Salty Believer Unscripted Podcast

Over two years ago, SaltyBeliever.com started as a repository to dump seminary papers and interesting discussions, but quickly it turned into something more--a ministry in-and-of itself.  I've received many e-mails with questions, comments, and prayer requests simply because of the existence of this website.  People have potentially been introduced to Jesus.  I've made new friends.  I've also engaged in various conversations playing out in theological or ministry circles through the use of these postings.  By God's mercy and grace, this website grew into something so much more than I expected.  I am thankful.

Therefore, I'm pleased to see this website taking another step closer to a dream I've held for some time.  With the help of others, I'm starting a podcast of unscripted conversations about ministry, theology, seminary, and whatever else may come up in the course of time.  Three Salty Believer Unscripted conversations are already scheduled, with the first one publishing today, and I anticipate many, many more to come.

Pastor Jared Jenkins helped me with the inaugural Salty Believe Unscripted podcast and it was a lot of fun.  While most of the podcasts will be audio only, this one is audio and video.  The idea was to set up our extremely low-tech equipment and chat for about 15 minutes, but with the conversation being so interesting and the clock behind me it went a little longer than I anticipated. I've toyed with the idea of creating an intro and doing more in the tech area, but at the moment, I'm content to simply roll with this low-production style. (The audio podcasts will basically start with the button on the smart phone is pressed and end when the recording is stopped.  How's that for easy!)

The topic of conversation for this session of Salty Believer Unscripted:  Seminary.

* This video, others like it, and many other resources are available here.

I'm sure Jared will be a regular participant as the podcast goes on and he's already stated that he has some ideas for more conversations.

I hope you'll join us by subscribing to the audio (and video) podcast feeds.

Subscribe to the Salty Believer iTunes Podcasts: Video | Audio
(Non iTunes: Video | Audio)
* While there may be some overlap, the content of the Video and Audio Podcasts are not the same. 

If you have ideas or questions, please don't hesitate to contact me and share your thoughts!

Check back next week for a conversation with Pastor Sean Patrick on worship.

So Much Bigger Than Politics

January 25, 2012

About three months ago, I asked the people supporting my ministry in Salt Lake to pray for 100 new believers in Utah every time they see or hear the name, "Mitt Romney."

The response has far surpassed my expectations.  Now, not a week goes by that I don't get an e-mail or text message about how much people are praying and excited to do so.  Rather than getting overly involved in the faith debate about Romeny's LDS religion or the "Are Mormons Christians" arguments, they simply ask God to address the bigger issues by saving 100 more people in Utah.  And the beauty of it is this: the better Romney seems to do in the political arena, the more media he receives. Then as people see his name more often, the more they engage in prayer, asking God to intervene in the spiritual arena and change lost hearts of stone into living hearts of flesh. 

Regardless of how you may or may not vote, isn't the advancement of the Kingdom through the transformation of people's lives so much more important?  In light of the bigger picture, don't the debates, candidates, and polling numbers just seem kind of small?  Wouldn't you love your time, energy, and focus to be about something so much bigger, something so much more significant?

I thought I'd share this with you on SaltyBeliever.com (another of my ministries), but I'd also like to ask:  Will you join me in praying for 100 new Jesus-worshiping believers in Utah every time you see or hear the name, "Mitt Romney"?

If you're already praying this prayer thank you!  If God is calling you to support the ministry work in Utah in other ways, please don't hesitate to contact me, and together we can find ways for you to answer that call.

May God Bless you,
Bryan Catherman
SaltyBeliever.com

Community: Are you Known?

It seems our world is getting faster and faster, built on connectivity and connection.  We can now be connected to everybody, anytime, everywhere.  But are these connections real?  How many friends do you really have?

Are you known, really known, by others?  How many people do you know in deep, meaningful ways?

Community groups are one way to get to know other people.  Through getting to know others, you can begin to form relationships of substance.

* This video, others like it, and many other resources are available here.

Subscribe to the Salty Believer iTunes Podcasts: Video | Audio
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* While there may be some overlap, the content of the Video and Audio Podcasts are not the same. 

Praying for Those Who Fill Empty Seats

One of the best "problems" for any church to have is to run out of space.  More people than chairs. More demand than supply.   Sometimes this means starting another service, buying more chairs, acquiring another building, or planting another church.   My church is growing and will, by the grace of God, continue to have this "problem," so we had a Chair Repair Party.

The Chair Repair Party gave us a few more rows and some more empty seats to fill.  It is exciting to think about who may one day sit in the additional seats.  And it should excite us.  Churches should be praying for people to fill their empty seats.  Believers should be continually looking for more metaphorical chairs to set in their own lives and they should be praying that God will fill the seats. 

I recently heard of a church that is so full each Sunday, a fire marshal has to stand at the door and count the people as they go it.  As soon as the building is full to its maximum capacity, no more people can go in.  I believe this happens because the people of this church pray.

Could you image what the world would look like if every church had a fire marshal outside the door counting?  Could you imagine what your community would look like if every time you set a new seat it was filled that week?  Could you imagine the magnitude of a church filled to capacity, no more seats?  Pray.

Pray.

* The above video, others like it, and many other resources are available here.

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* While there may be some overlap, the content of the Video and Audio Podcasts are not the same. 

Lectures to my Students by Charles Spurgeon

Charles Haddon Spurgeon (1834-1892), author of Lectures to my Students and The Treasury of David was not only a Pastor’s College instructor, he served as the director of the Stockwell Orphanage and the senior pastor of the Baptist Church of New Park Street in London which eventually moved to the 6,000-seat Metropolitan Tabernacle. Preaching more than 1,900 different sermons to large crowds even by today’s standards, all without the benefit of amplification, Spurgeon was dubbed the “Prince of Preachers.” Although Spurgeon had not obtained a formal seminary education, his achievements, leadership, preaching, and faithfulness formed enough of a resume to warrant his teaching at the Pastor’s College, a school Spurgeon founded for hopeful preachers. Lectures to my Students contains twenty-eight of Spurgeon’s lectures.

