the next article because I have a serious question for everyone reading to answer. Your answer will, I intend, show you how you yourself perceive and determine truth. The introduction for the work is haughty, insulting to those who hold the view I do, and promises much. At this point I've been feeling like reading the book has been a complete waste of time, and writing a series on it a complete waste of effort.

On Tuesday I was particularly frustrated with the author and was beside myself when my dear friend showed up for our weekly prayer and fellowship meeting. I knew I shouldn't have read in the book before the meeting... when my friend showed up I was upset and embarrassed for being upset, AND for having been foolish enough to get myself in that state before he came over. Thankfully, he was graceful.

Anyway, later in the evening I had opportunity to be reading in Proverbs briefly. Prov 19:11 stuck out, and God spoke to me through that verse with clarity. I don't need to answer everything in The Potter's Freedom, and I don't need to show every bit of poor behaviour he demonstrates in the book. I really don't need to do that... what's more it is probably better if I overlook most of it.

So in light of this revelation, I'm going to be changing course on the series. My next article will cover chapters 2 - 4, and will focus on the 3 or 4 discussions worthy of comment. 

Heresy Hunting Begins at Home

I have to admit sometimes it is hard to test my own theology as strongly as I might test someone else's. This is especially true when it comes to doctrines which one rejects. Isn't it easy to find the time and energy to rip apart someone else's view? You can admit it, I bet you're a lot like me in this way.

You know what though? Heresy springs up where there is no one watching. Who's watching your theology? Who's watching mine?

A few months ago someone called me a "Heresy Hunter!" because I did not agree with the gospel the man was preaching, and also his systematic theology of choice. Shortly after that I got hooked up with a couple of guys who thought it was a good thing to be called a "Heresy Hunter!" well that is until I found out what gospel they hold to.

I'm hoping that for the first time ever at OMW I'll be posting an article by a guest author. While the author and I are in almost complete agreement (I say almost because he or I may not be aware of something) I have been challenging his view on the Sovereignty of God as though I disagree with him. He will be posting an article that has great potential to be helpful. However, while I think the content is accurate and true, I could very well be wrong about that.

Almost everything posted at OMW is open for discussion. This blog is primarily about where I'm at, and what I'm learning. That's no excuse for me to post error however. As I've been considering how the guest author might feel about how I've been challenging him, I've decided that first and foremost: HERESY HUNTING BEGINS AT HOME!

I almost always vigorously test my own theology. I consistently throw out anything that is determined to be false in any way. This upcoming article is exciting to me because it is the first time I've had a guest author, but it is also exciting because we're going to be tackling a HOT topic and I think the author has some very helpful things to say.

An Amazing Week Already

Canon 70-200 2.8L

The week started with me being a bit uneasy about how we had not heard back from those preparing our taxes, which in Canada must be submitted by April 30th. That unease was overtaken by joy when we found out that not only was the fee for preparation much lower than we expected, but the return was also much larger than we could have expected.  I've decided to open a business with the money from the return.

I'm currently looking to purchase a used Canon 70-200 2.8L lens. Tonight I answered an online add for one and it turns out that the seller is the son of a good friend (and Brother in the Lord) of mine. I suspect that unless I find something wrong with the lens that I will purchase it tomorrow (err... later today as it is about 1am right now).

During a moment of online research for discussion happening at the weekly Evangelism prayer group I received an email telling me that there 's an honorarium waiting for me from the Jesus to the Nations conference I played in March. Cool beans! Yet, I was more excited to hear from a good friend I had been thinking about earlier in the day. Can't wait to go see him!

Finally, tonight the partner that the Lord has paired me with in the work of spreading the Gospel on the streets of our city and I had an amazing time of testimony sharing. I shared with him things that I'd be fearful to tell most anyone else, and he also shared. Together we praised God for His faithfulness, mercy, grace and sovereignty! If you are a man who isn't getting together with other men to pray then I truly feel you need to change that. God does flat-out amazing things when men humble themselves to pray together.

Playing in the Jesus to the Nations Band

Over the last 6 weeks or so I have been learning a lot of songs and getting my fingers back in shape to play bass guitar with the Jesus to the Nations 2012 band. Now I want to be clear that these types of conferences are filled with bad doctrine and worse practice. I was asked to play by a dear Brother who has stuck with me through thick and thin. He is genuine and it is an honor to serve along side him.

