Guilt and Misery

January 10, 2012 • Personal Reflection • by
0 Comments

This past Lord’s Day we came to the first of the three primary divisions of the Heidelberg Catechism: man’s misery, man’s deliverance, and man’s response. These three divisions are often referred to more memorably as guilt, grace, and gratitude.

Let me state at the outset that I am thankful for the catechism’s direct approach to my sinfulness. I am glad for truth which addresses my sinfulness and points me towards my need for grace. Too often Christianity is identified with the practice of morality – or a way to improve upon my own virtue or ethics. I have even had to confront this from others as they investigate why I am a Christian. It is often assumed that I practice my faith as a way to seek some higher moral standard. This could not be farther from the truth.

I am not a Christian because I am a moral person. I am a Christian precisely because I am NOT a moral person. In fact, I am a sinful, selfish, lying, manipulating, greedy, lustful, prideful, arrogant, cowardly failure. I am a Christian because I need to be rescued. I am a Christian because I need a rescuer. In the word’s of John Newton, “I am a great sinner and Christ is a great savior.”

I am thankful that the Heidelberg Catechism does not skirt around the exact problem that needs to be addressed. I am thankful that the Catechism directly confronts my sin, guilt, and misery. Even as Christ summarizes the Law of God in Matthew 22 – what has become a warm devotional passage – I am reminded that I can not live up to all this perfectly, in fact, “I have a natural tendency to hate God and my neighbor.”

In his book The Good News We Almost Forgot: Rediscovering the Gospel in a Sixteenth Century Catechism, Kevin DeYoung writes:

The guilt section is by far the shortest with only three Lord’s Days and nine Questions and Answers. The authors of the Catechism wanted Heidelberg to be an instrument of comfort, not condemnation.

But they also realized that true, lasting consolation can only come to those who know of their need to be consoled. The first thing we need in order to experience the comfort of the gospel is to be made uncomfortable with our sin. The comfort of the gospel is to be made uncomfortable with our sin. The comfort of the gospel doesn’t skirt around the issue of sin, or ignore it like positive thinking preachers and self-help gurus. It looks sin square in the eye, acknowledges is, and deals with it. While many people will tell us to stop focusing on sin and to lighten up because we aren’t “bad” people, the Catechism tells us just the opposite. In order to have comfort, we must first see our sin induced misery.



Reverting back to Question and Answer number two, we are reminded that it is necessary to know how great our sin and misery are in order to live and die in the comfort and joy offered through the gospel. Knowing this, we can clearly see that to confront our sin and misery and to point us to our need for rescue is indeed an act of grace in itself. One we need to thank God for.

Abridged History

September 21, 2011 • Personal Reflection • by
0 Comments

Could it be that we have adopted an abridged view of history? As we focus upon dates, events, and so forth we go about it as if the events themselves happened within some ideological, sociological, or philosophical vacuum. If we shall learn from history at all we must first understand the ideas that moved men to action and brought about such events.

A New Look; A Fresh Start

August 19, 2011 • Personal Reflection • by
0 Comments

If you have stopped by to visit the blog since the beginning of August you may notice that things look a little different. It’s been over a year since my blog received a major face-lift and that’s about as long as I can go before giving in to the urge to redesign the site.

Besides an update to the layout itself, this blog needed a fresh start. It has been almost four years since I created Common Places and much has changed since that time. What began as an avenue for sharing ideas and resources as part of my theological journey has morphed and diminished into something completely different.

For a short while, I changed the name of the blog to A Planter’s Progress, taking cue from the classic story by John Bunyan. At that time my hope was to chronicle the journey of both myself and my family as we pursued a call to plant a missional church community in Midland, MI. What at first seemed like a good idea proved to be a much more difficult task. The whole of the church planting process was taking much longer than we first anticipated. We also soon discovered that church planting in its infancy stage wasn’t filled with a lot of exciting details to blog about.

