God is Working in Our Waiting

May6

Every person who walks this earth will experience periods of waiting. One of the hardest aspects of life, the concept of waiting is frequently mentioned in the Bible. From the cradle to the grave, each of us will struggle with waiting.

What do we do in our waiting? Many of us will walk through stages of grief: anger, denial, and questioning God. As we lift up our desires, we hope, pray, and wonder when the answer will come. Not knowing the mind of God, we question whether the Lord is telling us no or to continue waiting. The apostle Paul asked God three times to remove the “thorn in his flesh.” As months and years go by, we wonder if it’s time to let go and move on.

My wife and I have been married nearly seven years. Marriage is wonderful, but the years of hardship we’ve experienced have been brutal. Most of our journey together has been bombarded with trials. We have faced job loss, near foreclosure, infertility, and years of waiting on an adoption match. When we finally got matched with a baby girl, we prepared her bedroom and enjoyed a baby shower with friends. But the adoption didn’t finalize. We sat in an empty bedroom and cried. Husbands and wives grieve differently, but the pain we share is felt to the core. I felt like I needed to be strong for my wife when all I wanted to do was fall apart.

In these difficult moments, if we are not careful, we can begin to question the goodness of God. The hymn writer William Cowper wrote the lyric, “Behind a frowning providence, He hides a smiling face.” As we dig into the Scriptures, we see that God is good, loving, and sovereign.

Our story is just beginning, and we rejoice in the daughter God has brought into our family. My wife and I can both say she was worth the wait. Our darkest days of waiting drew us closer to Christ and made our marriage stronger.

Dear friend, God is working in your waiting. You may not feel or see it, but He is working for your good and His glory. His plans are so much higher. Trust him. Waiting is hard, and some days are cruel. Lean into Jesus for your strength. He is sufficient and more than enough. In each season of life, God is working in our waiting.

The Rich King Became Poor

May27

“For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich.” (2 Cor 8:9)

The Lord Jesus is rich. Rich is a reference to Christ’s preexistent status as the eternal Son of God in heaven. Jesus is the Creator of all, the Lord of all nations, First born of all Creation, the Preeminent One. He is the precious Son of God – fully God and fully man. He is the Name above all names, King of kings and Lord of lords. Jesus Christ is the greatest, highest, Holiest, richest, Preeminent King.

The Lord Jesus Christ became poor. Poor is a reference to the humility of Christ’s incarnation, including His death. This is the truth of the Incarnation – God became man. Jesus took on flesh and skin. Christ took on our humanity. He was tempted in every way that we are, yet was without sin. He faced the hardships of this cold world. He felt the painful effects of sin’s curse on the earth. He had no home. He had no place to lay His head. He humbled Himself as a servant.

Rich King Jesus became the poorest of the poor. He suffered and died the worst kind of death. He was beaten, bruised and ridiculed. He died a criminal’s death. A crown of thorns was placed upon His head. Nails were driven into His hands and feet. He was lifted high upon a cross. He suffered in anguish as the sins of the world were placed upon Him. He shed His blood as a ransom for many.

This truth is for you: Christ became poor so you could become rich. What does rich mean in this passage? The apostle Paul is not speaking of our earthly health, wealth and prosperity. He is not speaking of physical money, gold, stocks, bonds or IRAs. Paul is speaking of spiritual wealth: salvation and all the benefits that flow from Christ’s death and resurrection.

Ephesians 1:3 says, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places.” Those of us who trust in Christ become spiritually rich. We are blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places. We could spend hours recounting the many blessings in Christ: salvation, forgiveness of sin, removal of guilt, clean conscience, changed heart and life, substantial healing, protection from evil, wisdom in decisions, provision of our needs, comfort in times of trouble, hope that endures, no fear of death and the promise of eternal life in heaven. What a great exchange this is! The Lord Jesus became poor, so that you would become spiritually rich.

