Mark Dever serves as the senior pastor of Capitol Hill Baptist Church in Washington, DC. A Duke graduate, Dr. Dever holds a M.Div. from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, a Th.M. from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, and a Ph.D. in Ecclesiastical History from Cambridge University. He is the president of 9Marks, and has taught at a number of seminaries. Dr. Dever has also authored several books and articles. He and his wife Connie live and minister on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. Read more…

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Which church should I join?

by mdever

I've gotten into several conversations with friends lately about which church they should join, or how they should advise their friends to evaluate a church. 

I was recently reading The Top 100 Questions, by Richard Bewes (Rector, All Souls', Langham Place, London 1983-2004), and he had 4 good questions to ask yourself about the church you've been visiting:

1.  Does the Bible actually get opened here?

2.  Is this the kind of church you could take an uncommitted friend to?

3.  Is there a recognisably New Testament feel to the church?

    Here's what he meant in this question:  "Is it Trinitarian in its emphasis on Father, Son and Holy Spirit as equally God?  Is the saving death of Christ at its centre (I Cor. 2:2)?  Do the hymns reflect this?  Are baptism and the Lord's Supper . . . a proper part of the church . . . ?"

4.  On the whole, are the arrows pointing outwards from the church?

In fact, these are 4 good question not just to tell your friend, but for yourself as you pray for and evaluate your own church.

Posted on September 9, 2009 in Membership | Link to this Post | Comments

Making Silence Together

by mdever

One of the most frequently commented upon aspects of the morning Lord's Day service here at Capitol Hill Baptist Church is nothing we do.  Or rather, it is the nothing we do.  It is our moments of silence.

There's silence between various aspects of the service. I encourage service leaders to NOT do the "no-dead-airspace" TV standard of busy-ness. We LIKE "dead air space."  "Dead air space" gives us time to reflect.  To collect our thoughts.  To consider what we've just heard or read or sung.  The silence amplifies the words or music we've just heard.  It allows us time to take it all in, and to pray.  We have silence to prepare ourselves.  We have silence between the announcements and the scriptural call to worship.  We even have a moment of silence AFTER the service!  I pronounce the benediction from the end of II Corinthians, invite the congregation to be seated.  And then, after about a minute of silence, the pianist begins quietly playing the last hymn that we had just sung.  During those few moments, we reflect and prepare to speak to others and depart.  We do business with God.  We prepare ourselves for the week ahead.

I'm a sound addict.  Even as I write about silence now, I've got Paganini blasting in my study!  But yesterday morning in church during one of our silences, I became aware of how corporate a labor such public silence is.  Everyone works to be quiet.  People stop moving their bulletins or looking for something in their purse.  There's no movement.  We, together, hear the silence.  It engulfs us.  It enhances our unity.  It is something we all do together.  Together we consider what we've just heard.  Together we contribute to each other's space to think.

Why has the church forgotten this?  Our culture knows it.  At the most solemn moments, we have a minute of silence.  And everyone listens to the silence.  And thinks about why we're being silent.  Why don't we do this in the church.

In the last century, E. M. Forster, in A Passage to India, referred to "poor little talkative Christianity".  Perhaps there was a day when all Christians did was gather to listen to the Bible read and preached, and to prayers.  But that day is long gone in most evangelical churches.  These days we gather more to watch than to listen.  And to sing. 

But in all the noise of our choirs, and drums, and electic guitars, and organs, and praise bands, where is the solemnity?  Where is the dignity and majesty that is so often indicated in the Bible by a stupified silence, soaked in awe and covered with wonder?

Ecclesiastes 3:7 tells us that there is a time to speak and a time to be silent, but we seem to have forgotten today that there is a time for silence.  God calls his people before Him in silence:  "the LORD is in his holy temple; let all the earth be silent before him," (Hab. 2:20).

Certainly as Christians we have much to rejoice over--loudly and joyfully and expectantly!  But is no part of our regular assemblies to reflect the weightiness of our sinful selves before a holy God, the silence of conviction, even of sorrow?  Furthermore, is no part of our regular assemblies to reflect the stunning weightiness of our forgiveness in Christ, the silence of marvel, and even the humility of some incomprehension?

We silence ourselves exactly because God has not kept silent.  We silence ourselves in order to hear God speak in His Word (cf. Deut. 27:9)  We silence ourselves to show our assent to God's charges against us (cf. Ps. 39:9).  We silence ourselves to show respect and obedience and humility and restraint (cf. Zeph. 1:7;
I Cor. 14:34; I Tim. 2:12).  We silence ourselves to search our hearts (cf. Ps. 4:4).

We silence ourselves in our own times of prayer, reading and meditation on God's Word.  And we should also silence ourselves in our periods of corporate worship.  Making silence together builds and unifies the church, witnesses to the majesty of God and tacitly proclaims His greatness to all who hear.

Posted on July 20, 2009 | Link to this Post | Comments

Possible Outlines

by mdever

This is how I'm thinking about preaching Revelation chapter 20 tomorrow.  Just thought I'd share the evolution of an outline (that still isn't finished!).

#1 

            20:1-3  The Binding of Satan

            20:4-6  The Thousand Years—Christ Reigning with His Saints

            20:7-10  The Final Defeat of Satan

            20:11-15  The Final Judgment of the Dead

 

#2

            20:1-3  God is Sovereign over Satan

            20:4-6  Christians reign with God & Christ

            20:7-10  Satan will appear to flourish but will be judged

            20:11-15  The dead (and death!) are judged.  Everyone will be judged

 

#3 

            Christians need not fear persecution  20:4-6

            Christians need not fear Satan, 20:1-3, 7-10

            Christians need not fear death, 20:11-15

 

#4

            Christians need not be scared of Satan, 20:1-3, 7-10

            Christians need not be scared of death, 20:4-6

            Christians need not be scared of God, 20:11-15

 

#5 

            Don’t let threats intimidate you  20:4-6

            Don’t let lies deceive you  20:1-3, 7-10

            Don’t let death fool you  20:11-15

 

#6

            Christians will be blessed 20:4-6

            Satan will be defeated 20:1-3, 7-10

            Everyone will be judged 20:11-15

 

#7

            Common myths:

            1)  Christianity isn’t worth it.  20:4-6

            2)  Who’s to say?  20:1-3, 7-10

            3)  People get away with stuff 20:11-15

 

#8

            Don’t worry  20:1-3, 7-10

            Make sure 20:11-15
            Praise God 20:4-10

Posted on July 11, 2009 in Preaching | Link to this Post | Comments

How To Preach About Hell

by mdever

Here's how Charles Spurgeon did it on Oct. 30, 1859 as a 24-year-old preacher.  He was talking about the many crowns of Christ (from Rev. 19:12) and he was speaking of crowns of dominions and victorys and thankfulnesses.  And in the crowns of dominion, he extolled Christ's crowns of dominion in heaven, hell and earth.  And this is how he talked about Christ's reign in Hell:

“It is the iron crown of hell, for Christ reigneth there supreme.  Not only in the dazzling brightness of heaven, but in the black impenetrable darkness of hell is his omnipotence felt, and his sovereignty acknowledged; the chains which bind damned spirits are the chains of his strength; the fires which burn are the fires of his vengeance; the burning rays that scorch through their eyeballs, and melt their very heart, are flashed from his vindictive eye.  There is no power in hell besides his.  The very devils show his might.  He chaineth the great dragon.  If he give him a temporary liberty, yet is the chain in his hand, and he can draw him back lest he go beyond his limit.  Hell trembles at him.  The very howlings of lost spirits are but deep bass notes of his praise .  While in heaven the glorious notes shout forth his goodness; in hell the deep growlings resound his justice, and his certain victory over all his foes.  Thus his empire is higher than the highest heaven, and deeper than the lowest hell.”  C. H. Spurgeon, “The Savior’s Many Crowns” Oct. 30, 1859, printed in New Park Street Pulpit, vol. 5, p. 450.

