Bill Mallonee, Critically Acclaimed Musician, to Perform at New Life

In the mid ‘90s, I was introduced to a little-known Christian musician from Athens, Georgia, by my friend, Matt Smith. I had grown up in the ‘80s attending rock concerts of hair bands (I saw Bon Jovi, Def Leppard, and KISS, to name a few) until the grunge movement effectively put an end to all that. As a college student in the early ‘90s, I began to listen more and more to artists like U2 and Bob Dylan (I had always liked the folk-style of early Dylan, even as a kid, but it was “muted” by all the metal blasting from my stereo).

I became a Christian in 1992 and was exploring contemporary Christian music when Matt introduced me to the Vigilantes of Love and their front man, Bill Mallonee. It took me about two weeks, but I eventually got hooked. I have since purchased nearly all of the 25 records and eight EPs he has released since the early ‘90s, either as the Vigilantes of Love or as a solo artist for the last decade.

Good art moves people: emotionally, intellectually, and spiritually. Good art – whether in the form of painting, sculpture, theatre, cinema,  or music – picks you up and takes you to places you otherwise wouldn’t go; shows you things you otherwise wouldn’t see, at least not as clearly, and leaves you richer for the experience.

I am hard pressed to think of an artist whose work has enriched me personally to the degree that Bill Mallonee’s has. Mallonee’s lyrics are extremely personal, vividly transparent, and brutally honest about the realities of pain, depression, brokenness, fear of failure, and the hope for redemption through the work of Jesus. His words and thoughts have helped me give expression to my own and have worked their way into many of my sermons and lessons.

Though still not well-known, Mallonee’s music is highly regarded by many. The New York Press described him as “…the best folk-rock act nobody’s ever hear of… the intelligence and intensity of Mallonee’s writing has elicited comparisons to Dylan.” He has performed with Emmylou Harris, John Mayer, REM, Derek Webb, and Sufjan Stevens. He was recently listed as one of the Top 100 greatest living songwriters by Paste Magazine.  Mallonee was ranked at #65, ahead of such well-known acts as Lyle Lovett, Fleetwood Mac, and Pink Floyd, and just behind someone as successful and highly regarded as Sting, who was #62.

For this reason, I could not be more delighted to announce to you that Bill Mallonee will be performing here at New Life on Friday evening, Oct. 1. Stylistically, if you like Bob Dylan, Tom Petty, and Johnny Cash, you will likely appreciate Mallonee’s music. But even if his style is not overly appealing to your tastes, his lyrics are quite frankly the best I’ve ever heard. And having seen him perform over half a dozen times, his show promises to be compelling and intimate.

In addition to performing his music, Bill will stick around after the show to offer a Q&A session on “Faith, Art, Cultural Relevancy and the Christian Artist” where he will discuss issues related to the relationship between the church and the arts, and how Christians can and should be engaged in the arts in order to impact the culture around us. Look for more details about cost and time in coming issues of the Lifeline.

Blessings in Christ,
Pastor Brian

Fighting the Good Fight in Prayer

Of all the things the Christian life involves, it is hard to identify an aspect that is more important than prayer. Phil Ryken, pastor of Tenth Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia, correctly states that there can be “no effective preaching, no persuasive evangelism, no committed discipleship, no authentic mercy, and no cultural transformation without fervent prayer.” Martin Luther called prayer “the real calling of all Christians.”

Most, if not all, Christians would heartily affirm such claims, and yet admit to feelings of great weakness when it comes to prayer. I have yet to meet a Christian who thinks his or her prayer life is as strong as it could be or should be. Many carry a heavy load of guilt because of this, but it bears mentioning that being faithful in prayer
is not easy. The practice of prayer places us on a field
of battle that requires us to engage in spiritual warfare and disciplined struggle.

Consider that we have an adversary who wants to prevent us from praying. The devil will tempt us through constant (sometimes self-induced) distraction, interruptions, sloth, and busyness — even busyness with ministry — to hinder our prayers. If we wait until “the time is right” or until “I’m in the right mood” for prayer, we will likely not pray at all. We must fight to remain faithful in prayer.

