CHURCHES DO NOT JUST EXIST TO EVANGELISE!

 ADVERSITY IS NO TIME TO FAINT!

In the early 1930s a young German pastor was pleading with his pastoral colleagues about a looming evil with sinister political influence. He was largely ignored. His fellow ministers fobbed him off citing that, “Religion and politics do not mix!” This was a catastrophic error. We can only wonder how different history would have been if the Christian leaders of Germany had stood up to their nation’s shameful tyrant-Chancellor and mustered those that God had entrusted to them, to do likewise. But they were too afraid — too dependent upon government welfare — too dependent on the approval of people rather than the approval of God! The very thing they thought they were securing by refusing to obey God and speak up for the vulnerable and less fortunate was the very thing that would soon forfeit. And sadly, cost them, and millions of their countrymen, their lives. Today, around 80 years later the lessons from this tremendously sad chapter in human history, are now more pertinent than ever.

 

RECENT FAINTING

While the world’s attention was focused on the recent American Presidential election, what most non-Americans may not realise is that there were other elections and ballots also being conducted. In Colorado for example, there was a ballot to ban abortions on demand after 22 weeks (“Prop 115”). A baby that is twenty-two weeks old in utero is indisputably viable — even without additional life support. Just weeks before Prop 115 went to the vote in Colorado during the Presidential election, many Colorado’s mega-church pastors marched lock-step in the ‘Black Lives Matter’ marches that were happening. But when it came to the Prop 115 ballot, not one of them made a public statement about pointing out the obvious that the unjustified taking of an innocent human life is a heinous evil. Reporting on the defeat of the Prop 115 ballot, the Denver Post proudly reported, “Colorado was the first state in the country to decriminalize abortion, passing a law in 1967 to allow the procedure in cases of rape, incest, if the woman’s health was threatened or if the unborn child might have birth defects” (Nov. 3rd 2020).

One Coloradan pastor, Pastor Tracey Perry, told Colorado Public Radio, “I don’t politicize the pulpit. But at times, comments were made about Black Lives Matter and that seems like a Democratic tool to get Trump out and to come against the Republicans. I would stand back from that because that’s not for me. That’s your opinion. But at the end of the day, Black lives do matter and I would tell them. We’d have these open conversations because that’s what I do, too. I go to different congregations and community groups, speaking about racial and social injustice and justice, and letting them know when we’d sit down and have conversations, that to racist white officers, to white supremacists Black lives do not matter. However, we matter to God” (Colorado Public Radio, Nov. 1st 2020).

 

A TRANSLATOR’S CHALLENGE ABOUT FAINTING

I love the English Standard Version of the bible. But there are several suggestions I would like to make to the translation committee the next time we meet. One of them occurs in Proverbs 24 (which is my biblical text for this Pastor’s Desk) and it is supported by the comments made in the translator’s notes of the New English Translation. 

¶ If you faint in the day of adversity,
your strength is small.
Rescue those who are being taken away to death;
hold back those who are stumbling to the slaughter.
If you say, “Behold, we did not know this,”
does not He who weighs the heart perceive it?
Does not He who keeps watch over your soul know it,
and will He not repay man according to his work?
Proverbs 24:10-12