Christ shed His blood to pay the penalty for your sins and mine. He took our sin and shame, so that we could be forgiven. He was forsaken that we might be forgiven. He was condemned that we might be accepted. He died that we might live. Forgiveness is freely offered to all who repent and trust in Jesus. This hope is for you. Christ became poor so you could become rich.

You Are Not Alone (at Christmas)

May27

Genuine relationships with people are important. We were not meant to live life alone. We are better together. Marriage and family relationships were created by God. And the church is God’s design and plan for community. But in this dark world, many of our core relationships have been broken. The wounds we carry are deep. Life is hard. Each of us will walk through seasons of suffering, pain, and loneliness. At times, we feel hopeless. We can easily be led into despair.

With all the connection that technology offers us, many of us feel alone. We can be surrounded by people and feel lonely. We can interact with thousands on facebook, twitter, and instagram. We can connect with people around the world within seconds. All this connectedness still can leave us feeling isolated and lonely. Columnist David Brooks writes: “The suicide rate has surged to a 30-year high — a sure sign of rampant social isolation.”

There is a desperate craving in our hearts. We can search for meaning and purpose in the pursuits of friendships, relationships, marriage, family, pleasure, money, career, and more. All these things will leave you feeling empty. Nothing on this earth can satisfy your soul. It’s never enough.

King Solomon is known for his wisdom. In his lifetime, he pursued everything . . . education, agriculture, construction, and romance. Nothing could satisfy. At the end of his life, he said all these pursuits were meaningless, empty, a chasing of the wind. In his book of regrets, he concludes with this simple advice: Fear God.

In our hearts, there is a yearning and a longing for the One true living God who created us. God is here, and he is not silent. His name is Emmanuel, God with us. God came to dwell among us. Jesus was born on Christmas to die for our sins and provide hope and forgiveness. Acts 17 tells us that God appointed the very times and places that we lives so that we might reach out and find Him.

This Christmas season, I pray you hear the voice of God calling out to you. You are loved. You are not alone. There is hope in Jesus. Reach out and find him. He is not far away. He is near. God is with us. This is the hope of Christmas.

The Changing Tides of Church Music

Oct29

Here is my response to a tough question:
“Hymn singing in most churches seem to be obsolete and old fashioned.
What should the Church of God do?”

Some questions to begin:
1) How do you define a hymn?
2) What makes certain hymns great?
3) Should we spiritualize a certain time period of hymnology?
4) Should hymns be considered greater than other types of worship songs (such as the apostle Paul’s listing of psalms and spiritual songs)?
5) How long are hymns considered great?
6) Should we only sing hymns?
7) Are we appreciating other music forms, styles, and cultures in the church? As we expect our missionaries to adapt and engage with culture.

There has never been a golden age. Every generation gains and loses something . . . even with music. I’m fascinated at how churches tend to go to extremes with spiritualizing church music, songs, hymns, styles, and forms. John Calvin only sang Psalms and Scripture passages in his church. Why do very few of us sing Psalms anymore? Why are hymns sometimes considered better, greater, holier? Why is there such a tension between so-called worship songs and hymns?

Unfortunately, people tend to hold their affinity for music more dearly than doctrine. We must guard ourselves from this tendency. Church music based on truth is a good tool for teaching and for assisting folks to engage in worship, but nonetheless, music is merely a tool. It is God alone and His Word that are central to worship, are absolute truth, and are to be held in highest honor.

There is no style of music that is inherently good or evil. If there was a holy style of music, then the book of Psalms would have written transcribed music. I have seen a portion of the Psalter from the Dead Sea Scrolls . . . there are no written rhythms or notes. It would be incredible to actually hear recordings of OT Hebrew worship. Instead, God has given us His inspired Word and has left the expression open to each generation and culture. In regard to music style in the church, the question is not “Is it right or wrong (or good and evil)?,” but rather, “Does it edify or is it fitting in our given context and culture?”

Warren Wiersbe has compared songs and music to clothing. Some old clothes don’t fit any more, so we throw them out. Some we dust off from time to time for certain occasions. Some classic clothes we wear quite often.