And we must fight not only with the devil, but with ourselves — against the sinfulness of our flesh that is disinclined to go to God and too proud to admit our complete and utter dependence upon God for the most basic things of life. In addition, our prayer life can be hindered due to sin in our life with which we refuse to part. We also struggle with prayer because, according to Scripture, we do not know how to pray (Rom. 8:26). For these reasons, we need to understand that prayer is a battle that must be fought, and that we need help to pray diligently, consistently, faithfully, and with wisdom.

Fortunately, God helps us in prayer. First, He has given us His Spirit to enable us and strengthen us in prayer (Rom. 8:26). Second, He has given His Word to guide and direct us in prayer. We ought to become familiar with the language of Scripture in order to be instructed in how to pray.  The Psalms are extremely helpful in this area. Note how Jonah’s prayer from the belly of the fish seems to reflect an intimate familiarity with the Psalms. In addition to the Psalms, Jesus has taught us how to pray in the Lord’s Prayer (Mat. 6:9–13).

There is a third help God has given us in the spiritual battle with prayer: He has given us fellow soldiers to fight with us and for us. Note the communal nature of the petitions in the Lord’s Prayer: our Father, give us this day our daily bread; lead us not into temptation. Jesus assumes that we will be in prayer for each other in private (Mat. 6:6), but also with each other in the communion of the saints. As a united spiritual army marching under King Jesus, times of communal prayer are essential.

There are many opportunities to pray for and with one another at New Life. One way is through involvement in a LIFE Group. Another is through our monthly prayer meetings. Please consider attending our monthly prayer service at 6:00pm in the sanctuary. There is currently much to pray for in the life of the church and it is important to thank God for what he is doing, to seek His direction in the decisions that are ahead, and to pray with and for each other.

In His Grace,

Brian

God, the Church, and Homosexuality Seminar

Views differ as to what exactly Jesus means in Matthew 12:32 when he speaks of the “unforgivable sin”. Sadly, by the manner in which some segments of the church have addressed, and continue to address, the matter of sexual orientation, one might be tempted to conclude that Jesus is referring to homosexuality as the unforgivable sin.

However, it is clearly apparent from 1 Cor. 6:9-11 that this is not the case.  In writing to the church in Corinth, Paul identifies the unrighteous ones who will not inherit the kingdom of God, a list which includes those who practice homosexuality. Immediately afterward, however, Paul states that some of the Corinthians were guilty of these very sins, yet he declares to them that “you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God” (1 Cor. 6:11 NIV). In other words, they were forgiven.  Setting aside the question
of whether sexual sins are “worse” than other sins
(cf. 1 Cor. 6:18), it can be asserted on the basis of God’s Word that homosexuality is not unforgivable. Furthermore, it can be maintained that those struggling with homosexuality need precisely what we need in our struggle with sin: the transforming grace of Jesus Christ received by faith.

That being said, it is important to recognize that the church finds herself in the position of watching the traditional view of homosexuality as immoral give way to increasing acceptance and even celebration, both in the culture as a whole and in the church. In responding to this, the church’s tone has, at times, been unnecessarily harsh and abrasive, and even when it has not, the church’s position is easily misunderstood or mischaracterized. In the face of media endorsement in shows like Ellen, Will & Grace (and even in proposed Super Bowl ads), legal battles over same-sex marriage, as well as ongoing debates in several denominations, how can evangelicals defend the Biblical perspective that homosexual practice is
sinful and yet not sound hateful and not leave the impression that it is at the top of the
list of “worst sins”? Perhaps even more importantly, how can the church most effectively speak the message of the gospel to the gay and lesbian community?

New Life is hosting a conference entitled “God, the Church, and Homosexuality” to address these questions.  The conference will begin on Friday evening, April 9 (7pm-9:30pm) and conclude on Saturday, April 10 (9am-noon). The conference consists of four addresses:

• A Biblical Perspective on Homosexuality
• The Gospel and Homosexuality
• Nature, Nurture, and the Science of Homosexuality
• The Church’s Ministry to the Gay and Lesbian Community

Speakers include Drew Stevenson and Kyle Keating (leaders in Campus Crusade for Christ at Ball State University) and Dr. Jim Spiegel (author and Professor of Philosophy and Religion at Taylor University).