I'm very much looking forward to the event and have been enjoying all the bass practice that I've been getting in the mean time.

There are a couple of articles in the works, and more videos. I'm primarily concerned with working on the next book right now though.

On My Walk: Started Writing Today

I've been very busy with a bunch of life stuff over the last two months. Evangelism on Friday nights has really picked up and that has led to an Evangelism prayer meeting being held at my house on Tuesdays weekly. This has been a HUGE blessing.

My wife and I have also started attending a House Church just outside of our city. We're finally at a place that holds firmly and completely to a Free Grace view of the Gospel. No more tense moments listening to someone preach a mixed up message and figuring out how to firmly but gracefully correct the problem.

Finally, today I have written the first bit of my next book which is going to be a surgical exposition on the Gospel of The Christ. The target audience includes the Christian Layperson, Evangelists, and Unbelievers looking to discover what the Gospel actually is. I've been researching this for sometime and have been taking notes and planning chapters. Today however, the first actual writing was completed!! I had expected to release this book in December. I guess I'm a bit behind schedule. :)

A Christian in Canada Presents

So while the sun has been shining I've been working away at a project that has been tugging at my heart for over a year. A series of videos made freely available to the Church, and the Lost, about Evangelism, the Bible and Salvation. I have been passionately learning as much as I can about videography, Final Cut Pro X and a few other things in order to be able to produce the series. Here's the title sequence for the upcoming video series.

Make sure to watch it in HD.

Street Witnessing and Open Air Preaching Tonight

It's been a while since I've been out on the streets but tonight I managed to get down town and get to it!! What a wonderful thing! The Gospel is still God's power unto salvation for all who believe!!!

It was my plan to just observe, but it was like putting on a comfortable pair of shoes - I had to walk in them!!! The open air preaching wasn't great - but it did lead to a GREAT conversation with a heckler!! What a beautiful warmup for my preaching on Sunday!

:)

Preaching this Sunday

I'm preaching at the main congregation gathering this Sunday. I'll be teaching about Peter's restoration in John 21, and what it means to us as believers. In particular I'll be preaching about how we can each have fruitful ministries despite our weakness and inability.  God has prepared works for us to walk in. How do we get over the fact of our weakness to do the work that He has prepared for us to do? That's the topic for this Sunday!

On My Walk

So here I am a couple of weeks into my retirement from the Canadian Forces and I'm being recruited by a very large defence contractor to go back to work on the same base I retired from as a civilian. It's a new career that would build on everything I've learned already yet require me to step up and learn so much more. I've decided to follow the challenge and see where it takes me.

I'm also working on several books, with not a lot of progress this past week. I've been very sick for the last two weeks - retirement doesn't sit well with me perhaps?

The specter of Lordship Salvation raised its insidious head at my Brethren assembly recently.

We have unity on the Gospel at the assembly. We do not spend any time talking about "Free Grace" or "Lordship Salvation" or anything like that. Frankly, we just get on with preaching the Word.  Longtime readers of On My Walk will know that I am very uncomfortable with accepting a label or title for my beliefs. One cannot control what the label means to the person who reads or hears it. To some Free Grace is equated with the Brethren of old, with the likes of H.A. Ironside... to others Free Grace is associated with the Grace Evangelical Society. There is a gulf of difference between them. Likewise there is a gulf of difference between various interpretations of Lordship Salvation.  We are charged to 'preach the Word' and so that's what we do. Blogs, conventions and meetings are good places to deal with various heresies, the pulpit is for preaching the Word.

Anyway, someone brought the theology of Lordship Salvation in and I was afraid at how it was received  by many. Many didn't immediately recognize it because they don't spend near the time that I do examining it. Some did recognize it though, and I'm thankful for that. Discussion with the Elders led to a clear and decisive move to ensure such theology is not preached to our assembly met with my approval and great relief.

In short we retained unity in the Gospel, and that's a big deal.

