tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-70031672015-09-17T02:34:10.557-04:00Redeeming The TimeReflections on life in the 21st century.Kirk Wellumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02289426555177547014noreply@blogger.comBlogger1033125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7003167.post-11400714545991660182014-01-12T07:41:00.001-05:002014-01-12T19:09:45.408-05:00Winter Semester TBS 2014<div><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-7WxzfdG5BDM/UtKRM-OkqpI/AAAAAAAAArI/9sprHtQRipE/s640/blogger-image--1250762987.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-7WxzfdG5BDM/UtKRM-OkqpI/AAAAAAAAArI/9sprHtQRipE/s400/blogger-image--1250762987.jpg" width="265" /></a>Tomorrow the winter semester starts at Toronto Baptist Seminary. There are a wide variety of subjects that will be taught Monday through Friday. These courses are available for credit or audit depending on the goals and objectives of the student. </div><div><br /></div><div>Personally I'm looking forward to teaching the Old Testament book of Daniel and Christian Foundations. </div><div><br /></div><div>Daniel is a fascinating book that contains exciting narratives in the first half and cryptic prophesies in the second half. And even though it is an ancient book that has many things to say to us today. </div><div><br /></div><div>Christian Foundations is an overview of the Christian Faith that focuses on the key doctrines that define Christianity. </div><div><br /></div><div>If you are interested in learning more check out our website at www.tbs.edu. Taking courses that challenge you to learn and grow intellectually and spiritually is a great way to start a new year. All the best to everyone in 2014.</div><div><br /></div>Kirk Wellumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02289426555177547014noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7003167.post-37488314327922054502013-06-19T15:22:00.001-04:002013-06-21T11:38:52.224-04:00Reflections on the Arid Classroom<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dnFMg84rdws/UcID02_CXyI/AAAAAAAAAog/Od222xT1EDw/s1600/sunrise2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dnFMg84rdws/UcID02_CXyI/AAAAAAAAAog/Od222xT1EDw/s400/sunrise2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">In response to my last post "Anonymous" wrote: "I find if the teaching is more than good then classroom lessons are great, but usually theology teachers are dry." Signed, Ian</div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">Alas, what does one say to that! Truth is that I have been thinking about this comment since it was posted on my blog. My first thought was that "Ian" might be one of my students and what he is really saying is that he finds my teaching dry. Fair enough - because as hard as I try I know that I cannot appeal to everyone or teach in such a way as to inspire all of my students to see what I see and to love the subject matter. I am well aware of my deficiencies as a teacher and I am continuing trying to improve the quality of my lectures and public speaking. </div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">On the other hand, maybe "Ian" is not one of my students and his comment reflects his own experience with dry theology teachers in general. If that is the case then I feel badly because for me there is nothing more interesting and profound than the study of God. In fact, as interesting as other fields of endeavor are they pale in comparison because they just do not possess the superlative grandeur required to captivate the mind and soul in ever-increasing measure.</div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">If however, "Ian" is suggesting that most classroom lessons in theology are dry and that the antidote would be online study, I beg to differ. Online study - which is a form of self-study - is fine and while self-study must become part of a life-long habit of learning but there are few who can push themselves long and hard enough to really learn what they need to know. Most of us need a base from which to operate, and we need to be exposed to concepts and ideas that we might shy away from if left to ourselves. The only way to get around this in most instances is with some kind of "enforced learning" accompanied by research papers and examinations that force the student to grapple with difficult and sometimes abstract ideas.</div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">Sometimes the problem is not the subject matter as much as it is the student. What is dry and boring to one may be the very opposite to someone else. Our predisposition to learn is determined by many factors and experiences in our lives. So whether we are talking theology or physics or anything else, we often get out of our studies what we put into them. Nothing is dry to the inquiring mind. What we need is a curiosity that moves us to ask questions and then to seek answers. After all, isn't that what learning is all about?</div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;"><br /></div>Kirk Wellumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02289426555177547014noreply@blogger.com6Toronto, ON, Canada43.653226 -79.38318429999998243.285985999999994 -80.028631299999986 44.020466 -78.737737299999978tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7003167.post-40675965512108953522013-04-04T15:30:00.000-04:002013-04-04T15:30:17.730-04:00Online Education<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-thDboWt3tTQ/UV3UclVCjRI/AAAAAAAAAmo/L-cabfdEsFY/s1600/greatbooks2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-thDboWt3tTQ/UV3UclVCjRI/AAAAAAAAAmo/L-cabfdEsFY/s320/greatbooks2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Over the next while Toronto Baptist Seminary will be working to make two of our degree programs available online. This is something that people have been encouraging us to do for a long time because it enables students to complete an undergraduate and graduate degree from anywhere in the world and it does not require them to leave their jobs or ministries in order to come to Toronto and study here at the seminary. We believe this is a good thing and it will enable us to multiply the effectiveness of TBS in ways there were impossible even a few years ago. The demand for theological education remains steady for a number of reasons, including the unfortunate fact that consistent theological instruction that clearly articulates a Christian worldview, is difficult to find. For all the sermons, blogs, books, and conferences out there, there is something about organized, systematic instruction that requires you to personally interact with the material being taught by way of assignments, research papers, and exams, that is invaluable when it comes to really understanding and knowing what is going on.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XuGHWa-kw80/UV3UcYvL4-I/AAAAAAAAAmk/ZPu_0mqd8tQ/s1600/regulation420.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XuGHWa-kw80/UV3UcYvL4-I/AAAAAAAAAmk/ZPu_0mqd8tQ/s320/regulation420.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>That being said, I hope we never see the day when economics forces all course material to be delivered from an electronic classroom versus a real classroom, in a real building, in a real city! While modern technology makes it possible for us to deliver training in new and exciting ways, there is still something to be said for the classroom experience and for the personal interaction of students and teacher, as well as, students with one another. I think that this is true when it comes to education in general, but I believe it is certainly true when it comes to theological education. You cannot learn to interact with people in isolation from people. Nor can you study the gospel which is all about God's gathering together a community of people redeemed by his Son if the communal aspect of the Christian life is only a theoretical construct. The demands of the present circumstances and the opportunites presented to us compel us to move forward into the online world, but we do so understanding that a combination of both online and classroom instruction is better than either one on their own if we are to strive for the excellence that the study of God deserves.Kirk Wellumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02289426555177547014noreply@blogger.com1Toronto, ON, Canada43.653226 -79.38318429999998243.285985999999994 -80.028631299999986 44.020466 -78.737737299999978tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7003167.post-54919351129245735282013-02-01T11:37:00.000-05:002013-02-01T11:37:38.372-05:00Back to Blogging<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-p4bltouwRF0/UQvnhav1WPI/AAAAAAAAAmM/cl_wBNMZ5Ts/s1600/36-winter-sunrise-wallpaper.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="222" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-p4bltouwRF0/UQvnhav1WPI/AAAAAAAAAmM/cl_wBNMZ5Ts/s400/36-winter-sunrise-wallpaper.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>How did that happen? It is already February and I have not posted anything to my blog for over a month! Well, just in case you thought I have stopped updating my blog, think again. I have been too busy with too many things the last few months, and while I am still busy, I do intend to continue posting here as I am able. I have lots of things that I want to talk about, ideas that I want to put out there, and that is what I will do here on <i>Redeeming The Time</i>.