In conversation with a student the other day, I came to an awesome realization.  In this conversation we were talking about God.  One thing this student said was, "I can't understand how God can be perfect in love, yet He sends people to hell?"  I was astonished!  Then I realized, untill just a few years ago, I struggled with this very same question.  It is a very good question actually, how can a perfect God send good folks to hell? If He does send good folks to hell, isn't He mean?

 Two problems here; first, we have misunderstood who God is and second, we have misunderstood who man is.  God is a righteous and a holy God.  Yes, He is loving, yet rebellion and sin is AGAINST His nature.  Therefore, He cannot tolerate sin! Man is sinful! Yes, you and me, we are sinful.  In our very nature we have rebelled against God.  God's wrath and punishment are due to us!(Exodus 34:6-7 "then the Lord passed by in front of him and proclaimed, 'the Lord, the Lord God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and in truth; who keeps lovingkindness for thousands, who forgives iniquity, transgression, and sin; yet He will by no means leave the guilty unpunished, visiting the iniquity of fathers on the children and on the grandchildren to the third and fourth generations.")  Isaiah realized this in chapter six of Isaiah when he found himself in the presence of God.  "Woe is me, for I am an unclean man and I live among a people with unclean lips!"  Isaiah litterally wished death upon himself when he saw his sinfulness in the presence of God's holiness.

See, the fact of the matter is that WE ALL DESERVE DEATH AND NOTHING ELSE! However, the father who is rich in lovingkindness and forgiveness sent his son.  This is the GOSPEL. "How deep the Father's love for us, how vast beyond all measure! That He would send His only son, to make a wretch His treasure!"

I confess my small view of God and my lofty view of man.  I repent of this foul error.  May we never be guilty again of taking God's grace for granted! May we never again be guilty of calling God mean because he "sends good folks to hell."  The simple fact is that we all deserve nothing else.  Yet God loved us enough to send His son to die, that we might have eternal life!

While preparing the music for this upcoming Wednessday for my students I ran across this song.  It is not  a new one, however, it may be new to some.  It is written by Stuart Townend.  It is a beautiful expression of the Gospel through song.

How Deep the Father's love for us, how vast beyond all measure

That He should give His only son, to make a wretch His treasure

How great the pain of sering loss, the Father turns His face away

As wounds which mar the Chosen One bring many sons to glory

Behold the Man upon the cross, my sin upon his shoulders

Ashamed, I hear my mocking voice call out among the scoffers

It was my sin that held Him there until it was accomplished

His dying breath has brought me life I know that it is finished

I wil not boast in anything, no gifts, no power, no wisdom

But I will boast in Jesus Christ, His death and resurrection

Why should I gain from His reward, I cannot give an answer

But this I know with all my heart, His wounds have paid my ransom!

Ephesians 3:14-19 "For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God."

New Ministry Opportunity!

I just found out this evening that I will be teaching a small group at Union next semester.  I am really excited about this opportunity.  I will be teaching through a great book written by Pastor Mark Dever called Nine Marks of a Healthy Church.  It is a book that challenges pastors, deacons, and laymen alike. 

            With this ministry opportunity in mind, I would like to ask my first question.  What defines success in ministry?  Why are pastors of larger churches always seen as the “successful” ones?  Should success be defined in numbers?  I have come to appreciate Dever’s answer to this question.  Success in ministry has NOTHING AT ALL to do with numbers.  Success is measured in faithfulness to the Gospel and to the teaching of God’s revealed word.  Numbers have nothing to do with it. 

            I have been challenged on this idea recently.  A friend who knew that I was wrestling with this question asked me this question.  If a Christian is teaching the gospel often then he more than likely will have converts, thus the number of people “he wins for Christ” (I don’t like that term by the way) is a good measure of his success.  I challenge this mentality.  Is this Christian more successful than his brother who also teaches the Gospel faithfully yet does not have as many converts?  NO.  Success then is found in faithfulness, not numbers.  May God grant us grace to be able to preach the Gospel faithfully to non-Christians and to Christians alike!       

Please post your thoughts, I would love to get feedback from anyone!

I am beginning to miss all my Union hommies like mad!  You really don't know the level and intensity of the good fellowship and friendships that you have untill you are away from them for this long.  I have grown into a very new person this summer and I can not wait to share some of my experiences with you.  One inparticular.  

Last week we had an "open gym" day for all of the middle schoolers that I work with.  One of the girls that I have grown to love (in a youth minister kinda way, not wierd kinda way) seemed rather upset.  I asked her if she was okay and she said no.  She told me that a guy that she really liked finally asked her on a date.  (by the way I am against middle schoolers going on dates!) Her mom took them to the movies and dropped them off.  She said that during the movie the guy started wispering inproper things in her ear.  I asked her what she did and she said, "I smacked him across the face."  I replied, "GOOD!"  What came next is somthing that no class at Union could have prepared me for.  She said, "well he hit me back." 

Pray for this girl.  We have dealt with the situation; however, it is still hard on her.  I feel horrible because she is going into high school next year and she feels like she is ugly and worthless, because some jerk hit her.  I pray that as we minister to her this summer that she realizes how precious she is. 

I miss you guys alot.  Hope to hear from you soon!