Lectures to my Students contains no introduction of explanation; it simply starts with a lecture titled “The Minister’s Self-Watch.” Spurgeon affords his reader nothing but the content the students received. As the present-day reader must imagine the context and time period in which Spurgeon was teaching, it is to be expected the he starts with what a man of God is to be. Spurgeon begins his first lecture with salvation and character. From there he moves to the call to ministry, and once these two matters are behind him, Spurgeon is off and running. Speaking to a group of potential pastors, the topic of every lecture centers on what it takes to be a good and successful pastor. He deals with prayer, preaching, continual growth over a lifetime, and many other aspects of ministry. Although he shares few personal stories, it is clear that Spurgeon is teaching from his experience; and by drawing from examples of his day, he is no stranger to what was happening in the Church around him. His approach is serious, as he understands the weight of what his students are training to become. “How diligently the cavalry office keeps his sabre clean and sharp;” writes Spurgeon, “every stain he rubs off with the greatest care. Remember you are God’s sword, His instrument—I trust, a chosen vessel unto Him to bare His name. In great measure, according to the purity and perfection of the instrument will be the success. It is not great talents God blesses so much as likeness to Jesus. A holy minister is an awful weapon in the hand of God” (8). Spurgeon writes each lecture just as a skilled blacksmith would forge a steel sword. His arrangement and progression of thought serve to sharpen the student and the reader in preparation for the task of the preacher.

If the reader keeps the context in perspective, Spurgeon has much to offer. This is to say that while he does not write to modern matters such as the constant eye of the Internet, today’s great study resources, amplification, air conditioning, and the like, his timeless, right-to-the point comments should still hit very close to today’s preachers. For example, Spurgeon writes, “Ludicrous results sometimes arise from sheer stupidity inflated with conceit” (99). Elsewhere he writes, “Sermons should have real teaching in them, and their doctrine should be solid, substantial, and abundant” (70). Early in the lectures he says, “The minister who does not earnestly pray over his work must surely be a vain and conceited man” (48). This kind of teaching is both practical and real. It hits the mark. Clearly this is a man who stood in the pulpit week-in and week-out and most comfortably would teach not from theory but from experience. This is also apparent in the simple advice he offers his students, such as, “A very useful help in securing attention is a pause” (138). It does not get any simpler and yet at other times Spurgeon digs deep into the necessary life and practice of the minister.

One difficulty of Spurgeon’s lectures is his lack of room for any way other than the “Spurgeon way.” Starting on page 129, Spurgeon addresses the atmosphere of the room. Rather than discussing ways to work toward creating an environment that is favorable for the Sunday service, he expresses that the room for preaching should have fresh air and open windows. He rails against architecture that does not allow for high, lofty ceilings or windows that open. This seems to be where his point ends. The student in England who has the benefit of a well-built church building may gain something from hearing that he should open the windows, but the preacher serving in-hiding among an unfriendly nation or the minister who is reduced to preach in a basement or warehouse or even in a stuffy stove-heated tent gains nothing from this teaching. The opportunity might not have been missed had Spurgeon shifted from practical teaching to the theoretical teaching. This shift may have produced a teaching that could have been more applicable across the many circumstances of the Church. The lesson might have produced more fruit had it examined the theory behind the right atmosphere. However, Spurgeon remains in the practical-style through all of his lectures. While the practical experience-based lecture is a great strength, at times it also serves as the book’s greatest weakness.

Despite some of the datedness of Lectures to my Students and some of the missed opportunities, Spurgeon’s work is still a deep well of great information. It is convicting and hard-hitting where it needs to be and then light and humorous at other times. These lectures are a treasure to the both the pastor-preacher in training and the long-time minister alike. Lectures to my Students should be a mandatory addition to any pastor’s bookshelf.

____
Spurgeon, Charles. Lectures to My Students. Grand Rapids, Mich: Zondervan, 1954.

Bible Reading Plans

It's good to be reading the Bible daily and it's even better to have a plan. 

Many free plans are available that help people read through the Bible in a set given period of time.  Some Bibles offer suggested reading plans in an appendix.  Most of these plans will take a reader through the entire Bible in a year.  A year is a nice duration because it works out to about 3 to 5 chapters per reading, or about 20 minutes a day.

There are a number of different ways to go through the Bible.  It could be that your program starts on the first page of Genesis and ends on the last page of Revelation (the first and last books of the Bible).  There are some that will read something from the New Testament and something from the Old.  Or it could be more detailed, maybe something from the books of history, something from the wisdom books, a bit from the books of the prophets, then the gospels, epistles, and so-on.  Or chronological by event or by when the book was authored. 

There are many programs available on-line.  Bibleyear.com will allows you do develop your own 1-year program, taking into consideration translation and the type of read through you'd like to do.  It also has start dates on the 1st and 15th of every month.  You might have software on your computer or an app on your phone that helps guide you through a regular reading.  You can also find resources for reading plans on my resource page.

It's important to be reading and it's much easier to do it with a plan.  If you've never done it before, make this the year that you read the entire Bible, or if you've read the Bible 40 times, it's time to make it 41 times. 

I highly recommend a chronological reading so you can see the "big picture."