<br /><br />So welcome to a new month. After flirting with spring-like temperatures earlier in the week we have returned to more seasonal weather in the greater Toronto area. Life goes on and things continue to happen in the world that make me wonder about what lies ahead, where we are going, and when it is all going to end. No one knows for sure, including those who confidently proclaim otherwise, and I am certainly not going to be foolish enough to join the ranks of would-be prophets. But it is fascinating to go along for the ride and to learn as we go more and more about ourselves and the world around us. I have been reading the book of Ecclesiastes recently and I have been struck again by its raw wisdom. I can only hope to have a fraction of that kind of wisdom myself as I take life moment by moment, one day at a time.<br /><br />That's all for now... I will write again soon.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PuvlD6QAr2E/UQvnC8jBaDI/AAAAAAAAAmE/4FCz-uH7IdM/s1600/winter_sunrise.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="325" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PuvlD6QAr2E/UQvnC8jBaDI/AAAAAAAAAmE/4FCz-uH7IdM/s400/winter_sunrise.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />Kirk Wellumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02289426555177547014noreply@blogger.com1Toronto, ON, Canada43.653226 -79.38318429999998243.285991499999994 -80.028631299999986 44.0204605 -78.737737299999978tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7003167.post-1620641264957091782012-12-27T04:05:00.000-05:002012-12-27T04:05:00.619-05:00The Cult of Personality - Part 10<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Uhx4hwhKACk/UNs6J8w__xI/AAAAAAAAAlM/SfRREpCJ054/s1600/Sunrise.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="290" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Uhx4hwhKACk/UNs6J8w__xI/AAAAAAAAAlM/SfRREpCJ054/s400/Sunrise.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>In this final installment of <i>The Cult of Personality</i> I suggest some ways out of the current malaise. In the final analysis we have to decide whether we will take the biblical message seriously or edit it to fit our own pre-conceived notions of reality. Is Christianity supernatural or is it just another expression of human religiosity that makes no transcendent claims for the person of Jesus and the scriptures? This is the ultimate dividing line today and determines how seriously we view the problem I have been writing about and the proposed solution. At the very least I hope I have provided some food for thought. Now it is time to turn my attention to some other writing projects in the New Year.<br /><br /><i>The conclusion of The Cult of Personality...</i><br /><br />The antidote to the cult of personality is a firm grasp of the biblical message. We are fools if we put our hope in men, even the very best of men. Our hope must be in the Lord alone. Everyone says this but afterwards many turn around and line up behind their heroes. Only the Lord can build the church precious stone upon precious stone because only he has the power of the new birth and only he is able to bring sinners to himself. It does not matter how well organized we are, or how many books we have published. or blogs we write, what matters is that we do our best and then wait on God to do for us what we cannot do for ourselves. At the end of the day it is not our cleverness that will win the battle. Nor is it the power of our personalities. The pervasive effects of sin are only reversed when God acts in saving power. We do not need more conferences and pep-rallies, we need more seasons of prayer, the bravery to step outside of our comfort zones, stick-to-itiveness in the face of opposition, and patience that waits on the Lord knowing that he is never in a hurry. It is not about brand names but about the name of Jesus. No one has a corner on the truth, and no church leader speaks exclusively for God, and no one speaks for God at all unless they reflect what is found in the scriptures. We do not need more clones or followers but workers. We need to know where God has clearly spoken in scripture and where he has not, and we need to make much of Jesus as the only one who can do us any ultimate good.<br /><br />In short, we need balance. There is a fine balance between honoring our leaders but not treating them as if they are infallible. We need to train, plan, and execute our plans without forgetting that it is God who works in us according to his good pleasure. We need to broaden our horizons and see that God works in many different ways through many different people. He is not beholden to one particular group or way of doing things. He works through all sorts of different human vessels to accomplish his purposes. Many times he delights to use those who are weak and foolish in the eyes of the world to confound the strong, the wise and the attractive.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-z-OcUbUGZD0/UNs6G3c9NTI/AAAAAAAAAlE/RwmF79ShTZ8/s1600/beautiful-sunrise.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-z-OcUbUGZD0/UNs6G3c9NTI/AAAAAAAAAlE/RwmF79ShTZ8/s400/beautiful-sunrise.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>We are called to be faithful first and foremost, not successful. But again, it is too often the “successful” by the measure of the world who are paraded around and we are inundated with their ideas while the real heroes of the faith continue to do the work that God has called them to do without fanfare or applause. For all the big talk of evangelical power and influence the truth is that in Canada we are a small and shrinking segment of the population. The more we imitate the world, the more we undercut our message. The world is “star” obsessed – movie stars, athletes, musicians, political, business and media stars. Their every move is tracked, they are followed on Twitter and Facebook, they are quoted in magazines and on the evening news. But their fame is fleeting and rarely do they possess the wisdom to lead anyone. It is all about appearances, making the right impression, gathering a crowd, living in the moment.<br /><br />As Christians we are called to resemble Jesus who was not fooled by outward appearances but was deeply concerned about matters of the heart. He did the right thing and was not merely concerned about making the right impression. When he gathered a crowd he told them the truth whether they liked it or not, and though he walked with God on earth in the days of his ministry, he lived in light of eternity. He is our role model and star! The irony is that the more we are like him and different from our “star” obsessed culture, the more we have something substantial to say and the more people will actually sit up and take notice. The hard truth is that the best of us has little to offer in ourselves. There is no sense pretending otherwise. It is far better to acknowledge our bankruptcy and make much of Christ. The cult of personality must go! Or in the words of John the Baptist – “Jesus must become greater and I must become less” (John 3:30).<br /><div><br /></div>Kirk Wellumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02289426555177547014noreply@blogger.com3Hamilton, ON, Canada43.250020800000009 -79.86609140000001642.509964800000006 -81.156984900000012 43.990076800000011 -78.57519790000002tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7003167.post-1691663510814527662012-12-17T12:14:00.000-05:002012-12-17T12:14:57.628-05:00The Cult of Personality - Part 9<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yrue-P8IMqs/UM9PMTyq5aI/AAAAAAAAAkQ/AH2DfeFsh4o/s1600/C59A789019A9215BE17C42CF6EA14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yrue-P8IMqs/UM9PMTyq5aI/AAAAAAAAAkQ/AH2DfeFsh4o/s320/C59A789019A9215BE17C42CF6EA14.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>In this short post I look at the problem of reducing Christianity to what goes on in church on Saturday night, or Sunday morning, or whenever else the congregation gathers to worship. This is an important part of the Christian life but by no means the only part or even the most important part. Worship in the New Testament involves giving ourselves to God and using the totality of our personalities to build his kingdom and do his will. Christianity is not a spectator sport! Or to change to metaphor, we are called to make a difference or to beautify every area of life to the glory of God.<br /><br /><i><br /></i><i><br /></i><i><br /></i><i>The Cult of Personality continued...</i><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iAmJutUtnbQ/UM9PVisEjEI/AAAAAAAAAkY/PUnCmISAz7k/s1600/Garden21.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iAmJutUtnbQ/UM9PVisEjEI/AAAAAAAAAkY/PUnCmISAz7k/s320/Garden21.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Another personal example of the cult of personality is entertainment based Christianity where the congregation exists to enable the professional performers to do their thing. This can happen when it comes to music or preaching or the display of any other public gift. Too often the church becomes a mere stage, a music hall, or a preaching centre Music and preaching are important parts of church life and the worship of God but there is more to Christianity than just sitting and watching talented musicians perform and skilled preachers speak. There is work to be done, people to disciple, and spiritual, financial and physical needs to be met both inside and outside of the church. Church is about more than watching and cheering on the performers from the pew or stackable chairs. It is about coming together to be equipped to go out and truly worship God by obeying his commands and living out the implications of the gospel before others. Church is not a place that exists merely for the display of our talents or to have our egos stroked. It is a place where we learn and grow so that we can do our part to contribute to the growth of the kingdom of God.<br /><br />To be continued...