I've found that since I'm retired from the military and so no longer subject to moving around the world, and since we've decided to stay here in this city that the importance of everything at my assembly has greatly increased. Everything matters, I mean really matters and this is a new development in my walk. I've always loved those I fellowship with, and it has always been important that they are doing well. Now though, this importance is overwhelming.

So that's where I'm at on my walk right now. How are you doing?

On Finishing Well

Last week I retired from my career of 20 years and 4 days in the Canadian Forces.  There is almost an endless amount of material from my career that might be worthy of comment, helpful in explaining some truth, or an example of what not to do in a particular situation; however it is my last year of service that truly defines my career.

Over the past few months, as I've been considering what to do next there has been ample time to review previous performance reviews and I've found that I can gladly include every review I can find (the last 7 years) with any resume I give out. I can honestly say that I have served my country well and that I was recognized for doing so. That being said for some time now it has been clear that it was time for me to move on to something new. A lot of situations in my life have changed me, changed my desires, dreams, ambitions and what I am dedicated to; not the least of which was getting saved and learning to help others hear about Christ. The last few years in the Canadian Forces were challenging for me on many levels. I didn't want to be there any more, but I had sworn an oath.

Now I want to be clear, I love the Canadian Forces. No matter what you might think of the concept, I am proud of the service I gave and of the Force I served in and with. I have been part of an organization that somehow mixes pride with pure unselfishness to stand between the citizens of Canada and danger.

I do not subscribe to "Lifestyle Evangelism" but can't deny that when you live and work as the Lord has instructed that people DO take notice.  I submitted my intention to release, and turned down all further contracts over a year and a half ago. Nearly everyone expected me to stop working, or do the bare minimum. Again and again it was commented that I should be slowing down. Instead, I caught my second wind and found joy in my work again. Overcoming challenges and accomplishing goals were no longer about getting promoted, now they were about me growing and truly working for my earthly masters as though I was working directly for the Lord. It made no sense to anyone - not even my superiors who seemed to be unsure what to do with me.

By the time my last week came around my superiors were no longer surprised that I was continuing to work harder than all my peers. As I was doing the final administration to retire a superior came to me and asked if I could finish a personnel evaluation report - a dreaded task! He was in a bind, and buttered me up by saying the "one guy I can always count on is leaving." I didn't even consider saying no to him, and not one single person in the organization was surprised to find me working away on it three days before I retired. It had become normal to see me to be going above and beyond.

So what's the pay off? Is it just so great to be admired? Hardly. The pay off is that while many of my other (truly saved) Christian co-workers will probably never get the opportunity to credibly share their faith with these supervisors - I did.

It took a lot of work. 

It is not the type of evangelism that I suggest be your primary style. 

It worked. 

As it played out a couple of times the day I left; as I stood in the office of a superior two ranks above me he asked me with a coy face - "Kevin, are you trying to change me?" 

I was able to answer truthfully and emphatically "I would do anything for that to happen, but it's not up to me." Acts 26:28-29

He knew it was between him and God, and that I wasn't asking him to join a club, or a religion. He knew I was serious, and that I wasn't just some flake. He knew God is serious. My mission was complete, those who believe will be saved and those who don't will be condemned. Mark 16:16

As much as I wanted to leave the Canadian Forces two years ago I'm glad the Lord kept me there - just long enough to finish well. 

Fail-Safe for Fallacy eBook Edition for $2.99

Fail-Safe for Fallacy: Every Believer Can Cut Straight to the Truth was written during a very challenging time in my life. I thought everything was falling apart. Looking back on that time now though; I see God clearing my schedule and focusing my mind so that I could share what He had taught me up to that point. Fail-Safe is my first book. God willing it will be my first of many.

The title may make the book sound intimidating, or worse pretentious, but the book is an easy read and I'm told by many people a very helpful work. Whether you're a new believer, or an old soldier wanting to sharpen your sword Fail-Safe is a great help.  The focus of the book is protecting the Church by protecting individual Believers from fallacy, or false teaching through learning to study the Bible above theology.

If this blog has been a blessing to you then I hope you'll check out Fail-Safe for Fallacy and ask someone else to do the same. The print book sells for $11.69 but the eBook is priced for everyone at $2.99.

Visit the Amazon.com Kindle eBook page to get your copy! 

