This past Sunday, I had the honor and privilege of preaching on the resurrection, doubt, faith.
It was a most appropriate occasion—a week after Easter Sunday—to preach about the disciple Thomas’s experience of the resurrected Christ: eight days after Jesus’ actual resurrection!
This sermon, “The Sustaining Power of Resurrected Faith” (John 20:24-31) , was originally preached on Sunday, April 15, 2012 at Community Bible Church in Ilderton, ON.
Outline:
[**The Introduction was longer than usual—I shared some personal struggles of the past year.]
There is probably a little bit of Thomas’ DNA in us who are Christians: when even the most spiritually devout among us slips in his faith, when the firm believer in Christ is stopped in his tracks and says to God: “Is that really you? Are you really trustworthy?”
How, then, can we have faith to sustain us through seasons of difficulty and doubt?
- Let us demand no more signs, but trust the Word of the Lord.
- Let us demand no more signs, but turn to the Wounds of the Lord.
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Source: communitybible.ca
Most of those God uses are ordinary people entrusted with an extroadinary gospel. Their task is simply to do their best with the personalities and gifts they have been given; God will do the rest.
Source: thegospelcoalition.org
The Missional Ideology of Photoshop
Mike Cosper, Pastor of Worship and Arts at Sojourn Community Church, wrote poignantly about the Satanic Ideology of Photoshop:
Our only hope for [our children]—and for ourselves—is to catch a vision and hunger for something greater, for our imaginations to be captured by a bigger hope and a better promise. Rather than hoping for agelessness and resisting the marks of time on our faces and bodies, we can hope for resurrection and trust in one who raises the dead. Rather than conforming to the fickle standards of beauty, we can worship the God who knew us before we were born, made us fearfully and wonderfully, and called us “good.” Then, when we see the Photoshopped and retouched icons around us, we can respond with a resounding, “Get thee behind me.”
This is a sensitive topic for Christians.
“The Satanic Ideology Behind Photoshop.”
That title attracts readers. It draws the attention of Christians and non Christians alike. And I say sensitive because I know numerous wedding photographers who are faithful believers of Jesus Christ.
I wholeheartedly appreciate the heart of Mike Cosper’s message. The assault on our contentment from spotless, blemishless-Photoshoped images is a tell-tale sign that we have yearned for the new creation on the wrong side of eternity. We need to rest and find contentment and hope in Christ alone. Yes. Amen to that.
Yet the message portrayed by Cosper seems also to imply that all who use Photoshop have a Satantic ideology of beauty and contentment. The article reads as if the only ideology that could drive a Photoshop user is that of discontented, unreasonable satanism. Such an implication is disproportioned, neglecting the current struggles of faithful, content Christian Photoshop-ers.
Is it not possible to Photoshop to the glory of God?
Not every edit
What of the Christian photographer who labors in every photo-shoot to share the gospel with his clients? How about the photographer who works during the week by capturing “sexy” images for a large photography studio, yet faithful attends an Acts 29 church on Sundays? What about the photo editor who uses photographic software (Photoshop or not) to fix and enhances the pictures—knowingly yearning for all things made new?
Is there not a fundamental difference between (1) editing to remove every human blemish and make her look all perfect, and (2) editing to reveal & enunciate the greatness of the glory of God in His creation?
Certainly, Photoshop in and of itself is not satanic.
The ideology behind the person behind computer screen could be evil. The editor and his heart…he could be discontented with the beauty-less-ness of this world. But not always; not every photo. Surely, some photos are so devoid of the subject’s own scars and blemishes that it is altered extravagantly. Yet not every edit has behind it an evil heart.
Who can discern the heart behind every edit? Is it possible to be a photographer/photo editor and still be a Christian? Yes, I think so. I know so. Because I personally know photographers who are genuine disciples of Jesus Christ. They do exist–-in Louisville, in Boston, in San Francisco, and Los Angeles, and New York, and even Toronto. They are wedding photographers that I call friends, brothers and sisters in Christ. They are faithful Christians, committed to local churches, striving to be a godly testimony in their workplace and in their Photoshoping. Some are even seminary students and pastors who work bi-vocationally as photographers, trying to live as salt and light in a fallen world, evangelizing and discipling through their “worldly” vocation.
Photoshop reveals an ideology of longing—the yearning of the human heart for heaven on earth. Agreeably, this is “[s]omething made flawless with human hands or something ageless and unaffected by the Fall. Something that, this side of Eden and apart from the Resurrection, will never be.” Yet this ideology is a medium by which the gospel can be proclaimed, where Christians can give reason for their hope, an apologetic to reveal the cosmic and personal effects of our Messiah-King’s reign.
Beautiful because of the Beautiful One
How then could our brothers and sisters in this profession faithfully live out their faith? As Romans 11:36 puts it: “For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen.” Could it be possible to Photoshop for the glory of God?
In a vocation and industry that is generally and largely bent towards idolatry and discontentment, how can our Christian photographers serve their clients as to the Lord? In what ways can they extol the beauty of God’s good creation (as imperfect as it is), and at the same time be content while editing photos?