<br /><br /><br />Kirk Wellumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02289426555177547014noreply@blogger.com0Toronto, ON, Canada43.653226 -79.38318429999998243.285994499999994 -80.028631299999986 44.0204575 -78.737737299999978tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7003167.post-30918596136277618872012-11-27T13:06:00.000-05:002012-11-27T13:06:03.070-05:00The Cult of Personality - Part 8<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6fekSi1xwmo/ULT_A130KhI/AAAAAAAAAjQ/_QJDLf_lEWM/s1600/2012419-bloor-united-church.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /><img border="0" height="266" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6fekSi1xwmo/ULT_A130KhI/AAAAAAAAAjQ/_QJDLf_lEWM/s400/2012419-bloor-united-church.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />In this installment of <i>The Cult of Personality</i> I talk about how it can manifest itself when it comes to planting churches. New churches are needed, and even if all the churches in a city like Toronto were filled to overflowing, there would still be a need for more. But where churches are being planted it should be for "gospel" reasons and not because we cannot get along with anyone else, or we want to do church in isolation from everyone else, or we want to create a situation where we are the unquestioned centre of attention and authority. The church is not about us and our goals and ambitions. It exists to make known that gospel of Jesus Christ and to be a place where Christians of all ages and levels of understanding can find spiritual instruction, support, and companionship as they seek to live out their faith in the world. The pictures showing church buildings that have been renovated or still under construction remind us that congregations as well as their buildings are always in need for work. The challenge is to repair what is already there, or to build something new, for the right reasons!<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4PeCGEBvw8A/ULT_TKkmnrI/AAAAAAAAAjw/H4R0NbxpsC8/s1600/Barcelona+Sagrada+Familia16.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4PeCGEBvw8A/ULT_TKkmnrI/AAAAAAAAAjw/H4R0NbxpsC8/s320/Barcelona+Sagrada+Familia16.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><i>The Cult of Personality continued...</i><br /><br />No serious Christian doubts the need to plant new churches especially where there is a need to take the gospel to people who have never heard it before. But sometimes church planting is pursued for less noble reasons. For instance, going into an existing congregation is not easy. There are different people to deal with, a history of interactions that may or may not be happy, and church traditions that have developed that may need changing if the church is going to grow in the future. Rather than face up to these challenges the impression is sometimes given that it is easier to plant a church because then it is set up the way we want it with a minimal amount of feedback from others.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6N3wjq5fWac/ULT_CP0xGBI/AAAAAAAAAjY/hhTFOgfNLvc/s1600/8129582361_c60413cb15.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6N3wjq5fWac/ULT_CP0xGBI/AAAAAAAAAjY/hhTFOgfNLvc/s320/8129582361_c60413cb15.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Furthermore, church plants often target groups of people that are similar in their backgrounds, interests and tastes, and while this may give a superficial appearance of unity, the unity portrayed in the New Testament is a radical unity that crosses lines that are not normally crossed. Church plants should be based on truth and need. This means that it is necessary to plant churches where the gospel is not preached or where it is not preached as clearly as it should be. But church plants should not be tributes to personal ambition, or style, or the charisma of one leader over another. These are not a sufficient foundation on which to build a church and they are not likely to sustain a gospel-centered ministry over the long haul.<br /><br />To be continued...Kirk Wellumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02289426555177547014noreply@blogger.com0Toronto, ON, Canada43.653226 -79.383184343.469412 -79.69904129999999 43.837039999999995 -79.0673273tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7003167.post-63401380804054318942012-11-16T12:42:00.001-05:002012-11-16T12:42:50.054-05:00The Cult of Personality - Part 7In this short post I reflect on what can be called transfer growth as opposed to conversion growth in churches as another evidence of the cult of personality. This is when church leaders act more like salesmen than pastors, and entrepreneurs rather than servants. Regardless of whether the words are ever used or not, terms like market share and niche marketing often seem more important than meeting the needs of real people who live in the neighborhood. Relevance is more than a buzzword or someone preaching in jeans, it is the result of understanding and living out the authentic Christian message today, in our fascinating world. In the picture Philip is baptizing the Ethiopian Eunuch - a wonderful example of conversion growth.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CuFPksrb2y4/UKZ6SK6ALbI/AAAAAAAAAjA/aIUfMQIP-VE/s1600/Lambert_Sustris_-_The_Baptism_of_the_Ethiopian_Eunuch_by_the_Deacon_Philip_-_WGA21979.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="208" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CuFPksrb2y4/UKZ6SK6ALbI/AAAAAAAAAjA/aIUfMQIP-VE/s400/Lambert_Sustris_-_The_Baptism_of_the_Ethiopian_Eunuch_by_the_Deacon_Philip_-_WGA21979.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><i>The Cult of Personality continued...</i><br /><br />At a more personal level it is well known that when it comes to new churches there is far more growth as a result of “member transfer” than there is growth that is the result of conversion to Christ. There are many reasons for this but one reason is that people shop for churches like they do any other commodity and when shopping they are influenced by their own need for personal fulfillment and the personality of the pastor as much as anything else. So it is increasingly difficult for churches to retain members unless they have a pastor who can hold the attention of the crowd. Once again we see the power of personality coming alongside truth and a sense of mission. No church is perfect. And there is nothing that obligates people to stay in a certain congregation for a given amount of time. But today there is little loyalty. People are in it for what they can get out of it. And the pastoral personality that is the most attractive, or forceful, or whatever, often wins the day.<br /><br />To be continued...Kirk Wellumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02289426555177547014noreply@blogger.com1Hamilton, ON, Canada43.2177791 -79.987283543.1714926 -80.0662475 43.2640656 -79.9083195tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7003167.post-52553585561849182182012-11-13T12:51:00.002-05:002012-11-13T12:52:48.784-05:00The Cult of Personality - Part 6<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8dV0ovRb0fs/UKKHrP58xfI/AAAAAAAAAik/p_oWirpJFDI/s1600/Christ+Church+fall+05+500.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8dV0ovRb0fs/UKKHrP58xfI/AAAAAAAAAik/p_oWirpJFDI/s400/Christ+Church+fall+05+500.jpg" width="316" /></a></div>In today's post I focus on what we might call the "McFranchising" of the church. According to the proponents of these congregations these are not just "churches"... they are "fill-in-the-blank churches!" They are organizations where you toe the party line or you are shown the door - nicely, of course, but the door nonetheless! The organizational efficiency of such a model is undeniable but the long-term health of churches remains to be seen. Real leaders do not hide behind a pulpit or a constitution that shields them from criticism or having to answer difficult questions. When these same leaders expect people to support them financially without a full knowledge as to how their money is spent it is only a matter of time until we hear stories of multi-million dollar homes and ministry organizations that push the loyalty of even the most benighted followers to the limit. Human nature being what it is, there must be a system of checks and balances in any organization that involves human beings and that includes the church of Jesus Christ as long as it exists in this world while waiting for the next.<br /><br /><i>The Cult of Personality continued...</i><br /><br />Related to the above, but different, is the development of a new kind of “non-denominational denominationalism” (sic) that is largely organized around a particular teacher/leader. Traditional denominations like Anglican, Presbyterian, Pentecostal, or Baptist, are organized around a set of beliefs about the meaning of scripture when it comes to certain key doctrines. But these new groups reflect the image of the man at the top whose vision and direction casts a shadow over the whole group. They also tend to have an authoritarian view of eldership that leaves little room for the tangible involvement of the congregation. This too is problematic.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WIue47MwSDk/UKKHvEnZb9I/AAAAAAAAAis/W1dq4D4Kf38/s1600/rural-churches-140027.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="252" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WIue47MwSDk/UKKHvEnZb9I/AAAAAAAAAis/W1dq4D4Kf38/s320/rural-churches-140027.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />In the new covenant, all of God’s people have the Spirit and while there is a gifting and calling that rests on some men to serve as elders in the church, they do not possess the Spirit in a way that is qualitatively different from the rest of God’s people. Practically this means that the line between leaders and the led in a new covenant church is not often as great as it is supposed. The reality of the new covenant work of the Holy Spirit should be evident in the way the church is structured and organized. This means that there needs to be an organizational structure that allows for real give and take between the elders and the congregation. In many of these new groups the organizational models are efficient but too heavily weighted in terms of the elders with the congregation having little real say. Jesus is the true head of the church and leaders and people alike owe allegiance to him. There is an equality that must be respected and reflected in the church.