I am deeply deeply challenged by this passage of Scripture. I love the way that the ESV (English Standard Version) renders it. It tells me that my commission is foundationally pastoral – but not merely for those on our church roll, but for those in our community who are not yet on our church roll. This passage commands me to lead a church that cares for people outside of our four walls. The rendering of this passage in the ESV is challenging enough, but lately I have also been drawing on the New English Translation (NET) of the bible largely because of its extensive translator notes on nearly each verse in its translation. The translator of this passage points out that there is no “If” in the Hebrew where verse 10 starts in Proverbs 24. In fact, he writes, the Hebrew construction of this verse is “confrontational”. “The verb רָפָה (rafah) means ‘to become slack, limp, to wither.’” The Hebrew construction is a little awkward to convey in English, but it might sound more like an abrupt accusation – “Faint in the day of adversity?!” It is a confrontational challenge to the wise to be courageous and tireless in their efforts to uphold (true) justice—for the lives and welfare of the most vulnerable. This passage may well be the Word of Lord to the Christian Leaders of Tasmania at this time. Speaking out against injustice such as the euphemistically titled End of Life Choices Bill (Voluntary Assisted Dying) by urging our congregations to write objecting letters and emails to Tasmanian politicians, is not engaging in politics, it is defending the rights of the poor, widows and the vulnerable which the commands us to do (Prov. 31:9). It seems to me that those who oppose God’s right to rule have discovered that if they want to silence those who claim to represent the Crucified-Risen-Glorified-Saviour, all they have to do is to label their unrighteous agenda as ‘political’ and fainting Christian leaders immediately retreat behind their cowardly mirage-mantra ‘religion and politics do not mix’. Meanwhile, the enemy of the souls of all mankind gleefully promotes his mission to manipulate, lie, deceive, kill, steal and destroy.

You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.
John 8:44 

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.
John 10:10

 

CHURCHES DO NOT ONLY EXIST TO EVANGELISE!

It is a spiritually dangerous idea to claim that churches only exist to evangelise. Do not think that I am at all suggesting that God has not ordained for churches to evangelise. He has. But He has called us, the Church, to do much much more than evangelise. We are called to:

(i) teach/train/equip believers to read/understand/apply/teach God’s Word [Col. 3:16; 2Tim. 4:2],

(ii) reflect Christ to the world,

(iii) model community and the dynamics of forgiveness [2Cor. 2:14],

(iv) help families to live out the principles of love [Eph. 5:21-6:4],

(v) train people for marriage and parenting [1Cor. 7:1-28],

(vi) educate our communities in the Word/ways/will of God [Eph. 5:8-10; Col. 1:28],

(vii) to support the poor and needy [Gal. 2:10; James 1:27; Heb. 13:16],

(viii) to defend the truth [1Tim. 3:15],

(ix) train a generation to be salt and light [Eph. 5:8; Col. 4:6],

(x) take the Gospel to the furthest reaches of the planet [Matt. 28:18-20],

(xi) leave a spiritual and cultural legacy for generations to come [2Tim 2:2],

(xii) to offer God praises [1Pet. 2:5; Heb. 13:15], and

(xiii) to be a prophetic voice to a world rebelling against God [Eph. 5:11, 13].

It is a mistake for a church to think that they need only to concentrate on one of these mandates. Congregations, denominations, and ministries must cooperate together by drawing on the gifts that God has placed within His Body to support the fulfilment of all of these mandates at their appropriate time.

“If I delay, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God,
which is the church of the living God, a pillar and buttress of the truth.”
First Timothy 3:15 ESV

Therefore, we, the Christian community of Tasmania must work tirelessly together, each doing even just a little, which when combined becomes an enormous force to be reckoned with in much the same that when a drip of water combines with a lot of other drips of water, its combined force can carve a canyon through granite. Sometime Christian are reluctant to speak up and take a stand for the truth because the Enemy has bluffed them into thinking that the success of his schemes is inevitable. This is when blood-redeemed sons and daughters of the King need to remember that God does not call us to be successful (although we long for the success of seeing God glorified) but that He has called us to be faithful. This is why we must speak up together when any government or lobby group attempts to encourage rebellion against God and His Law. This is why we must all play our part — but pastors especially must set the example for their congregations and take the lead.

 

PRAY THAT THE CHURCH LEADERS OF OUR STATE DO NOT FAINT!