Beyond the frustration we were experiencing due to the overall length of the process there were other financial struggles we were facing along with difficulties with family, job loss, three moves, and a lack of formal education and training. None of which met my blogging criterion.

Finally, in the summer of 2010, I changed the blog name back to its original name of Common Places. Since that time, however, I feel as though this blog has lacked in direction and focus. If one were to look through the posts over the past year it would be readily apparent that in addition to lacking any continuity or focus, my posts have been few and far between.

In hindsight, it may have been better to share some of the frustrations and discouragements. I am confident that many church planters experience similar frustrations and set-backs. Perhaps it might even have been beneficial and/or encouraging for someone who was in the midst of a similar situation. For whatever reason, I chose to do what I most often do in a situation like that, internalize my fears, struggles, and insecurities. Whether it is because of pride, or fear of failure, or a combination of both, I found that level of vulnerability to be difficult except with a select few.

Even within these last few months, when things seemed the most bleak and I completely lost all desire to plant a church or serve in vocational ministry, I found it more difficult than ever to express my fears and struggles with others. I believe the cause was due in part to exhaustion, both immediate and residual and my own insecurities and sense of inadequacy.

Now I come to a new chapter. For the moment I have laid aside church planting / pastoral ministry. Needless to say this was a difficult and painful decision to make. Hoping to learn from my past mistakes, I hope to share more about this very personal decision, but that must wait for another time.

In the wake of all that has transpired I do believe that a fresh start is in order. This includes my blog as well. To what end I do not yet know. It is my hope and desire to recapture, to some degree, a bit of the inspiration and creativity that first motivated me to begin writing here four years ago. I also hope to rediscover the joy I once found in writing. Finally, I hope to again find a sense of purpose for Common Places.

From here I hope to begin posting as often as time allows. Sometimes there may be quite a few coming through; other times it will be pretty quiet. As often as I able I hope to actually write something to share. I will also continue to share links and resource along with questions and answers to the Heidelberg Catechism each Lord’s Day.

Please feel free to leave some feedback about the new look. It would be most appreciated. Also, if you would be willing to share any posts that have stuck out to you over the past four years, I would greatly appreciate that as well.

Thank you for following along!

We Have Arrived

March 29, 2011 • Personal Reflection • by
0 Comments

It’s been almost four months since I shared a brief narrative of our call to Midland. Much has transpired since that time. In addition to our gradual affiliation and assimilation into the Christian Reformed Church, our family was able to find a great home in quiet neighborhood and finally move into Midland.

Although our official move date was back in February, it seems like just yesterday we arrived. This whole process has been a testimony God’s graciousness and faithfulness. As I look back over the past four months I am amazed at the providential orchestration that has brought our family to this point. As can only be expected, the packing / moving process was exhausting. Two weeks of boxing every night and one week of painting and prep work took their toll! We are so very grateful for the help of family and friends throughout this process.

As we look forward to establishing roots within our community and the city of Midland as a whole, I am reminded again of our hope and desire to see the gospel take root here as well as our own lives. This journey serves as a continual reminder of our absolute dependence upon Divine-Sovereign grace. We covet your prayers for our family as we seek to love, dwell in, and seek the renewal of this city through an incarnation of the gospel planted in the city of Midland.

Again, it is my hope to post some more information pertaining specifically to the Trinity Grace CRC. In the mean time you can receive updates via Facebook or follow along via Twitter.

The Money Idol

October 28, 2010 • Personal Reflection • by
0 Comments

This past Sunday I had the privilege of teaching out of a chapter from Tim Keller’s book, Counterfeit Gods. It was part of a six week series that our adult small churches are currently working through. In preparation for the class I have been reading through Keller’s book; especially chapter 3, the chapter I was assigned. In this chapter Keller deals with the idol of wealth. While reviewing the material there were two quotes that I found to be particularly poignant. I thought that I would share them here as well.