<br /><br />To be continued...Kirk Wellumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02289426555177547014noreply@blogger.com0The PATH - City Hall, Toronto, ON M5H 2N1, Canada43.653226 -79.383184343.285397499999995 -80.0148983 44.0210545 -78.7514703tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7003167.post-88980160873225841002012-11-08T14:31:00.001-05:002012-11-10T09:40:36.388-05:00The Cult of Personality - Part 5<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-psBdP0j4p7o/UJwGg0YhSEI/AAAAAAAAAiM/YN18wd13nJo/s1600/Stars-at-Night(pp_w709_h471).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-psBdP0j4p7o/UJwGg0YhSEI/AAAAAAAAAiM/YN18wd13nJo/s400/Stars-at-Night(pp_w709_h471).jpg" width="400" /></a></div>In today's post I look at the satellite or multi-campus church as an expression of a failure to develop leaders and teachers who can continue of the work of the primary church once it has grown large enough to be unable to meet in one location. There is something weird and dangerous about one man being the primary teacher influence in the lives of so many people. No one man is smart enough or capable enough to shepherd such a flock without significant input from others. All of us are imbalanced in one area or another and we need others to keep us tacking in the right direction. No one has everything figured out and we will inevitably lead others astray - though we may have the best of intentions - unless we are part of a team that constantly asking questions and learning and growing. Over time groups reflect the teaching both good and bad of their teachers and the more fresh influences they are exposed to the less likely they are to go too far astray. The saying, "power corrupts; absolute power corrupts absolutely," applies to churches just as much as it does to politics and other areas of human leadership and organization.<br /><br /><i>The Cult of Personality continued...</i><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3H1_b0J9Sp8/UJwGi0d1wLI/AAAAAAAAAiU/2WvRh0qnmb0/s1600/lake-tekapo-at-night-lg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="268" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3H1_b0J9Sp8/UJwGi0d1wLI/AAAAAAAAAiU/2WvRh0qnmb0/s400/lake-tekapo-at-night-lg.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Still another manifestation of the cult of personality is the rise of the satellite or multi-campus church. These are churches, or parts of churches, that meet in different locations but they still have one primary pastor who speaks to them weekly by means of a video broadcast. Usually in these kinds of set ups there are small groups that meet during the week that balance off the Sunday movie theatre experience and it is in these groups that the real fellowship and spiritual life building takes place. My concern is not with the fact that people are being creative in their presentation of the gospel and structuring of the church. That is good and quite frankly we need more of it. My concern is that these multi-campus churches are frequently dominated by one pastor-teacher. While this may make him look important and indispensable in the eyes of others I think it actually represents a failure to do what the gospel requires of Christians and their leaders.<br /><br />Where the gospel is preached and people are gathered in such numbers that another “satellite” or “campus” is required, leaders should be identified and trained who are able to do the work of the ministry in those locations – including the work of preaching of God’s word. If there are no additional leaders and one man must do the bulk of the preaching and teaching something is wrong. It should not be necessary for one man to do all of the pulpit ministry nor is it healthy for one man to do so. If new congregations are birthed God will give those new churches shepherds who will care for their spiritual needs. Pastors and elders who are doing their job properly should be training those who can carry on the ministry of the word in different places and in the years to come. Rather than one man appearing on video in different locations, men who have been set apart and trained for the work of the Christian ministry should be taking their place in these new congregations.<br /><br />To be continued...Kirk Wellumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02289426555177547014noreply@blogger.com1Toronto, ON, Canada43.653226 -79.383184343.469412 -79.69904129999999 43.837039999999995 -79.0673273tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7003167.post-81347642458107515372012-11-06T12:38:00.000-05:002012-11-06T12:38:19.645-05:00The Cult of Personality - Part 4In this fourth instalment of <i>The Cult of Personality</i> I draw attention to some examples of the suffocating and obnoxious self-promotion that is taking place within certain eccentric corners of the evangelical work. Under the guise of godly humility it is truly all about who is "in" and who is "out." Sadly those caught up in this nonsense do not realize how strange they look and sound to anyone but the most naive and easily manipulated. Their ideas are half-baked and self-serving and they mistake getting something published with saying something of value. In a day of weak churches and still weaker church leadership, the last thing we need are more alliances and subgroups within subgroups. Reformation is long overdue and if it happens in our day it will begin with the dismantling of personality driven groups and a result to authentic Christianity which is not necessarily synonymous with the current smorgasbord of offerings.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9FGVL6oZU-w/UJlKh6xZdEI/AAAAAAAAAh8/G-AY8uIQEUA/s1600/sunlight-trees-nature-Favim.com-506988.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9FGVL6oZU-w/UJlKh6xZdEI/AAAAAAAAAh8/G-AY8uIQEUA/s400/sunlight-trees-nature-Favim.com-506988.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><i>The Cult of Personality continued...</i><br /><br />Today, the church in the West, struggles with what can be called “the cult of personality.” This cult is the antithesis of the self-effacing attitude that characterized John the Baptist. Instead, it is the domination of the church by egos and famous personalities that for all practical purposes become larger than Jesus himself. Rarely, if ever, is this the stated intention of the people involved. Few would dare to deliberately usurp the place that belongs to Christ alone. The cult of personality, however, is more subtle than that. It happens when men put themselves front and centre in their churches and ministries. When everything revolves around them, their sermons, their thoughts, their opinions, their plans, their tweets and their programs.<br /><br />Ironically it can be seen at "Christian" conferences where the foyers and the halls outside the main conference room resemble a trade show in which a variety of salesmen hock their wares. Although it is anachronistic, I cannot imagine the apostles setting up ministry tables where Peter, Andrew and John would sell their wares and promote their latest ministry initiatives. There is certainly nothing wrong with making Christian literature and other resources available to conference attendees, but it is another to blatantly promote one’s own work and products.<br /><br />Another example of the cult of personality are conferences that are built around individual personalities or a collection of personalities while ostensibly promoting the gospel. The banners with their names and faces plastered on them and video presentations that boast of their accomplishments point in another direction. In fact, the level of self-promotion within evangelicalism is embarrassing. But while these gospel “superstars” bask in the glory of public attention in their own little sphere of influence the words “He must become greater; I must become less” seem to have been conveniently forgotten.<br /><br />To be continued...Kirk Wellumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02289426555177547014noreply@blogger.com1Toronto, ON, Canada43.653226 -79.383184343.468979999999995 -79.69904129999999 43.837472 -79.0673273tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7003167.post-4982192884789070102012-11-05T13:22:00.001-05:002012-11-05T13:22:58.503-05:00The Cult of Personality - Part 3<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dRVBnz1mQA0/UJgDKKVul_I/AAAAAAAAAhs/p1ZlSe9Ibik/s1600/earth-from-space-1r.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="250" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dRVBnz1mQA0/UJgDKKVul_I/AAAAAAAAAhs/p1ZlSe9Ibik/s400/earth-from-space-1r.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>In this third instalment of <i>The Cult of Personality</i> we see that our me-oriented culture is antithetical to following Christ and properly representing him in the world. One reason we are so self-absorbed is that we forget how small we are in the universe and so the picture accompanying today's post is meant to remind us of the indisputable fact that we are a very important and yet very small part of what God has made.<br /><br /><br /><i>The Cult of Personality continued...