I began a new small group this month with a group of collegians I’ve never regularly met with in a small group context. Though we’ve only just begun to meet, I have high hopes for how the Lord will use the group to help us in learning what it means to love Him more. We decided to spend this week emailing one another a list of things we are thankful for. I’m always encouraged when I read these short lists from other friends’ blogs. Gratitude is good and appropriate because God always provides over-abundantly. Here is a slightly revised form of my list.
1. My Wife. Plain and simple, I love Tina. She is the freaking bomb. She is my best friend, my most reliable and consistent source of prayer, and a darn good cook. Solomon wasn’t lying when he said, “An excellent wife is the crown of her husband” (Prov. 18:22). Brothers, find someone who is attractive, someone who is funny, but most importantly, find someone who loves the Lord and you’ll never regret it.
2. T4G. Thankful that I get to travel across the country and hear from such gifted and able men of God. I went to the last Together for the Gospel conference 2 years ago and it was a huge blessing. I had a chance to visit the Louisville Bat Factory (the day before the conference), chatted with Tim Challies as we waited in the registration line for attendees with a surname beginning with “Ch”, and bought Dr. Mohler a cup of coffee (grande, black). I’m not sure what’s waiting for me this time around but I’m grateful that I can go along with the staff too since we don’t spend as much time together as we’d like. The free books won’t hurt either!
3. College Group. I’m so grateful for the youthful exuberance, excitement, and teachability in our group. We have grown numerically and it has been tough at times to keep up with the changing dynamics but I can’t imagine a better situation for a young pastor such as myself. And best of all, I think we are still improving the ministry that God has set before us so I’m thankful for the potential for real fruit-bearing that I see among the collegians.
4. My Macbook. PC’s suck.
5. The 2010 MLB season. Most prefer basketball but baseball is my favorite sport because I was bred in it as a young child. Baseball cards, going to the stadium, playing softball, are all things that immediately bring me back to my childhood and I really do believe it’s one of the Lord’s evidences of common grace that He provides recreational games for our exercise and entertainment. Now the Angels need to start picking it up!
6. My Bible and the DA Carson reading plan. This is my first time going through the reading plan which usually consists of 2 OT passages and 2 NT passages. It’s been a good experience being exposed to so many different parts of Scripture simultaneously. I’m deepening in my appreciation for the scope of God’s redemptive plan and how it finds its apex in Christ. He is gracious indeed and always has been.
7. My small group. I’m excited for the new group and thankful that every week, I can find accountability and strength through our times of fellowship. Though we’ve only met a few times, I’m already thankful for how they are spurring me on to pray and to love God more.
8. My apartment. It’s really nice. We got awesome amenities even if we hardly use them! I even like the smallest details of our place like the tightly-knit carpet that minimizes dust (and the need for vacuuming). I’m sad I have to move next month but being able to live here for the past year is a product of God’s unmerited kindness to me.
9. Email. I hate talking on the phone and text messages don’t provide enough characters to communicate anything substantial. Proper use of email is a rare bastion of efficiency in the digital age.
10. Sanctification. God is changing me. I know I get in the way and slow the pace of progress far too often but I’m thankful that He’s staying patient and making me more like Jesus. The road to my growth unto Christ-likeness remains rocky at times but I know He’s pruning me in important ways. Praise the Spirit for His patience.
This quarter on campus, we have been studying biblical manhood and womanhood. I’ve been challenged by the unique and different ways that God has created men and women. These last few weeks, we’ve talked about dating, relationships, and marriage. Dating can be a lot of things but there are probably some things we should avoid trying to accomplish through it (e.g., evangelism). Eugene Tseng sent me a strip from a comic called, “Max vs. Max” to illustrate (click to zoom):
Amusing Ourselves to Death by Neil Postman: Written over 20 years ago, it might be labelled “ancient” by contemporary standards, but that only serves to reinforce the book’s basic premise. It’s actually quite easy to argue that in the digital age of cellphones, Facebook, Youtube, texting, and instant messaging, Postman is actually more relevant today. College students especially need to begin considering how their constant exposure to the overload of tech-based communication is severely impairing their abilities to think, reason, articulate, and sustain attention required to form and expound a coherent worldview. At least to think about it long enough to get through this book (and this list for that matter!).