Jesus, the God-man, had infinite wealth, but if he had held on to it, we would have died in our spiritual poverty. That was the choice – if he stayed rich, we would have died poor. If he died poor, we would become rich. Our sins would be forgiven and we would be admitted into the family of God. Paul was not giving us a mere ethical precept, exhorting them to stop loving money so much and become more generous. Rather, he was recapitulating the gospel. Jesus gave up all his treasure in heaven in order to make you his treasure – for you are a treasured people (1 Peter 2:9-10). When you see him dying to make you his treasure, that will make him yours. Money will cease to be the currency of your significance and security, and you will want to bless others with what you have. To the degree that you grasp the gospel, money will have no dominion over you. Page 67

What breaks the power of money over us is not just a redoubled effort to follow the example of Christ. Rather it is deepening your understanding of the salvation of Christ, what you have in him, and then living out the changes that that understanding makes in your heart – the seat of your mind, will, and emotions. Faith in the gospel restructures our motivations, our self-understanding and identity, our view of the world. Behavioral compliance to rules without a complete change of heart will be superficial and fleeting. Page 68

The Pastor’s Worst Enemy

March 30, 2010 • Personal Reflection • by
0 Comments

While taking a few minutes to catch up on some blog reading this morning, I came across this post from Dr. David Murray of Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary. Already being familiar with Dr. Murray and having an appreciation for his thoughts towards pastoral ministry, I had stared the post in Reader to read / review later. I am thankful I did.

Being a young man who desires to serve in pastoral ministry, and one who will openly confess a constant battle with pride in all of it’s various manifestations, I found Professor Murray’s caveat to be a sobering and helpful reminder; causing me to once again fall to my knees seeking repentance and confessing not only my sin, but also my complete and utter dependence upon God’s mercy and grace.

Here is the complete post from The Gospel Coalition website:

The pastor’s worst enemy is pride, and it is a special danger for young pastors (1 Tim. 3:6).

The Particular Causes of Pride

  • Public gifts. As your gifts are exercised in public (unlike those with more private and unseen gifts and ministries), they are more likely to be recognized, admired, and praised.
  • Official status. As many of God’s people respect and honor the “office” of pastor (sometimes regardless of who fills it), you may be inclined to think it is you they respect and honor.
  • Man-centeredness. When people are blessed under your ministry, they will often attribute it to you rather than to God.
  • Worldly ideas of leadership. You see yourself as “in charge of all these people,” rather than their servant.
  • Inexperience. The Church is quite unique in how it places untested and inexperienced young men into positions of the highest responsibility without going through the “humbling school of hard knocks.” Having never been led, they sometimes do not know how to lead.
  • Misunderstanding of call to the ministry. Paul did not see the pastoral ministry as a prize he had earned. For Paul, it was as much a grace, an unearned gift, as salvation (Eph. 3:8).

The Pastoral Consequences of Pride

If you fall into pride there will be serious consequences in your ministry.

  • You will start depending on your gifts rather than on God.
  • You will become impatient with your less gifted brethren in the ministry or eldership.
  • You will become thoughtlessly insensitive to the traditions and customs of the past.
  • You will resist personal criticism and mature counsel.
  • You will become discouraged and discontented because “I deserve better than this crowd!”
  • You will regard yourself as above the small/dirty jobs in the congregation.
  • You will stop learning because you know more than everyone else anyway.
  • You may fall into the “condemnation of the devil” (1 Tim.3:6).

The Personal Cure of Pride

Let these two phrases be the double heartbeat of our ministries.

1. I am a sinner

  • Remember what I was (think on the sins you’ve been delivered from)
  • Remember what I could be now (if God had not stopped you)
  • Remember what I still am (research your own heart )
  • Remember what I could yet be (if God removed His restraining grace)

2. I am a servant

  • A servant of God (not independent but dependent on God for commission, authority, blessing)
  • A servant of God’s people (not their lord or sovereign)
  • A servant of sinners (do not look down on the unsaved but get down on your knees for them)
  • A servant of servants (don’t compete with other pastors but serve them)
  • A servant of the Servant (who said, “I am among you as one who serves,” and, “the servant is not greater than his Master.”)