</i><br /><br />These, and many other passages, teach us that Christianity is about Jesus Christ. He is at the centre of God’s salvation. Christianity is about following him and declaring our allegiance to him. Christianity is not about us. It has something wonderful to say to us, but it is not first and foremost about us. It is not man-centred but God-centred and Christ-centred. This is foundational and basic. This is biblical Christianity. We have been redeemed in order that we might live for his honour and glory all our days. Everything that we do should be for his praise. What John the Baptist said about himself should be true of everyone who follows Christ – “He must become greater; I must become less” (John 3:30). But while this should be the direction of our lives, it is not always worked out in our lives and churches. Too often we are selfish and self-centred and we think that we are the centre of the universe and that things should revolve around us, our goals and objectives. We live in a very me-oriented culture where the letter “I” is put in front of more than electronic devices. Not wanting to be left behind, and uncritically and unconsciously adopting the ways of the world, Christians forget that it is not about them but about the exaltation of the Lord Jesus and him alone.<br /><br />To be continued...<br /><br /><i>The Cult of Personality</i> first appeared in <i>Barnabas Magazine.</i>Kirk Wellumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02289426555177547014noreply@blogger.com0Toronto, ON, Canada43.653226 -79.383184343.469412 -79.69904129999999 43.837039999999995 -79.0673273tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7003167.post-14597222366891154162012-11-02T23:35:00.001-04:002012-11-05T13:23:41.743-05:00The Cult of Personality - Part 2<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KDPSGyn_0Us/UJSQHkcDg-I/AAAAAAAAAhc/XBjxLEboHVY/s1600/cross_sunset-26.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="273" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KDPSGyn_0Us/UJSQHkcDg-I/AAAAAAAAAhc/XBjxLEboHVY/s400/cross_sunset-26.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>In this second installment of <i>The Cult of Personality</i> we are reminded that Jesus Christ stands at the centre of both the Old and New Testaments. This is another way of saying that God's plan of salvation is centered in him in a profound way that has far reaching implications for everyone who follows Jesus or represents him in the world. Thus, the apostle Paul "resolved to know nothing... except Jesus Christ and him crucified" 1 Corinthians 2:2. But this is not an easy lesson to learn and it seems that each generation of believers must learn it afresh.<br /><br /><i>The Cult of Personality continued...</i><br /><br />John’s attitude is exemplary and instructive beyond his own unique role as the Messianic forerunner. He was the final prophet of the old covenant era who introduced Jesus to the world and he shows us what our attitude should be when it comes to Jesus and our relationship with him. The gospel and the new covenant that Jesus inaugurated in his own blood is centered in him. The entire New Testament makes this clear and passages like Hebrews 1:1-2 underline the fact – “In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe.” In Colossians 1:15-20 Paul describes Jesus as the Son who is “the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.”<br /><br />To be continued...Kirk Wellumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02289426555177547014noreply@blogger.com0Hamilton, ON, Canada43.2177791 -79.987283543.1714926 -80.0662475 43.2640656 -79.9083195tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7003167.post-87313054949514788552012-11-01T13:23:00.000-04:002012-11-05T13:24:04.865-05:00The Cult of Personality - Part 1<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MWIi1WNgEIk/UJKvGb7I54I/AAAAAAAAAf8/fmsuXyumRYE/s1600/granacci+st+john2-resized-600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; display: inline !important; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="141" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MWIi1WNgEIk/UJKvGb7I54I/AAAAAAAAAf8/fmsuXyumRYE/s400/granacci+st+john2-resized-600.jpg" width="400" /></a> This is the first in a series of posts on the cult of personality that currently afflicts certain elements of evangelicalism. Of course, evangelicals are not the only ones who engage in hero worship, but their participation in this characteristic of our culture at large, is both disappointing and inconsistent with their own principles. The pictures included in this post are famous paintings of John the Baptist who understood and accepted his role as the forerunner of the Messiah. He knew who to worship and how to get out of the way so that the spotlight might unambiguously shine on the one who is the true Light of the world. With this in mind here is the first of a series of posts on the cult of personality.<br /><br /><i>The Cult of Personality</i><br /><br />The prophetic ministry of John the Baptist began with great acclaim and it was not long before crowds of people were following him and hanging on his every word. And so it was that in a short time he went from relative obscurity to a position of prominence even though he ministered in the wilderness outside the centres of power and influence. From the start people sensed that God’s Spirit was with John in a way that had not been seen in a very long time. His practice of baptising people in water as a sign of repentance in preparation for the coming of the Lord brought people to him from far and wide, and his powerful and practical preaching was heard by multitudes. But his meteoric rise did not last long. Even though he was a fresh voice calling people to turn from their sins because the Lord was on the way, after he submitted to a request on the part of his cousin, Jesus, to baptise him in order to fulfil all righteousness, John’s ministry began to decline.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-c70wt3i3RDY/UJKvD0mojlI/AAAAAAAAAf0/iCHq3bY1aUM/s1600/A-Landscape-With-Saint-John-The-Baptist-Praching-1601.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="252" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-c70wt3i3RDY/UJKvD0mojlI/AAAAAAAAAf0/iCHq3bY1aUM/s400/A-Landscape-With-Saint-John-The-Baptist-Praching-1601.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>After Jesus’ baptism by John in the Jordan River he went on to preach the coming of the kingdom of God in a way that put himself front and centre As powerful as John’s preaching was the preaching of Jesus was even more powerful because he taught with first person authority and not like the teachers of the law. As a result Jesus’ popularity sky-rocketed as more and more people began to follow him. Among his followers were many who had formerly followed John, so much so that some of John’s most loyal disciples complained to their teacher that “everyone is going over to him” (John 3:26).<br /><br />Now if John had been concerned about himself, his reputation, and his ministry, he would have taken action to curtail the slippage. But this is not what John does. He understands his role in the history of redemption. And so his response is quite different from someone whose primary concern is building up his own following. John knows that God has called him to a unique introductory task. His job is to prepare the way for God’s Messiah. Or to change the metaphor, he is the friend of the bridegroom who awaits his arrival. Now that Jesus the Messiah – the bridegroom – has come, he understands that he must fade into the background. His primary job is done and as John puts it, “He (Jesus) must become greater; I must become less” (John 3:30).<br /><br />To be continued...Kirk Wellumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02289426555177547014noreply@blogger.com0Toronto, ON, Canada43.653226 -79.383184343.469412 -79.69904129999999 43.837039999999995 -79.0673273tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7003167.post-45331724321191564822012-10-31T11:56:00.000-04:002012-10-31T11:56:37.030-04:00Developing Discernment Part 5<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-96dsGa70ROk/UJFJcXNpwYI/AAAAAAAAAeo/8dtEz9t1Kmk/s1600/6a00d8341c03bb53ef01348404979b970c-800wi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="317" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-96dsGa70ROk/UJFJcXNpwYI/AAAAAAAAAeo/8dtEz9t1Kmk/s400/6a00d8341c03bb53ef01348404979b970c-800wi.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Five, we must not be overly impressed by novelty. Ours is a world in which things are constantly changing. This is not necessarily a bad thing but when it comes to Christian truth there are dangers associated with change. The Christian faith is rooted in God’s action in history and in his truth as that has been revealed down through the years and written down in the Bible. God has revealed his truth progressively from the beginning of time and his revelation reached its climax and fulfilment in Jesus Christ. The apostles were commissioned to take the things of Jesus and to teach them to the church so that we would have them in our possession until Jesus comes again at the end of the age. All of this has already taken place. The Bible is complete and the biblical canon is closed. This means that we are not looking for new truth. Our task is to take the truth already revealed and apply it to the myriad of situations in which we find ourselves. This means that anyone who comes along with a revelation that they claim has come from God is clearly mistaken. We are not looking for revelation beyond the Bible.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sT3qTzk4870/UJFJjPaS7NI/AAAAAAAAAew/vxaMK8W-HK0/s1600/modi-khola-river-valley-466x350.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sT3qTzk4870/UJFJjPaS7NI/AAAAAAAAAew/vxaMK8W-HK0/s320/modi-khola-river-valley-466x350.