Posted on July 3, 2009 | Link to this Post | Comments

What's going on in the SBC? A shift in trust?

by mdever

Great meeting this week.  Wonderful displays of unity around the gospel and fulfilling the Great Commission.  Good leadership by Johnny Hunt, Danny Akin & Al Mohler.  Wonderful sermons by J. D. Greear and David Platt.  God is being kinder to us than we deserve--in ways old and new!  The celebration of God's kindness through 150 years of history at Southern Seminary and the new lunch sponsored by Baptist 21 and the 9Marks and 9 events AND the 9Marks booth were all huge encouragements to me.

There were certainly still stresses and strains evident in the convention.  I assume good motives on all sides.  I wonder if there aren't two different views of the SBC's money.  What I would call the older perspective understands that the SBC functions at the generous gift of the state conventions that pass Cooperative Program monies along to the national level.  What I would call the newer perspective senses that through the inerrancy controversies many churches came to have more confidence in the national convention than in their state conventions.  The current giving agreements between the Executive Committee and the state conventions, therefore, perhaps reflect more of the older perspective than the newer perspective.

I don't know which perspective is the case.  I have no objective data.  And I thank God for good work being done in both state and national entities.  But I do wonder if what we're seeing is a shift in trust.  Either way, I pray that God will use us all to His glory.

Posted on June 25, 2009 | Link to this Post | Comments

An answer to "a just question"

by mdever

I didn't just sit around and read.  And I didn't announce how many books I was going to read ahead of time.  I took even more books that I didn't get to read.  I had planned simply to read however many I got around to.  I only blogged about the reading portion of the vacation in order to guard our family's privacy.  I did a lot of other things, and hope you do, too, on family vacations!  Thanks for the voiced concerns.

Posted on June 16, 2009 | Link to this Post | Comments

Vacation reading

by mdever

Just got back from a restful week's vacation.  One of the most restful things to me is reading, uninterrupted by phone calls, meetings, etc.  Just my family, a couple of close friends, the sun, waves, wind, AND BOOKS.  I don't think I'll rehearse my whole vacation here.  That would undermine the restful and restorative nature of privacy.  But I certainly don't mind sharing with you some of the stuff I read. 

First and foremost was I & II John again and again.  Very edifying.

Now on to the non-canonical (and therefore less usual) list:

Easily the most interesting thing was Michael Lawrence's manuscript for his new book on Biblical Theology and Ministry.  Superb!  Unusual.  Should be very useful for the Bible student, and espcially for the pastor and seminarian!  Thank you, Michael, for serving us as you have in this book!

Other things I got read:

Harvie Conn's wonderful study of The American City and the Evangelical Church (1994 Baker).  Good summary of cities in American history and of evangelicals responses to them.  I'm a city pastor, so I thought this would be good to read. Great intro to the field.

Stephanie Faul's amusing little Xenophobe's guide to the Americans (1994 Oval books).  Oh to see ourselves as others see us!  And to read this in another country was all the more fun.

On a more serious note, Eugene Genovese's The Southern Tradition:  The Acheivement and Limitations of an American Conservatism (Harvard 1994).  Geneovese deploys Marxist and Agrarian concerns about capital, urbanism and individualism to explore American history and society, especially the South. Fascinating.

Christopher Hitchens' The Missionary Position:  Mother Theresa in Theory and Practice (Verso 1995).  Quick read.  He has great style.  His worldview is quite different from mine.  Facts about Mother Theresa I didn't know.  Again, oh, to see ourselves as others see us!

Thomas Sowell, Race, Culture and Equality (Hoover Institution, 1998).  This was a re-read.  One lecture.  A booklet which summarizes Sowell's research in the 1990's.  Fascinating counterpoint to the agrarianism of Genovese.  Cultures prosper that interact with and learn from others.

Callum Brown's The Death of Christian Britain (Routledge 2001).  OK, I had started this one before, and had put it down (which I almost never do).  Picking it up again reminded me of why I put it down in the first place.  His studies of the shift in narratives from the 19th century to the late 20th century was interesting.  Too much detail for my mind untrained in such analysis.  Still, interesting.

Roy Blount, Jr.'s Robert E. Lee (Viking 2003).  Interesting, non-comprehensive , short editorializing on Lee's life and views.  Blount's a good writer.  Lee's life is a study in both uncompromisingness and yet deep compromise.

Ian Buruma & Avishai Margalit, Occidentalism:  The West in the Eyes of its Enemies (Penguin 2004).  This was one of the most interesting reads.  B&M look at the German, Japanese, Russian, Arab critiques of the West.  Similar to some of the Agrarian's concerns.  Interesting to see how ideas spread.  Worth reading.

Bob Schieffer, Face the Nation (CBS 2004).  Just a fun read about a great news show.

Wendy Murray Zoba, Evangelical Christianity (Three Leaves 2005).  Quick intro.

Julie Rugg & Lynda Murphy, A Book Addict's Treasury (Frances Lincoln 2006).  Fun quotations.  Al gave it to me a couple of years ago.  Just got around to it now!

Hemant Mehta, I Sold My Soul on eBay (Waterbrook 2007).  Fun read.  Oh, I want to talk to this friendly athiest!!  Again, the Oh to see ourselves as others see us theme.  He talked about what it was like to visit various churches as an atheist.  I resonated with much of what he said.

Marc Sageman, Leaderless Jihad, (Univ of Penn 2008).  An intelligence analyst in my church suggested I read this to understand the current state of terrorism.  Centrally controlled stuff is being effectively countered.  Homegrown stuff is a threat.  Decentralized stuff is the internet's gift to our future.

And, lastly, and most edifyingly!  Tim Keller's The Prodigal God (Dutton 2008).  What a wonderful job Tim has done in applying this parable accurately to our hearts.  Read and profit, friends.  The point was clearly the elder brother, and Tim applies this to our situation today well.

Posted on June 11, 2009 | Link to this Post | Comments

Does the Southern Baptist Convention have a future?

by mdever

What do 9Marks, Danny Akin, David Platt, Mike McKinley, Josh Smith, Greg Gilbert, and me have to do with the Southern Baptist Convention and its future? 

Join us at the SBC in Louisville for 9Marks at 9 -- Monday night after the SBC Pastor's Conference; Tuesday night after the Convention.  Expect brief remarks, discussion, Q&A, free food, and maybe other free stuff.

We look forward to seeing you there.

Posted on May 26, 2009 | Link to this Post | Comments

"The Sin of Infant Baptism", written by a sinning Baptist

by mdever

In my article in the new 9Marks e-journal, I wrote, "I have many dear paedo-baptists friends from whom I have learned much. Yet I see their practice as a sinful (though sincere) error from which God protects them by allowing for inconsistency in their doctrinal system, just as he graciously protects me from consistency with my own errors."