¶ Now I urge you, brothers and sisters, through our Lord Jesus Christ and through the love of the Spirit, to join fervently with me in prayer to God on my behalf.
Romans 15:30

At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison—
Colossians 4:3

Pray for me. I need your prayers. Pray that I boldly shepherd God’s people put in my care. Pray that I speak up for the vulnerable. Pray for me to have courage. Pray that I expound God’s Word faithfully and deliver it with clarity and passion. Pray that I learn how to present the truth in a persuasive and appealing manner. And pray for pastoral colleagues around Tasmania, especially as they are challenged to demonstrate a commitment to the truth that we should never sanction the state in its effort to assist vulnerable people to commit suicide (The UTas VAD Review is seeking submissions which close on January 4th 2021), and to make a submission to the Tasmanian Law Reform Institute’s enquiry into Tasmania introducing a S.O.G.I. laws (enshrining into law the self-declared ‘sexual orientation’ of a person or the gender identity a person wishes to adopt despite their biological sex) and criminalising any attempt to help a person with unwanted gender confusion or unwanted same-sex attraction. The pastors of our State need your prayers and the courage not to faint in the midst of adversity.

 

Your pastor,

Andrew

WHAT A PITY IF IT WAS PETTY

 WHAT A PETTY

Photo: A page of a biblical manuscript known as Papyrus 46 [“P46”]. This page contains portions of Galatians and Philippians, and has been dated to around A.D. 150.

Nearly all of Paul’s epistles were an attempt to correct a series of problems. Except one. Paul’s epistle to the Philippians was full of warmth and affection. He loved this church more than most. Of all the churches that Paul pioneered, only the Philippian church maintained financial support for him. Paul had no need to correct any doctrinal error there. But the seeds of a looming problem were beginning to germinate. This is why Paul’s epistle to the Philippians stands apart from his doctrinal corrective epistles — because he is speaking to hearts not just minds.  

¶ I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now.
Philippians 1:3-5

THE ULTIMATE HEART

When Paul corrected doctrinal error in his other epistles he drew upon glories of Old Covenant theological truths to illustrate the wondrously surpassing glories of the New Covenant. But in writing to the Philippians with a view to guarding their hearts from the poison of envy and dissension, Paul draws on the greatest example of a right heart and attitude. 

Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though He was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.
Philippians 2:5-7

Paul sought to vaccinate the hearts of the Philippians from the spiritually deadly virus of contention by drawing their attention to the Perfect Heart. 

And being found in human form, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
Philippians 2:8

 

TWO STRONG WOMEN

A depiction of Euodia and Syntyche

Several people in Philippi were very dear to Paul. These people laboured with Paul  and Timothy and had suffered along side him as he endured cruel opposition. These included: Mr. Epaphroditus (Phi. 2:25), Mr. Clement (Phi. 4:3), and Ms. Euodia (Phi. 4:2) and Ms. Syntyche (Phi. 4:3). But something had been simmering then festering between Ms. Euodia and Ms. Syntyche. It threatened the entire church at Philippi because it is apparent that Euodia and Syntyche were the co-pastoral leaders of the Philippian church. They may have been sisters, we can only speculate, but at the very least they were fictive sisters. It seems to me that the entire purpose of this epistle was to gently address this brewing problem between these two strong women particularly because the health of a church rarely ever surpasses that of its leaders, and Paul knew that for this dear church to flourish — let alone survive — it needed its leaders to reconcile. 

¶ I entreat Euodia and I entreat Syntyche to agree in the Lord. Yes, I ask you also, true companion, help these women, who have labored side by side with me in the gospel together with Clement and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life.
Philippians 4:2-3

What could have come between these two precious sisters? The history of similar disputes tells us that chances are it wasn’t anything particularly important. It certainly wouldn’t have been the last disagreement that caused the fracture in their relationship. Probably, as with nearly all offences and grudges it happened much much earlier as a very little – almost inconsequential incident – that was never forgiven, and then subsequent offences simply compounded the unnecessary problem.

complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.
Philippians 2:2-4

Paul seems to instruct all of the Philippians, not Euodia and Syntyche, to remember that they represent Christ to a broken world and that the day will soon come when they will all kneel before Christ and give an account of how they stewarded their witness for Christ. Such things as envy, contention, and petty unforgiveness, if allowed to become septic, could jeopardise the Philippians from enjoying God’s best and lead to Christ being misrepresented to their already spiritually wounded community (idolatry always wounds its deluded).