In order to win over those in the “image” industry for Christ, we need missionaries who work in that world. This may be an idolatrous environment, a hostile studio where physical beauty is idolized onto the throne of Maybelline and Nikon. And still it is a world where those behind and those in front of the lens need Christ. A world of “outsiders” who need to hear about the love of a Savior who died for their idolatry.
Images Made to Image
Was it not Paul himself who ministered to such a people? Did the Apostle not say, ”I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some. I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings” (1 Corinthians 9:22-23 ESV).
Rather then call an entire photographic industry Satanic in its roots, let’s transform it into something else. Something Photoshoped from a transformed heart; someone redeemed and made beautiful because of the Beautiful One. Saints in Christ who are photographers and photo editors, makeup artists and (super)models, clients and ad executives. People made in the image of God who faithfully witness about the Image of the Invisible God.
This should be our missional ideology of Photoshop.
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[Photo: JeZa Photography]
Marriage is so much like salvation and our relationship with Christ that Paul says you can’t understand marriage without looking at the gospel.
Easter Friday - Matt 13:1-23 (N.T. Wright)
How can you say the kingdom of heaven has arrived on earth,
when it’s obvious,
looking around you,
that nothing of the kind has happened?
Jesus’ own explanation of how the kingdom works is still the classic answer to this question.
What did you expect: that God would send in the tanks like a totalitarian dictator, crush the opposition and set up a ‘kingdom’ which would leave half the world bruised and resentful? What sort of a ‘god’ would that be?
No! God will bring in his kingdom by the same means, the same strange process, that he seems to use in the natural world. Seeds will be sown; many will apparently be lost, but others will be powerfully fruitful.
Or, as the chapter goes on, there will be seeds sown which are then threatened by weeds. One day the weeds will be pulled up, but for the moment they grow side by side.
Or again, the kingdom will come like seed growing secretly. At the moment there may be nothing to see, but suddenly, one day, people will be putting in the sickle because it’s harvest time. In other words: yes, the kingdom has indeed been launched; yes, it is making its way in the world; but no, it isn’t doing so in the way you might have imagined. It is doing so in the way God has imagined: by the Sower himself becoming the seed sown in good soil, and rising again to celebrate the harvest of God’s new creation.
Deals! @AmazonKindle sale on Zondervan’s Exponential Series
The interest in church planting has grown significantly in recent years. The need for new churches has never been greater. At the same time, the number of models and approaches are expanding.
To address the unique opportunities of churches in this landscape, Exponential, in partnership with Leadership Network and Zondervan, presents the Exponential Series.
Available on Kindle, here are 3 upcoming books on church ministry in the series, as well as a few great deals on the other books in the series:
Missional Moves: 15 Tectonic Shifts that Transform Churches, Communities, and the World
Rob Wegner & Jack MacGruder 
Coming September 18, 2012. Pre-order $9.99
Today, millions of Christians are awakening to the holism of the gospel call, expanding their understanding of mission beyond just touching individual lives to impacting and transforming entire communities with the message of God’s grace. If this calling toward movement and transformation is to be realized, it will require some earth-shaking shifts—‘Missional Moves’—that fundamentally alter our understanding of the church and how its mission is lived out. This book provides a plan of action for your church that will empower you to unleash each member on a mission, both locally and globally.
Sifted: Pursuing Growth through Trials, Challenges, and Disappointments 
Wayne Cordeiro, with Francis Chan & Larry Osborne Coming Published April 16, 2012. Pre-order $9.99. ON SALE for $2.99!
Planting and leading a new church is not easy. There are the inevtiable setbacks and challenges that come with launching anything new. And the process will test and try a leader’s faith, as they face discouragment, loneliness, and failure. In this book, pastor and seasoned chuch leader Wayne Cordeiro speaks the truth in love, offering wisdom and insight to prepare leaders as they face the difficulties and hardships of church planting, while providing encouragement and inspiration for the journey. ‘Sifted’ is based on Jesus’ encouragement to Peter in Luke 22 to keep his faith and minister to others from his weakness. An experienced practitioner, Wayne shares the things he wishes he’d known when he was starting a new church.
It’s Personal: Surviving and Thriving on the Journey of Church Planting
Brian & Amy Bloye Coming Published April 16, 2012. Pre-order $9.99. ON SALE for $2.99!
Brian and Amy Bloye know firsthand that planting churches isn’t easy. While planting a church, they learned that God does not promise to make up for mis-guided priorities. In this book they talk about having a healthy marriage, raising children, finding the right bal-ance of family and ministry, dealing with spiritual warfare, staffing and leadership challenges, and dealing with criticism—issues every church leader must deal with. An authentic manual for day -to -day life in ministry, couples will learn to identify and relate to experiences in the book, and will come away feeling empowered and inspired to thrive - not only in planting a church, but also for the long haul of life and ministry.