Disciplines of a Godly Man by R. Kent Hughes: Particularly in the crucial formative years of student life, collegians need to lay a foundation of discipline that will reap immense rewards for the years following their graduations. The typical college student’s lifestyle cannot be maintained for long before negative ramifications follow in virtually every area of life. Disciplines such as consistent Bible intake and steady, faithful prayer, should be cultivated with an aim toward godliness. Note: There are plenty of other good books that talk about spiritual disciplines (e.g., Don Whitney’s Spiritual Disciplines of the Christian Life; Jerry Bridges’ Disciplines of Grace).
Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis: A classic and must-read for every Christian. But specifically for college students who should learn how to respond to the many unbelievers they’re likely to encounter during their education (1Pet. 3:15). Though the packaging changes with time, the questions aimed at believers have always been the same. It’s true that there have been more recent good books written on apologetics by the likes of Tim Keller and Ravi Zacharias but it’s my humble opinion that Lewis stands alone in his wit and insight. G.K. Chesterton and Blaise Pascal are also close kindred spirits to Lewis that I’ve found helpful.
The Structure of Scientific Revolutions by Thomas Kuhn: First exposed to this book in a Philosophy of Science course recommended by a friend far smarter than me, this isn’t the easiest bit of reading. However, those brave enough to tackle the book will be rewarded. Science rules on the college campus. It’s unquestioned, incontrovertible, and without challenger in its authority. Naturalism is every thinking man’s religion, so the intellectual pundits say. Kuhn contests the supposed “natural” progression of scientific knowledge, arguing that less “scientific” factors such as money and society have bigger roles to play than our objective empiricism would like to believe.
Stop Dating the Church by Joshua Harris: Collegians need this badly. And not just those who are endlessly church-hopping but even for those who have signed up as members of particular congregations but whose active participation in church life is still oftentimes found wanting.
Last week, our Bible study through Hebrews dealt with the utility of Scripture in entering into God’s rest. The passage is familiar:
Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience. For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. (Hebrews 4:11-12)
As 2010 quickly approaches, I believe this passage is a timely reminder to renewing our energies in becoming more familiar with Scripture. For all the merits of Word-based churches, the general level of biblical literacy among Christians within these churches still remains far below what it should be. Even as a pastor, I don’t consider myself an exception to the contemporary trend. I know my level of biblical competency would be woefully inadequate (relatively speaking) if I were living during the period of Colonial Revival in the Great Awakening or in a community of English Puritans. Most of us understand disparate theological truths but are unable to find their biblical justification. We make arguments, peppered with Scripture as proof-texts, but rarely know the broader contexts of the passages we cite from. We are familiar with the better-known Bible stories, Sunday School flannel graphs firmly embedded in our memories, but are unaware of their theological significance.
QUESTION: Do we view Scripture as an anthology of sorts; a collection of random unrelated stories or do we understand the biblical metanarrative? A fancy word I know but its meaning is simple: the metanarrative of Scripture is the overarching storyline of the Bible, unifying Old and New Testaments into a single, grand narrative. In other words, the metanarrative is the “big picture” of God’s recorded actions, progressively building in crescendo in the Old Covenant until it reaches its pinnacle in Jesus Christ.
The best way to become conversant with the metanarrative is really quite simple: READ THE BIBLE. But as with most other things, it is difficult to apply. Laziness, distraction, and busyness all prove to be formidable impediments. The best way to overcome these anticipated difficulties and ensure daily Scripture intake is anchoring yourself to a Bible-reading plan. And there are a number of good ones to choose from.