If you don't have a Kindle eBook reader you can get the application free for PC, Mac, iPhone/iPod Touch, Blackberry... the list goes on.

Here's the product description from Amazon.com

This is the eBook edition of Fail-Safe for Fallacy, an easy to read book which helps the reader study Scripture above theology. 

Here is the original book description:

A sure faith and a clear understanding of the Bible is available to every Believer, not just Pastors and theologians. There is no need for any of us to be led astray and have our hopes dashed because they have been built on fallacy. God who cannot lie has breathed out truth in His Word to us in such a way that we each really can understand it.

We live in an age of unprecedented access to knowledge yet the popular media thrives by selling us news bites we seldom verify. Most church goers today get all their theology in 40 minute purpose filled messages on Sunday mornings. Many have almost no ability to "rightly divide the Word of Truth" and so leave the deeper things of God and the sure faith they build to be experienced by only those who have been to seminary. This makes us easy prey for false teachers, and prophets. Shockingly, it mostly goes unnoticed that the lost are being inoculated against Eternal Salvation by false conversion experiences. We need a fail-safe against all this error and God has given it to us in His Word.

Fallacy lays in wait for every unprepared believer but the Bible was written to reveal truth to us. Fail-Safe For Fallacy can help anyone confidently learn this truth directly from the Scriptures. Every Believer really can cut straight through to the truth God has given us in His Word instead of being tossed to and fro by the various doctrines of men.

You can know truth, and be sure of it!

A Discussion About Unconditional Election

So I'm reading Norman Geisler's Second Edition of Chosen But Free copyright 2001 for the first time. It is a discussion about Election seemingly from a "Moderate Calvinist" perspective. It would be reasonable to term myself as a "Moderate Calvinist" in that I tend to hold to a lot of what John Calvin wrote about, but I do not at all go beyond that. An "Extreme Calvinist" is someone who is more "Calvinistic" than John Calvin was, and that would include all 5 Point Calvinists, and many 4 pointers as well. I'm currently at page 69 of 290 (according to my Kindle).

For the most part up to this page I thought the book was presenting a view which is "more Calvinistic" than I am but it is extremely well thought out and presented so I have been enjoying it nonetheless. Turns out I was reading some of my ideas about Calvinism into what the author was writing. Also, he has opened my understanding and I believe my views have changed ever so slightly - functionally, but not practically - if that is clear at all...
I previously believed that Election was mostly about what we are elected to do BECAUSE we have been saved; ie works prepared beforehand for us to walk in, suffering, sanctification, glorification... and that also some people (perhaps John the Baptist and the Apostle Paul) were Elected to Eternal Salvation... that there is a group who were elected to Salvation, but that believing the Gospel was open to every person. I have discussed as much before. See Tripping TULIP Part 3: Unconditional Election. In that article I had these closing thoughts:

This is probably the doctrine I come closest to believing in TULIP. I believe that God has elected some to be Eternally Saved. Many are called, few are chosen sort of thing. However, I cannot let my thoughts decide what Scripture says. Scripture must always define what I think. Theology that is an inch deep and a mile wide comes from the presupposition that Salvation, Justification and Repentance are always about Eternal Salvation.

My struggle with the concept was clear back then, and has been on going since.

The Moderate Calvinist view of Election is well explained in a story shared on pages 68-69 of Chosen But Free. I'm going to quote that story here because I believe it is invaluable to understanding how God can "choose" who is saved, without also choosing who will be damned - and it is this very point on which our understanding either offends all of God's attributes or offends some or all of them.

Discussing a young Believer who is interested in marriage Geisler relates that the man (Jim) is interested in pursuing one of two women, Joan or Betty. Geisler states that the man has three possible courses of action. (1) to propose to neither of them; (2) to propose to Joan; or (3) to propose to Betty. He then notes that the man is under no compulsion to propose, or not to propose to either. It is his "free will" choice to make. Now here is the story, please read it carefully because without the context of the previous 67 pages one may jump to the conclusion that Geisler is making an Arminianistic argument that supposes God is dependant on the decisions of men; he is not.