Two Years of SaltyBeliever.com

As 2011 is now behind us, SaltyBeliever.com celebrates its second anniversary.  This website officially launched on January 1, 2010 and the first year was a success.  Looking back on that first year, I set some goals for the second year.  Some where achieved, some where not.

How did the site do in 2011? 

For starters, the SaltyBeliever.com saw an increase in traffic this year over last year.  There were over 20,000 visitors with nearly 60,000 page views to date, representing 141 countries.  2011 produced 73 new posts for a total of 225 published posts to the site. After two years, nearly every book of the Bible has been quoted.  More book reviews were offered, with the most popular to date being a chapter by chapter review of Rob Bell's book, Love Wins.  Knowing Jesus Through The Old Testament By Christopher J.H. Wright was a close second.  68 comments or questions were generated through the "Contact me" form and I have lost count of how many e-mails or other messages were sent to me as a result of Salty Believer in 2011.  I wish I could say all were positive and encouraging, but this is not the case.  I created a Resource page with lots of videos, audio files, links, book recommendations, and other useful material.  A video and audio podcast were created (subscribe below).  And I hope the material posted in 2011 was more accessible.  It was my hope to provide practical information, not just seminary work. 

Where is the site headed for the its third year?

 As we move through 2012, I will complete my seminary education.  I am working full-time in ministry and have some friends along for the journey.  Therefore, I hope the site will become even more practical.  I have a strong desire that, God willing, I will be able to start posting more podcasts and videos, many featuring other people in ministry as well.  I don't have any other goals for the site other than to continue posting thoughtful material that brings salt and light to Salt Lake, Utah, and beyond.

Thanks for reading. Soli Deo gloria!

Bryan Catherman


Subscribe to the Salty Believer iTunes Podcasts: Video | Audio
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* While there may be some overlap, the content of the Video and Audio Podcasts are not the same.  

Imprecatory Psalms and Inspiration

I was recently asked,  “How can the imprecatory psalms be part of the inspired Scriptures communicated to us by a good and loving God.”

This is a good question and one worth asking, but it is important that the motivation behind such a question is correct.  It is also important that we are seeking answers to the right questions.    

An imprecatory psalm is one in which the psalmist asks that God curses the psalmist's enemies.  These are psalms of anger or wrath.  Examples include Psalms 35, 55, 59, 69, 79, 109, and 137.  

Getting back to the question at hand, we must first deal with some underlying issues found within this type of questioning.  First, it is not the duty of man to judge what should or should not be inspired Scripture.  If it were our responsibility, our Bibles would be substantially thinner as we would remove every verse we do not care for or find difficult.  Instead, man, through the guidance of the Holy Spirit identifies what is and is not the inspired Word of God.  Second, God is infinitely bigger than the attribute of love as man defines and then places upon God.  It is not our responsibility to define God or his love.  So you are left with a couple of decisions: you can accept that the imprecatory psalms are indeed inspired Scripture or you can reject this notion, and you can accept that God is indeed good and loving as his inspired Word claims or you can reject this idea as well.  

At the root of this question is a much bigger question.  It is not about inspiration of Scripture, but instead about a paradox.  How could God allow this kind of prayer to be a part of his message to his creation?  How could a good and loving God put his endorsement on such difficult language when the New Testament clearly teaches that we should love our enemies?  As we look at Scripture we find many more situations like those of the imprecatory psalms.  In these situations our understanding suggests a paradox, but our ways are not God’s ways and our understanding is not God’s understanding.  We do not have the right or authority to place ourselves above God and then dictate what God should or should not do by our standards.   God sovereign functions by God's standards. 

We must also realize something else about these imprecatory psalms.  God, by putting his endorsement upon these psalms and in fact breathing out the very words, is giving us a glimpse into prayers of man.  These men, through deep emotion, are able to go to God with any petition, even if driven out of unhealthy or sinful motivations.  These men are also leaving their case with God.  They make the petition.  It is then up to God to say, "yes, no, or later."  That being said, what we do not see is what God actually does with these enemies.

We are like little children.  Sometimes children ask things of their parents that may seem unreasonable or outright awful, yet in the case of children and parents, we understand what's going on.  Think about how many times a young boy has wanted his father to beat the living tar out of one of this boy’s young enemies.  Could you imagine it, a 220lb father kicking the crap out of a 6-year-old boy?  But just because the boy asks, doesn't mean it will happen.  Now image that the boy did ask and sometime later the father retold the story to make a point or teach his children something. Would we place judgment on the father for telling the story?  Would we assume that father said yes to the boy's request or even totally endorsed the boy's request?  The father could be retelling the account as a way of teaching something real and good about the relationship between the boy and the father, or maybe about the trust and care that the boy knows the father gives him, or even that the boy fully understood the father's ability and might.  If we first place judgment upon the father for retelling the story, we may actually miss the point the father is trying to teach.  If this is the case between a father and a son, how much more might these imprecatory psalms be something more between the creation and the Creator?  It may not be about our standards that we want to place upon God; it could be God showing us something.  Don't miss the point of these imprecatory psalms because they would be something you would prefer to cast judgement upon.


* Photo of barbwire by Louis Parravicini. Photo of father and son by Sarah Horrigan.  Both are used by permission. 

Being Martha AND Mary

The Church is full of people and people tend to be wired differently.  As people of drastically different wiring come together, sometimes there is a desire that we all approach Jesus the same way.  When we don't, there can be some grumbling.  Luke records the story of two sisters that seems to help us understand how we are to come together. (It's found in Luke 10:38-42.)

Are you a "Martha" or a "Mary"? 

If you're a Martha, I'd like to invite you to seek out opportunities to be a little more Mary.  If you are a Mary, it is time to look for Martha-style service opportunity.  