Dr. David P. Murray is Professor of Old Testament and Practical Theology at Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Murray blogs regularly atHead, Heart, Hand: Leadership for Servants.

I Am a Family Man

February 27, 2010 • Personal Reflection • by
0 Comments

I had forgotten about this video until Justin Taylor posted it again today. I enjoy this song from Andrew Peterson because it reminds me again of how truly blessed I am.

I have a beautiful wife, whom I love and treasure, and together we have two beautiful children. I am not deserving of the family God has blessed me with, and it breaks my heart to think of how many mornings I have rushed off to work giving little thought to the precious treasures I leave behind. I am thankful for both Andrew and the artist who created this video for providing a moment to stop and reflect upon the generous mercy and abounding grace of God in my life and His steadfast faithfulness to our family despite myself!

Because of this, I wanted to pass along the video as well, hopefully providing others with the same opportunity.

“Family Man” from Trevor Little on Vimeo.

Biblical Productivity

October 23, 2009 • Personal Reflection • by
0 Comments

Over the past four days I have been sharing some of the joys that I have experienced while incorporating GTD into my day to day life and the difference that it has made. To cap off this week, I thought it would be a great idea to pass along an excellent productivity / time management resource from C.J. Mahaney.

It’s been almost a year since C.J. began his series on Biblical Productivity. Over the course of his seventeen posts, C.J. shares from his wealth of wisdom and experience as not only a seasoned pastor, but as a husband, father, and grandfather. I commend this series to you as we approach the conclusion of 2009. Soon many of us will set aside time for the purpose of reflecting back upon this past year, as well as a time to plan for the future.

This time of reflection and planning is a discipline that Rachel and I have incorporated into our personal and family planning. Each year we take the week between Christmas and New Years to go over our core values, roles, goals, personal and professional mission statements. Setting aside this time has been very rewarding. Each year we experience a fruitful time of reflection and refocusing.

Setting aside specific time for this purpose gives us the freedom to step back and look at the big picture. We can see where our current trajectory is taking us. We can ask ourselves, “is this where we want to be heading?” “If not, what do we need to change?” “Is it a matter of making a few adjustments or do we need to do something drastic?” Once we step back and see that we are heading in the right direction, we then ask ourselves, “what do we have to do to stay on this course and finish strong?”

In addition, we have found that this exercise has drawn us closer as a couple through mutual sharing and encouragement. Our lines of communication are opened as each shares our hopes, dreams, ambitions, struggles, set-backs and frustrations. Intentionally setting aside this time brings us back together on the same page and affords each one of us the opportunity to come along side the other in order to spur each other on towards the call that God has placed upon us as husband and wife, as parents, and ministerially / vocationally. Each year we see a discernible difference from the year before.

It is my intention to, in the weeks before Christmas, to review C.J.’s series in preparation for my time spent with Rachel. I hope that these posts prove to be both a blessing and encouragement as well as convicting and a catalyst towards repentance, obedience, and wise, God-glorifying, Biblical, stewardship.

Here is an introduction and the complete series from the Sovereign Grace blog. Enjoy.

One solitary blog post on procrastination. That was the extent of what C.J. intended to write. But not long after spreading out the contents of his “time management” file folder over his desk, useful old resources surfaced, old themes returned, and new ideas emerged. A series was born.

C.J. began weaving his thoughts into blog posts and now, two months later, I think he’s approaching the end of the series. Or maybe he’s just beginning. I don’t know.

When it’s complete, the entire series may be organized into a more formal outline. And as C.J. continues his work on the next post, it may be helpful to see how this series has developed.