Amusingly enough, much of our preferred music and instruments today were frowned on in church history. Musical notation of chant began in the 900′s in Europe. Chant progressed to 4-part harmony in France in the 1200′s. John Wycliffe complained that only choirs were involved in church singing in the 1400′s. Martin Luther introduced congregational singing with popular German folk tunes in the 1500′s. Benjamin Keach introduced psalm and hymn singing to English baptists in the 1600′s. Ira Sankey’s pump organ and solo singing were seen as worldly in the 1870′s and 1880′s during D. L. Moody’s revival meetings. The piano was controversially introduced to the American church in 1910 by Charles Alexander. Guitars were fought over in the 1970′s Jesus movement and are still seen as controversial in some circles today.

As for hymnals, there are many . . . and most denominations update them every 10 years. Most American hymnals have songs dating back from the 1700’s and not much music is preserved or utilized before this time period. Each edition of hymnals tend to add more hymns and drop others.

To borrow the clothing analogy from Wiersbe, the “the great old hymns” are a nostalgic outfit we like to wear. And there are other outfits we put on, such as psalms, new songs and spiritual songs.

Music is like clothes and lasts for only a season. God’s word remains forever. May we pass on a heritage to the next generation . . . not merely on temporal music which will change . . . but on the unchanging Gospel of Christ and the foundation of the holy Scriptures which remain forever.

Resources for hymn stories, check out: https://joshberrus.wordpress.com/2007/07/18/finding-hymn-stories/

Some suggestions of hymnals are the Trinity Hymnal & Trinity Psalter from PCA, The Baptist Hymnal from LifeWay, and the Celebration Hymnal from Word. Most denominations update hymnals every decade.

Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs

Oct29

Words set to music are extremely powerful and influential. D. L. Moody said: “I believe that music is one of the most powerful agents for good or for evil.” Music with sinful words and messages pervade minds and influence hearts. Scripture encourages believers to “set their minds on the things of the Spirit” in Romans 8:5 and “on things above” in Colossians 3:2. Philippians 4:8 says, “Whatever is true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, commendable, excellent or worthy of praise, think about such things.” Considering these passages, it is clear that human minds are impressionable. Even music can influence one’s thinking and can prove quite harmful to any individual. Christians must guard their hearts and minds through prayer and listening to what is good.

Words are influential and can be used for good or evil. James 3:9-10 gives a reminder that a person’s mouth and words can both praise God and curse men. Words can either build up or tear down. God-honoring church music can impact faith in profound ways.

In Ephesians 5 and Colossians 3, the apostle Paul exhorts believers to sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to God and one another. These three musical terms deserve to be looked at closely. The word psalm originally meant “a striking or twitching with the fingers (on musical strings) and a sacred song, sung to musical accompaniment.” This term, psalm, has historically been understood as the one hundred fifty psalms appearing in the Psalter and passages of Scripture set to music. The book of Psalms is filled with honest prayers, adoration, praise, and worship of God.

While the psalm is praise taken directly from Scripture, the hymn is a song of praise written by believers. The word hymn means “a song of praise addressed to God.” Songs of adoration and praise are mentioned in the Bible, beginning in Exodus 15 and concluding in Revelation 15. There is record of Jesus singing hymns with the disciples in Matthew 26:30 and Mark 14:26. Also, Paul and Silas sang hymns to God while in prison as seen in Acts 16:25.

W. Robert Godfrey, President and Professor of Church History at Westminster Theological Seminary, says that most of the songs people today call the “old hymns of the faith . . . are actually hymns written in the late nineteenth and twentieth centuries.” So, what did church music sound like long ago? How did the ancient church praise God in song? Godfrey admits, “The evidence to answer such a question is very limited and not really clear.”

W. Godfrey also pinpoints some overlap in the use of the words psalm and hymn: “The terms psalm and hymn have often been used interchangeably in some ancient writings and in the New Testament. In Matthew 26:30 we read that after the Last Supper, Jesus and His disciples sang a hymn before they went out. That hymn was almost certainly Psalm 118. In 1 Corinthians 14:26 the reference to a psalm is most likely a song inspired by the Spirit in the Corinthian church.”