Register online

The cost for attending the conference is: $5 for students, $7 per individual, and $10 per couple. This money will be used to cover the costs for refreshments and materials as well as provide funds for bringing in other seminar speakers in the future. It is important for Christians to have an informed, Biblical perspective on this issue so that they can navigate the current cultural climate with wisdom and sensitivity, speaking the truth without compromise  and yet speaking that truth in a spirit of love and grace (Eph. 4:15). For these reasons, please consider attending.

In His Grace Abounding,

Brian

Indentifying a Good Elder Candidate

‘Tis the season for officer nominations at New Life, and with that in mind it seemed appropriate to provide you with some ways you might go about identifying a good elder candidate to nominate. The first step is to read about the qualifications for elders listed in 1 Timothy 3:1–7 and Titus 1:5–9 and think of men within the congregation who fit such a description.

In considering the qualifications listed in these passages, note some of the characteristics that are not mentioned as a requirement for holding the office of elder. There is nothing mentioned about personality type: it is not necessary for an elder candidate to exhibit a dynamic, animated, magnetic persona. Of course, there may be times when someone who possesses a dynamic personality may also be qualified to serve as elder, but not for reasons having to do with personality. Rather, Paul’s emphasis is on spiritual traits when writing about the qualifications of an elder. Indeed, there are instances when well-liked, dynamic, and even influential people are not qualified to serve as elder because of a lack of spiritual maturity and biblical discernment.

Note also that Paul says nothing about elders needing to possess a measure of success as defined by worldly standards. Unfortunately, some churches might operate on the mistaken notion that the local church is best served when those who are the most successful, visible leaders within the community are, for that reason, the ones holding leadership positions in the church. It is true that an elder needs to have a good reputation with those outside the church (1 Timothy 3:7), but this has to do with being known as an honest, fair, trustworthy person of integrity rather than as a “successful businessman”.

Of course, one may be successful by worldly standards as well as a recognized leader in the community and also be qualified to serve as an elder. But one may be a capable leader in the business world, well respected as a community contributor, and possess a good deal of wealth and status, and yet not possess the spiritual qualifications to serve the church as an elder. Leadership competence in the ways of the world is not necessarily an indicator of competence to serve as a spiritual leader for Christ’s church in the ways of God in accordance with His Word.

So what is a good elder candidate like? Think of someone who displays a commitment to growing in the grace and knowledge of God and His Word through involvement in Bible study (both personal and in groups), who seems to have a clear understanding of the gospel and a broad understanding of Biblical truth, who demonstrates wisdom by providing counsel that reflects an ability to discern and apply God’s truth to concrete situations, who expresses compassion and a praying spirit for the flock, and who evidences a love for the church by consistently showing initiative in actively serving and ministering.

Of course, every officer and officer candidate is a flawed, sinful human being in need of grace. But officers and officer candidates are those who reflect the reality of God’s transforming grace in their lives and are furnished by God with the spiritual qualifications listed by Paul. In light of this, prayerfully seek out those who consistently display these attributes here at New Life and consider nominating them for officer training.

In His Abounding Grace,

Pastor Brian

This Is My Body: How We Understand the Lord’s Supper

It may surprise some people to know that former President Bill Clinton was not the first person to suggest that a lot can hinge upon what one’s understanding of the word “is” is!  When Jesus says, “This is my body,” what does “is” mean?  How are we to understand Jesus when he refers to the bread as his “body” and the cup as his “blood” in instituting the sacrament of the Supper (Mat. 26:26-27)? On the third Sunday of every month, the congregation at New Life celebrates the Lord’s Supper, but what exactly is happening when we partake of the bread and the cup?  There is, undoubtedly, mystery involved in the Lord’s Supper, but just what that mystery precisely is has been an area of debate in the church, especially since the time of the Protestant Reformation.

There have been basically four ways of understanding Jesus’ words of institution. Some understand the Lord’s Supper to be merely a memorial that recalls the death of Jesus for sinners in the giving of his body and the shedding of his blood.  This view regards the bread and the cup as purely symbolic and rejects the notion that by receiving the elements one partakes of Christ himself.