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>But sometimes the threat of novelty is more subtle. Sometimes it is attached to the desire to appear clever or be noticed or to fit in with the prevailing political correctness of the surrounding culture. When this happens we are more likely to trim the truth to make it more acceptable to others, or to push beyond where the Bible stops, or to go off in new directions unsanctioned by the biblical text. Novelty in any of these areas will prove disastrous if left unchecked. Discernment requires that we know the difference between the application of the Bible to all areas of life and tampering with the biblical message so that the resulting message is no longer consistent with the truth as it is in Jesus. The technologies at our disposal make the likelihood of encountering new ideas more prevalent than ever before. Diligence is needed if we are to remain true to the faith that was once for all entrusted to God’s holy people (Jude 3).<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lCo0Dgk1ELw/UJFJs9XGY6I/AAAAAAAAAe4/I8I06f3Srl8/s1600/800px-Hacz%C3%B3w_old_latin_church.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lCo0Dgk1ELw/UJFJs9XGY6I/AAAAAAAAAe4/I8I06f3Srl8/s400/800px-Hacz%C3%B3w_old_latin_church.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>And so we see that development of discernment involves reading and re-reading the Bible with an awareness of where the texts we are reading are located in the unfolded drama of redemption. Furthermore, we must read the Bible literally but not literalistically, always aware of other agendas and biases, and we must not get caught up with novelty for novelty’s sake. In all things our desire should be to glorify God in all that we think, say, and do. And as with all other areas of the Christian life, discernment is not something we can develop on our own. We need the help of the Holy Spirit and the wisdom and counsel of our Christian brothers and sisters. Thankfully we have a rich heritage of writings that have come down to us that we can study and learn from. And in addition to all of these we have pastors and teachers in the church today that can help us discern truth from error so that we might walk with joy in the ways of the Lord.<br /><div><br /></div><div>Next: A multi-part series on the Cult of Personality (first published in Barnabas Magazine)</div>Kirk Wellumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02289426555177547014noreply@blogger.com0Toronto, ON, Canada43.653226 -79.383184343.469412 -79.69904129999999 43.837039999999995 -79.0673273tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7003167.post-28999165793670817592012-10-29T09:51:00.000-04:002012-10-29T09:51:22.032-04:00Developing Discernment Part 4<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tDtrmebRwlw/UI6Gg52r5bI/AAAAAAAAAeQ/dXWwkMT78sY/s1600/Perspective.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tDtrmebRwlw/UI6Gg52r5bI/AAAAAAAAAeQ/dXWwkMT78sY/s400/Perspective.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Today's pictures and installment have to do with <i>perspective</i>. One of the positives of post-modernism is that it has made us aware that people are not as objective as they think they are. We look at life from a particular perspective and our own subjective feelings and beliefs influence us more than we realize. This is not to say that we are hopelessly lost in a sea of subjectivity and that all objectivity is an illusion; but it should humble us and remind us that as viewers and interpreters of reality we are not omniscient and we need help if we are to properly assess all the data that is available to us. And so we continue where we left off in our pursuit of discernment...<br /><br /><br />Four, we must not be naive and unaware of other people’s agendas. Given what the Bible says about human sinfulness and selfishness we should not be surprised that people are not always as objective and non-biased as they appear. Human beings do not always tolerate contradictions very well. We have a tendency to want to align our beliefs with our lifestyles. This means that we will try to justify ourselves and our way of living in our own eyes and in the eyes of others. As a result, when people come to us with ideas that run contrary to biblical teaching there is often a practical reason for their departure from orthodoxy. They are trying to make the Bible fit their lives. Or if those who are living contrary to the Bible try to interpret and teach the Bible it is highly likely that they will distort the biblical message and attempt to remake it into something that they are more comfortable with.<br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tdYWBAsi1WQ/UI6GlIGDjOI/AAAAAAAAAeY/9OtnbEhburc/s1600/601-634-main-street-looking-north-perspective.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="230" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tdYWBAsi1WQ/UI6GlIGDjOI/AAAAAAAAAeY/9OtnbEhburc/s320/601-634-main-street-looking-north-perspective.jpg" width="320" /></a>In Romans 1:18-32 the apostle Paul speaks about the effect of sin on our minds, hearts and reasoning processes. He tells us that human beings suppress the truth by their wickedness… they do not glorify God as God, nor give him thanks, but instead their thinking is futile and their foolish hearts are darkened. Paul is telling us that sin affects our ability to perceive the truth of God. If we are to be discerning people we must recognize sinful agendas. We must learn to ask questions and take into consideration where others are coming from. We cannot think that everyone is an honest seeker of truth. The Bible teaches us that in one sense there are no completely honest seekers. We are not naturally objective but we take a position over against God that is exposed when the searchlight of truth is turned on us and our native rebellion is exposed. Discernment is loving and kind but wary and careful too. Informed by the Bible we listen and think before we accept anything as true and we act upon it.<br /><br />To be continued...Kirk Wellumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02289426555177547014noreply@blogger.com0Hamilton, ON, Canada43.2500208 -79.866091442.8799303 -80.4978054 43.620111300000005 -79.2343774tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7003167.post-59754797139013153502012-10-27T11:48:00.000-04:002012-10-27T11:48:09.980-04:00Developing Discernment Part 3<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rIyRZby8n24/UIwBN-SA6XI/AAAAAAAAAeA/6TZGbIGnEj4/s1600/lake-trees-national-geographic-12616166-1280-960.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rIyRZby8n24/UIwBN-SA6XI/AAAAAAAAAeA/6TZGbIGnEj4/s400/lake-trees-national-geographic-12616166-1280-960.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div>In this installment we look at the difference between literal and literalistic! I have included a beautiful picture of some trees amid the sky, mountains, and water, to illustrate that we must take in the total picture when we read the Bible and not read it in a crassly "wooden" manner! </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Third, the Bible should be read literally but not literalistically. To read the Bible literalistically is to read it in a wooden, overly literal fashion that fails to grasp the literary genius of the divine author. To read it literally is to read it as God intended. This requires an awareness of literary genre which refers to the fact that the Bible is composed of different types of literature, all of which have been breathed-out by God. So, for instance, we have historical, prophetic, and apocalyptic literature in the Bible. We have poetry and proverbs and parables. We have gospel accounts which while historical in nature are also written from a particular perspective to communicate the good news that has come into the world in the person of Jesus. To read the Bible literally is to understand the divine message being communicated through the literary form. When the Bible speaks of the trees of the field clapping their hands we understand this as a poetic expression of joy. When the Bible speaks of the kingdom of heaven being like a sower going out to sow seed we understand that we are dealing with a parable. When Paul writes about justification by faith we are dealing with theological instruction and when Luke writes in the book of Acts we have a reliable historical account of the growth of the church in the early days of the Christian era. Books like Revelation and the last half of the book of Daniel and parts of Ezekiel are apocalyptic and therefore highly symbolic and must be interpreted as such. If we try and interpret them as we would the life of Abraham or the gospel of Mark we will make big mistakes and we will be susceptible to false teaching which distorts the meaning of scripture by pushing the language too far, sometimes to the point of absurdity.<div><br /></div><div>To be continued...</div>Kirk Wellumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02289426555177547014noreply@blogger.com0Hamilton, ON, Canada43.2500208 -79.866091442.8822648 -80.4978054 43.6177768 -79.2343774tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7003167.post-22797709437733957452012-10-26T17:42:00.000-04:002012-10-26T17:42:22.095-04:00Developing Discernment Part 2<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NASDKsA7w8Q/UIsCXD5EBVI/AAAAAAAAAdw/sX2YKIJHECE/s1600/Real_world-44.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NASDKsA7w8Q/UIsCXD5EBVI/AAAAAAAAAdw/sX2YKIJHECE/s400/Real_world-44.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>In this installment we look at the importance of location in the biblical text... or where we are on our journey through the Bible when it comes to properly interpreting the text. "Location, location, location" is more than just a real estate slogan!