* This video, others like it, and many other resources are available here.

What is the Gospel Call?

What is the gospel call? Well, first, one must ask, "what is the gospel?" The gospel, in its simplest terms is this:

1. All people sin and have sinned (Romans 3:23)
2. The penalty for this sin is death (Romans 6:23)
3. Jesus died to pay the penalty so we may have right standing with God (Romans 5:8)

This is the good news! This is the gospel!

Now then, what is the gospel call? The call is like a summons from the King. You receive this summons and when you open it it is the gospel and it is written for you, to you, personally. The summons or call is God's way to reach out and draw us to himself. He is calling us to something more. He is calling us to transform up. His calls brings life.

The short video is further explication of the gospel call. I hope it spurs on more thoughts. I hope you have a conversation with others about the gospel call. If you would like to discuss this with me or others working in this ministry, you may contact us here.

* This video, others like it, and many other resources are available here.

Scriptures to Know

A couple of my Bibles have notes written inside the covers. These notes are reference lists of Scriptures to know and seek in times of discussion and need. I have decided to consolidate these lists in once source that is easy to access and easy to continually add upon. I also believe it is a list that should be shared. I have only just begun to organize and add verses to this this list and I pray that it will become a fantastic "work in progress" that I and others are able to turn to as necessary as we learn, study, and memorize God's Word.

Click here to download a copy of the list, "Scriptures to Know". This list will be growing and developing over time, so occasionally check back and download it again.

* Other resources, includes reading lists and videos are available here.

The Three Wise Men

Just after Thanksgiving, at least in America, people start putting nativity sets on their coffee tables and fireplace mantels. My neighbor even puts a life-size lighted set in his front yard. The angel stands on the roof of his house. I think the idea is to create a visual story of the birth of Jesus, our Lord.

The set we had when I was growing up was very much like the sets most people have, and they certainly tell a story. In fact, the typical nativity set has shaped the story most Americans know as Jesus' birth story. Like the idea that there were only three wise men, for example. This idea likely comes about because there were three gifts (gold, myrrh, and frankincense) , but it is widely reinforced by the fact that the typical nativity set usually only includes three wise men. (And the one I had growing up had two pasty-white dudes and one very black guy, which seems kind of odd if you think about it.)

Matthew 2:1 simply calls this band of wise men, "Magi from the East." There is nothing that indicates a number other than a plurality. It could have been two or two hundred; we really don't know. And there's nothing that precludes women from this mysterious group.

Another interesting picture we get from our nativity sets is the presence of the Magi while Mary, Joseph, and Jesus were still staying in the stable or animal cave below the living quarters or wherever the manger was. In fact, the birthday story itself is primarily recorded in Luke but the account of the Magi is told in Matthew. The Magi narrative in Matthew suggests a much broader time line. They visit the house where the child was (Matthew 2:9-10), which may not have been an animal stable. And even if that house was in Bethlehem, it could be at the "inn" now that there's room with extended family as some scholars have guessed. Herod set out to kill all the children two years and younger, suggesting that at the point he realized he had been tricked by the Magi, the child Jesus could have been us much as two years old.

When you look at your nativity set this year, think about what shapes your understanding of the Christmas story. Is it your porcelain figurines or the Scripture? If it's not the Scripture, take some time to read through the Christmas story this Christmas season. Read slowly, savor it, let it sink in and become the picture you have in your mind as you celebrate Christmas.

Merry Christmas!


* Photo by Chiot's Run and is registered under a creative commons license.

The Tasks of a Pastor?

While many well meaning people could generate lists of what a pastor should be or do, it is best to start with what God's Word, the Bible says of the pastor.

First, every pastor should already be doing the work of every believer. That is, he or she should be making disciples, loving one another, serving, and above all, keeping a growing relationship with God. Second, it would be reasonable to examine the Apostles' practices and assume that many of those things could also be the task of a pastor. Jesus told Peter, "Feed my sheep" and it seems that this could extent even to the pastor today. All of these things are seen repeatedly throughout the Bible.

But what does the Bible specifically say for the pastor? What instructions are available? to answer these questions, the Greek words presbytersos, episkopos, poimēn, kērux, or didaskalos are where a study like this should focus. These are the words that translate to elder, overseer, shepherd, preacher, and teacher, respectively. For the sake of this post, the uses and instruction to the overseer or episkopos will be examined. This is the word that is most often translated in English as bishop, pastor, or overseer.

In Acts chapter 20, Paul shows some concern that some wolves may slip into the church and teach false doctrine. He encourages the leaders to "pay careful attention" to themselves and to the "flock which the Holy Spirit has made [them] overseers" (Acts 20:28, ESV). He further encourages them to remain alert for those who would do harm to the church. And in this task of protector and caregiver to the church they must give much to the Church, just as Paul did.

Philippians is addressed to the saints, overseers, and deacons. This letter provides lots of instruction, especially that they would grow and mature in love and knowledge. In 1 Timothy, Paul provides of list of attributes and characteristics to examine when looking for an overseer for the church. But among this list he provides two clues about what the pastor seems to be expected to do. He says in 1 Timothy 3:2, that the overseer should be "able to teach" and in 1 Timothy 3:4-5 he writes, "He must manage his own household well, with all dignity keeping his children submissive, for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for God’s church?" (ESV). It would seem from this question, that the pastor is to care for the church in like manner to caring well for his household.

And finally, in Titus 1:9, Paul says of the overseer, "He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it" (ESV).

Based on this instruction as well as the others, it would seem that the primary duty of the overseer is to teach sound doctrine and protect the flock from those who may try to teach otherwise. The teacher must also be the protector. And while the pastor is many things, these are the instructions specifically given to the overseer.

