Santa Christ?

From a post by Sinclair Ferguson.

“The Western world gives itself over annually to its Claus-mass or commerce-mass. We celebrate a reworked pagan Saturnalia of epic proportions, one in which the only connection with the incarnation is semantic. Santa is worshiped, not the Savior; pilgrims go to the stores with credit cards, not to the manger with gifts. It is the feast of indulgence, not of the incarnation.

It is always easier to lament and critique the new paganism of secularism’s blatant idolatry than to see how easily the church — and we ourselves — twist or dilute the message of the incarnation in order to suit our own tastes. But, sadly, we have various ways of turning the Savior into a kind of Santa Claus.”

Read the whole thing.

Songs of Redemption Project

I’m super pumped to announce that I’ll be in the studio this week recording a  6 song EP. The songs include…

• “There is a Fountain” (William Cowper)
• “He is Risen!” (Eric Schumacher)
• “Come Lord Jesus to Redeem Us” (Gary Parrett)
• “Upon this Mount (Isaiah 25:6-9) (Gary Parrett)
• “Look Ye Saints the Sight is Glorious”(Thomas Kelly)
• “Christ is Coming! Let Creation” (John R. MacDuff)

Each of these songs build the theme of Redemption from Jesus’ crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension to our waiting for his return and our celebration of his return. This is an exciting project not only for me but also for our music team, our church and Jesus’ Church everywhere because the end result will be more Truth-saturated music in the ears, hearts and minds of many!

Lead09 Audio Available Online

The audio and video for Lead09 is being uploaded this week, here. God is advancing the gospel of Jesus Christ through his Church, scattered throughout New England!

Lead09 Conference Starts Today

Lead ‘09 begins today! And I can’t wait for the first session to start!

Together, men and women from Maine, New England and beyond will be exploring the themes of Gospel, Community and Mission.   This two-day conference is a call to each of us and our churches to take Jesus seriously–to radically reshape our lives around the gospel word so that we can truly be his gospel community on God’s mission.

Please pray that God will use this conference to exalt Jesus in the lives of all who attend and in the churches they represent. May God bring a great awakening of gospel renewal in New England!

Here’s Friday’s schedule…

Friday – October 9

* 12:30 : Welcome

* 12:40 : Gathered Worship

* 01:00 : Tim Chester – Session #1 Making God’s people the heart of God’s mission – Is our gospel too small? Too individualistic? The Bible’s story of salvation puts community at the heart of God’s mission. The church is part of our identity as Christians.

* 03:00 : Tim Chester -  Session #2 Community as lifestyle – How can we live as a community – sharing lives, sharing decisions, sharing struggles?

* 05:00 : Jonathan Dodson. Session #3 What is the Gospel? The Three Dimensions – this will be a biblical-theological examination of the Doctrinal, Personal, & Social dimensions of the Gospel.

* 06:30 : Dinner

* 08:00 : Breakout Sessions –

1. Too Busy for Mission?: Tim Chester
2. Becoming a Missional Leader: Jonathan Dodson
3. Gospel, Community, Mission & Orphan? Bill Legere
   
4. The Shift: Our experience in re-churching the church: Mark Gedicks

Here’s the full schedule. Hope to see you there!

The Gospel and the Prayerless Soul

Again we exhort the believer—guard against the least declension in prayer; let the first unfavorable symptom that appears alarm you, go to the Lord in your worst frames; stay not from Him until you get a good one. Satan’s grand argument to keep a soul from prayer is—”Go not with that cold and insensible frame; go not with that hard and sinful heart; stay until you are more fit to approach God!” and listening to this specious reasoning, many poor, distressed, burdened, longing souls have been kept from the throne of grace, and consequently from all comfort and consolation. But the gospel says—”Go in your very worst frames;” Christ says—”Come just as you are;” and every promise and every example but encourages the soul to repair to the cross, whatever be its frame or condition.

–Octavius Winslow, Evening Thoughts:Daily Walking With God, October 5

A Book I Want to Read

My buddy, Bob, is reviewing a book that I can’t wait to get into–Jared Wilson’s Your Jesus is Too Safe.

Fight Clubs Book Now Available!

I am pumped to announce that my good friend, Jonathan Dodson, has just released his book Fight Clubs: Gospel-Centered Discipleship! I strongly believe that God is going to use this book to help many men and women to fight sin and trust the Savior–through the gospel, without legalism or license, as a community, by the power of the Spirit, for the glory of God.

Here’s Jonathan in his own words…

My first book, Fight Clubs: Gospel-centered Discipleship, is now available free online and by print-on-demand. This book has been a process. My adult years as a struggling disciple of Jesus have shaped this book. From my failures in college to my successes in ministry, following Jesus has been both difficult and rewarding. Sufferings, temptations, and personal sin can be a beating. The gospel of grace uplifting. I thank God that He fights for me, for us, in the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ!

This book was written for the church, for disciples who struggle to follow Jesus well. It’s intended to equip you to fight the fight of faith in the power of the gospel, and to do so as Jesus intended, in community. My hope is that it will strengthen your resolve to fight the good fight of faith well (1 Tim 6:12), and in the strength that God provides (1 Pet 4:11). I hope it helpfully dismantles legalistic and loose patterns of discipleship and frees you to follow Jesus by grace. May it inspire you with the rich gospel motivations God has given us in the Son and the Spirit to follow hard after God!

Download the book

Buy the book

Register for Lead09, Get Total Church for Free

Thanks to our friends at Crossway Books, everyone who registers for Lead09 this week will receive a free copy of Total Church. Every person will also be entered to win 1 of 2 free ESV Study Bibles (a $50 value).

Lead 09 Conference: Tim Chester is coming to Maine

Free Total Church book if you register today this week!!!

My church is partnering with Atmosphere Church to host a conference October 9-10 that we hope God will use to bring about gospel renewal throughout Maine, New England and beyond. It’s called Lead ‘09 and the theme is Gospel, Community and Mission.  This two-day conference is a call to each of us and our churches to take Jesus seriously–to radically reshape our lives around the gospel word so that we can truly be his gospel community on God’s mission.

Our two speakers are both God-centered, Christ-exalting, Spirit-dependent leaders who teach the Word of God  faithfully with passion, humility and urgency.  Tim Chester is a writer, Bible teacher and church planter in Sheffield, UK. An author of many books, Tim is also the co-author of Total Church, a biblically-rich book on what it means to BE the church. Jonathan Dodson is the lead pastor of Austin City Life in Austin, TX. His articles have often blessed our church family, especially “Fight Club” and “Anger: the image of Satan.” On a personal note, Jonathan is a treasured friend. Having served with him in both the local church and in global missions, I can tell you without hesitation that you will be blessed by his teaching.

You can find out more and register, here.

Is Gospel-Centeredness a Fad?

What do you think? My answer, here.