So that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. ¶ Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling
Philippians 2:10-12

 

WORSHIP MEANS SURRENDER TO GOD 

Our expression of worship to God is our demonstration of surrender to God. This is why Christian worship from its inception has involved singing. When we sing it forces our minds to focus on what we are singing. When we sing together we are reminded that true Christianity is not about me and the Lord, it’s about us and the Lord. When we sing to the Lord we are rejoicing and this is good for our soul. Worship realigns our vision onto Christ. Worship resets our hearts toward Christ. To learn to get along with each other and settle petty disputes, we must worship together so that we glorify Christ together.

But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For His sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ.
Philippians 3:7-8

Paul concludes his epistle to the Philippians with a tender exhortation to worship God with their whole mind by choosing to dwell on the beauty of Christ and what He has done for us. His exhortation is a wonderful injunction for us today lest we too risk missing out on God’s best for us because we chose instead to dwell on a petty dispute. What a pity if we ever became distracted by the petty.

¶ Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.
Philippians 4:8-9

 

Your pastor,

Dr. Andrew Corbett

A DIFFERENT TYPE OF SITTING, WALKING, RESTING, RISING

 A DIFFERENT TYPE OF SITTING, WALKING, RESTING, RISING

I was recently reading a highly respected Biblical scholar, Dr. David deSilva, who specialises in what the New Testament teaches about Christian community. He reflected on how he had the privilege of being invited into many churches across the United States and Asia. He then made a comment about what he considered was the saddest and most heard appeal given in the hundreds of churches he had been in. 

“It is always a grievous thing when pastors have to call time and time again for Sunday school teachers and youth group leaders—better an empty choir loft than a lack of investment on the part of mature Christians in the lives and the training of the youth in the ‘instruction and discipline of the Lord.’ Our children’s roots in the faith will be all the deeper, and their equipment to engage adult life as Christians all the more complete, if many adults take a keen interest in them, making opportunities to talk with them about God, about living a life that honors God, about the ways in which one can sink deep roots in God’s love.”
David deSilva, “Honor, Patronage, Kinship and Purity”, 2000:239

Dr. deSilva goes on to discuss how every church needs every adult to recognise their responsibility to help teach and disciple the children within their church centre. This doesn’t necessarily mean every adult should be out in Kids Church each Sunday, but it does mean that every adult needs to be extra-aware that they are already teaching each of the children in the church by their example. It’s uncomfortably amazing just how much children indirectly learn about Christianity from observing grown-ups at church! Secondly, it should mean that more mature adult believers will volunteer to regularly teach in the Kids Church. Most of our Kids Church team leaders are qualified teachers who spend time training volunteer Kids Church teachers. Please prayerfully consider how you can be a part of our church’s ministry to children.

 

SITTING, WALKING, RESTING, RISING FOR THE SAKE OF CHILDREN 

You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.
Deuteronomy 6:7

You don’t have to be a parent to be an everyday teacher of the children in our church. The kind of teaching, training, and discipleship that the Bible calls for involves talking about the Lord when you sit, when you walk, when you lie down, and when you rise. But if you are a parent, then you have the privilege of teaching and training your own children every time you sit, lie down, and rise up. The children of our church need to know what the bible says, why the bible is true and reliable, why Christianity is true, and how to apply what Jesus taught.

Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.
Ephesians 6:4

We each bear a responsibility to ensure that the next generation of Christ-followers are taught, trained, prepared, and equipped, to walk confidently with Christ and to be able to make Him known. “Then children were brought to him that he might lay his hands on them and pray. The disciples rebuked the people, but Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven” (Matt. 19:13-14). Doing what we can to help a child to know and love God is something that we can each contribute to—even if we are not a parent. Note this closing New Testament verse from a follower of Christ who never had his own children, but saw himself as a father to many which would have caused him to share the Word of God when he sat, when he walked, when he rested, and when he arose for the day -

I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.
3John 4 , Apostle John

 

Your pastor,

Andrew Corbett