That statement, much to my surprise, has caused concern among some.  That a Baptist thinks infant baptism is wrong was no news to earlier generations of paedobaptists.  Today, it seems to be a surprise.  Now, the truth is out, all of these years, I have been cooperating with those I take to be sinners--Ligon Duncan, Peter Jensen, Phillip Jensen, Philip Ryken, J. I. Packer and many others too numerous to name--sinners specifically on this point of infant baptism.  I have been speaking with them at conferences, having them as friends, reading their books, learning from them and inviting them to preach in our congregation, even as I happily preach in theirs.  Indeed, several paedobaptist ministers even have articles in that same 9Marks e-journal.

Some may think that such a "wrong" should not be called a sin.  I understand a sin to be disobedience to God (regardless of intent).  When I read Numbers 15:29-30 and Hebrews 9:7 I certainly see that Scripture presents some sins as being deliberate, and others as being unintentional.  I certainly do not think my paedobaptist brethren are intentionally sinning in this.  In fact, they even think that they are obeying God so, short of them changing their understanding of the Bible's teaching on this, I can't expect any "repentance," because they lovingly but firmly disagree with the Baptist understanding of this.

Nevertheless, as I understand the words of Christ in Matt. 28:18-20 Christians are commanded to baptize and to be baptized, and the practice of infant baptism inhibits the obedience of what I take to be a quite straightforward command.  I understand explanations that have been given about the practice of infant baptism (Orthodox/Roman, Lutheran and Reformed) but am sincerely persuaded that none of them line up with God's own Word.  This does not cause me to doubt the sincerity of my reformed paedobaptist brethren, nor even their judgment in general.  It is simply that on this point they've got it wrong, and their error, involving as it does a requiring of something Scripture does not require (infant baptism), and the consequence of a denying of an action Scripture does require (believers baptism) is sinful (though unintentionally so).

I cannot do better than cite a Baptist minister from 150 years ago who made a similar point--J. L. Reynolds:  "On the subject of infant baptism, and what seems to me to be its legitimate tendencies, I have recorded my sentiments without reserve, and, I trust, without offence.  I impeach no man's motives; nor do I question the piety and sincerity of those of my Christian brethren who believe that the practice is sanctioned by divine command.  Many pedobaptists are among the lights and ornaments of the age; their ministry has been blessed of God to the extension of the Redeemer's kingdom, and their Churches present numerous examples of pure and unaffected piety.  Such men would not, knowingly, contravene the law of Christ.  They would welcome the obloquy of the world, and even the agonies of martyrdom, in obedience to the command of their Lord and King, and rejoice that they were counted worthy to suffer for Christ's sake.  It is impossible not to admire and love men whose faith and practice associate them with Baxter, Leighton, Edwards, and Martyn, and who breathe their heavenly spirit.  While I think I see and regret their errors, I would extend to them the same indulgence which I ask for my own," (Dever, ed., Polity, p. 328).

Of course, my paedobaptist brethren may very well think that I am in sin in withholding from children the sign of God's gracious covenant.  I understand and regret the disagreement, but am well used to it by this point, and look forward to heaven, where all our disagreements will be composed.  Until that time, I intend to encourage ministers to be Together for the Gospel as much as we can, working together in the extension of the Gospel in our own towns and cities, and around the world.  I see no inconsistency in working with others who hold precious the same Gospel, regardless of what other disagreements we may have.

Posted on March 19, 2009 | Link to this Post | Comments

Dever Sabbatical Week #8

by mdever

Another week of sabbatical done. Only one left now. But it was a good week, and I am thankful for it. It included my first ministry travel since Oct or Nov! It's been a nice break. Anyway, here's the week.

Mon. Jan. 19. Up early, packed, QT. Went to National Airport & flew to Louisville. Matt Schmucker & I met with Lig Duncan & Al Mohler about T4G 2010. Good lunchtime meeting. Worked on specific talks, schedule, etc. Took Matt to the airport. In the afternoon went by the bookstore with Adam Grusy and David Dewberry. 5pm, Lig & I were on Al's radio show. Afterwards was dinner, where we were joined by 2 more friends, making us a table of 6. CJM & JP joined us. Great fellowship. Good time of prayer.

Tues., Jan. 20. My son's 19th birthday. Barack Obama's inauguration day. Meetings with our group from 9:30am through until 4:30pm. Break to watch the inauguration, then more discussion until 4:30. Then back at it at 6:30pm. We shared stuff from our lives right now and prayed. Excellent brothers & excellent fellowship! Discussion at night about contextualization, holiness, regeneration. Very good.

Wed., Jan. 21. QT. Morning discussion about the problem of evil. Began with questions about how hell is best discussed publicly. Got quickly onto the problem of evil itself. Left mid-day. CJ & I were on the same flight back to BWI. Picked up by Nick Lingle & Josh Manley. Great to be back home. I've loved not travelling these last 2 months!

Thurs., Jan. 22. QT. Going over emails with Nathan. Finished Spirit and Flesh and wrote thanking the author. Sat in on intern discussion (led by Michael Lawrence) on 2 sermons by Francis Grimke. Good stuff for us to think about. Putting up books. Then lunch with the associate pastors. Afternoon spent typing in quotations, putting up mail, brief meetings, etc. Dinner with a couple of friends.

Fri., Jan 23. QT. Lukas Naugle from DesiringGod came down to spend the day with us 9Marks folks helping us think through what we do. We had a good time thinking of what 9Marks is, what we do, how we do things we do and why. A number of folks gave time to being there, from Matt Schmucker to Adam Casper. It was a good, full day.

Sat., Jan. 24. QT. Enjoying reading George Swope, Kingdom Builders (from the early 20th century). Baptist minister in Norfolk, studies on the apostles. Chapter on Peter was excellent! Had a good lunch with Gustav. Then went up to Eli's father's memorial service. Thank God for a life well lived. This afternoon I spent working on Lev. 19:1-18 for Guilford tomorrow morning. First time I'll have preached since November! Looking forward to it. Dinner with Connie. Read another Powlison article.

Sun., Jan. 25. QT. Continued enjoying Swope's Kingdom Builders. Drove out to Guilford. Had a wonderful time singing with the saints at Guilford Baptist. Morning service was tremendous. Enjoyed preaching on "Love your neighbor as yourself." (Lev. 19:18). I was more than once during the service brought to tears thinking of God's goodness in reviving this congregation. Good lunch afterwards with Mike McKinley & family. Afternoon, Meet the Press. Evening back at CHBC. Josh Manley preached and did a good job.

Posted on January 26, 2009 | Link to this Post | Comments

Dever Sabbatical Week #7

by mdever

Mon., Jan. 12  Took a kind of day off from writing. Slept in a bit (woke up at 4:45am thinking about Henry Forums, so after I went back to bed at 5:30, I wanted to sleep a little more). Morning was QT & email. Lunch with a neighbor who is a good friend. Fascinating man! (Chris & I each thought the other knew where we were walking for lunch. After about 6 blocks when we passed up one of his favorite Hill restaurants I said “I thought you knew where we were going!” He said, “I was following you!” That’s got to be an illustration for something!) Afternoon, caught up with Matt, filled out a reference, went over stuff with Nathan L. Phone conversation with Johnny Mac on some questions about evangelism. He had typically wise advice. Jonathan Leeman and the stricken-silent Bobby Jamieson joined me in the study for the afternoon. Basically through a lot of the day, simply reading the Ault book. Interesting to watch him put together the conservative pro-life world view as he worked to understand the Fundamentalists he was observing. Quiet evening with Connie.