Level of Certainty

How do you know that the next time you press on your automobile brakes, they will work? The truth of the matter is that the only way you can be absolutely certain that the breaks will stop the car is after they have actually done so. Anything less then this level of certainty leaves room that the breaks will not actually work when you need them. Yet not even able to be 100% certain, we will get that car up to speeds exceeding 75mph. How could we possibly make a decision like this? We do it all the time.

How do we know what we know? How do we understand certainty? In the seven-minute video below, I discuss this in greater detail.

Circles of Importance

There are people who want to argue for every idea and every doctrine as if they are exactly equal. Are they all equal? The Bible is all true, but not everything contained within it is as necessary or as clear. Some passages are absolutely essential for understanding salvation and some just tell us how big an army was. Some passages are more important, just as some doctrines and ideas are more or less important.

In this video, I take a about twelve minutes to outline a way of thinking of the different levels of importance. Hopefully, understanding where we place various doctrines will help you better converse with those who place things in a categories different than you would prefer. It's my prayer that this model is as beneficial to you as it has be to me.

The above video contains a model of understanding that is not new. I took it from a number of sources, modified it some, and am now teaching to my students (and you). My first introduction came from Michael Patton and the Theology Program (which I highly recommend) and I've seen it again elsewhere.   I don't think he created the model that looks the most like what I'm sharing, but I will credit him with teaching it to me.

Here's a computer generated picture of what's on the whiteboard:

* This video, others like it, and many other resources are available here.

Subscribe to the Salty Believer iTunes Podcasts: Video | Audio
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* While there may be some overlap, the content of the Video and Audio Podcasts are not the same. 

The Letter to Thyatira

I once again had the opportunity to preach at CrossPoint Church in Salt Lake. They are a church plant in the valley that has been going for five years. Their pastor was in a series on the seven letters to the seven churches found in the Book of Revelation. I preached on the letter to Thyatira found in Revelation (Revelation 2:18-29).

Listen to the audio here.

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(Non iTunes: Video | Audio)
* While there may be some overlap, the content of the Video and Audio Podcasts are not the same. 

His Needs, Her Needs by Willard Harley

Many a bride and groom have listened to passages of Scripture at the marriage ceremony—Christian or not. Often the passage will come from 1 Corinthians 13; but if not from there, it may be something from 1 John, Colossians, Ephesians, Ecclesiastes, or even Genesis. This Scripture reading is good, of course, but how many young men and women really understand their own relational needs, let alone the needs of their spouse? And as the wedding day fades into history, the realities of the relationship eventually settle in. His Needs, Her Needs: Building an Affair-Proof Marriage is Willard F. Harley, Jr.’s bold attempt to address these needs.

Harley addresses ten needs—five belong primarily at the top of the man’s list and five entirely different needs at the top of the list belonging to the woman—which are often found starving in relationships soon to be or already marred by an adulterous affair. Chapter by chapter he boldly shines a spotlight into areas that often are felt but not regularly examined or discussed. His approach at times seems controversial in the modern western society; however, his book is well read and any married reader will likely sense some truth in Harley’s observations. “The Purpose of this book,” writes Harley, “is to teach you how to discover, and then learn to meet, each other’s most important emotional needs.”[1]

Harley untimely opens his work with a hard-hitting question. He asks his reader to examine how affair-proof his or her own marriage presently might be. The reader in a healthy marriage might jump to the idea that she is in a strong marriage free from the threat of an affair, and the reader in a marriage taking blows from the effects of cheating will most likely resent the question. But even the strongest-willed men and women can and will face the threat and temptation of an affair. “Some men never give in;” argues Harley, “they manage to make the best of it over the years. But many do succumb to the temptation of an affair.”[2] An affair may happen to anybody if the needs of one spouse or the other are not being met. When the Love Bank Account is low or empty and the future of deposits from the spouse is dim, the ability to have needs fulfilled from another almost seems to slip in unnoticed. At the conclusion of one example that started with harmless chitchat and a polite hug, Harley says, “Jolene simple felt so starved for affection that she was literally hugged into have an affair!”[3]

While not every person or every relationship is the same, through many years of counseling, Harley has discovered ten common needs among men and women. When ranked, men and women seem to prioritize these completely opposite of their spouse’s list.[4] The difficulty then is found in the reality that in thinking they are doing good each spouse attempts to fulfill the needs that actually reside at the bottom of their mate’s list rather than those most important to their spouse.

The woman’s needs are generally affection, conversation, honestly and openness, financial support, and family commitment. According to Harley, “A husband can make himself irresistible to his wife by learning to meet her five most important emotional needs.”[5] Interestingly, the man on hot pursuit of a wife will typically demonstrate these well in the courting phase of the relationship, only to shift modes in an attempt to meet five other needs. Thinking he and his wife have the same needs, he will begin trying to fulfill the same top five on his list. His wife will then be left feeling used or unloved. And when this happens, she will attempt to resolve the problem by striving to provide her husband with the things that are at the top of her list, not his. What is on his top five? Sexual fulfillment, recreational companionship, physical attractiveness, domestic support and admiration.