Over against this “memorialistic view”, others argue for the real presence of Christ in the sacrament.  For example, the Roman Catholic Church teaches that Christ is physically present – really and truly – as the elements of ordinary bread and wine are transformed through priestly consecration into the literal body and blood of Jesus.  Though outwardly the elements still look like, taste like, and smell like bread and wine, they are, in reality, the physical body and blood of Christ.  This view is referred to as transubstantiation.  Martin Luther rejected this view at the time of the Reformation and the Lutherans eventually formulated a view that has come to be called consubstantiation, in which the ordinary elements of bread and wine are not transformed into the body and blood of Christ but the physical body and blood are mysteriously “added” to the elements so as to be “in, with, and under” them.

Contrary to common assumptions, the historic Reformed position, following John Calvin’s interpretation of Jesus’ words, does not deny the real presence of Christ in the Lord’s Supper and does not regard the sacrament as merely a memorial.  Instead, the Reformed position argues that while the elements are not transformed into the physical body and blood of Christ, nor is the physical body and blood of Jesus “added” to the elements, Jesus is spiritually present – really and truly – in the sacrament.  So while we do not feed upon Christ with our mouths and teeth, we do feed upon Christ – really and truly – by faith to the nourishment of our souls.  As surely as our bodies are nourished and sustained physically by the bread and the cup, we can be certain that our souls, too, are nourished and sustained as we feed upon Jesus spiritually in the sacrament by faith.

One of the important implications of this view is that by receiving the bread and the cup, we are not simply pledging our consecration to God, but we are receiving God’s continuing work for us and in us as He nourishes us and our faith by drawing us into union with Christ and the saving benefits of the cross.  In other words, observing the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper isn’t primarily about us doing something for God; it is about God doing something for us. For this reason, many, including Calvin, have maintained that the Lord’s Supper should be observed and celebrated as often as possible.

In His Abounding Grace,

Brian

The Blessing of Communicant Membership

D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, a British pastor regarded by many as one of the finest preachers of the 20th century, concluded that church membership is “the biggest honor which can come someone’s way in this world.” Having heard the six-part sermon series on the church that Pastor Bob just completed in which he set forth the church as the premiere institution in all the world, we must agree with Lloyd-Jones and praise God that He would receive us as members into the body of Christ by His grace.

In considering membership in the church, our denomination (PCA) distinguishes two kinds of membership: non-communicant and communicant. Non-communicant members are children who, by virtue of being born into the covenant community through one or both believing parents, are baptized as a sign of the promises of God in Christ Jesus. Thus, our baptized children are non-communicant members privileged to receive the instruction and the nurture of the church as they grow up in the faith but not permitted to partake of the Lord’s Supper.

The Lord’s Supper requires the instruction provided through the church and the promises signified in baptism to be embraced by personal faith and repentance on the part of covenant children. The Reformed practice of infant baptism has never regarded baptized infants as saved regardless of faith and repentance. In order to become a communicant member of the church, one must make profession of faith before the elders of the church so that the session might determine its soundness. A credible profession of faith includes a testimony of conversion marked by repentance and personal faith in Christ, an understanding of the person and work of Christ as it is set forth in the gospel, a commitment to obey the commands of God, and a proper understanding of the sacraments.

Having been examined by the elders of the church, the believer then makes public profession of faith before the congregation by taking vows of communicant church membership. It is worthy of note that many have criticized the practice of infant baptism because it allegedly robs the believer of giving a personal testimony of faith in Jesus before the congregation at the time of his or her conversion. This argument clearly fails to consider the steps involved in becoming a communicant member in a Reformed church where covenantal infant baptism is practiced.

In communicant membership, one can enter into the full privileges of the church, which include sharing in the Lord’s Supper through which believers are spiritually fed and nourished in faith, and (in accordance with church by-laws) receiving a voice in the government of the church by voting for officers. Of course, with privileges come duties. The communicant member, whether young or old, commits to keep the Lord’s Day, to take an active part in spreading the gospel, to support the work of the church financially, to submit to church leaders in an effort to keep the peace and purity of the church, and to seek to grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ through personal Bible reading and prayer.

In concluding, there is no set age at which one must move from non-communicant status to communicant status. But the parents of covenant children and the church as a whole should be diligent and faithful in nurturing children in the truth of the gospel with the aim that our children would embrace the promises signified in baptism by faith. In the end, we are together, as members of Christ’s church by grace, being increasingly fitted for lives that honor and glorify God not only in this life, but in the life to come.

In His Abounding Grace,

Pastor Brian