<br /><br /><br />Second, when we read the Bible we need to be aware of the location of the text in the unfolding plan of redemption. This is because the location of a text is important when it comes to the right interpretation. One of the most basic divisions in the Bible is the division between the Old and New Testaments. But this is not the only division that we need to be aware of. It is also helpful to note if a text was written before or after the fall of humankind into sin. Is the passage from the time of the patriarchs or part of God’s covenant with the nation of Israel? Does it come from the Wisdom Literature which includes books like Psalms and Proverbs, or is it part of the Old Testament prophets? In the New Testament it is important to observe if a text is taken from the gospels or from the letters written to the churches after the death, resurrection and ascension of the Lord Jesus. A failure to read individual texts in light of the broader biblical context and in light of the ministry of Jesus Christ will lead to all kinds of interpretive errors.<br /><br />For example in Matthew 16:20 Jesus warns his disciples not to tell anyone that he is the messiah. This verse should not become the basis of an argument against personal evangelism even though it might look like that on first reading. When Jesus’ statement is interpreted in light of the context in Matthew’s gospel and with an awareness of where that gospel is located in redemptive history it becomes plain that this was a temporary restriction that was being placed on the disciples because they did not yet understand that Jesus’ work as messiah was tied to his death on a cross and his resurrection from the dead. This is confirmed by the closing verses of Matthew’s gospel where the disciples are told to make disciples of all the nations and to teach them everything that Christ has commanded (28:18-20). By the end of Matthew’s gospel the time has come for the disciples and the Christians after them to proclaim that Jesus is Lord. Discernment requires an awareness of where we are reading in the Bible because God has revealed himself and his will progressively over time. Failure to read the Bible accordingly will inevitably lead to the misinterpretation of it.<br /><br />To be continued...Kirk Wellumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02289426555177547014noreply@blogger.com0Hamilton, ON, Canada43.2177791 -79.987283543.1714926 -80.0662475 43.2640656 -79.9083195tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7003167.post-77514918788486407282012-10-25T12:26:00.000-04:002012-10-25T12:26:34.710-04:00Developing Discernment Part 1<br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-comei772dI0/UIlnwKBxpRI/AAAAAAAAAdg/OrRM69F9DMM/s1600/Discernment-300x233.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="310" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-comei772dI0/UIlnwKBxpRI/AAAAAAAAAdg/OrRM69F9DMM/s400/Discernment-300x233.jpg" width="400" /></a>Discernment is a basic life skill. This is true regardless of a person’s religious beliefs. Every day we must make a myriad of decisions based on information that is presented to us. We must decide what we will eat and drink, how we will organize our day, how we will assess things that we read, hear, or see. Discernment is the ability to process the information that is coming at us and make wise decisions based on what we know to be true or false at the time. Those who lack discernment make mistakes and harm themselves in a variety of ways – some fatally. Ultimately, discernment is necessary because there is such a thing as truth and error, right and wrong, health and sickness, freedom and bondage. Unfortunately not all the information that comes our way is true and so we must learn to distinguish between what is true and what is not if we are going to survive in the world and live happy, productive lives.<br /><br />What is true about life generally is also true when it comes to living as a Christian in the world. When God saves us he does not remove us from the world; instead he calls us to live by faith in the midst of a world in which we often struggle with decisions about what is right and wrong. Fortunately God has not left us without a guide. In the Bible he has revealed himself and his will to us, he has told us what to watch out for and he has explained the path of obedience to us. His word is clear even if we do not always understand what he is saying. Our lack of understanding is not because of a deficiency in his word but because we are finite creatures who need God’s help if we are to know his mind and do his will. But this is not all, in addition to our finitude there is the complicating factor of our sinfulness. Sin is not just a violation of God’s law that leaves us guilty before him, sin pollutes and contaminates our bodies, minds, and souls. It distorts our perception so we cannot process the information that comes our way as we should. When this happens we become susceptible to error and instead of believing God’s truth we are more likely to believe a lie.<br /><br />In this article I want to talk about the development of discernment so we do not fall for ideas and practices that are not consistent with God’s will for our lives. First, we need to read and re-read the Bible. No matter how many times people are told to read their Bibles there are still to many who are unaware of what the Bible teaches on a variety of subjects. Grasping the sweep of biblical revelation requires us to become familiar with the Bible as a whole. It is not enough to know a verse here or there, because most false teaching comes to us with Bible verses attached. We need to know that main contours of the biblical storyline that begins in the Old Testament book of Genesis and ends in the New Testament book of Revelation. The more we know the Bible the less likely we will be to fall for half-truths that are taken out of context and presented to us as the whole word of God. When you read the Bible you discover that God intended us to read it over and over again because it is impossible to grasp what he is saying the first or second time through. The more we read the Bible the more we will understand what God is saying and we will be better able to make connections within the Bible itself that will keep us from going astray. This is also important because in the end only scripture can interpret scripture. If our interpretation of any passage is correct it must be consistent or compatible with all other passages of scripture. This makes knowledge of the Bible critically important if we are to develop discernment and know what God wants us to do.<br /><br />To be continued...<br /><div><br /></div>Kirk Wellumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02289426555177547014noreply@blogger.com0Toronto, ON, Canada43.653226 -79.383184343.469412 -79.69904129999999 43.837039999999995 -79.0673273tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7003167.post-53599611444987962962012-08-31T18:56:00.002-04:002012-08-31T18:56:44.951-04:00Malachi 4<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4bD681wkZl0/UEFAFk9xk-I/AAAAAAAAAaQ/1eBTq05NS7c/s1600/mountains-Alps-chalets-768x1366.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4bD681wkZl0/UEFAFk9xk-I/AAAAAAAAAaQ/1eBTq05NS7c/s400/mountains-Alps-chalets-768x1366.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>"Surely the day is coming; it will burn like a furnace. All the arrogant and every evildoer will be stubble, and the day that is coming will set them on fire," says the Lord Almighty. "Not a root or a branch will be left to them. But for you who revere my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its rays. And you will go out and frolic like well-fed calves. Then you will trample on the wicked; they will be ashes under the soles of your feet on the day when I act," says the Lord Almighty.<br /><br />Remember the law of my servant Moses, the decrees and laws I gave him at Horeb for all Israel. See, I will send the prophet Elijah to you before the great and dreadful day of the Lord comes. He will turn the hearts of the parents to their children, and the hearts of the children to their parents; or else I will come and strike the land with total destruction."<br /><br />Malachi 4<br /><br />Notes: The divine designation "the Lord Almighty" appears more times in this prophecy than in any other part of the Hebrew scriptures. Written about a hundred years after Judah's return from the Babylonian captivity the prophet confronts a relatively small group of people who were deeply discouraged because things had not worked out as they had expected. Possessing promises of a glorious future they were living with the reality of unrealized expectations and they had grown careless and cynical. With clarity and a good dose of sarcasm the prophet Malachi - whose name means "messenger" - calls them back to covenant fidelity while simultaneously encouraging to look forward with anticipation to all that God was going to do in his own time.<br /><br />While we live in a different period of redemptive history we know something of the tension between what has already been accomplished and what is yet to come. And so we are called to faith and obedience while we wait for the fulfillment of the promise - and the waiting, as time goes on, might just be the greatest challenge of all. It is in this context that the divine name - the Lord Almighty - takes on precious significance.Kirk Wellumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02289426555177547014noreply@blogger.com2Toronto, ON, Canada43.653226 -79.383184343.469412 -79.69904129999999 43.837039999999995 -79.0673273tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7003167.post-20193978341747810942012-07-31T15:28:00.000-04:002012-08-02T21:55:37.478-04:00Psalm 150<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3UK0HOWrv_o/UBgwoKOBbGI/AAAAAAAAAZ8/xlVTR5MYRIs/s1600/daisy_flowers_at_sun_set_67_1366x768.