The Gospel Coalition

Many pastors have longed for a taste of Charles Spurgeon’s preaching gifts and ministry success, but few have desired the pronounced suffering that accompanied them. Spurgeon’s published sermons show him a master of preaching to distressed souls, but he had to be distressed himself to do so. Sufferings were not coincidental or unfortunate in a pastor’s life; for Spurgeon, ministry and suffering were theologically connected, the pastoral package deal. Spurgeon argued suffering is necessary for faithful ministry, because of the distinctive relationship pastors have with Christ—they were his conduits of God’s grace to others. In preaching the gospel of Christ’s sufferings, they would become like Christ in his sufferings. Suffering is also necessary for ministers because of its benefits: it makes pastors experience the truths they preach to their people, keeps them humble, and gives them the sympathy necessary for their labors.

People in every generation struggle to find their identity. According to a study by Horowitz Research and Vox Media, two in five Gen Zers want to be asked who they are. This is a shift away from wanting to be told who they are by society. This generation wants to own their identity. The study also revealed Gen Z prefers labels based on personality traits and preferences rather than on society’s emphasis on gender, race, and physical characteristics. The approach is more subjective, yet Gen Z’s preferences are just another version of the pursuit of identity based on superficial characteristics. Sarah Rice’s Gospel-Shaped Womanhood: How Losing Yourself and Finding Your Identity in Christ Changes Everything offers a countercultural perspective on identity. Books, social media, and podcasts offer women endless tips on how to be better versions of themselves. The prevailing culture teaches women to pursue salvation through self-definition and self-sufficiency. In contrast, Rice points women toward dependence on the God who created them. She argues we should find our identity in Christ.

The 17th-century “Prince of Puritans,” John Owen (1616–83), committed his life to the work of ministry as a pastor, theologian, vice chancellor, chaplain, and statesman. He desired to worship the triune God freely—without any external regulations not explicitly found in Scripture. What was Owen’s theology of public worship, and how should it be practiced in a worship service?

Some parts of church leadership are exciting, deeply spiritual, and clearly worthwhile. Others, well, not so much. This, of course, varies from person to person. Around five years ago when I was serving at a Californian church, the task of putting together the annual budget fell to me. Amid weekly preaching, worship leading, and shepherding responsibilities, preparing the budget definitely felt like drudgery. I now serve as an executive pastor in Wisconsin, and I’m still in charge of drafting the budget each year. But I no longer view it as drudgery. Instead, I see it as an opportunity for discipleship. What changed? I began to understand the annual budget as a tool for leaders to model biblical priorities and faithful generosity for the sake of gospel. But like any tool, it’s only helpful if wielded properly.

Academic theology can be expensive. Themelios is free.

The new August 2024 issue of Themelios has 263 pages of editorials, articles, and book reviews. It is freely available in three formats: (1) PDF, (2) web version, and (3) Logos Bible Software. Download the free PDF below or read online: https://lnkd.in/gMx459mu

Ivan Mesa: On My Shelf helps you get to know various writers through a behind-the-scenes glimpse into their lives as readers. I asked Patrick Miller—pastor, cohost of the Truth over Tribe podcast, and coauthor of Truth over Tribe: Pledging Allegiance to the Lamb, Not the Donkey or the Elephant—about what’s on his bedside table, his favorite fiction, the books he regularly revisits, and more.

I can appreciate why “Christian atheism” may be attractive to people. The New Atheism, which promised to lead the way to the sunny uplands of secularism where there’d be roses and kittens, has failed, its arguments exposed as hollow and many of its advocates mired in controversy. Meanwhile, the Western world has faced a barrage of challenges: from COVID-19 to financial crashes, from environmental chaos to political stagnation and tribalism. All this has led to a crisis of meaning, with many people struggling to answer the basic questions: What is life for? Where is hope to be found? For Christians, these are both exciting and challenging times. Exciting because after years of Christianity being ridiculed as “the root of all evil” and believers described as deluded, the New Atheism has given way to a cultural moment where Christianity is being spoken of warmly again. Yet at the same time, there’s a challenge: Christianity isn’t merely good advice; it’s good news. How can we help our friends see that the social goods of Christianity flow from its truth claims?

In this episode of You’re Not Crazy, Ray Ortlund and Sam Allberry explore Romans 12:1–8 and how to live as recipients of God’s mercies. They model sober judgment as they reflect on the ways we tend to overestimate our capacities, considering instead how we might acknowledge that we’re part of a greater whole. Recognizing we belong to one another, they encourage pastors to view themselves as members of Christ’s body, reveling in the beauty of relationships within the church. Watch the full episode below, or listen to episode one AND episode two of You're Not Crazy Season 4 wherever you get your podcasts! https://lnkd.in/gMVNW4Vp

“Given the often transient nature of military life, joining a local church might seem counterintuitive. Why commit to a community of people you’ll only know and be known by for a short season?” Be sure to check out this article from The Gospel Coalition. Really good perspective. Joey’s question about church attendance is one we get often here at Officers’ Christian Fellowship—especially since many attend an OCF small group and wonder if that’s good enough. When the question does arise, we tell people this: If an individual is not regularly fed by God’s Word and has no spiritual oversight and discipline, then there is a risk that one can become convinced of one’s own capabilities, operating without help from others. We can become blind to our own weaknesses and self-righteousness, possibly becoming a spiritual liability within the OCF body, within our family, and to ourselves. So, we say please join with Christ’s body in regular worship.