Suppose further that the young man happens to konw that if he proposes to Joan she will say yes and if he proposes to Betty she will say no. Suppose then, in accordance with this foreknowledge of how she will freely respond, that Jim chooses to propose to Joan. Suppose even that he knew she would be reluctant at first but with persistent and loving persuasion she would eventually--freely--accept his offer. The decision on his part was entirely free, uncoerced, and not based on anything outside himself. But it was also a decision that was with full knowledge of the response and which respected the free choice of the person to whom he decided to propose. This is analogous to what the moderate Calvinists believe about God's unconditional election.

Note here that Jim's election was done according to his foreknowledge, that he determined, but she freely chose. She was not compelled, it was freely Joan's decision to accept. Jim also freely chose, soverignly chose. Yet he did not make his choice a violation of the one he chose. He did not force himself on her. He also did not choose that Betty would remain unmarried. It was not his choice, it was hers.

This view may be complicated to wrap your head around based on one short story, but note this: It lines up, I would say perfectly, with all election passages - including that God does not will that any will perish but desires all to come to repentance. Jim didn't will that Betty would be alone, she wouldn't accept him so she willed that she would be alone. Also - for those God foreknew he also predestined.... Jim foreknew Joan would accept, so he chose her - she wouldn't have been able to marry Jim if Jim didn't ask her. She was reluctant at first and he had to pursue her. She was not seeking him, he was seeking her. Sound familiar?

I find rest in my thinking, a removal of needless tension in the Scriptures, and clarity of understanding with this view.

So that's my take on it, what are your thoughts?

What is The Word Bowl?

Read. Discuss. Learn. Grow. Publish. 

~ www.TheWordBowl.com ~

Coming soon!

Quick Update

No one likes "quick updates." Believe me, I don't like doing them any more than you like reading them. :)

The review of Slave is nearly finished and I expect to have it up in the next day or two. I'm still absolutely flat out at work, which is why I haven't been writing very much on here. However, that will be done for me in less than a month! Big news coming on that front!

I will be back to my normal level of writing very soon!

On My Run

I've gotten serious about running again.

I was last truly serious about running early in 2005 when I ran in the Halifax Bluenose Half Marathon, which I completed in 2:12 in near hurricane conditions. I was pleased with the result considering the crazy winds, and impressed I lived through the experience. It was a terribly hard run, but also one of the greatest experiences of my life.

Since then I have been an on again, off again, kind of runner.  Having just crossed over into adulthood at the ripe old age of 40, I've decided it's time to get serious again. My loving wife has been running all along and she is very fast. So she's been training me since October and for Christmas she got me the Adidas miCoach.  We first saw it at one of her 10K races last year. I wanted it badly but didn't want to spend the money on myself. I generally only ever splurge on myself with computer or music gear.

I started training with the miCoach on January 4th. I set it up to train me with the goal of completing a 10K race in May in 60mins or less. The training program seemed too easy at first, but tonight I ran my 100th KM since the program started  - and it's getting pretty challenging. I've also gotten much faster! On  New Year's Eve I ran 5K in 28:16 - which isn't quick for a 40 y/o male.  I'm now able to do that same run in 25 mins. That's a huge improvement for such a short time!

If you are a runner who wants to get better, or someone who wants to learn how to run I can truly recommend this inexpensive bit of gear.

Quick Update

I'm working on Personnel Evaluations at work and so my writing here will be slow for the next little while. I had intended on having the review of Slave posted before this... however, it's a good thing that I've waited! Kindle doesn't give page numbers that relate to the actual print copy of the book, but that is being fixed. There's a preview of the next Kindle update which will include proper page numbers out now. As soon as this is released I'll be able to accurately quote MacArthur in such a way that people can easily find the quotes in the actual book. This is going to make writing the review much easier, and hopefully make the review more helpful in the end.

One note about the review - it's going to be short and I can sum it up for you right here. The book is not influential. I can't imagine anyone changing their mind to believe in MacArthur's Lordship Salvation theology after reading it, if they disagreed in the past. It is also not going to drive away anyone who currently even loosely holds to this theological position. It makes no real statement, comes to almost no conclusions, and so in the end I expect it will be an entertaining read for those who hold the position and a disappointing read for everyone else.

On a side note; I've ordered the book Free Grace Soteriology by Dr. David R. Anderson since it has been recommended to me by Dr. Robb Lawson.