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3UK0HOWrv_o/UBgwoKOBbGI/AAAAAAAAAZ8/xlVTR5MYRIs/s400/daisy_flowers_at_sun_set_67_1366x768.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Praise the Lord!<br />Praise God in his heavenly dwelling;<br />praise him in his mighty heaven!<br /><br />Praise him for his mighty works;<br />praise his unequalled greatness!<br /><br />Praise him with a blast of the trumpet;<br />praise him with the lyre and harp!<br /><br />Praise him with the tambourine and dancing;<br />praise him with stringed instruments and flutes!<br /><br />Praise him with a clash of cymbals;<br />praise him with loud clanging cymbals.<br /><br />Let everything that lives sing praises to the Lord!<br /><br />Praise the Lord!<br /><br />New Living Translation<br /><br />Notes: With this song of praise the psalter comes to an end. It began with a two psalms, the first extolling the "blessed" man, and the second the Lord's "anointed king." In many ways the whole psalter tells his story and proclaims his triumph in spite of the opposition of his enemies. The psalter, and all the scriptures, tell us that the end result of his work is a renovated world filled with the Lord's praise. In a day when many think that the Bible is passé we would do well to remember that this giddy notion has gripped the minds of large numbers of people in the past. They have come and gone and rarely does anyone beyond their own generation remember them. The Bible, on the other hand, continues to point us beyond ourselves to the Lord whose name will be praised in the end - whenever that end finally comes.Kirk Wellumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02289426555177547014noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7003167.post-36053042125269642162012-06-30T10:20:00.000-04:002012-06-30T10:20:35.233-04:00Psalm 84<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-O4rpjziwWjk/T-8KaRpfnfI/AAAAAAAAAY0/8kbzCKANdCo/s1600/Psalm+84.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="250" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-O4rpjziwWjk/T-8KaRpfnfI/AAAAAAAAAY0/8kbzCKANdCo/s400/Psalm+84.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>How lovely is your dwelling place,<br />O Lord of Heaven's Armies.<br />I love, yes, I faint with longing<br />to enter the courts of the Lord.<br />With my whole being, body and soul,<br />I will shout joyfully to the living God.<br />Even the sparrow finds a home<br />and the swallow builds her nest and raises<br />her young at a place near your altar,<br />O Lord of Heaven's Armies, my King and my God!<br />What joy for those who can live in your house,<br />always singing your praises.<br /><br />What joy for those whose strength comes from the Lord,<br />who have set their minds on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem.<br />When they walk through the Valley of Weeping,<br />it will become a place of refreshing springs.<br />The autumn rains will clothe it with blessings.<br />They will continue to grow stronger,<br />and each of them will appear before the God in Jerusalem.<br /><br />O Lord God of Heaven's Armies, hear my prayer.<br />Listen, O God of Jacob.<br /><br />O God, look with favor upon the king, our shield!<br />Show favor to the one you have anointed.<br /><br />A single day in your courts is better than a thousand anywhere else!<br />I would rather be a gatekeeper in the house of my God<br />than live the good life in the homes of the wicked.<br />For the Lord God is our sun and our shield.<br />He gives us grace and glory.<br />The Lord will withhold no good thing<br />from those who do what is right.<br />O Lord of Heaven's Armies,<br />what joy for those who trust in you.<br /><br />A psalm of the descendants of Korah.<br />New Living Translation<br /><br />Notes: There is a longing expressed in this psalm for something more than what can be known in this life. This may seem like strange language to those who have never experienced it, but for those who have there is a depth and intensity of feeling that is powerfully compelling. How lovely is the dwelling place of the Lord of Heaven's Armies. Once experienced, nothing else satisfies.Kirk Wellumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02289426555177547014noreply@blogger.com7Ancaster, ON, Canada43.2177791 -79.987283543.1714926 -80.0662475 43.2640656 -79.9083195tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7003167.post-38203194745743101422012-06-08T10:19:00.000-04:002012-06-08T10:19:19.894-04:00Psalm 98<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bWRE0I3qvKM/T9IJV2Um2HI/AAAAAAAAAYo/1gZYfizpBck/s1600/psalm+98.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bWRE0I3qvKM/T9IJV2Um2HI/AAAAAAAAAYo/1gZYfizpBck/s400/psalm+98.jpg" width="318" /></a></div>Sing a new song to the Lord, for he has done wonderful deeds.<br />His right hand has won a mighty victory;<br />his holy arm has shown his saving power!<br />The Lord has announced his victory and has revealed his righteousness to every nation!<br />He has remember his promise to love and be faithful to Israel.<br />The ends of the earth have seen the victory of our God.<br /><br />Shout to the Lord, all the earth;<br />break out in praise and sing for joy!<br />Sing your praise to the Lord with the harp,<br />with harp and melodious song,<br />with trumpets and the sound of the ram's horn.<br />Make a joyful symphony before the Lord, the King!<br /><br />Let the sea and everything in it shout his praise!<br />Let the earth and all living things join in.<br />Let the rivers clap their hands in glee!<br />Let the hills sing out their songs of joy before the Lord.<br />For the Lord is coming to judge the world with justice,<br />and the nations with fairness.<br /><br />A psalm - New Living Translation<br /><br />Notes: The Lord celebrated in this psalm is not a tribal deity - he rules over all! He is active in the world and is described as doing wonderful deeds that call forth new songs of praise. Whatever deeds the psalmist is referring to in his own time, they pale in comparison with the Lord's victory won in his Christ and the righteousness found in him. Those who continue to read the rest of the story beyond the psalms and who believe what is written have every reason to shout for joy! And when all is said and done the entire creation will benefit from all that God has done and will yet do when he bares his mighty and holy arm.Kirk Wellumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02289426555177547014noreply@blogger.com0Ancaster, ON, Canada43.2178161 -79.987281643.2062446 -80.0070226 43.2293876 -79.9675406tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7003167.post-50036046281797933682012-05-25T17:55:00.000-04:002012-05-25T17:56:00.296-04:00Psalm 93<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5lQzUKr6dTs/T7__RBflP_I/AAAAAAAAAYc/erkT9myH_UU/s1600/Chang-Jiang-Yangtze-River07.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5lQzUKr6dTs/T7__RBflP_I/AAAAAAAAAYc/erkT9myH_UU/s400/Chang-Jiang-Yangtze-River07.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>The Lord is king! He is robed in majesty. Indeed, the Lord is robed in majesty and armed with strength.<br />The world stands firm and cannot be shaken.<br /><br />Your throne, O Lord, has stood from time immemorial.<br />You yourself are from the everlasting past.<br /><br />The floods have risen up, O Lord.<br />The floods have roared like thunder;<br />the floods have lifted their pounding waves.<br /><br />But mightier than the violent raging of the seas,<br />mightier than the breakers on the shore --<br />the Lord above is mightier than these!<br /><br />Your royal laws cannot be changed.<br />Your reign, O Lord, is holy forever and ever.<br /><br />Notes: a glorious psalm exalting in the majesty of the Lord. Not just any Lord but the one who has revealed himself in his Son and given proof of this to all human beings by raising him from the dead.Kirk Wellumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02289426555177547014noreply@blogger.com0Ancaster, ON, Canada43.2178161 -79.987281643.2062446 -80.0070226 43.2293876 -79.9675406tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7003167.post-18455827081444964182012-05-15T11:07:00.000-04:002012-05-15T11:07:00.404-04:00Psalm 121<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2WJrzUPF6kU/T7JwtgffJSI/AAAAAAAAAYA/xM436_yT13Q/s1600/nature-1080p-80-1366x768.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2WJrzUPF6kU/T7JwtgffJSI/AAAAAAAAAYA/xM436_yT13Q/s400/nature-1080p-80-1366x768.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>I look up to the mountains --<br />does my help come from there?<br />My help comes from the Lord,<br />who made heaven and earth!<br /><br />He will not let you stumble;<br />the one who watches over you will not slumber.<br />Indeed, he who watches over Israel<br />never slumbers or sleeps.<br /><br />The Lord himself watches over you!<br />The Lord stands beside you as your protective shade.<br />The sun will not harm you by day,<br />nor the moon at night.<br /><br />The Lord keeps you from all harm<br />and watches over your life.<br />The Lord keeps watch over you as you come and go,<br />both now and forever.<br /><br /><i>A song for pilgrims ascending to Jerusalem</i><br /><i><br /></i><br />Notes: Beyond old Israel and Jerusalem this psalm promises divine help for the people of God. What was true in days gone by is even more true now that the true Israel has come and is in the process of gathering his people to himself. He is the great shepherd of the sheep and he will deliver them from all trouble.Kirk Wellumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02289426555177547014noreply@blogger.com4Ancaster, ON, Canada43.2178161 -79.987281643.2062446 -80.0070226 43.2293876 -79.9675406