Although this can be confusing, one thing is clear: both psalms and hymns from any era are songs directed to God.

Worship music should involve not only psalms and hymns, but also spiritual songs. These are expressions of biblical truth that allow a congregation to address one another in song. This final category of spiritual songs is a general term that includes songs of personal testimony, encouragement, faith, and response.

The local church should not be afraid of these terms: psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. Christians often categorize church music by the groupings of praise choruses and hymns. Many today consider hymns the traditional, staple songs of deep truth that are found in classic hymnals. This is not necessarily the case. As seen earlier, the word hymn is defined as a song of praise to God. There are many songs in the hymnal that do not fit this description. For example, Tell Me the Stories of Jesus, In the Garden, and Stand Up For Jesus are typically known as hymns, but are not directed to God. These should instead be deemed spiritual songs. I would also argue that only songs of praise directed to God should truly be considered hymns. This would mean the worship song from Australia, Shout to the Lord, is more than just a worship chorus. It is a hymn and should be considered so. The local church should get a handle on these three terms and use them accurately.

Paul makes the declaration in 1 Corinthians 14:15, “I will sing with the spirit and with the understanding also.” Church leadership should remember to inform their congregation about non-familiar terms or ideas, the history of hymn writings, Scriptural consistency, and application of the text. Warren Wiersbe says, “Our goal in singing is to lay hold of God’s truth and be nourished by it.” Song texts should be relevant and understandable to the audience. Worship music should assist, not distract, a congregation in worship of God.

Burdened for Some Trends in American Church Worship

Oct29

I have a friend who is writing a research paper about prayers of lament. She is arguing that the lament is a valid, important, missing element in American worship. I agree with her premise overall. From what I’m seeing, the majority of large, urban churches in America that are aggressive towards church growth include joyful praise, pop/rock style, upbeat songs (at least to begin the service), and a lack of somber lament and confession.

American music has been greatly influenced by Europe, Africa and other cultures in the last several hundred years. Joy and praise in worship are not just an American phenomenon. Latino and African culture tend to be quite joyful, passionate and expressive. Asian cultures can often be more reserved and contemplative. There is something to be appreciated in every culture. Each changing generation both gains and loses something.

I’m not that concerned with changes in music style which are to be expected over time, but I am burdened for the lack of prayer and the content of our liturgy and songs. Corporate prayer, laments, and confession of sin seem to be missing aspects of American church worship. My dad travelled to American evangelical churches extensively over the last 5-6 years, and he rarely heard churches pray; he mainly heard songs and sermons. Church worship gatherings should include more than just sermons and songs of praise. There needs to be an emphasis on the ordinances and sacred actions of the New Testament.

The Lord’s Table (communion) in American churches tends to have a somber, serious tone (which is not true of all cultures) and confession of sin. During my time in Africa, communion was experienced as a joyful celebration of the resurrection. So, this aspect of somber confession is often expressed in the American church during communion (about once a month in my circles).

I would encourage the wisdom of incorporating more prayer, laments and confession of sin in corporate worship. It is appropriate to come to God in prayer as we are . . . honest and broken. Early church liturgies included lengthy confession of sin. There is much to be learned from their practice and example. You can explore some early church liturgies at: https://joshberrus.wordpress.com/2007/04/24/early-liturgies/.

All Biblical elements in worship are crucial and important. The early church in Acts 2 was devoted to the apostles’ teaching, prayer, fellowship, breaking of bread, and all Biblical ordinances and practices in corporate worship. Believers should respond with sacrificial devotion in all the Biblical elements. Christians are to worship God with passion and zeal through Scripture reading, prayer, confession, giving, communion, baptism, testimony, music, preaching, serving, and all Biblical practices for the aim of the glory of God.

Here are some suggestions for worship planning:
https://joshberrus.wordpress.com/2008/11/21/worship-planning/