 

Tues., Jan. 13  Morning elliptical, QT, read some more of Flesh and Spirit by James Ault. Considering another church helping situation. Did service prep for this coming Sunday. Brief time with the 9Marks staff. Great lunch with Mike McKinley. What a joy he is to me! And how wonderful to watch the way the Lord has blessed his ministry. I read David Powlison’s chapter on X-Ray questions, and profited from it. And I spent a long time looking over the 9marks Jan-Feb ejournal. Jonathan’s done a great job again. Tonight is the dinner at the Lawrence’s at which we interview all of the new interns & their wives for membership. It is always an edifying time. One special note on today: This afternoon I also got the news that Eli Schmucker’s father—Stew Baker—went to be with the Lord. Stew was a much beloved father and grandfather in the Schmucker household, and was a real help to me in a number of ways, especially in my first few years in this congregation—the congregation in which he had grown up back in the 1920’s &1930’s. We praise God for his life, and that he is now with the Lord. 

 

Wed., Jan 14  Elliptical & QT. Prayed with Connie. Emails & phone calls. Lunch with Adam Casper. Good to get to know him better. Afternoon, did some clean up in the study, along with moving some things around. Went over the 9Marks ejournal for Jan-Feb with Jonathan. Michael led us well through Bible study. I had an ingrown toe nail removed (that was an experience). And Annie & Dave came over their last night before moving to Arkansas.

 

Thurs., Jan. 15  Slept best I had in months! Good QT. Read some more of Ault’s book. Did email. Ran an errand with Connie. Talked to Nathan on the phone. Cleaned up the study a little more. Lunch with John Hardin. And the rest of the day was spent (apart from dinner with the wife) going through another floor pile of to-do’s (returning 2 month old emails, phone calls, reading articles, filing papers and books, etc.). It was a useful thing to do, and the kind of thing that best (only?) gets done on sabbaticals! I read Al Mohler’s chapter from his T4G talk last spring. It was excellent!  It should be very useful when it appears in print later this year in the book from T4G 2008, Proclaiming a Cross-Centered Theology (Crossway, forthcoming).

 

Fri., Jan. 16  More good sleep & toe healing. Worked on messages for Mexico City. Lunch with Jon Coleman. Good to catch up. Rest of the afternoon (except for brief meetings) worked on Mexico City addresses and chapel address for Southwestern. Dinner with Connie, sister and friends.

 

Sat., Jan. 17  QT. Got talks completed for SWBTS 9Marks workshop & the event for Criswell & Dallas. Lunch with a good friend. Afternoon spent working on the talks for Fayetteville & preparing to lead the morning service. Great to have Nathan Lugbill working in the study with me. Nathan is preparing to preach on Sunday evening.

 

Sun., Jan 18  QT. Suited up for the first time in 6 weeks! Met CJ about 9:15am. He got through inaugural re-routings. He wasn’t feeling too well. We had good fellowship & prayer & then headed over for the service. What a privilege to minister with such a friend. And Scott Croft did a wonderful job in leading us in prayers of praise and confession. CJ’s message on Psalm 42 was a balm to the soul. You could hear the quiet weeping of many saints at the silent moment after the benediction. The Lord was obviously faithful. Then it was down to the college lunch with CJ. He shared his testimony of God’s wonderful grace in his life. Then, after we talked a few more minutes, I led him out of the District (roads are confusing today because of traffic and closures for the inauguration). Meet the Press this afternoon, and brief nap. Jamie Dunlop showed me around the building so that I would understand proposed renovations to the building. The evening service was good. Well-attended, good singing, Nathan Lugbill’s second Sunday evening message in a row showed again the unusually fine preaching potential the Lord has given this brother. Christ’s sorrow, our sorrow, what do we do with sorrow, from Matt. 26:38 (Christ in Gethesemene).  Met a family down from Waukegan Bible Church for the for the Inauguration. Then we had a members meeting. Long (2+ hours!). Excellent stuff! CHBC now consists of 682 members. I had the privilege of proposing a new Associate Pastor position for Administration, and Jamie Dunlop to fill it.  Jamie went over the proposed renovations to the building. We were able to hear of God’s provision for the CHBC budget in 2008 and the 9Marks budget.  Matt brought more encouragements from 9Marks. Other encouraging reports. 2009 Budget recommended. Rob Satrom nominated as Deacon of College Ministry. 3 other new deacons recognized. Greg Gilbert nominated as a new elder. Brief dinner with Connie & some friends. And off to bed! A long and truly blessed Lord’s day.

Posted on January 19, 2009 | Link to this Post | Comments

Dever Sabbatical Week #6

by mdever

A good week.  Especially thankful to complete three evangelism addresses.

Mon., Jan. 5 was a quiet day.  A lot of time to work on the Evangelism messages, as we had prayed.  Good lunch with Nathan Lugbill, good to have him back.  Our Nathan returned to Providence.  Connie & I had a quiet evening.  I was up late working on the messages.

Tues., Jan 6 working on the Evangelism messages.  Outlining.  Lunch with Philip Leeman.  Spent almost 2 hours on a conference call with the Financial Board ofthe SBTS Trustees.  I am thankful for these wise and competent friends, Al’s excellent administration and the honest and vigorous conversation that was encouraged (and happened!).  Dinner with Connie.  More work on messages.  Enjoyed watching & listening to Sacred Harp singing of “All is Well.”  I love songs about being with the Lord forever!

Wed., Jan. 7—I slept poorly during the night (due to my cold).  So I was up early, but tired.  Was only halfway successful in doing the elliptical.  I was tired, so slept some more.  Didn’t feel well enough to go to the annual 9Marks lunch for employees (sorry to miss that!).  Slept early afternoon.  Then from about 1:30-5:30 was in 9Marks meeting with Matt, Jonathan & Josh sorting out various schedules & talks for 2009.  The Lord is blessing 9Marks with so many opportunities this year!  Dinner with my wife.  Michael did a good job with Bible study.  I’ve really been enjoying listening to a new CD by the Galkin’s—“Christ Only, Always” that Ben Wright gave me.  And then, later in the evening, wrote a devotional for the Jacksonville Pastor’s Conference, and worked more on the evangelism talks for the Desiring God Pastor’s Conference.  I really need to get these done, because I’ve got about 20 more messages in February!!  But I keep thinking of more to say!  Pray for me.

Thurs., Jan. 8.  A good night’s sleep.  Most the day working on these evangelism messages.  Interview with Jonathan Leeman for the upcoming 9Marks ejournal.  Lunch with Greg Gilbert.  Good discussion about the cultural mandate being for us NOT as Christians, but as humans.  We nailed down details for some more 9Marks events later in the year. 

Fri., Jan 9.  Worked today mostly on editing the first address for the DG Pastor’s conference.  Lunch with Nathan S.  Great to hear how he’s doing.  Dinner with friends.  Good talk with Danny Shieh later that evening.

Sat., Jan 10  QT. Finished the first evangelism address in the morning.  Then a good lunch with Bill Anderson, reflecting on God’s grace in his life.  Then spent the afternoon with Connie.  Finished the second and third evangelism addresses in the evening.  Finished Stories of Emergence, ed., Mike Yaconelli.  Interesting.  Got an address done for Paul Perdue’s church in Minneapolis.

Sun., Jan. 11  QT.  Philip did a good job again in Core Seminar.  Michael preached well on Philippians 3.  Wonderful baptisms.  Lunch with my sister.  Meet the Press.  Reading James Ault Spirit and Flesh.  Very interesting look at fundamentalism. In the evening great sharing and prayer. 

I thank God and the congregation for this sabbatical.  I hope next time to have a more restful one by more carefully arranging it in proximity to other deadlines coming due!