For example, my small group guys have picked the following as their personal reading 2010 reading plans:
David Lee: Year of the Bible. This is the plan that I’ve been using this past year and the official reading schedule of Berean Community Church. It consists of a systematic reading of OT and NT, 1 passage in each every day. I’ve been making video notes every week to coincide with the readings and by the end of the year, hope to have an online archive made available through our church website. (3-4 chapters/day)
Alex Yi: Grant Horner Bible-reading System. This plan is made up of 10 lists, organized by genres (e.g., Gospels, Epistles, OT History, Prophets, etc.). Every day, the reader goes through 1 chapter in each list, adding up to a total of 10 chapters of reading a day. It’s quite a large load but the advantage of this plan is that it gives the reader wide exposure through a variety of different biblical genres. This results in a balanced reading diet. (10 chapters/day)
Byron Chu: Chronological Reading Plan. Most people may not be aware of this but the Bible has been organized by genre and not chronologically. The arrangement of this plan has required some guess-work as it’s difficult to date everything in the Bible with exact precision but there are some clear appeals in reading through the events recorded in Scripture in chronological order. (3-4 chapters/day)
Jason Kim: He’s decided not to read the Bible this year. Just kidding. He’s also doing Year of the Bible.
As you can see, there are a number of options to choose from when it comes to selecting a reading plan. In fact, there are others that haven’t yet been mentioned including the M’Cheyne Plan, organized into “family” and “secret” (i.e., private) readings. This could also be easily divided up as “morning” and “evening” readings. Another reading plan I’d recommend comes from the 2-volume D.A. Carson book, For the Love of God, which tracks the reader through the OT once and the NT and Psalms twice each year. Carson provides helpful commentary with respect to each day’s readings, directing the reader’s attention from the daily selection to the larger themes of Scripture.
So as 2010 draws near, I ask: “Are you on a plan?” “What are you doing to get more familiar with Scripture?” Any of these plans can be customized so that it suits your personal reading habits and schedule but the fact remains: we should be aiming to deepen our grasp of Scripture every year that God blesses us to live. I’m thoroughly convinced that it will help us to love Jesus more.
These days I’ve been neglecting this blog like it’s my sister. Things have gotten slightly busier as of late with the school year in full swing. In addition to heightened ministry responsibilities and an increased schedule of meetings, I’ve been preparing messages for CCM (on “The Wrath of God”; don’t ask me how I get assigned topics like this) and Berean. As a result, I haven’t had a ton of time for leisure reading or for blogging but I hope to return to it when things settle down a bit next month.
My hair is disgustingly long. I lost a game of Scrabble to James Lee and so I won’t be cutting it for another couple of months. Not even for a trim. I seriously fear what it’s going to look like. Thankfully, I’m able to cover it up by wearing my Angels cap and concealing the Chia Pet-style mane that’s beginning to grow. As long as they don’t get knocked out of the playoffs, I can go on using my handy red hat as a means of shielding and protecting others from seeing the abomination that is my hair.
College group is growing. Fast. Lots of people. Lots of souls to care for. Please pray that God would grant me wisdom by His Spirit and a growing grasp of His Word to minister adequately to all of them, and to any others that are entrusted to my care. I’m very blessed with the privilege of helping to lead this group.
Courtyard Study Lounge. Wednesday, October 7. 10:26 am.
Me: “Man. It’s so cold in here. This place is like an igloo.”
Justin Noh: “Aren’t igloos supposed to be warm?”
Me: ……
School’s not technically in session for me but for all those that I’ve been called to minister to (i.e., collegians). I enjoy summer vacation as the next guy but I’ve looked forward to the start of this school year for a number of reasons. And here’s a representative sampling of a few:
1) Seeing old faces and catching up.
An interesting thing that God has been doing is leading a lot of people who are originally from NorCal in becoming a part of the college group. This is great except during the summer when everyone goes home for 3 months. Many people that have become familiar friends over the course of the school year are now suddenly zapped from my day-to-day life. But now that it’s late September, it’s good to see many of them back with us in SoCal, which is where I know they’d rather be, so I guess we’re all winners here.
2) Getting busy with ministry again.
