Mark Driscoll, Matt Chandler, and the Example of John Piper

I think it is wonderful how John Piper has been giving young pastors the pulpit at Desiring God conferences. John has now invited Mark Driscoll to two conferences, and I have no doubt that he has received a lot of criticism for that among some of his good friends and the wider evangelical community. It is intriguing too to think that not only does John invite Driscoll, but that he has Mark speaking on the biblical use of "harsh language" at DG's latest conference, a topic of which Mark has received the most criticism for in his ministry.

Now John is inviting another gifted young pastor--Matt Chandler. Matt, a pastor of the Village Church in Texas, will be speaking at the forthcoming Bethlehem Conference for Pastors in '09 on the theme of evangelism. John has given him the task of "help[ing] us think about...saving those who think they are saved." After listening to Matt regularly I am convinced that topic is perfect for him and that he will serve the pastors well. Matt has been known to take the Bible to the backside of Bible-belt Christianity that, at times, resembles something more akin to unbelieving Pharasaism. More importantly Matt is thoroughly Gospel-centered. He consistently draws people back to the Gospel in his sermons and is a great example of saturating every sermon with Jesus.

I am thankful for older godly men like Pastor Piper who is willing to give young pastors this opportunity.

May God raise up more older pastors in local churches who are willing to cultivate the gifts of young men and be mentors of them in their community. The pattern that Paul lays out in modeling his life in relationship with Timothy is one that all pastors should be following. I do not think this is only a pastoral responsibility, but that many older Christian men in general should take upon themselves the responsiblity of training young men not necessarily to be pastors but to be godly men.

Thank you Pastor John for being an example of this to wider evangelical world.

Matt Chandler Interview

I want to encourage you to check out pastor Matt Chandler's interview with pastor Mark Driscoll on the resurgence web-site. I have been blessed by his message's most the past few years and wanted to point you again (as I have before) to listen to him preach. If you want his sermons hit my link on the right of the page.

Text-Context: Matt Chandler - Where's the Angst?

I have listened to a decent amount of preaching in my life, but rarely am truly moved. This does not necessarily mean that all the preaching I've heard is bad preaching, for I am a bad guy and often hard-hearted. This also is due to the fact that when you grow up in church all your life you get preached at plenty.

However, I must say that rarely, at least with the above qualifications in mind, do I hear men plead for the hearts to be radically devoted to Jesus and to long for the Savior like Matt Chandler does. His call for men to have intense angst and radical pursuit of the living God blesses my soul. No, this does not mean that I have it, it means so desperately that I need it.

To groan for God. To long to be close to Him. To love Jesus. To truly be dependent on the Holy Spirit not in word and clever prayers but in the desire, the heart's cry inside.

I've only listened briefly to Matt's call to church planters to long for Jesus, but I know that this call is rare and this call is deeply prophetic in the profoundest sense. Not that what Matt is saying is new, but that what Matt is saying is old and very needed in the hearts and souls of the men and women of our generation.

Where's the longing for God in our generation? This call is to you, which means most profoundly that it is to me.

"As the deer pants for the flowing streams,
So pants my soul for you O God." Ps. 42:1

Celebrate the Steps

The following quotation contains a wonderful analogy from Matt Chandler pastor of the Village Church in Texas:

I've used this illustration 14 times since I've been a pastor here. I make no apologies for using it again tonight. It is the best word picture I know.

When my daughter first walked I don't think it was her intention to do so. I think she had a gigantic head. I think she let go of the coffee table, her fat head fell forward, in order to save her own life as the head fell, she put her foot out. That created what's known in physics as momentum. All right? So that step led to that step led to that step and she fell on the ground and we celebrated. An epic celebration of all things good. We're making cupcakes, we are partying because why? She's walking! I mean my kid is walking and for the next 3 or 4 months she can only take 6,7,8, 10 steps tops before she falls over and every time we giggle and laugh and celebrate. And not only that, but the poor kids becomes like show and tell thing every time somebody new comes over. "Watch this…..ye, yea….YEAH!!!!! And we celebrate the kid's walking even though I don't think she decided to. I think it just progressed…right? And here's the thing, never, ever, ever, did I even think about the falls. I just loved that she was walking. I mean we just, I mean never did I go "When's this kid going to learn! I mean it's been 5-6 months. I can do it. Her mom can. For a milk dud I can get the dog on his back legs walking around the kitchen. No, no, you celebrate the steps. You celebrate the steps. And when she falls, look at me, as often as she falls, never have we ever been frustrated by the falls. If anything, see she's 3 now, she's running about an 8 240, which we're trying to get that down but that's all we got right now. There's flip-flops involved now and man, sometimes the falls are bad. In fact, sometimes the falls bring blood and tears, and I still never find myself frustrated by the falls. But I do find myself when those falls occur kissing booboos, putting Band-Aids on bloody knees, holding and kissing until the tears are gone and she feels safe to run again. And then put her down and let her run again.

So it is with our Father, who rejoices in the steps and heals the falls. So it is with our Father who loves to see us run and doesn't tire of picking us up when we've fallen. See, that's the good news in all this. The good news is for the man or woman who's running towards Him. That the falls do not appoint us to suffer wrath but mercy. Mercy towards iniquity, in fact, He says, "I've forgotten all about the fall. In fact, I was so excited about you running that I forgot that you even fell. I was so excited about the fact that you were moving and you were running and you were healthy that I don't even remember that you fell." While most of us beat ourselves up over the fall. Jesus is going "What fall? I just saw you running!"

Source: Sermon text and audio.