Posted on January 12, 2009 | Link to this Post | Comments

A Village Church with a Village God

by mdever

At CHBC we often get comments on our 10 minute pastoral prayers.  These prayers range from the needs of our congregation to praying for leaders in government and society to praying for other churches, and those who have gone out from us to praying for a number of different countries around the world, pressing problems they're facing, and the growth of the gospel in these lands, and then praying for the character of Christians in America and for God to bless the preaching of His Word in specific ways in our congregation this morning. 

I regret to say that apparently this kind of pastoral prayer is unusual in churches today.

A few years ago, I remember reading a quotation by John Stott (no primary source was cited, but I'm pretty sure it was an article in CT) that expresses exactly our concern to lead the congregation in such prayers.

"I remember some years ago visiting a church incognito.  I sat in the back row.  I wonder who’s in the back row tonight.  You know they often slip in there incognito.  I’m not going to tell you the church.  You won’t be able to identify it; it’s thousands of miles away from here.  When we came to the pastoral prayer, it was led by a lay brother, because the pastor was on holiday.  So he prayed that the pastor might have a good holiday.  Well, that’s fine.  Pastors should have good holidays.  Second, he prayed for a lady member of the church who was about to give birth to a child that she might have a safe delivery, which is fine.  Third, he prayed for another lady who was sick, and then it was over.  That’s all there was.  It took twenty seconds.  I said to myself, it’s a village church with a village God.  They have no interest in the world outside.  There was no thinking about the poor, the oppressed, the refugees, the places of violence, world evangelization . . . ."

Pastor, spend some time preparing your pastoral prayer.  Glorify God.  Present Him as the great God that He is.  Don't by your prayers, make Him seem as if He is merely a village god.

Posted on January 9, 2009 | Link to this Post | Comments

Dever Sabbatical Week #5

by mdever

Every week that goes by, I seem to be convinced that I can get less done than I thought I could!  But I am thankful for the time, and what I am able to do. So, here's a review of this past week.  Thanks for your prayers in all this.

Mon., Dec. 29—good QT & Elliptical time.  Good catch up with Daniel Schreiner. Meetings with Paul Passaro and Mike Law, Jr.  Good to hear about God's work across the ocean and across the river.  Good chat with Andy Johnson about a couple of things, before he heads overseas for a couple of months.  Reading Jonathan Leeman's last chapter to his manuscript.  Conspiring with Bobby  Jamieson about getting some new (old) hymns in our line-up. Nathan and Connie are both feeling better.  Dinner with Connie, Nathan and Philip.  We watched the last of the "Monarchy" BBC series we've been watching.  Nathan & Philip went to the mall and then came back with Danny Shieh for a game of Settlers.  Wife-less Greg stopped by & worked while we played.  They left. Nathan stayed around and asked lots of philosophical questions and began to read Screwtape Letters and then we were tired and went to bed.  Still trying to find a time to watch Frost Nixon.

Tues., Dec. 30—good QT.  Finished watching Why We Fight?  More email, clean-up, filing.  Lunch with Mike Cole.  Typed in quotes from Preacher & the Presidents. Went to Campus Outreach for the evening.  Was there til almost 11:30.  They had a wonderful presentation for us.  God has done great things in that ministry.

Wed., Dec. 31—last day of the year a quiet one.  I wasn't feeling that well.  Began with QT & elliptical.  Met with Carson, friend of Mo, & Inter-Varsity staff at Harvard,  student at Gordon-Conwell.  Good to meet him and know of his work.  Then Sebastian came over for lunch.  Always good to catch up with him.  I wasn't  feeling too well, so (sadly) cancelled my next meeting and simply laid down.  Read Michael Gleason's When God walked on campus (2002).  History of college revivals in the US.  Good stuff.  Very good sermons by Timothy Dwight, C. H. Spurgeon, Martyn Lloyd-Jones & J. Edwin Orr included.  Quiet evening tonight.  Nathan's at a friend's party.  Jamieson's & Schreiner's for dinner.  Watched  Saboteur.  Then a game of Settlers of Catan.

Thurs., Jan. 1—slept late.  Elliptical and quiet time.  Downstairs for brunch/lunch with family.  Afternoon, changed my music from Christmas to ancient (1st several centuries AD).  The next few months will be classical music in roughly  chronological order.  Afternoon working on the 3 evangelism messages for the Desiring God pastors conference in February.  Philip went with me up to the archives to look over the evangelism section.  A lot of interesting stuff!  Then we went over to Congress Market and to the used bookstore, and talked to a non- Christian friend about his impressions of evangelism.  Summary:  He doesn't have a good impression of it.  Have had a great time praying and thinking about these messages.  Evening, went with family over to Bullmoose for a generous and well-attended "year's first cook-out".  Then came back and Connie & I watched "Christmas in Connecticut" with the Jamieson's.  Then I worked some more on the DGM talks, and got more clarity on the divisions I had in mind between the talks.  Another Settlers game, and Danny won again!

Fri., Jan. 2—Watched highlights from the actual Frost/Nixon interviews as I was on the elliptical.  I'm preparing to watch the movie version that Nathan wants to see.  Good QT.  Worked some more on the messages on evangelism. 11-3:30 taken up with seeing out of town friends who were in town—Brian Zopf, Ryan Townsend and Mike Gilbart-Smith.  Encouraging to see how the Lord is working in each of them.  Afternoon, back to work on the evangelism messages.  GREAT stuff to think about.  Dinner tonight out with Nathan and 2 friends of his choosing, and then we went out to see the Frost/Nixon movie.

Sat., Jan. 3—Elliptical (watched a new DVD series Annie & Dave gave me for Christmas).  QT.  Worked some more on Evangelism messages.  Jason & Bev Berrus' wedding.  Mike Gilbart-Smith had come from England to do it, and did a wonderful job.  Fun to watch Josh Coover herd people like sheep.  Lunch with  Philip to go over his core seminar.  Worked on new computer again with Paul & welcomed Garrett Connor to DC.  He's moving in as a new intern.  Many people helped him move in, including HANZ who held up one side of the desk while three others got the other side!  Saturday night, various friends from out of town stopped by.

Sun., Jan. 4 was a quiet day.  Good QT.  Good talk with Connie.  God is good and my wife is kind!  My voice was about gone through this cold I've had, so I very silently went to church, heard a great evangelism lesson from Philip & Sebastian. Church was full again, with people coming back from the holidays.  Hymns & singing were great.  Greg led us in a prayer of praise that moved me especially with the greatness of our salvation.  Michael preached a fine sermon on Phil 3:1- 11, and warned us about the "con men"—those we would be tempted to wrongly trust—forms of self-righteousness.  We concluded the service with a celebration of the Lord's Supper.  Wonderful morning.  Meeting with the Lord's people is like drinking water for me.  And the frustration of not being able to sing God's praises led me to reflect on how marvelous it will be to more adequately sing God's praises in heaven!  My sister came over for lunch, and then I laid down for the rest of the afternoon.  The evening service was again encouraging, welcoming  back the Townsends & the Gilbart-Smith's, and hearing a very good message from Ben Wright on initiative (God's in Christ, and ours as a witness to God's)  from Proverbs 6:6.  Then Connie & I had dinner, we had a good time of sharing with the Gilbart-Smith's and Connie & I watched the old 1937 version of the Christmas Carol on what may be the last night we have our tree up.  Then to bed.

Posted on January 5, 2009 | Link to this Post | Comments

Dever Sabbatical Week #4

by mdever

Dear Friends,

   The sabbatical is half done, and I am quickly revising downwards my estimates for what all I could get done in this period.  The big good news for me is rest.  Here's a day by day count of week#4.