In a simple back-and-forth format, Harley addresses the man and the woman’s top five needs. He starts with affection, the woman’s top need. Then he goes to the man and explains sexual fulfillment. This continues onward until he has spent a chapter dealing with all ten needs typically found in the martial relationship. Each of these chapters almost appears to be written to the opposite spouse. It is as if when he is dealing with affection, he is explaining to the man what the woman needs because the man is clueless while the woman has felt her husband should have known this all along. But with a new chapter comes a change and the explanation is provided to the woman. This book has been written not to the husband or wife, but to the couple. “I encourage you and your spouse to read these books together,” urges Harley, “complete the questionnaires, and answer the questions at the end of each chapter.”[6] In addition, Harley knows that affair-proofing is not just as simple as reading this book and discussing the content as many chapters encourage, it is a process. He writes, “Keep these books in a place where you can refer to them regularly, because you should be reminded of the lessons they will teach you.”[7]


His Needs, Her Needs should hit close to home for most couples because Harley addresses the needs of a man and woman in ways many marriage books do not. In fact, many people may find the content of Harley’s work offensive. His worldview clearly does not align with the modern western idea that men and women are exactly the same. He presents a portrait of men and women as equal in value but very different in their needs. However, his supporting arguments for these differences are compelling. His examples are convincing. And his observations seem reasonable, although not cited or supported with anything other than his personal twenty years counseling with couples. It is difficult to know if his observations are universal or if there are cultural, religious, geographical, or socioeconomic factors that may influence relationships in ways he may not have observed. In this way, Harley does not appear objective, but this is not to say that his observations are wrong, simply that he wrote more for the masses rather than for an academic audience.

Another difficulty with His Needs, Her Needs, is found in how much the blame for an extra-marital affair almost seems to be placed on the spouse not meeting the needs rather than the person having the actual affair. The idea that the spouse should communicate his or her needs with his or her partner is hinted at in nearly every chapter and the discussion questions that conclude each chapter demand this; however, the argument still stands: when the needs are not met, affairs may happen. But one cannot meet his or her own needs. It is the job of the partner to meet the needs. Therefore, the finger seems too eager to point in the wrong direction. It may not be the feeling or intention of Harley, but the feeling exists nonetheless.

Despite some of the negative aspects of His Needs, Her Needs or maybe the oversight, this book is still fantastic in addressing feelings and needs that may simply rest just below the surface of most marital relationships. Harley does not shy away from difficult realities. And this is what makes His Needs, Her Needs a necessary and valuable book for couples hoping to marry, those who counsel couples, and anybody who is married—regardless if for only six months or for forty years.


1. WillardF Harley, Jr., His Needs, Her Needs: Building an Affair-Proof Marriage(Grand Rapids, MI: Revell, 2011), 15.

2. Ibid., 17-19.

3. Ibid., 37

4. Ibid., 18.

5. Ibid., 200.

6. Ibid., 16.

7. Ibid.


* I have no material connection to this book and am receiving no monetary compensation for this review.
** The original review was used to meet the partial requirement in the completion of an M.Div. This review has been redacted for this post.

God's Glory in Conflict

“Christ is the reason many enter the pastorate;” writes Poirier, “Conflict is the reason many leave.”1 Conflict in ministry is not uncommon and it is certainly not new. While not the first conflict in the Bible, the clash between two friends and evangelists, Paul and Barnabas is one in which most people can easily relate. Acts 15:39 records that there was a “sharp disagreement” between these two men concerning John Mark.2 It was so serious in fact, that the two men parted ways. How could such a conflict arise between these prominent and respected church-planting believers? What happened? And how did God use this conflict for his purpose and glory? If we can find answers to these questions, we can also find application to apply in ministry conflict today.

This story starts after a man named Saul—who was greatly persecuting the Church—encountered Jesus on the road to Damascus.3 Having had a total life transformation in Christ, Saul wanted to meet the disciples in Jerusalem, but these men were afraid of him. They did not believe Saul was a disciple; however, a man named Barnabas vouched for Saul and a relationship was born. Eventually, the Church leaders sent Saul to Tarsus because of a conflict between him and the Hellenists.

Some time later, persecution and conflict scattered the church “as far as Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch.”4 In Antioch, some Hellenists started preaching the gospel and the leaders in Jerusalem wanted to investigate. So the church in Jerusalem sent Barnabas to Antioch. Determining that he needed to stay and teach in Antioch, Barnabas went to get Saul from Tarsus. Together, they remained in Antioch and taught for a year.5 In addition, the Church leaders also used Barnabas and Saul to deliver important relief to other disciples during a severe famine. Finally, the Holy Spirit set apart Barnabas and Saul to venture on a massive church planting effort.6 It was on this journey that Saul changed his name to Paul and a companion named John left them and returned to Jerusalem.7

The first expedition was a great success. Clearly, these two men had established a good working relationship and likely, a friendship. They became even more skilled and experienced in their ministry. So it is understandable that some time afterward Paul would say to Barnabas, “Let us return and visit the brothers in every city where we proclaimed the word of the Lord, and see how they are.”8 Barnabas agreed and as plans were being made Barnabas suggested that they bring along John Mark. Paul sharply disagreed because John Mark was the same man who deserted them on the first journey. This disagreement was so serious, the conflict so tense, that these two men parted ways. Barnabas took John Mark and Paul selected Silas for his travels.

Some will read the account of Paul and Barnabas and fail to see God’s glory. They will agree with Poirier who writes, “Conflict is everywhere. It erupts unexpectedly, catching us off guard and leaving us perplexed by the anger, unreasonableness, and even belligerence of another,” but they will forget that God ordains conflict.9 “[Conflict] certainly does not surprise or confuse God;” writes Poirier, “Since all things, including conflict, are from God and through God and to God (Rom. 11:36), then conflict itself has a place in God’s great plans and purpose.”10 In the skirmish in between Paul and Barnabas, we can see God’s glory. First, two strong leaders within the early Church went different directions with the gospel rather than back to where they had already been together. Barnabas sailed to Cyprus and Paul headed for Syria and Cilicia. God was shaping the timing, speed, and geography of the missions of Paul and Barnabas.

