So when Paul says "the things which you have heard of me" in [2 Timothy] 2:2, we have really that as sort of a summary statement of apostolic truth--the standard of sound words. . . . It is the gospel and the truth that the Scriptures reveal to us. There may be some debate about what exactly belongs in the core and what does not belong in the core, but we certainly should not ever adopt the mindset of a reductionist approach--that really only a few things matter--because that very mindset compromises the authority of God's Word. Whatever the Word teaches clearly is to be passed along so it can be taught to other people.By the way, someone really ought to be able to get this.
We believe that the focus should be on our responsibility, not necessarily our results, because it's required in stewards that a man be found faithful. I mean, it would be great to walk around and tell everybody how big our churches are and how wonderful everything is, but the bottom line is that that's a reflection of our preoccupation with our egos, rather than the work of God.
Tuesday, July 25, 2006
Quote Game with a Great Prize
Google away on this one. I don't think it'll help. I'll put my spare copy of Piper's Future Grace on the table if someone can get this one by 5 pm eastern on Wednesday. These two paragraphs are not consecutive:
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15 comments:
I'm going to guess Doran.
Way to ruin the fun, Ryan. I didn't think it'd be THAT easy.
E-mail me a mailing address, and I'll get it out to you. Unless you'd prefer a TNIV. I know you covet it.
Almost forgot. Here's the link to the audio. It's definitely worth a listen.
It is wonderful to read this quote after seeing that Northland Camp now has a "Decision Ticker" much like the Stock Market or ESPN. You can find it here: http://www.northlandcamp.org/index.php?option=com_frontpage&Itemid=1
just saw the "ticker" - how frightening! I went to NBBC and am having some interesting flashbacks.
Frightening indeed.
I knew someone who grew up at Inner City and he said that Doran often says "I mean." All the rest sounds definitely fundamentalistic.
A ticker for decisions?
I suppose this is no different than counting any decisions at all. I remember my NBT days fondly . . .
The outrageous things should always send us back to reflect on what led us to this point.
They must have pulled the ticker, I can't find it.
I'm pretty sure it's still there (7/26 a.m.). Right under the "Teen 3" photo. Just follow Tom Farrell's finger.
ticker, wow. I'll have to recommend that to our youth group's webmaster...
I see it. Ah, the mother of my soul, my poor soul!
I'm going to take one of the TNIV's. Then you can give your spare copy of Future Grace to someone else who doesn't have it.
Yah dawg.
Hey, I've got an idea. Let's graciously and humbly contact some leadership at Northland Camp and explain that the "decision ticker" doesn't reflect the true heart of the camp.
Any takers? I hope that many of you, like me, have already done this. I can happily give you the e-mail addresses or phone #'s of several of the key leaders there if you're interested.
I remember a time when I stumbled upon some public criticism regarding something that was produced on the WWW by the ministry for which I work. I was truly thankful that someone pointed it out because it did not reflect the true heart (or mind) of our ministry! We removed the piece post-haste.
But I was sorrowful that I had to stumble upon the news through accidentally discovering public criticism--criticism that broad-brushed our ministry as shallow and man-centered. What if I had failed to find the critique? How would the words leveled against our ministry and the piece in question that we produced serve ANY PROFITABLE PURPOSE WHATSOEVER?
I wondered: "Where was the gracious contact from concerned, loving, fellow-brothers in Christ that strove to help biblically correct what was wrong?"
Am I trying to remove the blame from off of us and onto the critics? Not at all. Actually, by God's grace, I am now friends with some of those critics! As a ministry, we were wrong and sure needed some helpful guidance/counsel/correction. I'm sure we'll need it again someday.
Gentlemen, it would do us all good to remember this: All of us be frail, fallen humans riddled with indwelling sin. Let's show grace and love, brethren, to our fellow-brethren. Let's say profitable words to the right people.
Bob Roberts
bob@kids4truth.com
Psalm 145
Bob wrote:
"Let's graciously and humbly contact some leadership at Northland Camp and explain that the "decision ticker" doesn't reflect the true heart of the camp."
I know that this has taken place privately, and Bob, I appreciate the public reminder to us all. Certainly there are plenty of us present in this place who know how to make such contacts.
Your point is helpful that sometimes things are positioned prominently that are inconsistent with institutional mission and message. Sometimes well-intentioned individuals make unwise choices that the leaders may not endorse and/or be aware of.
One recent and prominent example was a link to worldly music performed by a Christian musician on a well-known and highly respected church's website. (The musician was a member of the church.) When an elder in that church became aware of the situation via the internet, the situation was promptly addressed.
It seems as though some of us are conditioned to assume that a revivalistic, man-centered mentality is endemic to fundamentalism. Others of us are conditioned to assume that even the most conservative and separatistic of evangelicals outside the fundamentalist movement lack any interest in demonstrating discernment in entertainment choices. The latter assumption was repudiated, at least to some degree. I hope and trust that the former assumption will soon be likewise repudiated, at least to some degree.
An adjustment has been made. I suspect that this occurred because someone cared enough to make a personal contact.
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