Monday, Dec. 22--I got various tasks done in the morning.  Hunter Powell called from England.  Great to hear from him.  I dropped off a Christmas gift to my pastor-friend Mike.  I had a final evaluation lunch with Bobby Jamieson, and read chapter 6 of Jonathan Leeman's manuscript--this chapter was on the practicalities of taking in and seeing out members--and then a pastoral meeting with another friend.  Dinner that night was at Fuddruckers with Connie, Annie, Dave & Nathan.  We are thankful for  the time we get together.  I went next door to talk to Matt simply because we hadn't had a chance to check in for a week or so, so we talked for about half an hour.  (It's convenient living next door!)  Then Connie, Nathan, Josh Coover & I played Rummy-cube, and we watched another installment of the BBC documentary "Monarchy".  Amazing the pace Elizabeth II keeps at 81!

Tuesday, Dec. 23--slept terribly & little last night because of coughing from cold drainage.  Quiet Time & various little tasks this morning.  Made reservations to go out to dinner with the Lawrence's tonight.  I checked out the new pulpit platform's height and angle.  Worked on a special idea for the elders teaching on Sunday evenings at CHBC in 2009.  Had a final evaluation lunch with Gustav Pritchard.  Worked on worship services for Feb-Apr. 2009.  The Lawrence's took us out to a nice dinner with just the four of us.  Wonderful time.  We get to do that with them maybe once a year!

Wednesday, Dec. 24--Worked on spring services--good time picking appropriate Scripture readings with the PA's helping, then had final year-end lunch with the Pastoral Assistants (and some final Christmas shopping).  Spent all afternoon trying to work on switching over to a new computer (with Paul Parisi).  Wonderful Christmas Eve service.  Michael preached a great message on angels, and Connie had a special gift to me of an instrumental trio performing "Jesus Christ the Apple Tree" (one of my favorites).  Some of our staff neighbors came over afterwards for some informal time with amazing Christmas food (prepared by my wife).  Also celebrated Scott Croft's birthday.  Back to working on the computer later that night with Paul.  Still couldn't fix it.  Then early to bed for us.  We were tired.

Thursday, Dec. 25--Early up.  Elliptical (and watched a good artchitectural special on the Pompidou center in Paris).  Longish quiet time.  Good meditation on Philippians 2 & Luke 12.  Did some various tasks from my computer black out time yesterday.  And then, some wonderful hours with the family around the Christmas tree--gifts, talking with kids & my sister.  Cleaned up.  Planned for Spring services.  Had family & friends over for dinner about 4:30.  Good few hours again of fellowship and eatin.  read from Luke 12 before the meal and considered God's promsies and to whom they are made,

Friday, Dec. 26--QT.  Napped a lot.  Did evening services for the spring.  Chatted with Daniel Sheh.  Had some more of Connie's excellent corn chowder.  Finished working on the services.  Made family plans for this evening.  Napped again.  Put up books Charles Siler had kindly given me a few months ago.  Worked on my new computer again with Paul Parisi.  Concluded I simply need to mail the new computer back to him.  Reviewed Philip van Steenburgh's Core Seminar class on the history of evangelism.

Saturday, Dec. 27--Connie didn't feel well today, so we were at home for the day.  I napped some more, read some more, cleaned up.  I got a lot of email done (reaching back to Sept & Oct!).  Bobby and Kristen Jamieson moved in for a week or so.  I looked over the atonement servmons and gave some more thought to the book.  Prepared a sermon for Guilford Baptist in January.  We have our interns write a review of their own life in light of 2 books:  CJ's book on humility and Ed Welch's book, When People are Big & God is Small.  I read those papers for our next class of interns (coming in a couple of weeks).  In the study tonight, Bobby was working on his service leading for the morning and Philip on his Core Seminar.  And then Justin Leighty came by--always good to catch up with him.

Sunday, Dec. 28--Connie had the flu yesterday, and Nathan today.  I went to Philip's Core Seminar on the history of evangelism.  He did a good job.  Then the morning service.  Many of our folks out of town for the holidays.  Still, good singing, message, prayers, etc.  Lunch was finishing out some Christmas leftovers.  Greg Gilbert, Justin Leighty came and joined Connie & I to watch the 1999 Atomic Bomb Movie.  Amazing footage!  Nap time. Evening service.  Wonderful hymns.  Great fellowship.  Dinner.  Meet the Press netcast.  Bedtime.

So, here are the truths about my days.  Thank God for the rest.  Pray that I would be disciplined in getting done useful things.  There's half the Sabbatical.  I thank God for the rest I have been afforded during this time.

I should also make it clear how much I am enjoying this time.  Taking time to walk around the Hill Saturday morning, running errands to the bank & the dry cleaner's, thanking God for the beauty I see, for neighbors I care about.  I've appreciated being able to so easily take time to read Dave Powlison for my own soul's sake.  I've loved the flexibility in the schedule with my family.  I even enjoy the surprise of cleaning up my study and finding this little task and that.  So tomorrow, I look forward to having time to read a chapter of Jonathan's book (his last chapter) the same day he hands it to me.  To seeing Paul Passaro and Mike Law and having dinner with my sister at whatever time would be convenient for her.  There is a wonderful comibination of unhurriedness, flexibility and productivity that is truly refreshing for my soul.

Posted on December 29, 2008 | Link to this Post | Comments

Dever Sabbatical Week #3

by mdever

Monday, December 15 - Thursday, Dec. 18 Connie & I spent together down in Williamsburg, VA.  It was a great time away, just the two of us, refreshing, relaxing, fun.  I love my wife and am so thankful for her.  We did all the normal Williamsburg things.  Some friends gave us money to use for a nice dinner at the King's Arms Tavern, which we did, and it was great!

Friday, December 19.  I had a great time catching up with Mark Collins in the morning, and then with Philip van Steenburgh for his final intern evaluation over lunch.  It is so encouraging to see God's work in and through these brothers!  That afternoon, Ben Wright and Geoff Chang helped me come up with sermon titles for the spring series through Revelation.  What a wonderful couple of hours meditating on God's good and certain plans!  I had the privilege (which was especially touching to me) of receiving in the mail from IVP a couple of copies of J. I. Packer's classic Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God with a new foreword by . . . me!  I felt immensely honored to be asked by the IVP editors to do this, and surprised and unworthy.  And to sit there with a copy of the book in my hands--this book that I have used for 30 years in discipling others--with something in it by me just felt strange (and wrong) and . . . a privilege.  I can't imagine my foreword will add any readers, but I do pray that God will continue to use this great little volume, that's been out for nearly half a century now.  If you've never read it, you've got a treat in front of you.  And, later that evening, I got a lot of Christmas gift wrapping done!

Saturday, December 20, I finally finished G. J. A. O'Toole's 1991 book, Honorable Treachery:  A History of Intelligence, Espionage, and Covert Action from the American Revolution to the CIA.  A friend had suggested I get it and read it, and it has been very informative, and an aspect of our nation's history that I had not thought of much.  About 10am Nathan Santamaria, his father, and other friends & family came over to my study to pray.  His wedding to Brooke took place at 11am.  I had the privilege of leading in prayer.  As weeping seems to continue to grow as my unbidden response to God's grace, I wept through singing It is Well and in watching their vows.  I love them both, and it has been a pastoral and personal joy to watch what God has done in Nathan's life over the last few years.  He is dear to me.  And God is so kind to us.  Speaking of which, I then had another meeting in which God's kindness to another dear brother through his brave obedience was evidently bearing much fruit.  I finished Christmas wrapping, Connie & I had a wonderful evening with friends, especially catching up with Justin Leighty.