Second, by separating, each man needed other companions—Barnabas took with him John Mark and Paul chose Silas. Because of the conflict, two more men had the opportunity to train and grow under a strong leader and through the experience of the journey. But it did not end with just John Mark and Silas, we can see throughout the book of Acts and from Paul’s epistles that Paul had many others with him on his journey. It may have been the case that Barnabas did as well.

And third, Paul, Barnabas, and John Mark were afforded a great opportunity to learn forgiveness and reconciliation. While there is some debate centered on timing, 1 Corinthians 9:6 suggests that Paul and Barnabas may have reconciled. While it is unclear if Paul and Barnabas were ever together again, it can be seen that Paul and John Mark were together at a later time.11 At one point, Paul would not even travel with John Mark and yet is seems that they may have been persecuted together. It seems that Paul and John Mark reconciled, and forgiveness and reconciliation are functions that bring great glory to God. Conflict should always be viewed as a way to see God’s glory in and through reconciliation. Poirier rightly argues, “Since God reconciled all things in heaven and on earth to himself through the death of his Son on the Cross (Col. 1:19-20, then we who are the children of God are redeemed to be reconcilers.”12 Paul, Barnabas, and John Mark seem to have been reconcilers.

In ministry, as in life, conflict will arise. Paul and Barnabas had different views of how to deal with John Mark. Barnabas wanted to be the forgiving and graceful encourager while Paul appears more concerned with the task at hand and with loyalty when the work gets difficult. Both views are important and neither of these men were right or wrong—they just had different views on this matter. Seeing the conflict that arose due to the different approaches, we should come to understand that different methodologies will bring differences to the surface. When conflict comes, what should we do?

Regardless of how we seek to resolve the conflict, we must first commit ourselves to seeing it as ordained by God. It was not a surprise to God. The conflict, just as it was for Paul and Barnabas, is an opportunity for ministry, not a distraction from it. There is opportunity for reconciliation and forgiveness. And in some unforeseen way, the conflict might be God’s way of altering the plans of man for the greater plan that is within his will. Seeing God’s glory in conflict starts with the correct outlook and attitude. Therefore, as we enter conflict it become imperative that we investigate the situation and ask God if he might be working in ways we do not see or understand. We must also remain aware that God could be working for his purpose and our efforts may actually be working against God rather than in conjunction with him. Even conflict can be a ministry opportunity.


In today’s society, it seems as if there are some just waiting for a conflict. They have every desire to point a finger and draw attention to the pastor or minister in conflict. There are also those within the Church looking for the excitement of conflict, or maybe they thrive on the drama of a good internal battle. Or maybe there is a person in the congregation who is critical of the leadership and hoping to spur on a conflict. And then there are those outside the Church that see the many conflicts within the Church as a reason to stay away from Christ. How often is the reality of so many different denominations—a direct result of conflict—given as a reason not to hear or accept the gospel? How many times to people simply check out of an issue because there is some level of conflict involved? Add the Internet and rapid communication and the pastor or minister now has to walk through conflict extremely well or his or her witness may be in jeopardy.

How a pastor or minister deals with conflict will absolutely shape how people view his or her ministry. Does the pastor continue to demonstrate God’s glory when the going is difficult, or does he simply preach a good sermon when everything is peaceful? As with Paul, Barnabas, and John Mark, disciples must find God’s glory in all things, even conflict, if they desire to successfully preach and teach the gospel. The gospel is full of conflict. In fact, conflict is at the very heart of the Good News. Therefore, today’s pastors and ministers must not only be able to handle conflict in biblical way, they must be expecting it. If not, they really do not grasp what the gospel is all about.

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Poirer, Alfred Poirier. The Peace Making Pastor: A Biblical guide to resolving church Conflict. Grand Rapids, Mich: Baker Books, 2006.

1 Alfred Poirier, The Peace Making Pastor: A Biblical guide to resolving church Conflict (Grand Rapids, Mich: Baker Books, 2006), 9.

2 English Standard Version (ESV). Unless otherwise noted, all following Biblical references will be taken from the ESV.

3 Acts 9:1-25.

4 Acts 11:19.

5 Acts 11:19-26.

6 Acts 13:2.

7 Acts 13: 9 and Acts 13:13b.

8 Acts 15:36.

9 Poirier, 75.

10 Ibid.

11 See Colossians 4:10 for example.

12 Poirier, 13.

* Photo by flickr.com user, "webmink." It is registered under a creative license and used with permission.
** This blog was originally written in partial fulfillment toward an M.Div. It has been redacted for this blog.

The New Self: Colossians 3:5-16

INTRODUCTION

In his letter to the Colossians, Paul encourages his Christian readers to put to death the negative things (sin) that may have been a reality in their pre-conversion life and to put on—like a garment—the better things that should be a normal part of the Christian spiritual life. Just the fact that Paul is encouraging the Colossians to make this change suggests that this kind of transformation is not an automatic aspect of the impartation of the Holy Spirit upon regeneration as one might have hoped. And Paul has some experience in this aspect of Christian living as he confesses that even as a Christian he does the things he does not want to do and fails to do the things he desires to do.¹ Yet this is no excuse. Paul still admonishes his readers, to include today’s Christians, and even myself, to make this wardrobe change daily.