Though I got a few weeks to regroup after subbing in for P. Peter during his sabbatical, I’m eager to dive into what the Lord has for me to do this year in the college group. Ever since graduating from seminary, I’ve grown in my heart for teaching, counseling, and shepherding. Nowadays, something seems off if there’s any hiatus from the normal routine of ministry. The start of the school year provides the regular ministry setting that I’ve grown accustomed to and thankful for.
3) Teaching to more than 10 people at Friday night Bible study.
Instructing (and learning) the Scriptures on Friday night shouldn’t really be affected by the number of people who attend any given Bible study but I must confess that it’s nice knowing that I’m preparing a study that will benefit more souls as a result of people coming back down for the start of school. But with that said, I will miss having a more expansive list of post-Bible study dinner options to choose from because of the smaller and more manageable group size during summer break. I guess McDonald’s and Jack-in-the-Box aren’t so bad though.
4) Meeting new freshmen.
Wide-eyed, lost, and generally confused, I love seeing the transformation that God does in young people’s minds and hearts over the course of the school year. They present both a challenge and an opportunity and I’ve already been given a chance to meet several of them. Now hopefully we can come up with enough people to give them all rides to church on Fridays and Sundays. Sophomores, where are your cars???
5) Being filled with abundant opportunities to evangelize.
What I’m most excited about with the start of another fall quarter is the opportunity to share my faith with young people and exhorting people in our college group to live as purposeful evangelists. The university campus remains the gathering place for an eclectic mix of people, where ideologies, political opinions, and religious faiths oftentimes intersect and clash. Amid this chaotic brew is the common denominator of unbelief. Christians were once dying people who were saved by the gift of God’s grace to us in Christ (cf. Eph. 2:1-7). As people who glory and delight in the Gospel, is there any greater privilege than to be called to carry that message to the remotest parts of the world, beginning here with the strangers sitting next to us in the lecture halls and classrooms? Is there any greater Savior to proclaim? Is there any greater love to speak of?
(HT: Zach Nielsen)
(Note: I can’t speak to the accuracy of Pastor Mark Driscoll’s comments regarding the filthy sponge but there is historical precedent, and the basic point remains unchanged)
Filed under: College Group
As a pastor responsible for the care of collegians, I am particularly convicted about the importance of reminding young people, myself included, about acting as responsible stewards of time. Time is not a right, though everyone has it, nor is time a perpetual commodity, at least not in this life. Rather, time is a privilege and valuable resource that allows us to do God’s bidding (Eph. 5:16). One of the most common excuses for our chronic inability to get to things is, “I’m too busy.” But as CJ Mahaney has pointed out, there is a difference between biblical productivity and simply being busy. All of us receive the same amount of time each day, but is it being spent aimlessly or is it being invested wisely?
The natural propensity to waste our time is curbed in part by the structure that comes from our work and school schedules. When those schedules are suspended temporarily during the summer, we become even more susceptible to wasting time rather than investing it to the glory of God.
I was alerted to the idea of “Don’t Waste Your Summer” through a blog post last year. In response, our college ministry gathered together in the mornings to begin our days in the Word and prayer and I’d like to invite you to do the same again as this summer begins. We will meet at the Starbucks on campus from 7a-8:30a, Monday through Friday, beginning from Monday, June 22nd.
And for those who are not in Irvine for summer school or you’ve stumbled upon this post, I’d encourage you to chart out a plan for yourself to stick to by the power of the Spirit.
As an addendum: the important thing is not that we mark off the “dreaded” devotion time from our to-do list so that we can spend the rest of the day any way we please, having fulfilled some spiritual obligation to read and pray. That parallels many people’s mentality with regard to money: “Let me give God my tithe and leave the rest to me as my discretionary income.” As with everything else, this is a matter of the heart. We hope that by beginning our day in this way, the Spirit will be forming our hearts to increase our desire to invest the remainder of our hours in becoming Scripture-saturated, God-centered, and Christ-exalting (I shamelessly ripped that triad off John Piper).
So come out and join me.
[UPDATE: So it looks like this post was in good timing (no pun intended): further thoughts from Mr. Jonathan Edwards himself (HT: Justin Taylor; via: Stephen Witmer)]