Sunday, December 21, I attended church for my 3rd Sunday on Sabbatical.  Michael preached a solid message on Philippians 2:1-18.  The attendance was good, the singing unusually good, and the four brothers who were baptized gave phenomenal testimonies.  Again, having known some of these before they were Christians, it was moving to watch their testimonies of God's grace.  I think we've seen more conversions at CHBC this year than any year I've been here.  God again is so kind.  Connie & I had lunch, good conversation with my sister, then I watched Meet the Press, and took a nap.  I meant to take a brief nap, but Connie had begun to play on her viola a piece by Vaughn Williams, and I think God used that to translate me to a particularly deep & long nap.  I got up in time for church.  Good evening service.  Wonderful to sing with God's people & pray & hear his Word.  Scott & Kasey came over for dinner together afterwards.  Wonderful time with them.

So many people asked me yesterday how my sabbatical is going.  Well, here I'm giving a daily chronicle.  On the one hand, after 3 weeks, it doesn't look like I'll get that much done, but I am having a wonderful and restful time not setting my alarm, not going to meetings, not preparing public teaching, being so well fed by Michael Lawrence, and having more flexibility.  And, it's not like I'm doing nothing!  Keep praying that God use this time.  Thanks.

Posted on December 22, 2008 | Link to this Post | Comments

Dever Sabbatical Week #2

by mdever

Dear friends,

Week #2 (Dec. 8-14) was spent largely finishing up our fall intern class, with papers, dicsussion & final evaluations AND carefully reading Jonathan Leeman's excellent manuscript on a theology of church membership.  Let me break the week down for you a little more.

Monday, Dec. 8, a nice walk with Greg Gilbert, haircut, reading Jonathan's manuscript, lunch meeting with a neighbor, pastoral meeting, dinner with Bobby & Kristen Jamieson, evening with the Chang's & read intern papers.

Tuesday, Dec. 9, dentist & traffic consumed the morning.  Afternoon with my good friend David Henderson, pastor of Covenant Presbyterian Church, West LaFayette, IN.  What an encouraging brother!  And inbetween reading Leeman manuscript & last set of intern papers from this class.  (Next classes first papers are due in Dec. 20!!)

Wednesday, Dec. 10, more Leeman reading, lunch with Andrew Sherwood (to talk about 9Marks--by the way, great job on the Christmas greeting video, Andrew!), pastoral meeting, attended Wed PM Bible study.

Thursday, Dec. 11, our last intern discussion with this class. Our regular Mark-Michael-Andy-Deepak lunch (me and the church's 3 associate pastors).  Sweet fellowship.  Finished Jonathan's manuscript.  Final evaluation with Josh Scherer.  (Pray for Spike, a new friend I got to meet.  Pray that I would faithfully share the gospel with him.)  Prepared some comments for the annual 9Marks volunteer dinner & went to it.  Always the best Christmas party!  Afterwards, reviewed Jonathan's manuscript with him.  This book is so much more important than any book I could work on of my own this sabbatcial.

Friday, Dec. 12, final evaluation with intern Matt Smethurst, final intern lunch at Fuddruckers (great time!), final evaluation with intern David Dewberry, reviewed some dates with Connie of invitations my committee had encouraged me to accept, went bowling with the interns, Connie & I had dinner with friends.

Saturday, Dec. 13, read some Dave Powlison, helped Philip with a new lecture in the evangelism core seminar, lunch with Ken Barbic to go over his evangelistic address for Sun night.  SORE LOWER BACK FROM BOWLING!!  I TRIED TOO HARD!  Napped.  Worked on Spring 2009 sermon card, concluding that I will probably preach 15 sermons through Revelation in the Spring & Summer of 2009 (Lord willing).  Good dinner with Mike & Diane.  Worked on Revelation & preaching ideas some more.

Sunday, Dec. 14, Core Seminar, morning service (good chat with new friend Mike Cole afterwards), friends over for Afghan lunch.  Talked to Philip some more about his evangelism class.  A pastoral meeting, followed by our annual Carols on the Hill service--excellent, and well attended by visitors.  A wonderful, fun reception afterwards.  David Dewberry joined Connie & me (thanks, Pete!) for dinner afterwards.  Then David tried to help me with my back.  Said goodbye to the 2 interns who are leaving--Josh Scherer and David Dewberry.  It's been a privilege to have had them here for the last 5 months.

And that's week 2.  As the second week has ended, I'm beginning to feel that I might end up getting very little done on this sabbatical, but, on the other hand, a little extra rest, Jonathan's book & this intern class are all wonderful investments.  Now, off to Williamsburg with Connie!  Thanks for your interest and prayers.

Posted on December 15, 2008 | Link to this Post | Comments

Dever Sabbatical Week #1

by mdever

I have just completed my first week of a December - January sabbatical.  I'm not planning to go anywhere, but I just wanted to let you know what I am doing, and also ask your prayers for those things I'm working on.

What am I doing on sabbatical?  The congregation kindly allows us sabbatical for rest, and for working on particular projects.  So, I am resting from preparing and delivering public teaching, leading meetings, attending staff & elder meetings, etc.  I am getting to sleep longer, exercise more regularly, have longer quiet times, attend the service & be fed (as we were so marvellously yesterday by the first in Michael Lawrence's Philippians series!) and just generally have a lot more flexibility in my schedule.  More time for email, and even some late night Settlers of Catan games!

So, among other things Monday, Dec. 1, I wrote a letter to our congregation on giving.  (Our church budget is not yet being fully met [though it's close!]).  I began trying to sort out exactly what my speaking commitments were in February.

Tuesday, Dec. 2, I spent much of the day clarifying my upcoming commitments (about 25 messages in Feburary!), worked on some planning for Togther for the Gospel 2010, and for a special conference that Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary will be hosting in September 2009.  That evening, Connie & I also went with our daughter & son-in-law & Daniel & Ashley Schreiner to go get our Christmas tree.  Good time at dinner & putting up the tree.

Wednesday, Dec. 3, met with a member who carefully explained to me why he was resigning to join an Anglican congregation, had a wonderful lunch with Nathan Santamaria, reflecting on God's grace (as we always do when we get together).  I had a leisurely time in the afternoon cleaning up the study a little bit.  (A lot more still needs to happen on that, as Matt Schmucker or Nathan Lugbill would tell you!)   And I read intern papers in preparations for Thursday morning's discussion.  An excellent Bible study that night by Michael Lawrence on Oaths.

Thursday, Dec. 4, 8:30-11:30 was our next to last intern discussion.  This has been a tremendous class, and it was a joy to lead them in discussing many issues, none of which were we able to give enough time to.  I then had a dentist's appointment, did some Christmas shopping, had a 3-4pm invitations meeting and prepared to go to Louisville.  Unfortunately at this point, I took an antibiotic that the dentist had prescribed, and I ignorantly took it on an empty stomach.  I had an empty stomach because I had had a toothache and hadn't wanted to eat.  Anyway, I started feeling bad fast, went to BWI anyway, there met CJ, got through security, walked to the gate, threw up, felt better for 2 minutes, started to feel bad again, and submitted to CJ's leadership to go home.  Back home, sad about missing our time with Al & Lig, my wife says I was "crazy" saying lots of stuff that made no sense.  I don't remember any of it.