Paul starts with the things that must go. He tells his readers that they must ‘put off’ the old self. This old self is the negative actions and attitudes of their earthly ways, which he lists as “sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness” (which he calls idolatry).² He continues by adding “anger, wrath, malice, slander, obscene talk” and he includes lying to one another in the following sentence.³ Two words are used that liken the removal of these items to garments or coverings. The first is apotithēmi, which Stong indicates is to “put off, case off, laid down, lay apart, lay aside [or a] putting away.”⁴ The second word is very much like the first. It is apekdyomai, which means, “to put off, take off, [or to] divest wholly of.”⁵ Both of these words paint a picture of the old ways for old self being shed off like an article of clothing and the same picture is used when Paul discusses which articles should be put on. But Paul’s instruction is not simply to remove the rags of the old ways and drop them on the floor. He says to put them to death.⁶ And in fact, these old ways are not simply garments, they are the old self, that is, they are what the believer once was. Unfortunately, these rags still clothe the believer from time to time, which is why they must die, so they do not return, so they will never be worn again.

And when the believer takes off these items, metaphorically striped to nothing but nakedness, Paul encourages the believer to put on robes of another kind. Paul says, “put on the new self.”⁷ This self, it seems, presents the believer as in the image of the Creator. This image is much like that found in Genesis 1:26 before the fall; however, before sin there was no need for clothing, fig leaves, animal flesh, or the attribute robes of which Paul speaks. These clothes, and the image of the new self, are “holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience” and above these garments like the belt that holds it all together in perfect harmony is love.⁸ The idea presented to the Colossians, which should also be applied to believers today, is to shed the old self (the sin nature) and replace it with the very image of God. And in doing so, Paul demonstrates what the practical results will look like—peace with one another, gratitude, teaching and admonishing one another for positive growth and worship through “singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs,” all done with thankful hearts.

It is one thing to understand what the text means, and what Paul is really telling his readers to do—that is, to willing move toward sanctification—but it is another thing all together when one thinks of how this is done. Is it as easy as taking off a garment or putting a new one on? The truth of the biblical narrative is that this task is impossible for us to do. We fall short every time when we think in these terms because we often think of taking off and putting on in terms of our own work and our own doing.

Looking at the bigger picture of Paul’s teachings within the context of the Bible, the only way we are to truly mortify and kill these sins and then put on the new self, the very image of God, is through a total submission to God. It is only through the grace of God and the work of the Holy Spirit, be it through his conviction, his empowering, his gifting, and by the fruit of the Spirit that any of this is possible. Therefore, it would seem that Paul is actually telling his readers that one must be willing and prepared to be undressed and redressed. After all, the best Adam and Eve could come up with on their own was fig leaves. It was God who clothed them. And one day, God’s people will be clothed by God in robes of righteousness.⁹

The next question for this post then is this: Is there anything a person can do to be willing and prepared? The answer is yes. This is where spiritual formation is involved. Through a diligent effort to grow and develop in the area of our spiritual desires toward God, we can help prepare our hearts and minds for this continual transformation in our post conversation lives. We can strive for a diet of meat rather than remaining content on a milk like those the author of Hebrews addresses in Hebrews 6. We can engage in prayer and fasting, journaling and service. We can study and know the Word of God. We worship through singing, music, poetry, and many other art forms. Scripture memorization might also help shape the heart. Small groups that encourage open and honest discussion and support are yet another example of activities that help one grow in the spiritual life.

And I would like to conclude with a personal reflection upon my own efforts to grow and develop the spiritual life. I keep a regular habit of morning Scripture reading and prayer. This is not study, just reading as if to drink in the Word of God. I also keep a journal of prayer items and requests that I try to pray for regularly. This journal includes Scriptures that I like to pray through and meditate upon. It also contains a list of every lost person I know so that I may pray for them by name, usually about five a day. Later in the day I work on a Bible study to get much deeper into a specific passage. I teach a Sunday school class for adults and often the topic I teach tends to result in specific aspects of that lesson teaching me much that week. I meet with a group of men in an effort to seek help identifying the things that I need to put off and things I need to put on. Once we have identified them, we pray for God’s work to be done in our lives. This group of men also meets on Thursday evenings in a group that includes our wives where we pray and study together. And as a chaplain at the VA hospital, I often meet with other chaplains in much the same way as I meet with the men of the small group. This helps me serve better. I believe these are among some of the things I do to help me be willing to put off the old self and put on the new. I pray that I am always willing to mortify who I was in myself and put on the image of God as I am becoming the new self God has called me to become.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Strong, James, John R. Kohlenberger, and James A. Swanson. The Strongest Strong's Exhaustive

Concordance of the Bible. Grand Rapids, Mich: Zondervan, 2001.

1 See Romans 7:12-25.

2 Colossians 3:5, ESV. Unless otherwise noted, all quotes taken from the Bible will be from the English Standard Version (ESV).

3 Colossians 3:8-9.

4 James Strong, John R. Kohlenberger, and James A. Swanson, The Strongest Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (Grand Rapids, Mich: Zondervan, 2001), 1594.

5 Strong 2001, 1593.

6 Colossians 3:5.

7 Colossians 3:10.

8 Colossians 3:12, 14.

9 See Psalm 132:9 and Isaiah 61:10.

** This post was, in its entirety or in part, originally written in seminary in partial fulfillment of a M.Div. It may have been redacted or modified for this website.

Why Did Christ Have to Die?

Questions that are central to Christianity are worth discussion. For a couple years I've had a desire to create videos that start the conversation in a video format and then make those videos widely available. As I've been thinking through this idea I realized that I could potentially boil down the material I am teaching in a Systematic Theology class and start making videos. I hope they may be useful to individuals but also for community groups where the leader uses the video to simply start the conversation.

The question of this video: Why did Jesus have to die? I hope it is helpful to you. If you have questions or suggestions, please don't hesitate to contact me.

This video and others like it are available in the Resources section of this website. Please check it out regularly as more content will be added often.


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* While there may be some overlap, the content of the Video and Audio Podcasts are not the same.