Here is a simple series index to date:

Biblical Productivity

1. Are You Busy?

2. Confessions of a Busy Procrastinator

3. The Procrastinator Within

4. Just Do It

5. In All Thy Ways

6. The Sluggard

7. Time. Redeemed.

8. Roles, Goals, Scheduling

9. Roles (Part 1)

10. Roles (Part 2)

11. Goals (Part 1)

12. Goals (Part 2)

13. Goals (Part 3)

14. Goals (Part 4)

15. Scheduling the Unexpected

16. The To-Do Lists Are Never Done

17. Self-Sufficient

Feedback

How can this series improve? As the “Biblical Productivity” series expands, C.J. would love to hear your suggestions, questions, and comments. Email them to blog AT sovgracemin DOT org. I cannot promise a personal email response, but I can promise your words will be read and taken into consideration as the series develops.

Thanks for reading!

Why I Love GTD: Part 4

October 22, 2009 • Church Planting, Personal Reflection • by
0 Comments

Closing Thoughts

I don’t uses this system because I am a time management and genus. On the contrary I rely on the GTD system because I am not. To be quite honest I am absent minded, unorganized, prone to an artistic temperament that relies upon inspiration to be motivated towards productivity, and was in the past an awful procrastinator. My only redeeming quality in all of this is that I was at least honest enough to see and admit that and then get help.

With all of the roles and responsibilities that come along with launching a church plant in the next two years, I knew that I needed some form of system or tools to help not only manage my time but help me to accomplish all that I have to get done. Hence the name, Getting Things Done. The call to love, protect and cherish my wife, love and disciple our children, train and study, plan and prepare for not only the pastoral responsibilities but the additional to-dos that come with a church plant are all far too important to be left to my own devices.

As I said before, I knew enough to know I couldn’t trust myself. Now I do have a system that I can trust and is tailorable to each new transition, role, and responsibility. That, I can honestly say, has made an incredible difference!

Why I Love GTD: Part 3

October 21, 2009 • Church Planting, Personal Reflection • by
0 Comments

Redeeming the time

The final reason that I can point to in order to convey why I have grown to love GTD is that it is a system that enables me to make the most of the time I am given. Although we may not want to admit it, we only have so much time each day. By God’s grace we strive each day to faithfully steward our time to make the most of the life we have been given.

One of the primary ways in which GTD has aided the way I spend my time is that I now know what to do and when to do it. I am sure that I am not alone in that some days I feel like I have spent all my time doing something but have was not able to accomplish any of the items that I have set out to do.

Balancing multiple projects in multiple contexts is near impossible without the aid of a trusted system. In the past, what I inevitably ended up with was a series of lists and ideas filed in multiple locations. Approaching any one list at any given time was a very stressful exercise. More than serve as a structure for accomplishing any given task, these lists became a painful reminder of what I had wanted to do, but didn’t know how to do it all.

I should insert here that in the area of time management, I don’t and can’t do it all. There is much to be said here for prayerful discernment when it comes to what I invest my time into. On multiple occasions I have had to ask myself the question, “What really matters?” Right now I have a very short list with some very big items. Most common diversions such as television and listening to music while I drive have had to go by the wayside. (At least for the time being.) But that is only because I have within the system the ability to weigh each item and use the processing tools to set aside something for a future time knowing that it will still be there when I come back at a later date.

Built into the GTD system is a “weekly review” that allows me to take an objective look at all of my input and data, look at my schedule and calendar, as well as any current or future projects. This weekly discipline also provides an opportunity to see where much of my time is going and on what or whom is it being spent. It has become an exercise that I look forward to each Sunday evening.

Now, I will be the first to admit that just because I review and structure a plan around a trusted system that everything works out according to that plan. That is precisely what a weekly review is needed. Many weeks I come into my review time on Sunday feeling as if everything is a jumbled mess. However, the system is still in place and that structure serves as a stable platform to rebuild on for the upcoming week.

Page 1 of 3123