14 hours later, I got up on Friday, Dec. 5, felt so-so and hungry.  I ate, quickly felt better, and then had lunch with CJ.  And read more intern papers.  Also, Mike McKinley phoned to tell me that Karen had safely given birth to little Ebenezer. Praise God for His kindnesses in this birth!

Saturday, Dec. 6, was a miscellaneous kind of day.  I was supposed to be in Louisville, but wasn't.  So I made plans for an overdue haircut.  (I generally wait until 3 or 4 people have commented that I need one.)  Took out the trash.  Had a great lunch with Bobby Jamieson (one of the interns) while our wives were at the CHBC Christmas evangelistic tea.  I did some planning for the coming year, walked down to the new Capitol Visitors Center with David & Andy (where we met new member John working there).  And I started what I need to be working on this week--Jonathan Leeman's manuscript for his new book on the theology of membership.  It is EXCELLENT!  More on that in a moment.  Dinner & a movie (Bolt in 3-D) that night with my dear wife.  We had a good time, and it snowed.

Sunday, December 7 had two wonderful gatherings with the saints at CHBC, and a good lunch with my sister Rhea, who is a member of our congregation.  Good afternoon conversations with Philip about his morning service leading, and Mack Stiles, about everything!  Mack has to be the most gifted personal evangelist I know!  Wonderful evening communion service.  Dinner with Kevin & Melissa McKay, working with a church up in Providence, RI.  Great to catch up.

And now, I launch out on this new week.  Among the most important things I could get done this week, is finish reading carefully Jonathan's manuscript.  I have some of my own writing projects that I want to get to, but this is more important.  Jonathan has carefully considered membership as an expression of love, and has reflected on it profoundly, placing it in its wider biblical, theological and cultural setting.  Pray for Jonathan as this work draws to a close, and as it then begins its pathway to publication.  That's my big work for this week, I think.  I'll try to check in again, next week.  Thanks for your prayers.

Posted on December 8, 2008 | Link to this Post | Comments

Depth Step #3: Members Only Small Groups

by mdever

When PJ (faithful intern) asked Jamie (faithful elder) what had led to the unusual sense of community at CHBC, Jamie gave a very thoughtful response.  This series is briefly reviewing these steps as an encouragement to pastors struggling with a lack of community among their congregation.

First, let me just say that we are always struggling with people who feel left out, who feel they've not been welcomed, who are marginalized or marginalize themselves.  This is simply the reality of life in a fallen world.  But as elders we want to be continually in action trying to lead the body into greater fellowship, for accountability, mutual rejoicing and edification, witness, etc.

On to this specific step--our small groups are only for our members.  We have evangelistic small groups that are [obviously!] for non-members.  And our members are free to be in Bible studies with whomever they choose, so many of our members will be in neighborhood groups, or prayer triplets at work, or lunchtime gatherings that will include members from other churches.  So we sponsor evangelistic talks in a few places around DC working with a few other evangelical congregations of different denominations.  And our own small groups--that is, those that our staff assigns members to when they ask to be in a small group, those groups whose leaders we train, for whose teaching we take responsibility--our own small groups used to be open to non-members.  Then, some years ago, when we had some members leave unhappily, but they wanted to remain in their small groups, we were faced with a decision.  And, after long discussion and prayer, our elders bravely, and (in hindsight) greatly to the benefit of our congregation, decided that our official CHBC small groups would be open only to members. 

This has brought a unity and cohesion to the small groups that has, in turn, blessed our congregation.  In these small groups, the vision of the congregation as a whole is believed and taught.  No small groups are acting as the point of real or chief loyalty of any band of members disaffected with the church or its leadership.  All the small groups now are not only prospering themselves, but are led by those who we train, and who share our vision for this local congregation.  The transition was a bit difficult.  The small group leaders had to be convinced, or at least trust the leaders on this, or be replaced, but the fruits have been obviously excellent.  God, in His kindness, has clearly used this step to encourage the body here in our shared commitments to Him and to each other.

Posted on July 10, 2008 | Link to this Post | Comments

Depth Step #2: Evening Service

by mdever

Jamie (faithful elder at CHBC) told PJ (faithful intern at CHBC) that a second reason this congregation seemed to have unusual depth of community and relationships was the evening service.  Let me briefly explain.

We understand Sunday as a Christian Sabbath.  Not equivalent to the 4th commandment in the OT.  We think that is fulfilled in Christ.  But we also see the Lord's Day in the NT (e.g., Rev. 1:10).  We think Hebrews 10:25 requires us to assemble regularly.  That is normally on the Lord's day in the morning (in continuity with the earliest Christian history, long before it was a day off for Christians from their jobs, and in celebration of the Lord's Resurrection).  However, we as a congregation also exercise our liberty by deciding as a congregation that we will ALSO assemble on Sunday evenings for praise & prayer.  We don't understand that Scripture requires this of us, but we chose to for our edification.

So we have a second meeting on Sunday, at which most members come, and some visitors (they are welcome).  At this service (which runs from about 6:00pm to 7:30pm) we will sing (6:00-6:15), and conclude by hearing a 15-minute sermon (after which we close with a hymn).  This 15-minute sermon is delivered by someone other than the regular preaching ministers.  It may be one of our non-staff elders, a deacon who is gifted in teaching, a member who works on the Hill but is considering being a preaching pastor long-term, a member of our church who works for a non-profit but is a good teacher, etc.  The text is chosen by me.  It is given to them weeks or months in advance.  It is from the opposite testament of Scripture as the morning passage, but should contain a related theme.  This helps the congregation to hear from more people and focuses us less just on the preaching pastors (especially me & Michael Lawrence).  God works powerfully in the lives of members through other members.  This strengthens the community of the church.

But the core of our time on Sunday evening probably does this even more.  This is the period from 6:15 to 7:00 or 7:15 in which pre-screened prayer requests (they ask me through the week, or on Sun AM) are shared & sometimes questions asked by the congregation, or volunteers gotten, and then they are prayed for by members of the congregation.  So, this past Sunday night, various members said good-bye, told us where they were going, thanked us for various aspects of their life here, and shared prayer requests.  One couple who have been here for 5 years shared about going to become associate pastor of a nearby church.  Mike's sharing of his gratitude to God for a number of ways He has used the congregation in his life put a number of us in tears.  Another sister shared about a practical way women in the church could help an evangelism prjoject in the Middle East.  Another brother stood up and shared about his having preached his first sermon that morning.  (A church in Delaware had asked us to cover their pulpit for them this past Sunday morning, and we asked this brother to do it.)   Another brother who is stationed in Afghanistan was back for a couple of weeks and shared how things were going & took questions.  We prayed for Matt & Jonathan as they were headed to South Africa for a couple of weeks to do 9marks work.  And this is just HALF the things that were shared & prayed for.

People feel sad when they miss Sunday mornings.  But, it has to be said, at least they can get the audio of the sermon.  When you miss Sunday EVENINGS, you just don't feel like you know what's going on.  And people stand around forever and talk.

How to establish this kind of culture would be a different entry.  It certainly happened slowly, over time, and took deliberate leadership.  (I had to "move" the requests from mainly about health to being mainly about more spiritual matters, and from being mainly individual to being more about ministry or some corporate activity of the church.)  Some of this shift was difficult.  Much of it had to be carefully done.  In all of this we had to be patient.  But I think Jamie is right.  This, by God's grace, has been greatly used by God to establish a deeper community here among the congregation.  And we thank Him for it!

Posted on July 3, 2008 | Link to this Post | Comments