Barefoot Church: Serving the Least in a Consumer Culture 
Brandon Hatmaker (Foreword by Ed Stetzer)
Published October 18, 2011. On sale for $2.99 (84% off)
Barefoot Church shows readers how today’s church can be a catalyst for individual, collective, and social renewal in any context. Whether pastors or laypeople, readers will discover practical ideas that end up being as much about the Gospel and personal transformation as they are about serving the poor. Here they will see how the organizational structure of the church can be created or redesigned for mission in any context.
For the City: Proclaiming and Living Out the Gospel 
Darrin Patrick & Matt Carter, with Joel A. Lindsey
Published April 19, 2011. On sale for $2.99 (84% off)
This book will guide you in developing a philosophy of ministry that can lead to restoration and renewal in your city. Matt Carter and Darrin Patrick explain the biblical, theological, and historical foundations of ministry within the urban core, and how to plant churches where the gospel is not only faithfully preached and shared but also brings substantial benefits to those living in the community. For the City relates the wisdom gleaned from years of serving their cities for the sake of God’s kingdom.
On the Verge: A Journey Into the Apostolic Future of the Church 
Alan Hirsch and Dave Ferguson
Published April 19, 2011. On sale for $2.99 (84% off)
Successful church leaders are discovering how to shift their existing resources and church structures into more adaptable forms to reach their communities. In this book, Alan Hirsch and David Ferguson share inspiring stories about leaders who have diagnosed their churches’ failure to embrace a biblical model of mission and have moved toward a fuller expression of the gospel. On the Verge will help pastors and church leaders discover how these forerunners and their insights are launching a new apostolic movement—and how any church can get involved.
Exponential: How to Accomplish the Jesus Mission 
Dave Ferguson & Jon Ferguson
Published April 27, 2010. On sale for $2.99 (84% off)
The purpose of this book is to communicate a simple strategy that will engage every Christ follower and challenge every leader to become a reproducing leader. Our hope is that every church will become a reproducing church. This book will lay out a brief, but solid theology for a reproducing strategy and then give very practical ‘how-to’s’ for reproducing Christ followers, leaders, artists, groups/teams, venues, sites, churches and networks of churches. Weaved throughout this book will be the amazing story of Community Christian Church, started by five friends who used these reproducing strategies to grow one of the most influential churches in the U.S and develop a network of reproducing churches.
AND: The Gathered and Scattered Church 
Hugh Halter & Matt Smay
Published April 3, 2010. On sale for $2.99 (84% off)
The strength of the mega-church and multi-site models can be found in a strong emphasis on attracting people to the church, where they have an opportunity to encounter Jesus Christ. Yet many younger leaders are rejecting this model in favor of a more incarnational approach to ministry. These missional communities tend to focus their attention on trying to release people into ministry.In recent years a growing schism has emerged between those calling themselves incarnational leaders and those leading the prevailing church models. But what if we were able to incorporate the insights of both models into a cohesive understanding of the church? Can we bring together the very best of the attractional AND missional models for church ministry?
Transformation: How Glocal Churches Transform Lives and the World 
Bob Roberts Jr.
Published December 8, 2009. On Sale for $2.99 (84% off)
Author and pastor Bob Roberts Jr. is one of the architects of what church and Christian community can become in this new century. His unique approach to Christianity is based on what he calls T-Life (transformed life), which leads to a T-World (transformed world). Drawing inspiration from early church history and the emerging church in the developing world, Roberts envisions a new way of engaging the local church to achieve common goals. He calls for building a church culture rather than a church program. Glocal churches create disciples who, transformed by the Holy Spirit, are infiltrating today’s culture on a global and local scale. In Roberts’s terms, when we establish a relationship with Jesus Christ and begin applying his principles, we experience T-Life (transformed life).
UPDATED Prices: April 25, 2012—“Sifted” & “It’s Personal” are published & on sale.
Easter Thursday - Matt 6:25-34 (N.T. Wright)
One of the chief notes in the life of the early Christians was joy: joy because a new way of life had been launched, new creation had begun, and it was clear that God had commenced his reign and could be trusted to bring it to completion.
Moralistic Therapeutic Deism: Not Just a Problem with Youth Ministry
Moralistic Therapeutic Deism channels the method of ministry from gospel to gimmick:
Think about those three words, Moralistic Therapeutic Deism. They run counter to the gospel of Jesus Christ in every way. We are not saved by earning our way up the good-works ladder, nor is God the divine genie dispensing wishes at command. He’s not a distant “clock-maker,” sitting back to watch it all play out, but the personal Immanuel who became man to seek and save his bride. The gospel says that Jesus has accomplished for you—-through his life, death, and resurrection—-everything that God has required of you; thereby, securing eternal life for all God’s people, and received by faith alone.
This is where the importance of method comes to the forefront, which (unfortunately) is often disassociated with theology. While our theology of the gospel should inform our method, the American church—-to a large extent—-has practiced just the reverse. The question on many youth leaders’ minds is, “How do we get bored teenagers into the church?” The question should be, “How are we to faithfully plant and water the gospel of Jesus Christ for his glory and our joy in him?”
Bold emphasis mine. Read the rest of this article here.
